Jack Klugman

In 1953, Jack Klugman married actress Brett Somers. The couple had two children—Adam and David. They separated later on. Although it is said that they remained married till Somers’ death in 2007, records point out that the couple divorced in August 1977.

In 1988, Klugman started living with Peggy Crosby and married her in February 2008. He was then 85.

Klugman was fascinated with horseracing and owned a thoroughbred racehorse, who he named Jaklin Klugman. In 1980, the horse finished third in the Kentucky Derby.

Jack Klugman was born on April 27, 1922 in a poor neighborhood of Philadelphia to Russian Jewish parents—hat maker Rose and house painter Max. He had five siblings. He had a tough childhood as his father died young and his mother had to take care of her six children alone. Jack also had to work as a street peddler to support his family.

He served in the United States Army during the World War II. He graduated in 1948 from the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now known as the Carnegie Mellon University) where he studied drama.

Starting his acting career in 1949, Jack Klugman made his stage debut in the play ‘Stevedore’ at the Equity Liberty theatre in New York. He soon moved into television and films as well. In 1950, he was offered a minor role in the play ‘Mr. Roberts’ at Boston’s Colonial Theatre. In the same year, he made his television debut in ‘Actors Studio’.

In 1952, he made his Broadway debut in Clifford Odets' ‘Golden Boy’ with Lee J Cobb and John Garfield. Two years later, he was featured in the soap opera, ‘The Greatest Gift’, followed by a role in ‘Producers' Showcase’, an anthology television series in 1955. In 1957, he found a role in Sidney Lumet’s classic film, ‘12 Angry Men’, a courtroom drama film based on a teleplay of the same name by Reginald Rose.

In 1959, he was finally noticed for his acting talents when he performed in the Broadway production, ‘Gypsy: A Musical Fable’, followed by his appearance in four episodes of ‘The Twilight Zone’ series.

In 1962, he appeared in the Broadway production, ‘Tchin-Tchin’, for a year. From 1960 to 1963, he was featured in two episodes of ‘The Untouchables’ series—‘Loophole’ and ‘An Eye for an Eye’. In 1964, he starred in the sitcom ‘Harris Against the World’. However, it was canceled due to low ratings after a year.

Jack Klugman received a big breakthrough in 1965 when he was offered the lead role of Oscar Madison in the Broadway production of ‘The Odd Couple’. He also bagged the recurring role in the television series of the same name, which premiered on ABC in 1970. He continued in the series for five years. In 1973, Klugman and his co-star Randall recorded an album, ‘The Odd Couple Sings’ for London Records.

In 1959, Jack Klugman’s role in the Broadway play ‘Gypsy: A Musical Fable’, was critically acclaimed. It earned him a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor (Musical) in 1960. In 1964, his performance in ‘The Defenders’ was highly praised.

He was much appreciated for his performance in ‘The Odd Couple’, both in the Broadway production as well as the TV series. This role earned his several awards and nominations.