“…to remove himself from his place of residence. That request came from his wife.” Though it’s a day past the anniversary of when neatnik Felix Unger moved into his slobby friend Oscar Madison’s apartment, it’s not too late to commemorate the occasion.
Of all the TV shows set in New York City over the years, The Odd Couple is one of the most iconic. Why else would Channel 11 always run an episode or two whenever there’s a Yankee game rain delay? Just watch the opening credits, which features great scenes of Manhattan circa 1970:
The apartment house in the opening scenes is 1049 Park Avenue, in the upper 80s—swanky digs (it’s a two-bedroom!) for a sportswriter and a photographer. The building doesn’t look much different today, but I’m betting that it’s no longer a rental.
Tags: 1049 Park Avenue, Jack Klugman, New York City on TV, New York in the 1970s, The Odd Couple, Tony Randall
Ephemeral New York 
November 14, 2008 at 9:44 pm |
i look at your blog now and again and i can’t believe how prolific you are. been meaning to get in touch, but life has intruded. just went to brazil. will call soon.
tb
November 17, 2008 at 1:31 am |
nice one! this was a standard viewing at my grandmother’s house on friday nights and the opening credits served as my first mental images of Gotham. very, very good memory. thanx for the post.
December 25, 2008 at 3:01 am |
hello,i am a big odd couple fan always knew 1049 park ave was there residence on the show,but sometimes i question if central park west address was sometimes thrown in there even shots taken before entering there building were sometimes different
December 27, 2008 at 5:52 pm |
In one episode, Felix and Oscar did say that they lived on Central Park West, but the building they stand in front of as the show comes in is definitely on Park Avenue.
June 9, 2011 at 4:47 am |
I can hear the opening song right now, duh duh duh duh duuuh, wow what a memory I never came across the building while I was in the city, miss watching the show
August 24, 2015 at 6:15 am |
[…] the opening and closing credits of The Odd Couple? Those scenes serve as a tour of gritty 1970s New […]
December 28, 2017 at 1:30 am |
Before John Lindsey was mayor (1966 – 1974) New York was known as Fun City. After he left office, New York’s nickname changed to Sin City. The Odd Couple was certainly set in Fun City.
November 19, 2018 at 7:22 am |
[…] apartment house entrance where Felix uses his umbrella to pick up Oscar’s cigar butt is at 1049 Park Avenue; the go-go bar Oscar peeps into was once on 49th Street between Sixth and Seventh […]