Heather Randall has been reflecting on her cherished memories with her late husband, Tony Randall. Recently, she had some old home movies digitized, and one from 1997 captured a particularly poignant moment. In this video, Tony is seen singing to his daughter, Julia, backstage at The Sunshine Boys, a Broadway revival he headlined alongside his The Odd Couple co-star, Jack Klugman. "The music stopped, and there was applause," Heather recalls fondly in an interview with Closer. "Tony said, 'Hear that, honey? That’s for Jack! Jack just entered the stage.' It was just so sweet."
A Life Devoted to Passion and Purpose
In his later years, Tony Randall returned to the things that truly made him happiest—performing on stage, attending the opera, and dedicating his time to charitable causes. But perhaps one of the most fulfilling roles he took on was that of being a father for the first time. In his 70s, Tony became a dad to Julia and her brother, Jefferson. "He was such a loving, excited father," Heather shares. "He knew he wouldn’t be around forever, so he’d always make me take lots and lots of videos. He wanted to leave a legacy for them, and he did."
The Early Days of Their Love Story
Heather met Tony as an actress with the National Actors Theatre, a company he founded in 1991. Before they came together, Tony had been married to his high school sweetheart, Florence Gibbs, for over 50 years. Despite this long-standing relationship, Heather found herself drawn to Tony's charm and humor. "He was kind, he was fun, and funny," she says with a smile. "He had a way of just keeping me calm. I felt really safe with him, like I could be myself without any judgment."
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A Man of Service and Humility
Tony believed deeply in the importance of giving back. "He understood that his celebrity status could help charities raise more money or gain more attention," Heather explains. "But he didn’t just stop at big gestures. He did a lot of philanthropic work quietly, out of the spotlight. He would read to the blind, visit hospitals, and support countless causes. He believed that if you were in a position to help, you must. And he did it all without seeking recognition."
A Glamorous Yet Grounded Home Life
Life with Tony was anything but ordinary. He spent over a decade in Hollywood before finding fame as Felix Unger on The Odd Couple. Their home life was warm, loving, and often quite glamorous. Tony attended the opera almost every week and loved turning his appearances on David Letterman's talk show into special date nights. "The day player rate was around $800, and they’d let him keep the car for the night," Heather recalls. "He’d say, 'Come with me, I’ll do my bit, and then we’ll take the car to Le Cirque'—which was the hottest restaurant at the time. 'My fee pays for dinner, so it’s a night on the town.'"
Carrying On After Loss
When Tony passed away at the age of 84 from pneumonia following a triple bypass in 2004, Heather was determined to stay strong for her children. "I didn’t want to make the house a shrine and keep the pain so present," she says. "But I liked to share stories about their father with the kids, and sometimes Tony’s friends joined in. Jack Klugman and [Odd Couple creator] Garry Marshall were very much a part of our lives. They would tell the kids the nicest stories about their dad, keeping his memory alive."
Today, Heather is working on a documentary about her life with Tony. "Nobody could hold a candle to him," she confides. "He was such a wonderful human being. He had a heart of gold and a mind that never stopped thinking about how to make the world a better place."
A Legacy Lives On
Heather occasionally sees glimpses of Tony in their son, who now performs stand-up comedy. "Sometimes, he’ll get the same intense comic look in his eyes—like the way Felix would look when he thought it was a matter of life and death," she says proudly. "Sometimes he is just so much like his dad. It’s comforting to know that part of Tony lives on through him."
Reporting by Fortune Benatar
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