ODD COUPLE, THE: THE PRINCESS (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series about Oscar Madison and Felix Unger, two divorced men who share an apartment in New York City.
Felix has Princess Lydia, part of the royal family of a small foreign country in his studio to be photographed, much to his excitement. While Felix goes into the dark room to fetch film, Oscar enters in a disheveled state, unaware of Lydia’s identity. He converses with her, mistaking her for an ordinary model and compliments her on her “class,” although he acts uncouth and unhygienic around her. He tries to ask her out and she declines; Felix re-enters and informs Oscar of Princess Lydia’s true identity. Realizing he has made a mistake, Oscar apologizes. However, over the next few days Oscar cannot help but think about Lydia, feeling that he embarrassed both himself and Felix to no end. He gets the chance to apologize to her in person when Felix is invited to high tea with the princess, and elects to bring Oscar along as his plus-one.
At the gathering, Felix becomes somewhat off-putting by trying to act overly formal around Princess Lydia and the esteemed dignitaries she has brought as her guests. He becomes distraught when Oscar arrives in his ordinary clothes and acts more casual around Princess Lydia and her guests. Oscar apologizes to Princess Lydia for his behavior, but she keeps getting called away before he can finish his spiel. An accidental collision causes tea to spill on Oscar’s clothes, and he tries to disguise this fact as the party moves to another room. Princess Lydia re-enters and tries to help him clean himself up. He again tries to apologize, but she admits that she appreciated his candor and humor. They end up going out together, and he takes her to visit the Statue of Liberty, as well as engaging in other stereotypically “New York” activities. Oscar is quite happy with how things went and arranges to take serve as her escort to a ball being held for a grand duchess. Oscar wonders aloud if he is falling in love with Princess Lydia.
In preparation for the ball, Felix attempts to coach Oscar on proper etiquette and how to conduct himself around nobility. He also takes charge of getting Oscar a tailored suit and a proper haircut. Oscar convinces Felix to attend the ball as well as the date of Princess Lydia’s overly amorous secretary, Miss Rykof. The ball ends up going well, and Miss Rykof takes the opportunity to bring Felix to her room, leaving Oscar and Princess Lydia alone. Oscar and Princess Lydia have a laugh together, but he is disappointed when Princess Lydia tells him that she will be leaving the following day. Hesitantly, Oscar proposes marriage to her, but she notes that such an arrangement is “very complicated” for someone in her station; she explains that she is engaged as part of an arranged marriage to an Iranian prince whom she has never met as part of a trade agreement. She wishes it could be otherwise, and as a parting gift she jokingly “knights” Oscar. He leaves with Felix, disheveled from his encounter with Miss Rykof. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: September 29, 1972 9:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:29:03
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:50076
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Roommates
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1970-1975
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV – Commercials – A1 steak sauce
- TV – Commercials – Avon cosmetics
- TV – Commercials – Breck shampoo
- TV – Commercials – Florida orange juice
- TV – Commercials – Lancers wine
- TV – Commercials – Pontiac automobiles
CREDITS
- Garry Marshall … Executive Producer, Developed by
- Jerry Davis … Producer
- Tony Marshall … Associate Producer
- Jerry Belson … Developed by
- Bill Idelson … Writer
- Neil Simon … Based on the play "The Odd Couple" by
- Neal Hefti … Music by
- Jack Klugman … Cast, Oscar Madison
- Tony Randall … Cast, Felix Unger
- Jean Simmons … Cast, Princess Lydia
- James Millhollin … Cast, Barber
- Peggy Rea … Cast, Miss Rykof
- Billy Sands … Cast, Tailor