X was assassinated by black extremists as he prepared to give a speech advocating for peaceful coexistence between blacks and whites. In August, the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles saw race riots break out in this predominantly black area, resulting in nearly 10,000 rioters destroying 500 square blocks and causing an estimated $40 million in damage. In 1965, race relations in America were clearly volatile and posed significant threats to peace and public safety.

"Flower Power"
In response to the societal upheaval, an idealistic youth culture in America championed the power of non-denominational spiritual awareness. Poet Allen Ginsberg coined the term "flower power" when anti-war protesters in Oakland used non-violence against city police. Images of young people placing daisies in the barrels of police anti-riot weapons helped popularize the phrase. These "flower children," who identified more with Eastern religions than traditional Christianity, embraced "love" and "peace" as achievable foundations for social and political order. Leaders of this movement included figures like Ginsberg, the Hare Krishnas, and Harvard psychology professor Timothy Leary, who advocated for the use of consciousness-altering drugs such as LSD and marijuana.

The Insulated World of Simon's Play
Like most of his comedies, Simon's The Odd Couple does not seriously engage with the social, political, and cultural climate of its time. Simon acknowledges that he is not a "political" writer but expressed in Rewrites: "[I] hope that my plays become a documentation of the times we lived in, at least from the perspective I had to view it all." The Odd Couple may document the world of an upper-middle-class New Yorker in 1965, but it remains a very insulated world, detached from the significant turmoil happening outside of Oscar's apartment.

This insulated quality likely stems from Simon's dedication to light, comedic entertainment, aiming to provide the audience with an enjoyable yet untroubling evening of laughter and sentiment. Indeed, The Odd Couple might have been designed to offer viewers an escape from the harsh realities occurring on the streets and reported in the news. As with most of Simon's comedies, The Odd Couple offers a delightful night at the theatre rather than a disturbing or deeply thought-provoking one. Its most "serious" issue is divorce, which, in the spirit of light comedy, is portrayed as a human experience without significant troubling consequences or ramifications.

Neil Simon's The Odd Couple is a masterclass in the blending of conflict, character development, and comedic timing. At its core, the play presents the humorous yet poignant tale of two drastically different men who find themselves navigating the trials of cohabitation. Through well-crafted characters and sharp dialogue, Simon explores the comedic potential of incompatible personalities living under the same roof.

Conflict

The genesis of The Odd Couple began with a simple yet compelling premise: two divorced men move in together to save money, only to discover their newfound domestic arrangement eerily mirrors their marital struggles. Simon famously sold this concept to Paramount Pictures with that succinct summary, showcasing the play’s inherent dramatic tension. The comedic irony of Felix Ungar and Oscar Madison’s situation lies in how their solution to post-divorce life—sharing an apartment—leads to a new kind of conflict, echoing familiar themes of separation and change.

The conflict in The Odd Couple is both straightforward and layered. By the end of Act I, the audience is introduced to the clashing lifestyles of the fastidious Felix and the carefree Oscar. This tension builds throughout Act II, maintaining a comedic edge as their differences become more pronounced. The resolution in Act III was initially problematic, according to Simon’s memoir, Rewrites. It wasn’t until the introduction of the Pigeon sisters in the final act that Simon found a satisfactory solution to the play's conflict, thus completing the narrative arc with a blend of humor and a touch of poignancy.

Character

What truly propels the conflict and humor in The Odd Couple is the stark contrast between its two main characters. Oscar Madison and Felix Ungar represent an "oil and water" mixture, with their distinct personalities brought to life through Simon’s adept use of dialogue and theatrical detail. Oscar, depicted as disorganized and nonchalant, is immediately characterized by his actions and dialogue upon his entrance. His casual approach to poker and sloppy handling of snacks quickly informs the audience of his carefree nature.

Conversely, Felix is portrayed as a meticulous, somewhat neurotic individual, indirectly characterized by the remarks of other characters even before he makes his entrance. The humor and tension arise from their opposing traits—a carefree Oscar who plays cards without looking at his hand and a fastidious Felix who once wrote a will on toilet paper. These character "types" are not deeply complex but serve a specific purpose within the comedy, similar to the characters in Charles Dickens’ novels. Simon's precise drawing of these types through dialogue allows for immediate audience recognition and engagement.

Comedy

At its heart, The Odd Couple is a comedy, expertly delivering laughter through its use of "one-liners"—sharp, witty retorts that surprise with their exaggeration or absurdity. These moments provide much of the play’s humorous punch, exemplified when Roy humorously warns Murray about the dubious state of Oscar’s refrigerator. Simon honed his skill in crafting these punchlines during his early career in television, bringing a rapid-fire comedic style to the theatrical world.

While audiences have consistently lauded Simon's comedic prowess, critics have sometimes viewed his reliance on one-liners as indicative of a less serious artistic approach, akin to television sitcoms. Yet, these critiques underscore the broader debate about the nature of comedy and its place within serious art. Despite such opinions, Simon's work remains a testament to the power of comedic timing and character-driven humor, cementing his place in theater history as a master of the comedic narrative.

• 1965: The divorce rate was 2.5% per 1,000 people, a decrease from its post-World War II peak but an increase from the lower rate in 1960. The rate had climbed from 0.9% in 1910, surged to 3.5% in 1945 during World War II, peaked in 1946 after the war, and then gradually declined to 2.2% by 1960.

  Today: The divorce rate is approximately 4.6% per 1,000 people, down from its highest point of 5.3% in 1981. The rates increased steadily from 1965 through the 1970s before peaking and then starting to decline in the mid-1980s.

• 1965: Racial prejudice was a significant issue in the news and among the American public, yet there were no black characters in the lives of Oscar, Felix, or their poker-playing friends. Gender consciousness and homophobia were less prominent issues, and in this social context, few, if any, perceived it as homoerotically suggestive that two bachelors lived together.

  Today: While racial prejudice remains a critical issue, it has been joined or even overshadowed by concerns about feminism and homophobia. Increased awareness of gay issues has made people more attuned to homosexual subtext, and the relationship between Oscar and Felix can be interpreted as homoerotic. The feminist movement also played a role in Simon's decision to create a "female" version of the play in 1985. In 1982, ABC produced another sitcom version of the play featuring black actors as Oscar and Felix.

• 1965: The United States was becoming deeply entangled in the Vietnam conflict, and domestic opposition to the war would dominate the remainder of the decade. This tension culminated in the National Guard opening fire on student protesters at Kent State University on May 4, 1970, killing four and wounding eight.

  Today: The memories of Vietnam still heavily influence America's collective memory, though the 1991 Persian Gulf War is seen by many as a symbolic military victory that helped mitigate the disgrace of the Vietnam War. Novels, plays, and popular films about Vietnam started appearing in the mid-1970s and became so prevalent in the 1980s and 1990s that a distinct genre of Vietnam War literature emerged.

• 1965: The "cold war," which began in the early 1950s, was still ongoing, and Communist Russia was regarded as a significant and dangerous political and military power.

  Today: The fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 marked the economic and political decline of Russia. Now fragmented into multiple independent states, Russia is grappling with internal conflicts and severe economic challenges as it attempts to adopt Western concepts of democracy and free-market capitalism.

• 1965: Stock prices and trading volumes reached an all-time high, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average gaining about 11% in 1965 to close the year at a historic high of 969.

  Today: After a significant "crash" in 1987, the stock market continues to soar, driven by "baby-boomer" investors concerned about having enough funds for retirement. In the greatest "bull" run in market history, the Dow Jones Industrial Average approached the 7,000 mark, with some analysts predicting it could reach 10,000 by the year 2000, while others foresaw another substantial crash.

• 1965: Simon's reference to "Mr. Maverick" was humorous for his audience because the popular TV series starring James Garner and Jack Kelly as Bret and Bart Maverick had just concluded its 124-episode run on ABC in 1962.

  Today: A new generation has become acquainted with the Maverick character through the successful 1994 movie featuring Mel Gibson as Bret Maverick and Jodi Foster as his spirited love interest. James Garner, the original Bret Maverick, played a supporting role as Marshal Zane Cooper, adding a nostalgic element for older viewers.

• The Odd Couple was adapted by Neil Simon into a 1968 film featuring Walter Matthau as Oscar and Jack Lemmon as Felix. Directed by Gene Saks, who also helmed the stage version, the film stays true to the play's script but occasionally includes New York City street scenes. The technicolor film runs for 106 minutes and is available from Paramount Home Video, as well as many video rental stores. A Laservision videodisc version is also offered by Paramount.
• An animated series titled The Oddball Couple debuted on ABC in September 1976. Based on the odd couple concept, it featured a messy dog named Fleabag and a meticulous cat named Spiffy, both working as freelance magazine writers.
• The Odd Couple was adapted into a 30-minute television series that aired on ABC from September 1970 to July 1975, spanning 114 episodes. Jack Klugman portrayed Oscar and Tony Randall played Felix. To add variety, new characters such as Oscar's secretary Myrna and Felix's daughter Edna were introduced. The series is available in reruns on several cable channels, including Nickelodeon.
• In October 1982, ABC introduced another 30-minute television adaptation called The New Odd Couple, which aired until June 1983. This version starred black actors Demond Wilson as Oscar and Ron Glass as Felix. Many episodes were simply recast versions of scripts from the original The Odd Couple series.

Sources
Berkowitz, Gerald M. "Neil Simon and His Amazing Laugh Machine," in Players Magazine, Vol. 47, no. 3, February-March, 1972, pp. 110-113.

Gottfried, Martin. "Simon, (Marvin) Neil," in Contemporary Dramatists, 3rd edition. St. Martin's Press, 1982.

Kerr, Walter. "A Jigger and a Half," in his Thirty Plays Hath November. Simon & Schuster, 1969, pp. 297-301.

Konas, Gary, ed. Neil Simon: A Casebook. Garland, 1997.

Simon, John. "Bad Things," in New York, January 13, 1975, pp. 54-55.

Taubman, Howard. Review of Come Blow Your Horn, in the New York Times, February 23, 1961, p. 31.

Taubman, Howard. Reviews of The Odd Couple, in the New York Times, March 9, 1965, p. 50; March 21, 1965, p. 1.

Further Reading
Bryer, Jackson R., ed. The Playwright's Art: Conversations with Contemporary Dramatists. Rutgers University Press, 1995, pp. 221-240. Interview with Simon addressing questions ranging from "How did you get started writing plays?" to "How do you feel about theatre critics?"

Johnson, Robert K. Neil Simon. Twayne, 1983. The second and currently last book dedicated to Simon's work; includes a chapter on The Odd Couple.

McGovern, Edythe. Neil Simon: A Critical Study. Frederick Ungar, 1978. The first book-length analysis of Simon's work; includes a chapter on The Odd Couple.

Simon, Neil. Rewrites. Simon & Schuster, 1996. Simon's autobiography covering his career up to the writing of Chapter Two. Provides fascinating insights into his inspirations and writing methods.

Weise, Judith. "Neil Simon," in Critical Survey of Drama: English Language Series, edited by Frank N. Magill. Salem Press, 1985. A thoughtful analysis of Simon's comedies up to Biloxi Blues, featuring insightful commentary on The Odd Couple.