# I thought Charles Nelson Reilly was dead **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2002, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892 "2002-12-11T00:54:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/41 "2002-12-11T18:35:37Z")
Jaye P. Morgan is also gay, btw. And Brett Somers main income is derived from alimony payments from Jack Klugman (unless residuals for that one episode of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA were just really incredibly negotiated). ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/42 "2002-12-11T18:58:48Z")
Brett Somers also appeared in one of the first episodes of “The FBI” opposite Jack Klugman. Also, Jaye P. Morgan played a lounge singer in the classic 1968 Darren McGavin series “The Outsider” episode “The Girl from Missouri.” The same episode featured a young Mariette Hartley, and Stanley Adams–best known as ST: TOS’s Cyrano Jones. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/43 "2002-12-11T23:22:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yosemitebabe \* > \*\*Charles Nelson Reilly—I saw him in an especially excellent episode of _X Files_ a few years ago. He was good. > > He was in a short film called (of all things) [_Gaydar_](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0340124) just this year. \*\* Why? Is Reilly gay? Or just sets off people’s gaydar? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/44 "2002-12-11T23:24:59Z")
Okay, nevermind-answered. Okay, was Jack Klugman gay? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c2a13f/32.png) [@The\_Man\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_Who)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/45 "2002-12-11T23:31:56Z")
Yes, he is gay. [http://www.advocate.com/html/stories/848/848\_reilly.asp](http://www.advocate.com/html/stories/848/848_reilly.asp) -Myron ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/46 "2002-12-11T23:57:48Z")
Jack Klugman is openly heterosexual, even after living with Brett Somers. (He said that when they were together, they smoked a carton… a CARTON… of cigarettes per day- paying for it now, unfortunately.) In fact, the last time Klugman was in headlines was when his former live-in girlfriend sued him for millions in palimony; she lost. (Moral: get that ring, ladies- it’s not “just a piece of paper” when the relationship is over.) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/47 "2002-12-11T23:59:37Z")
Speaking of Klugman and Reilly, am I the only person who just naturally assumed Tony Randall was gay? I knew he was married, but he was only about 17 at the time and it was “way back when” and I assumed it was just a convenience thing, but the remarriage to the woman 1/3 his age (and subsequent spawning) surprised me. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/48 "2002-12-12T03:48:44Z")
There’s a funny story Tony Randall told about that once on Letterman, **Sampiro**. Several years ago, before Randall’s first wife died, he took a cab home in New York. He said something about his wife and the cabbie registered surprise. “Oh, you’re married?” the driver said. Randall asked why he sounded so surprised, and the driver said, “I always just figured you…and Klugman…” ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/49 "2002-12-12T10:40:48Z")
I didn’t watch Millenium, was Jose Chung killed off in it?? How?? ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/50 "2002-12-12T13:27:16Z")
Thanks for the correction re: The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Gene Tierney…and her little overbite…GRRRRR ---
**Author:** ![Fingolfin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eada6e/32.png) [@Fingolfin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fingolfin)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/51 "2002-12-12T15:01:32Z")
How about **Rip Taylor**? Is he still alive? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/52 "2002-12-12T15:09:27Z")
IMDb lists Rip Taylor as alive & well and credits an appearance in that stupid Jackass movie. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/53 "2002-12-12T15:19:38Z")
So Nelson Reilly is gay. But I also remember him on Tattlestales with a “wife”. Was that a cover? ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/54 "2002-12-12T18:09:02Z")
Everything I’ve been told about Abe Vigoda was that he is Jewish, of Russian (or at least Eastern European) extraction. There is a phenomenon where Jewish actors often play Italians, and Italian actors often play Jews. Methinks he’s simply being confused with some of his roles. Robin ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/55 "2002-12-12T18:16:29Z")
I will say this much (then back out of the discussion): It doesn’t matter what religion/ethnicity he is. Everything I was told was that he is Jewish. However, it’s not the end of the world if he’s not. Unless he himself comes out and states what he identifies as, it’s pretty much a fool’s errand. Okay? Robin ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c2a13f/32.png) [@The\_Man\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_Who)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/56 "2002-12-12T18:44:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vanilla \* > \*\*So Nelson Reilly is gay. But I also remember him on Tattlestales with a “wife”. > Was that a cover? \*\* Perhaps, but celebs would often appear on the show with “friends” of one sort or another, not just spouces and lovers. I don’t believe he ever hid being gay, but it was probably an “open secret” in that he didn’t go to great lengths to announce it. -Myron ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/57 "2002-12-12T20:28:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sampiro \* > \*\*Speaking of Klugman and Reilly, am I the only person who just naturally assumed Tony Randall was gay? I knew he was married, but he was only about 17 at the time and it was “way back when” and I assumed it was just a convenience thing, but the remarriage to the woman 1/3 his age (and subsequent spawning) surprised me. \*\* Tony Randall married for the first time at 22, but he was married to that wife for 50 years (1942-1992). That’s a heck of a long time to keep up a cover. 😉 The guy who really did make up some early marriages as a cover for his homosexuality was Raymond Burr. He claimed to have been married three times, in reality he was only married once, briefly. The day I saw The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson live, Charles Nelson Reilly was the main guest. It was some anniversary (his 50th appearance or something) and they brought out a big cake for him. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/58 "2002-12-12T21:09:19Z")
I read somewhere that the network execs were really afraid everyone would think Felix and Oscar were gay-so one time, as a joke, they made a tape of Klugman and Randle pretending to be a gay couple-and said it was the next season’s premiere or something. Heh. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/59 "2002-12-12T23:08:04Z")
Speaking of Tattletales, one of the funniest ones I saw as far as datedness was Whitman “Grady” Mayo from SANFORD AND SON. This was during the hey-day of the “Back to Africa” movement and Whitman, who was much younger in real life than his character, was wearing a dashiki (sp?) type blowse with a leisure suit and his wife had an Afro that could interfere with air traffic. The Game Show Channel (which I no longer get but so so so wish I did) is the absolute ultimate in multimedia kitsch. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892/60 "2002-12-13T06:21:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Labdad \* > \*\*In a recent thread about favorite character actors, I mentioned Charles Lane. I looked him up on IMDB, and he seemed to be still with us, and will turn 98 next month! He was playing an old man 50 years ago! \*\* I heard his voice on the TV last weekend, and I recognized the same voice in both _The Music Man_ and _It’s a Wonderful Life_, so I did a “common cast” search on IMDb. Yep, Charles Lane was Potter’s rent collector: “Look, it’s no skin off _my_ nose… But one of these days, _this_ bright young man is going to be asking George _Bailey_ for a job!” He was on _Green Acres_; he was in practically any role that required an officious authority figure type. He’s the oldest person under 100 I have right now on my Death Pool master list, ahead of Katharine Hepburn. And **thank you** for the [whosaliveandwhosdead.com](http://whosaliveandwhosdead.com) reference! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-charles-nelson-reilly-was-dead/141892.md?page=4)