The chemistry between Jack Klugman (as Oscar Madison) and Tony Randall (as Felix Unger)—and the superlative acting and writing—made The Odd Couple one of the most distinctive comedies of the 1970s (although, ironically, it wasn’t a ratings powerhouse).

The Odd Couple also had an interesting casting quirk: many of the episodes featured a real-life guest star. Although the star power of some of these well-known names has faded in the intervening decades, it added to the show’s idiosyncrasies.

Here are some of just a few of the many guest stars who interacted with Oscar and Felix on The Odd Couple.

1. Howard Cosell
2. Betty White and Allen Ludden
3. Jaye P. Morgan
4. Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King
5. Paul Williams
6. Neil Simon

Howard Cosell

Howard Cosell was one of the most prominent—and lampooned—sports broadcasters of the era and an impressionist’s dream. In season three’s “Big Mouth” episode, sportswriter Oscar gets to actually co-host on TV with the great Howard Cosell. Oscar arrives armed with a series of (supposedly) snappy one-liners to combat the famously acerbic Cosell. But when Cosell unexpectedly shows his more gracious side, things go off the rails. For good measure, Roone Arledge—the head of ABC Sports and Cosell’s real-life boss—appears as well.

Betty White and Allen Ludden

Betty White was in the public eye for over six decades. Before she achieved icon status, she was married to Allen Ludden, host of the game show Password. Ludden and the show were television staples. In season three’s “Password,” Oscar and Felix team up in the hopes of winning big on Password—with disastrous results. Betty White stars as a contestant and the episode faithfully re-creates Password’s format, with the steady Allen Ludden at the helm. The real Password, though, never had to suffer through contestants like Oscar and Felix.

Jaye P. Morgan

Those under a certain age may ask Jaye P. who? Jaye P. Morgan was a singer of some repute and went on to later notoriety as a panelist on the bizarre Gong Show, where her stock-in-trade was outrageousness and a penchant for getting bleeped out. In “The Songwriter” episode from season four, she adheres mostly to her song-stylist persona. We find her dating Oscar and adding her own interpretation to the song “Happy and Peppy and Bursting with Love,” penned by none other than Felix Unger. Felix, though, is outraged by Ms. Morgan’s decidedly un-peppy rendition.

Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King

Just months after 1973’s famous “battle of the sexes” tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, The Odd Couple went for the topical with “The Pig Who Came to Dinner.” The pig in question is hustler extraordinaire Bobby Riggs, who promptly hustles Oscar into signing Felix over as a sort of indentured servant. Felix endeavors to win back his freedom, and Billie Jean King makes a brief appearance at the end of the episode. Some of the motifs in this episode haven’t aged well.

Paul Williams

Paul Williams was a major songwriter who became famous to the general public because, to be honest, of his odd appearance. Season five’s “The Paul Williams Story” is very funny, albeit improbable. Felix’s teenage daughter, Edna, is a fanatical Paul Williams fan and runs off to be with her musical idol. The idea that Paul Williams could inspire fervent teen fandom in the era of Led Zeppelin and David Bowie is a hurdle, but not an impossible one.

Neil Simon

Neil Simon, as we know, wrote the play The Odd Couple, which spawned the movie and subsequent TV show. In 1974’s “Two on the Aisle,” Oscar and a star-struck Felix actually run into Neil Simon, who makes off with Felix’s pen after signing an autograph. It’s a very meta moment: two characters meet their creator.

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