Broadway to Dim Lights for Charles Durning, Jack Klugman

Theater community will honor Charles Durning on Thursday and Jack Klugman on Friday by dimming lights on Broadway

Broadway theaters will dim their lights to honor to honor Charles Durning and Jack Klugman, two esteemed stage, film and television actors who died this week, the Broadway League announced Thursday.

Theaters will go dark at at 8 p.m. on Thursday in memory of Durning and again at 8 p.m. on Friday for Klugman.

Also read: Jack Klugman, TV's Beloved Regular Guy, Dies at 90

Durning, who died Monday at 89, was a Tony Award-winner for his performance as Big Daddy in the 1990 revival of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” He also appeared in the original 1972 production of “That Championship Season” and a 1996 revival of “Inherit the Wind.” His role in the 1983 film adaptation of the stage musical "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" brought him one of his two Academy Award nominations.

Also read: Charles Durning, Esteemed Character Actor and War Veteran, Dies at 89

Klugman, who died Monday at age 90, received a Tony nomination for the original 1959 production of “Gypsy” in which he played Herbie. He replaced Walter Matthau as Oscar Madison in the original Broadway run of “The Odd Couple” in 1965 before going on to portray that character in the TV comedy adaptation. He final appearance on Broadway was in 1997 in a revival of “The Sunshine Boys” with his “Odd Couple” television co-star Tony Randall.

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