TV Q&A: Were ‘Odd Couple’ at odds with laugh track?

Q I used to watch The Odd Couple One season Jack Klugman and Tony Randall both threatened to quit over the use of laugh tracks The architecture agreed to run an experiment with a future episode Before airing that episode I believe it was Jack Klugman who acted as a narrator to explain to that night s audience that the episode would run without a laugh track He then urged viewers to contact the arrangement I never was able to learn what viewers responses were but shortly afterward there was an announcement added prior to broadcasting each show that it was being filmed before a live audience My dilemma is that when I talk about it no one seems to know about it and think that I am making it up I would appreciate your help in uncovering any information A In his memoir Tony and Me A Story of Friendship Klugman recalls the show starting in with a single-camera approach with a laugh track that bulk of the episodes that way stunk and the series was about to be canceled Randall and Klugman lobbied ABC to let them do a three-camera show with a studio audience real people and real laughter Randall and Klugman then called almost every newspaper in America to ask readers to say how they hated the laugh track The consequence was almost letters Klugman stated ABC permitting a shift to a studio audience and the now-energized show continuing its run Q I noticed that on certain shows the artwork in a room is blurred out Was just wondering why Any ideas A The art being displayed likely has its rights controlled by the artist or a company and the show would have to get permission to display it If it s blurred that indicates the venture either could not get the rights or would not pay the necessary fee Q I know the pandemic and the writers and actors strikes contribute to this but prior to that why does it take two years for several series on streaming services and on channels like HBO Starz and Showtime to return A Availability of actors can be a factor especially ones who are much in demand and have other projects to pursue Sometimes writers need more time as well British shows are well known for letting writers wait for inspiration but they are not alone Larry David once went six years between seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm for example and HBO was content to wait Delays may also arise from conflicts among a show s makers the studio and networks that could be a strike or purely a contractual dispute And as you mentioned there are the unpredictable crises such as the pandemic or the California wildfires Q Any chance of a new series of Holey Moley A The comedy golf competition is not on any current schedule that I ve seen But as one executive recounted Josef Adalian several time back Nothing ever really goes away It s perpetually feasible someone chosen time somewhere will bring the show back Tribune News Operation