David Tebet Fabray. They were wed in 1947 and divorced in 1951. Tebet was said to be the inspiration for Felix Unger, the fastidious divorcé in Neil Simon’s "The Odd Couple". Slovenly, Oscar Madison was reportedly based on Tebet’s onetime roommate, songwriter Sammy Cahn. Tebet was also writer Paddy Chayefsky’s model for Max Schumacher, the level-headed television executive played by William Holden in the movie "Network". For his contributions to television, Tebet was granted the medallion for distinguished service by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He was also a lifetime member of the Board of Governors of the New
The Odd Couple (1970 TV series) Rooney and Martin Balsam were also considered for the part of Oscar and Dean Martin and Art Carney for Felix (Carney had originated the role on Broadway). Eventually Tony Randall (as Felix) and Jack Klugman (as Oscar) were hired. Both had starred in different productions of the play. Randall, who was hired first, had still wanted Mickey Rooney to play Oscar. The show's co-executive producer, Garry Marshall, had to lobby hard to get Klugman successfully hired. Once the casting was in place, the show's writers (Marshall, Jerry Belson, Jerry Paris, Bob Brunner, Mark Rothman and Lowell Ganz, among others) came