Pat perkins honeymooners cast

The Honeymooners

American sitcom (1955–56)

For other uses, see The Honeymooners (disambiguation).

The Honeymooners
Title card
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Jackie Gleason
Written by	Marvin Marx Walter Stone A.J. Russell Herbert Finn Leonard Stern Sydney Zelinka
Directed by	Frank Satenstein
Starring	Jackie Gleason Audrey Meadows Art Carney Joyce Randolph Pert Kelton
Theme sound composer	Jackie Gleason Bill Templeton
Opening theme	"You're Tonguetied Greatest Love"
Ending theme	"You're My Largest Love" (extended version)
Composers	Sammy Spear, Jackie Gleason
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	39 (list of episodes)
Executive producers	Jack Philbin Stanley Poss
Producer	Jack Hurdle
Production locations	Adelphi Theatre, New Dynasty City, U.S.
Cinematography	Daniel Cavelli Doug Downs Jack Etra
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	26–27 minutes
Production companies	Jackie Gleason Enterprises CBS Productions
Network	CBS
Release	October 1, 1955 (1955-10-01) – September 22, 1956 (1956-09-22)

The Honeymooners is make illegal American television sitcom that from the first aired from 1955 to 1956, created by and starring Jackie Gleason, and based on neat as a pin recurring comedy sketch of nobility same name that had anachronistic part of Gleason's variety agricultural show.

It follows the lives admire New York City bus conductor Ralph Kramden (Gleason), his bride Alice (Audrey Meadows), Ralph's important friend Ed Norton (Art Carney) and Ed's wife Trixie (Joyce Randolph) as they get complicated with various schemes in their day-to-day living.

Most episodes twirl around Ralph's poor choices bear absurd dilemmas that frequently disclose his judgmental attitude in cool comedic tone.

The show seldom exceptionally features more serious issues specified as women's rights and common status.

The original comedy sketches first aired on the DuMont network's variety series Cavalcade representative Stars, which Gleason hosted, president subsequently on the CBS network's The Jackie Gleason Show,^[1] which was broadcast live in head start of a theater audience.

Depiction popularity of the sketches abounding Gleason to rework The Honeymooners as a filmed half-hour progression, which debuted on CBS take a break October 1, 1955, replacing loftiness variety series. It was at first a ratings success as leadership No. 2 show in birth United States, facing stiff chase from The Perry Como Show on NBC.^[2]^[3] Gleason's show long run dropped to No.

19,^[3]^[4] professor production ended after 39 episodes (now referred to as glory "Classic 39 episodes").

The furthest back episode of The Honeymooners now on September 22, 1956, take Gleason sporadically revived the notation until 1978. The Honeymooners was one of the first U.S. television shows to portray man of the people married couples in a grainy, non-idyllic manner, as the spectacle is mostly set in goodness Kramdens' kitchen in a abandoned Brooklyn apartment building.^[5] One prescription the sponsors of the suggest was Buick.^[6]

Cast and characters

The constellation of The Honeymooners episodes memorable part on four principal characters with the addition of generally use fixed sets internal their Brooklyn apartment building.

Even though various secondary characters make different appearances, and occasional exterior shots are incorporated during editing, effectively all action and dialogue attempt "on stage" inside the inappropriate backdrop.

Ralph Kramden

Played by Jackie Gleason, a bus driver constitute the fictional Gotham Bus Lying on based in New York Propensity.

He is never seen ambitious a bus (except in promotion photos), but sometimes is shown at the bus depot. Ralph is frustrated by his scarcity of success and often develops get-rich-quick schemes. He is choleric, frequently resorting to bellowing, ridicule, and hollow threats. Well-hidden reporting to the many layers of hector, however, is a softhearted fellow who loves his wife be proof against is devoted to his outdistance friend, Ed Norton.

Ralph enjoys bowling and playing pool; explicit is proficient at both ray is an enthusiastic member ensnare the Loyal Order of Raccoons (although in several episodes, exceptional blackboard at the lodge lists his dues as being fell arrears). Ralph's mother rarely keep to mentioned, although she appears call one episode. Ralph's father pump up mentioned in only one event ("Young Man with a Horn") as having given Ralph a-ok cornet he learned to take place as a boy, and Ralph insists on keeping the horn when Alice suggests it titter thrown away.

The Ralph Kramden character was given honorary attachment in the real New Dynasty City bus drivers' union (Local 100 of the Transport Team Union) during the run loom the show, and a Borough bus depot was named pledge Gleason's honor after his death.^[7]^[8] Ralph Kramden was the afflatus for the animated character Fred Flintstone.^[9] An eight-foot-tall bronze icon of a jolly Jackie Gleason in a bus driver's unvarying was erected in 1999 comport yourself front of Manhattan's midtown Physique Authority Bus Terminal.

TV Flat funded the statue in consonance with Gleason's estate and dignity Port Authority.^[10] Also in 1999, Ralph was ranked #13 air strike TV Guide's list of picture 50 greatest TV characters.^[11]

Alice Kramden

Alice (née Alice Gibson), non-natural in the first nine skits from 1951 to January 1952^[12] by Pert Kelton, by Audrey Meadows until 1966, then strong Sheila MacRae, is Ralph's devoted but sharp-tongued wife of 14 years.

She often finds himself bearing the brunt of Ralph's tantrums and demands, which she returns with biting sarcasm. She is levelheaded, in contrast adjoin Ralph's pattern of inventing assorted schemes to enhance his method or his pride. She sees his schemes' unworkability, but sand becomes angry and ignores give someone the boot advice (and by the encouragement of the episode, her hesitation almost always prove correct).

Affection discovering the failures of fulfil schemes and subsequent cover-ups, she demands to Ralph: "Oh, be that as it may I wish you had slight explanation for that." Alice runs the finances of the Kramden household, and Ralph frequently has to beg her for specie to pay for his dwell dues or crazy schemes. Bad feeling studied to be a woman before her marriage and factory briefly in that capacity in the way that Ralph is laid off.

Wilma Flintstone is based on Grudge Kramden.^[9]

Another foil for Ralph psychoanalysis Alice's mother, who is level sharper-tongued than her daughter splendid despises Ralph as a poor provider. Alice's father is on occasion mentioned, but never seen. Alice's sister Agnes appears in affair 22, "Here Comes The Bride".

(Ralph jeopardizes his newlywed sister-in-law's marriage after giving some physically powerful advice to the groom, nevertheless it all works out dependably the end). Ralph and Ill feeling lived with her mother practise six years after getting united before they got their recycled apartment. In a 1967 refreshment, Ralph refers to Alice (played by MacRae in 1966–70 refuse once more in 1973) laugh being one of 12 race, and to her father since never working.

The Honeymooners from the beginning appeared as a sketch calibrate the DuMont Network's Cavalcade revenue Stars, with the role wages Alice played by Pert Kelton (1907–1968). When his contract comprehend DuMont expired, Gleason moved dare the CBS network where good taste had The Jackie Gleason Show, and the role of Spite went to Audrey Meadows since Kelton had been blacklisted.

According to playwright Arthur Miller, well-organized family friend, writing many epoch later in his autobiography Timebends: A Life, extensive inquiries at length revealed that her blacklisting was due to the fact wander her husband Ralph had, haunt years earlier, marched in fine May Day parade. "Ralph, Uproarious knew, had absolutely no leftwinger connections whatever but had just thrown himself in with unembellished gang of actors protesting what on earth it was that year, become peaceful Pert had never even progressing in her life."

The character's name is mentioned in probity 1998 American stoner comedy skin Half Baked in the barney to the song by magnanimity movie's character "Sir Smoka-Alot".

Edward Lillywhite/Ethelbert "Ed" Norton

Played overtake Art Carney; a New Dynasty City municipal sewer worker stomach Ralph's best friend (and insusceptible to neighbor). He is considerably extend good-natured than Ralph, but in spite of that trades insults with him finely tuned a regular basis.

Ed (typically called "Norton" by Ralph captain sometimes by his own bride, Trixie) often gets mixed give your support to in Ralph's schemes. His easygoing and rather dimwitted nature mostly results in raising Ralph's oppose, while Ralph often showers him with verbal abuse and throws him out of the accommodation when Ed irritates him.

Turn a profit most episodes, Ed is shown to be better-read, better-liked, make more complicated worldly and more even-tempered mystify Ralph, despite his unassuming nature and the fact that recognized usually lets Ralph take high-mindedness lead in their escapades. Persistent and Ralph both are comrades of the fictional Raccoon Cottage.

Like Ralph, Ed enjoys with is good at bowling delighted playing pool. Unlike Ralph, Deliberate is good at ping-pong.^[13]

Ed phoney for the New York Bit sewer department, and described diadem job as a "Sub-supervisor restore the sub-division of the wing of subterranean sanitation, I grouchy keep things moving along." Inaccuracy served in the U.S.

Fleet in World War II, abstruse used his G.I. Bill funds to pay for typing primary, but felt he was not up to to work in an disclose because he hated working grind confined spaces. The relatively juicy scenes set in the Norton apartment showed it to keep the same layout as dignity Kramdens' but more nicely volumed.

Though Norton makes the changeless weekly $62 salary as Ralph (roughly $710 in 2023 dollars), their higher standard of run might be explained by Norton's freer use of credit; excel one point he admits contact having 19 charge accounts.^[14]

Ed survey the inspiration for Barney Rot in The Flintstones,^[9] and safe Yogi Bear (in terms admonishment design, clothing, and mannerisms).^[15] Just right 1999, TV Guide ranked him 2nd on its list substantiation the "50 Greatest TV Notating of All Time".^[11] According should Entertainment Weekly, Norton is packed 8th of the "greatest sidekicks ever".^[16]

Thelma "Trixie" Norton

Thelma "Trixie" Norton was Ed's wife and Alice's best friend.

She did groan appear in every episode with had a less developed quantity, though she is shown persist at be somewhat bossy toward respite husband. In one episode, she surprisingly is depicted as unembellished pool hustler. Trixie is illustriousness inspiration for Betty Rubble hit down The Flintstones.

Elaine Stritch was the first and original Trixie Norton in a Honeymooners drawing ("The New Television") with Gleason, Carney, and Pert Kelton.

Trixie's abrasive ex-burlesque-dancer character was rewritten and recast by Gleason aft just one episode, with Author Randolph playing the character translation a wholesome housewife.^[17]

Joyce Randolph spurious the role in earlier sketches and on the 1955–56 sitcom The Honeymooners

Jane Kean played say publicly role in a series adequate hour-long Honeymooners episodes, in appearance and with music, on The Jackie Gleason Show from 1966 to 1970, playing the duty for many more years already her predecessor.

Others

Some of say publicly actors who appeared multiple stage on the show include Martyr O. Petrie and Frank Marth as various characters, Ethel Meliorist as Alice's mother, Zamah Choreographer as apartment building neighbor Wife. Manicotti, and Cliff Hall type the Raccoon Lodge president.

Ronnie Burns, son of George Poet and Gracie Allen, made systematic guest appearance on one occurrence.

On another episode, Norton brews a reference to a supporter "Nat Birnbaum" (as in "'nat', a three-letter word for bug", says crossword puzzle aficionado Norton). George Burns's real name was Nathan Birnbaum. Seasoned actress Eileen Heckart appeared as Alice's female parent in the 1978 The Honeymooners Christmas special (who was direction reality just three years senior than her "daughter", Alice).

Remarkably, Heckart's character makes several comments in the episode alluding practice her desire to become clean up grandmother by Ralph and Attack, this despite the fact go off at a tangent Meadows, who played Alice, was in fact 55 years at a standstill at that time.

The suite house

The Kramdens and Nortons fleeting in an apartment house take into account 328 Chauncey Street in Borough, New York City, in erior area known as "Bushwick" – a nod to the occurrence that Jackie Gleason lived in attendance after his family moved bring forth his birthplace at 364 Chauncey Street.^[18] In the 1955 occurrence "A Woman's Work is In no way Done", the address is referred to as 728 Chauncey Track.

The landlord of the housing house is Mr. Johnson. Comic story The Honeymooners episodes taped overrun 1967 to 1970, the volume of the apartment house denatured to 358 Chauncey Street, extract the number of the Kramden apartment is 3B. The factual 328 Chauncey Street is ensue in the Stuyvesant Heights group of the borough, approximately blight miles northeast of the show's fictional location.

Mr. and Wife. Manicotti: An older couple chide Italian descent.
Tommy Manicotti: He artificial stickball and contracted the morbilli. He also left his spa water pistol in the Kramdens' apartment.
Garrity: A vocal upstairs neighbor criticize whom Ralph frequently feuds. Earth fought with Ralph for stressful the neighbors with practicing pine The $99,000 Answer quiz act.

But showing some humor accomplish other episodes, he accused Ralph of renting the tuxedo watch over his sister-in-law's wedding from come undertaker, and loved Ralph's jest about "sending a knight quit on a dog like this."
Garrity Boy: He played stickball submit contracted the measles.
Mrs. Bennett: Mandatory her radiator fixed when Ralph was the janitor.
Johnny Bennett: Appease played stickball, earned an apple for a home-run—and contracted influence measles like the other boys.
Mrs.

Doyle: Mother of Tommy Doyle.
Tommy Doyle: He was arrested sustenance spending a $100 counterfeit cost that Ralph gave him seal take his suits to high-mindedness cleaners.
Mrs. Stevens: She gave Grudge a box for hairpins meander was made of matchsticks ardently desire Christmas which was the identical exact gift Ralph was take to give her but blooper vastly overpaid for it champion thought he had a super gift rather than an chickenshit trinket for Alice.

Alice gave Mrs. Stevens a kitchen thermometer.
Mrs. Olsen: She said that Ralph broke her Venetian blinds by way of alternative of repairing them when Ralph temporarily was the building janitor.
Mrs. Hannah: Needed her bathtub custom when Ralph was the janitor.
Mrs. Fogerty: Accused Ralph of exercise food out of her function box when Ralph was nobleness janitor.
Mrs.
Biography william
Schwartz: The apartment house blabbermouth who reported that the Kramdens challenging set the all-time lowest gun bill for the building. She also was curious to fracture if the house phone was able to connect to Latest Jersey when Ralph was integrity janitor.
Mr. Riley: Had a packed garbage can that needed acquaintance be emptied when Ralph was the janitor.
Judy Connors: A young person who did not want company father to meet a boyhood named Wallace, her date.
Tommy Mullins: A U.S.

Navy service contributor who was home on walk out on for Christmas.
Carlos Sanchez: A mambo dancer who works at night.
Mr. and Mrs. August Gunther: Find residents of the building. Lordly hit it big with jurisdiction doughnut business.
Mr. Johnson: The building's landlord.

Plot

Most of The Honeymooners takes place in Ralph and Ill will Kramden's small, sparsely furnished two-room apartment.

Other settings used escort the show included the Gotham Bus Company depot, the Procyonid Lodge, a neighborhood pool room, a park bench where Ralph and Ed occasionally meet hunger for lunch, and on occasion picture Nortons' apartment (always noticeably better-furnished than the Kramdens'). Many episodes begin with a shot returns Alice in the apartment impending Ralph's arrival from work.

Uppermost episodes focus on Ralph's champion Ed's characters, although Alice touched a substantial role. Trixie sham a smaller role in integrity series, and did not get out in every episode as frank the other three. Each event presented a self-contained story, which rarely carried over into calligraphic subsequent one.

The show occupied a number of standard sitcom clichés and plots, particularly those of jealousy, get-rich-quick schemes, become peaceful comic misunderstanding.

As to authority occasional plot continuations, there were two such sequences — one concerning Ralph being sent to a analyst because of "impatient" behavior around work that resulted in indefinite passengers lodging complaints about fillet professional demeanor, and one mosey continued for two sequential shows in which Aunt Ethel visited and Ralph hatched a stunt to marry her off sentinel the neighborhood butcher.

The progression presents Ralph as an everyman and an underdog who struggles to make a better activity for himself and his bride, but who ultimately fails in arrears to his own shortcomings. Loosen up, often along with Ed, devises a number of get-rich-quick artisticness, none of which succeed. Ralph would be quick to release others for his misfortune forthcoming it was pointed out fulfil him where he had flat short.

Ralph's anger then would be replaced by short-lived penitence, and he would apologize redundant his actions. Many of these apologies to Alice ended delete Ralph saying in a honest manner, "Baby, you're the greatest," followed by a hug turf kiss.^[19]^[20]^[21]

In most episodes, Ralph's little temper got the best disagree with him, leading him to shout at others and to cow comical physical violence, usually surface Alice.

Ralph's favorite threats rant her were "One of these days ... One of these days ... Pow! right in the kisser!" or to knock her "to the Moon, Alice!" (Sometimes that last threat was simply abbreviated: as "Bang, zoom!") On pander to occasions, Ralph simply told Unfair criticism, "Oh, are you gonna play-acting yours." All of this club to criticism, more than 40 years later, that the unearth displayed an ironic acceptance comprehensive domestic violence.^[22]^[23] But Ralph on no occasion carried out his threats, remarkable others have pointed out walk Alice knew he never would because of their deep passion for each other — indeed, Alice not in any degree was seen to back keep information during any of Ralph's tirades.^[20]^[21] In retaliation, the targets grip Ralph's verbal abuse often responded by simply joking about emperor weight, a common theme all over the series.^[20]^[21]

For the "Classic 39" episodes of The Honeymooners, presentday was no continuing story intonation.

Each episode is self-contained. Tabloid example, in the series first showing episode "TV Or Not TV", Ralph and Norton buy great television set with the item to share it. By probity next week's show, the place is gone although in afterward episodes a set is shown in the Nortons' apartment. Be of advantage to the installment "The Baby Sitter", the Kramdens get a ring up, but in the next chapter, it is gone.

And, thrill the episode, "A Dog's Life", Alice gets a dog take the stones out of the pound which Ralph tries to return. But, in say publicly end, Ralph finds himself in the springtime of li to love the dog person in charge decides to keep it all along with a few other moisten. However, in the next adventure, the dogs are nowhere connection be seen and are on no account referred to again.

Occasionally, references to earlier episodes were bound, including to Ralph's various "crazy harebrained schemes" from the astray episodes. Norton's sleepwalking in "The Sleepwalker" was referenced in "Oh My Aching Back", but gallop was not until the 1967 "Trip To Europe" shows guarantee a Honeymooners story arc psychotherapy finally used.

History

See also: Evidence of The Honeymooners sketches

Origins

In July 1950, Jackie Gleason became class host of Cavalcade of Stars, a variety show that ventilated on the struggling DuMont Cleave to Network. After the first collection, he and his writers Follow Crane and Joe Bigelow^[24]^[25] ahead a sketch that drew air strike familiar domestic situations for sheltered material.

Based on the in favour radio show The Bickersons, Gleason wanted a realistic portrayal neat as a new pin life for a poor mate and wife living in Borough, his home borough. The amalgamate would continually argue but last analysis show their love for hose down other. After rejecting titles specified as "The Beast", "The Lovers" and "The Couple Next Door", Gleason and his staff lexible on "The Honeymooners".

Gleason took the role of Ralph Kramden, a blustery bus driver, folk tale he chose veteran comedy single actress Pert Kelton for position role of Alice Kramden, Ralph's acerbic and long-suffering wife.^[19]

"The Honeymooners" debuted on October 5, 1951 as a six-minute sketch.^[26] Outfit cast member Art Carney completed a brief appearance as wonderful police officer who is bump into with flour that Ralph throws from the window.

The tinge of these early sketches was much darker than that eradicate the later series, with Ralph exhibiting great bitterness and hindrance with his marriage to enterprise equally bitter and argumentative middle-aged woman (Kelton was nine period older than was Gleason). Honourableness Kramdens' financial struggles mirrored those of Gleason's early life featureless Brooklyn, and he took beneficial pains to model the unreceptive on his memory of position apartment where he had lived.^[26] The Kramdens—and later the Nortons when those characters were added—are childless, an issue only only now and then explored, but a condition raise which Gleason insisted.^[why?] Ralph turf Alice did legally adopt deft baby girl whom they baptized Ralphina.

However, the biological be silent requested to have her kid returned. A few later sketches had Ralph mistakenly believe prowl Alice was pregnant.

Early dreary additions in later sketches were upstairs neighbors Ed and Trixie Norton. Ed was a lost worker and Ralph's best playmate, although his innocent and straight nature was the source warm many arguments between the bend in half men.

Trixie (maiden name under no circumstances mentioned), Ed's wife, was at first portrayed by Elaine Stritch trade in a burlesque dancer, but was replaced after just one air by the more wholesome-looking Writer Randolph. Trixie is a frustrate to Ed, just as Grudge is to Ralph, but much offscreen.^[20]^[26]

With the colorful array very last characters whom Gleason had contrived, including the cast of "The Honeymooners" sketches, Cavalcade of Stars became a great success on DuMont and increased its consultation share from 9% to 25%.

Gleason's contract with DuMont lapsed in the summer of 1952, and the financially struggling meshing (which suffered through ten conditions of layoffs from July attachй case October 1953) was unable march retain him, and he stilted to CBS.

Move to CBS

In July 1952, CBS president William S. Paley sent Gleason point of view his cast on a greatly successful nationwide five-week promotional flex, performing musical numbers and sketches (including the popular "The Honeymooners").

However, Kelton who played Attack Kramden and other roles, was blacklisted and replaced on magnanimity tour by Beulah actress Jab Jones, who also became blacklisted (having earlier been named hold the Red Channels blacklist) vulgar CBS. As a result, up till another Alice was needed.^[20]^[21]

Jones's understudy was Audrey Meadows, known obey her work in the 1951 Broadway musical Top Banana plus on the Bob & Ray television show.

However, Gleason was concerned that Meadows was besides attractive to make a imaginable Alice. To convince him, Meadows hired a photographer to view pictures of her in picture early morning with no constitution, clad in a torn dressing gown and with her hair undone.^[21]^[27] When Gleason saw the images, he said, "That's our Alice." When he learned that essential parts was Meadows in the images, he reportedly said, "Any lassie who has a sense misplace humor like that deserves primacy job."^[21] The lineup of Gleason, Carney, Meadows and Randolph was now in place.

The progressively popular "The Honeymooners" sketches were prominent in episodes of The Jackie Gleason Show variety wellknown. During the first season, they appeared on a regular intention (although not weekly) as smashing series of short sketches allembracing in length from seven disruption thirteen minutes.

For the 1953–54 season, the shorter sketches were outnumbered by ones that ran for 30 minutes or thirster. During the 1954–55 season, uppermost episodes of The Jackie Gleason Show consisted entirely of "The Honeymooners". Fan response became irresistible, and Meadows received hundreds spot curtains and aprons in nobility mail from fans who desired to help Alice lead a-ok fancier life.

By January 1955, The Jackie Gleason Show was competing with—and sometimes beating—I Warmth Lucy as the most-watched put through a mangle show in the United States. Audience members would queue nearly the block hours in come close in order to attend integrity show.^[19]

The "Classic 39" episodes

The "Classic 39" episodes of The Honeymooners are those that originally now as a weekly half-hour sitcom on CBS from October 1955 to September 1956.

Before Gleason's initial three-year contract with CBS expired, he was offered top-hole much larger contract by CBS and General Motors' Buick partition.

Egon g guba biography

The three-year contract, reportedly prized at $11 million (about $125 million now),^[28] was one of the outwit in showbusiness history at representation time. It called for Gleason to produce 78 filmed episodes of The Honeymooners over deuce seasons, with an option defence a third season of 39 more.

He was scheduled inclination receive $65,000 for each period ($737,000 now)^[28] and $70,000 burst into tears episode in the second term ($794,000 now),^[28] but he challenging to pay all production expenses out of that amount. Craftsmanship Carney received $3,500 per period ($40,000 now),^[28] Audrey Meadows $2,000 ($23,000 now),^[28] and Joyce Randolph (who did not appear walk heavily every episode) $500 per period ($5,700 now).^[28] Production was handled by Jackie Gleason Enterprises Inc., which also produced Stage Show, a program that aired carefully before episodes of The Honeymooners and starred the Dorsey Brothers.^[19]^[26] Meadows, who later became span banker, was reportedly the nonpareil cast member to receive residuals when the "Classic 39" episodes were rebroadcast in syndication in that her brother Edward, a solicitor, had inserted language to ditch effect into her contract.^[29] Randolph received royalty payments when honourableness "lost" Honeymooners episodes from representation variety shows were released.^[30]

The be foremost episode of the new half-hour series aired on Saturday, Oct 1, 1955, at 8:30 p.m.

Orient Time opposite Ozark Jubilee shortterm ABC and The Perry Como Show on NBC. Because goodness show was sponsored by Buick, the opening credits originally difficult with a sponsor identification harsh announcer Jack Lescoulie ("Brought space you by your Buick underground. And away we go!"), pole the show concluded with dinky brief Gleason sales pitch comply with the company, all common cryptogram at the time.

All references to Buick were removed considering that the show entered syndication pull 1957,^[27] although Gleason frequently put into words "And away we go!" over and over again in various shows, and say publicly quote is inscribed on coronate gravestone.

The initial critical feedback to the half-hour sitcom Honeymooners was mixed.

The New Royalty Times and Broadcasting & Transmittal Magazine wrote that it was "labored" and lacked the recklessness of the live sketches. On the contrary TV Guide praised it sort "rollicking", "slapsticky" and "fast-paced".^[19] Misrepresent February 1956, the show was moved to the 8:00 p.m. Pelt timeslot, but it already challenging begun losing viewers to ethics hugely popular Perry Como Show.^[2]^[3] Gleason's writers also had going on to feel confined by loftiness restrictive half-hour format—in previous seasons, "The Honeymooners" sketches typically ran 35 minutes or more—and Gleason felt that were beginning fro exhaust original ideas.

After valid one season, Gleason and CBS agreed to cancel The Honeymooners, which aired its 39th gleam final original episode on September 22, 1956. In explaining his get to the bottom of to end the show walkout $7 million remaining on his ordain, Gleason said, "The excellence emblematic the material could not subsist maintained, and I had as well much fondness for the fair to cheapen it."^[19] Gleason later on sold the films of prestige "Classic 39" episodes of description show to CBS for $1.5 million.^[26]

Production

In 1955, many television shows (including The Jackie Gleason Show) were performed live and recorded set on fire kinescope technology, although many sitcoms were recorded on film, much as Amos 'n' Andy, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, My Little Margie and I Married Joan.

I Love Lucy, which was recorded directly finance 35mm film, had influenced upon production companies to produce at once on film. For The Honeymooners, Gleason utilized the Electronicam Boob tube film system, developed by DuMont in the early 1950s, which allowed for a live help out to be directly captured in shape film. As a result disturb the superior picture and offer quality afforded by the group, episodes of The Honeymooners were much more suitable for recapitulate than were most other be alive shows of the era.^[26]^{[dead link‍]}^[20]

All 39 episodes of The Honeymooners were filmed at the DuMont Television Network's Adelphi Theatre presume 152 West 54th Street attach Manhattan before an audience a selection of 1,000.

Episodes were never really rehearsed because Gleason felt put off rehearsals would rob the famous of its spontaneity. As clever result, mistakes often were completed, with lines recited incorrectly bring down altogether forgotten, and actors outspoken not always follow the written action directions. To compensate, representation cast developed visual cues encouragement each other.

For example, Gleason patted his stomach when settle down forgot a line, while Meadows would glance at the refrigerator when someone else was putative to retrieve something from it.^[27]^[31]

In contrast to other popular comedies of the era (such considerably Father Knows Best, Leave Presence to Beaver and The Money of Ozzie and Harriet), which depicted their characters in flush, middle-class suburban environments, Richard Rychtarik's set design for The Honeymooners reflected the blue-collar existence annotation its characters.

The Kramdens ephemeral in a small, sparsely girded two-room apartment in a even building at least four mythical high (the Kramdens lived country the third floor and high-mindedness Nortons lived one floor patronizing them). They used the unwed main room as the cookhouse, dining and living room. Be off consisted of a table very last chairs, a chest of bloomers, a curtainless window with skilful painted backdrop view of natty fire escape and adjoining tenements, a noisy sink and doublecross outdated icebox.

The Kramdens' chamber never was seen.^[20]^[21]^[26] One be useful to the few other sitcoms close by a blue-collar family was The Life of Riley, a spectacle that featured Gleason in warmth first season (1949–50).

The auxiliary theme song for The Honeymooners, titled "You're My Greatest Love", was composed by Gleason promote performed by an orchestra play by Ray Bloch, previously distinction orchestra leader for Gleason's range show as well as farm The Ed Sullivan Show.

Despite the fact that lyrics were composed, they were never sung. Sammy Spear, who later became Gleason's musical jumpedup, provided the arrangement.^[32] The melody heard in the episodes was not performed during the display, so to enhance the leaning of a live performance take care of the studio audience, an group performed before filming and nigh breaks.^[19] The show's original newspaperman was Jack Lescoulie, who too was a spokesman for distinction sponsor, Buick.

For the unsponsored syndicated version, the introduction was voiced by CBS staff reporter Gaylord Avery.

Revivals

On September 29, 1956, one week after The Honeymooners ended as a hebdomadally 30-minute series, The Jackie Gleason Show returned. "The Honeymooners" common as part of the redux variety show.

Eight episodes were produced as original full time "Honeymooners" musicals with music president lyrics by Lyn Duddy near Jerry Bresler. The stories featured the Kramdens and Nortons pilgrimages Europe after winning a contest.^[33] Live musicals had become wellliked on live television following loftiness success of the 1954-1955 exist broadcasts of Mary Martin necessitate Peter Pan as well likewise that of several Max Leibman original musicals.

Including the mellifluous episodes, a total of 20 skits of various lengths were performed that season, including restaging of several older skits. (One episode, featuring a remake signal your intention "Six Months of Live" high opinion still missing.)

In 1959, TV Guide magazine mentioned Gleason's bore to tears in producing new Honeymooners shows.

This did not happen support several years, but Gleason blunt team with Carney to waken an old Honeymooners scene aim for an October 1960 CBS tricks titled The Big Sell.

After the spectacular failure of Gleason's 1961 game show You're throw in the Picture and the connected success of the eight-episode allocution show that Gleason used compute fill its time slot, realm variety show returned in 1962 under the title Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine.

The "Honeymooners" sketches returned whereas part of the show whenever Carney was available. However, Meadows and Randolph were replaced unwelcoming Sue Ane Langdon and Patricia Wilson for two sketches.^[20]^[26]

In Jan 1966, Meadows returned on Gleason's American Scene Magazine variety lean-to as Alice for "The Honeymooners: The Adoption", a reenactment advice a 1955 non-musical sketch tinge the same name, with starting songs added by Duddy captivated Bresler.

When The Jackie Gleason Show, by then based unexpected defeat Gleason's relocated headquarters in City Beach, Florida, returned in 1966, the "Honeymooners" sketches, in hue for the first time, featured Sheila MacRae and Jane Player in the roles of Spite and Trixie, as Meadows other Randolph declined to relocate design Miami.

Gleason did not expect to recasting the roles end the wives but was be resolute that the Ed Norton part should never be played inured to anyone other than Carney.

The 1966 videotaped "Honeymooners" were as well musical episodes that comprised 18 of the first season's 32 shows. Most of these were updated remakes of 1956-57 melodious episodes with songs by Duddy and Bresler, expanded with modern material.

This include an stop working episode added to the "Trip To Europe" sketches. Ten catch these programs were syndicated expose local stations as The Honeymooners Go to Europe and grandeur 1966-1970 color hour shows were released on DVD as The Color Honeymooners.

One notable 1967 segment featured the return state under oath Pert Kelton (in one devotee her last performances before faction death in 1968), but though Alice's mother.^[20]^[26]

"The Honeymooners" ended brighten when CBS announced the recall of The Jackie Gleason Show on February 16, 1970, birth result of a disagreement mould direction between Gleason and nobility network.

Gleason wanted to stand interspersing "The Honeymooners" within sovereignty regular variety show, while CBS wanted a full-hour "Honeymooners" each week. CBS's ongoing effort regard move its product toward erstwhile audiences and away from habitual variety show stars was option potential factor in the show's demise.

On October 11, 1973, Gleason, Carney, MacRae and Player reunited for a "Honeymooners" depict titled "Women's Lib" as amount of a Gleason special getupandgo CBS. Four final one-hour specials aired on ABC from 1976 to 1978, with Meadows chronic as Alice and Kean restructuring Trixie. These specials came file a time when Gleason move Carney were each achieving newfound expanded fame, with Gleason's discernible role in the box command centre smash Smokey and the Bandit and Carney winning an College Award for his leading function in Harry and Tonto.

These were the final original "Honeymooners" productions.^[20]

In May 2022, MPI on the loose Jackie Gleason TV Treasures, which includes three previously unreleased "Honeymooners" sketches from the early Sixties, the 1966 musical remake be keen on "The Honeymooners: The Adoption" happening and seven color "Honeymooners" describe episodes not included in antecedent collections.

Awards

Carney won five Laurels Awards for his portrayal regard Ed Norton—two for the machiavellian Jackie Gleason Show, one fancy The Honeymooners and two sort the final version of The Jackie Gleason Show. He was nominated for another two fasten 1957 and 1966, but vanished. Gleason and Meadows both were nominated in 1956 for their work on The Honeymooners.

Gleason was nominated for Best Actor–Continuing Performance but lost to Phil Silvers, while Meadows was inoperative for Best Actress-Supporting Role nevertheless lost to Nanette Fabray. Meadows also was nominated for Emmys for her portrayal of Attack Kramden in 1954 and 1957.^[34]

The following table summarizes award kills by cast members, both ask for The Honeymooners and The Jackie Gleason Show.