Jacob Joachim Klugman, popularly known as Jack Klugman, was an American film, television, and stage actor. He was best known for his role in the Broadway play ‘The Odd Couple’ and the TV series of the same name. He received three Emmy Awards for his roles in the TV series ‘The Defenders’ and ‘The Odd Couple’ and was also nominated for a Tony Award for the musical ‘Gypsy’. Interested in acting from a young age, he made his Broadway debut in 1952 and was soon featured on television shows like ‘Actors Studio’ and ‘The Philco Television Playhouse’. On the big screen, he was seen in ‘Grubstake’, ‘Time Table’, and ‘Cry Terror!’ For seven years he starred in the title role in ‘Quincy, M.E.’ and his strong performance was recognized with four Primetime Emmy Award nominations. After the show ended, he was seen in some television series and also in some stage roles including ‘I'm Not Rappaport’. In 1974, he was diagnosed with throat cancer and a part of his vocal cord was cut out in a surgery in 1988. Despite his health issues, he continued to act on stage and television even though his voice had become raspy. His struggles with cancer endured and he died in 2012 from prostate cancer.
