What Was The Honeymooners About?

The Honeymooners is a classic American sitcom series that began in 1951 as a sketch within Cavalcade of Stars (DuMont, 1949–52). It follows the lives of two men, Ralph Kramden and his wife Alice, who struggle to improve their lives while their wives look on with weary patience. The show pioneered an us vs. them mentality, painting the working class and even the lower-middle class as heroes who find comfort and support.

The Honeymooners aired from 1955 to 1956, created by Jackie Gleason and based on a recurring comedy sketch of the same name. The series featured a bus driver named Ralph Kramden, his wife Alice, Ralph’s best friend Ed Norton, and Ed’s wife Trixie. The show aired on CBS from October 1955 to September 1956.

The Honeymooners is one of television’s best-remembered and most imitated comedies in the history of television. Although the series ran for only one year in prime time, it has succeeded remarkably in syndication and on videocassette. Generations of viewers have identified with Jackie Gleason, who had two lifetime residuals from the series.

The Honeymooners is a classic comedy from the 1950s, with only 39 original episodes made. Jackie Gleason was hilarious as Ralph and Alice, and the show has become one of the most beloved and imitated comedies in the history of television.

What is the premise of The Honeymooners?

The Honeymooners is an American television sitcom that originally aired from 1955 to 1956, created by and starring Jackie Gleason, and based on a recurring comedy sketch of the same name that had been part of Gleasons variety show. It follows the lives of New York City bus driver Ralph Kramden (Gleason), his wife Alice (Audrey Meadows), Ralphs best friend Ed Norton (Art Carney) and Eds wife Trixie (Joyce Randolph) as they get involved with various schemes in their day-to-day living.

Most episodes revolve around Ralphs poor choices in absurd dilemmas that frequently show his judgmental attitude in a comedic tone. The show occasionally features more serious issues such as womens rights and social status.

The original comedy sketches first aired on the DuMont networks variety series Cavalcade of Stars, which Gleason hosted, and subsequently on the CBS networks The Jackie Gleason Show,1 which was broadcast live in front of a theater audience. The popularity of the sketches led Gleason to rework The Honeymooners as a filmed half-hour series, which debuted on 1 October 1955 on CBS, replacing the variety series. It was initially a ratings success as the No. 2 show in the United States, facing stiff competition from The Perry Como Show on NBC.23 Gleasons show eventually dropped to No. 19,34 and production ended after 39 episodes (now referred to as the Classic 39 episodes).

What is the meaning of honeymooners?

Meaning of honeymooners in English people who are on their honeymoon (= a vacation immediately after their marriage): The hotel is a favorite with honeymooners.

Click on the arrows to change the translation direction.

• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English

English–Arabic English–Bengali English–Catalan English–Czech English–Danish English–Gujarati English–Hindi English–Korean English–Malay English–Marathi English–Russian English–Tamil English–Telugu English–Thai English–Turkish English–Ukrainian English–Urdu English–Vietnamese.

Why was the first Alice on The Honeymooners blacklisted?

Kelton appeared in the original sketches, which were shorter than the later one-season episodes and 1960s hour-long musical versions. She was replaced by Audrey Meadows because she was blacklisted. Her producers said she left because of heart problems. Kelton and her husband were listed in Red Channels, a 1950s publication of communists in the U.S. entertainment industry. Kelton sued the publication for libel, but later dropped the suit. In his book, David Weinstein wrote that Kelton remained on Cavalcade of Stars through the final season of the series (1951–1952). He suggests that it may have been because Jackie Gleason had resisted attempts at having her dropped. In the 1960s, Kelton returned to Gleason’s CBS show to play Alice’s mother in an episode of the musical version of The Honeymooners, with Sheila MacRae as Alice. In 1963, Kelton appeared on The Twilight Zone, playing Robert Duvall’s overbearing mother in the episode Miniature. The next year, she guest-starred on My Three Sons. In this episode, Kelton plays Thelma Wilson, a stage actress who wants a settled life but realizes it’s not for her.

What did Jackie Gleason always say?

5. Gleasons famous catchphrase, How sweet it is! which he frequently used in his TV show The Jackie Gleason Show, actually originated as an ad-lib. It became so popular that it stuck with him throughout his career and even served as the title of his autobiography.

Why were The Honeymooners so popular?

…wife, Alice, collectively known as The Honeymooners, were originally 5 to 10 minutes long, but by 1954 they dominated the show. The Honeymooners was popular not only because of Gleason but also because of the comic sparks between Gleason and costars Art Carney, who played Kramdens dim-witted but devoted friend…

What did Jackie Gleason used to say to his wife?

Gleason developed catchphrases he used on The Honeymooners, such as threats to Alice: One of these days, Alice, pow! right in the kisser and Bang! Zoom! To the Moon Alice, to the Moon!

The Honeymooners originated from a sketch Gleason was developing with his shows writers. He said he had an idea he wanted to enlarge: a skit with a smart, quiet wife and her very vocal husband. He went on to describe that, while the couple had their fights, underneath it all they loved each other. Titles for the sketch were tossed around until someone came up with The Honeymooners.12.

The Honeymooners first was featured on Cavalcade of Stars on October 5, 1951, with Carney in a guest appearance as a cop (Norton did not appear until a few episodes later) and character actress Pert Kelton as Alice. Darker and fiercer than the milder later version with Audrey Meadows as Alice, the sketches proved popular with critics and viewers. As Kramden, Gleason played a frustrated bus driver with a battleaxe of a wife in harrowingly realistic arguments; when Meadows (who was 15 years younger than Kelton) took over the role after Kelton was blacklisted, the tone softened considerably.

What were the catch phrases from The Honeymooners?

QuotesRalph: I have – Ive got an explanation. A perfect one. Im a dope. Not a run-of-the-mill dope, the worlds champ. … Alice: Ralph, I dont want a million. Theres just one guy I want: you.Ralph: Baby, youre the greatest.

Ralph: One of these days… One of these days… POW! Right in the kisser!;

Ed Norton: Well, if I was asked to describe your build, Id say you have, uh, very well developed muscles, uh, a good bone structure, very good bone structure, fine frame… and the whole thing is covered with fat.;

• Ralph: I have – Ive got an explanation. A perfect one. Im a dope. Not a run-of-the-mill dope, the worlds champ. For years Ive been talking for granted the most wonderful thing thts ever happened to me – you. Ive never shown you the appreciation you deserve, Alice. You could walk outta that door right now and I wouldnt blame you. You deserve something better than me. There are a million guys whod give you anything if they could have a girl like you.
• Alice: Ralph, I dont want a million. Theres just one guy I want: you.
• Ralph: Baby, youre the greatest.

Was the honeymooner abusive?

How often has Alice been frustrated, angry, in tears, or wanted to run away from her apartment? We didn’t see physical abuse, but there was a lot of physical violence. Ralph’s mother-in-law is always reminding him of his weight and that he’s a bad provider. Alice studied to be a secretary before marrying Ralph. She had 12 siblings and a father who never worked. These two characters have lost their dreams. This series was supposed to show the working class of the 1950s. Were the 1950s really so bad? Was the working class angry? Today’s life is more complicated, with more reasons for anger. The Honeymooners started as a six-minute sketch on the DuMont Television Network and then as a featured sketch on the Jackie Gleason Show in 1953. It moved to the CBS Network. The Gleason show competed with the popular I Love Lucy show.

Was The Honeymooners abusive?

How often has Alice been frustrated, angry, in tears, or wanted to run away from her apartment? We didn’t see physical abuse, but there was a lot of physical violence. Ralph’s mother-in-law is always reminding him of his weight and that he’s a bad provider. Alice studied to be a secretary before marrying Ralph. She had 12 siblings and a father who never worked. These two characters have lost their dreams. This series was supposed to show the working class of the 1950s. Were the 1950s really so bad? Was the working class angry? Today’s life is more complicated, with more reasons for anger. The Honeymooners started as a six-minute sketch on the DuMont Television Network and then as a featured sketch on the Jackie Gleason Show in 1953. It moved to the CBS Network. The Gleason show competed with the popular I Love Lucy show.

Are the Flintstones based on The Honeymooners?

The Flintstones characters look like the Honeymooners, but that was by design. Series creators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera said they were inspired by them. Our websites and apps use cookies. Cookies:

To provide you with our websites and apps; to identify users, apply security measures and prevent spam and abuse; and to measure how you use our websites and apps.

If you click “Accept all,” we and our partners, including 237 partners in the IAB Transparency & Consent Framework, will save information on your device (cookies) and can access it. We use precise location data and other personal data like IP addresses, browsing and search data for targeted ads, analytics, audience research, and service development.

Is The Honeymooners sexist?

This classic comedy about two working-class married couples is pretty tame compared to modern versions. There is some sexism in the show, particularly in Ralph’s treatment of his wife. What you will and won’t find in this TV show. The show is set in a Brooklyn apartment building. Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason) is a city bus driver who wants to get rich quick. He tries to help his friend Ed Norton (Art Carney) do the same. Meanwhile, Ralph’s wife, Alice, never expects his schemes to work and rarely keeps her opinions to herself.

Families can talk about the show’s use of old-fashioned ideas about men and women. How does this show show men and women in relationships? How are those relationships shown on TV today?

Why was The Honeymooners canceled?

In 1955 the Buick Motor Company offered Gleason six million dollars to produce The Honeymooners as a weekly situation comedy for two years. The corpulent comedian formed his own production company and used a new film technology, the Electronican process, to record the series live on film. The program was shot two times a week before an audience of 1,100 people. During the first season Gleason was disturbed by the amount of rehearsal time and felt that these recorded episodes lacked the spontaneity and originality of the live sketches. He discontinued the series after 39 programs and decided to return to the live, variety format. He sold the films and syndication rights to CBS for a million and half dollars.

The Honeymooners remained a prominent part of Gleasons succeeding variety series with the writers trying to do something unusual with the trusted material. During the 1956-1957 season of The Jackie Gleason Show, the Kramdens and the Nortons took a live musical trip to Europe. At the end of the season, Carney left the series, and Gleason did not revive the sketch until his 1960s extravaganza, The American Scene Magazine. When Carney was available, Gleason revived the sketch on videotape, often with new cast members. Sue Ane Langdon and Sheila MacRae played Alice, while Patricia Wilson and Jean Kean were recruited for Trixie. Despite the changes, the familiar catchphrases remained: One of these days…Pow! Right in the kisser!; and Bang! Zoom, Ralphs stock phrases to Alice as well as Eds greeting to Kramden, Hiya there, Ralphie boy.

After his variety series ended in 1970, Gleason produced four more Honeymooner specials with Carney and the returning Meadows. But Ralph Kramden remained fixed in the popular imagination because the 39 episodes of The Honeymooners were a perennial success in syndication. For over 20 years a local station in Manhattan played them every night. There was great celebration among fans when The Museum of Broadcasting and Jackie Gleason unearthed thelive sketches during the mid-1980s. Those lost episodes found another life on cable television and the home video market.