What Year Was Jackie Gleason Honeymooners Created?

The Honeymooners is an American television sitcom that aired from 1955 to 1956, created by and starring Jackie Gleason. Based on a recurring comedy sketch from the Gleason variety show, it follows the lives of New York City bus driver Ralph Kramden (Gleason), his wife Alice, and his brash visual and verbal comedy. The show began in 1951 as a sketch within Cavalcade of Stars (DuMont, 1949–52) and later became a recurring segment of The Jackie Gleason Show.

In 1955, Jackie Gleason turned his popular “The Honeymooners” sketch into a regular 30-minute sitcom called “You.” The series only ran for one season, but those 39 episodes have gone down in TV history and fans. Gleason was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy, exemplified by his character Ralph Kramden in “The Honeymooners.”

Jackie Gleason was born John Herbert “The Great One” on February 26, 1916, in Brooklyn, New York City. He developed a style and characters from growing up in Brooklyn, New York, and was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy. The series has since been successful in syndication and on videocassette, with the first season airing on CBS in 1955-1956.

In 2022, it has been 70 years since Miss Randolph debuted as Thelma “Trixie” Norton, first in a series of sketches on the variety hour The Jackie Gleason Show.

How old was Trixie from The Honeymooners when she died?

• Deathedit. Randolph was the last surviving cast member of The Honeymooners.5 She died of natural causes at age 99 at home in Manhattans Upper West Side on January 13, 2024.1213 *^ The Honeymooners Star Joyce Randolph Turns 97. Forbes. October 21, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
• ^ Randolph, Joyce. The Lambs, Inc. December 28, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
• ^ a b c d Collins, Glenn (January 27, 2007). For TVs Trixie, the Honeymoon Lives On. The New York Times. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
• ^ Merwin, Gregory (February 1956). Truly a Honeymooner. TV Radio Mirror. 45: 68–69, 102–103.
• ^ a b Happy 91st birthday to Joyce Randolph, Trixie Norton of The Honeymooners. MeTV. Archived from the original on March 12, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
• ^ Terrace, Vincent. Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nded.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p.521. ISBN978-0-7864-6477-7.
• ^ JOYCE RANDOLPH 2015 INTERVIEW: Jackie Gleason / Honeymooners / Ripper the Clown Podcast. YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
• ^ Niemietz, Brian (January 16, 2021). Honeymooners star Joyce Randolph gives her approval to pandemic era series The Honeyzoomers. Daily News. New York. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
• ^ Joyce Randolph. Internet Broadway Database\. Archived from the original on March 12, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
• ^ Miller, Bryan (February 6, 1994). Trixie and Alice stuck in Endless TV honeymoon. Wisconsin State Journal. Wisconsin, Madison. The New York Times. p.9 F. Retrieved March 12, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
• ^ Noble, Marty (January 22, 2009). Rose over the Moon about Redding
• New Mets pitcher sure to provide lots of material for broadcasts. MLB.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2009.
• ^ Barnes, Mike (January 14, 2024). Joyce Randolph, Trixie on The Honeymooners, Dies at 99. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
• ^ The Honeymooners star Joyce Randolph, who played Trixie Norton, dies at 99. AP News. January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
• *External linksedit. Joyce Randolph, The Last-Surviving Honeymooner
• Joyce Randolph at IMDb
• Joyce Randolph at the Internet Broadway Database
• Joyce Randolph at The Interviews: An Oral History of Television
• Joyce Randolph obituary

When did the Jackie Gleason show start?

In 1952, CBS president William S. Paley offered Gleason a considerably higher salary to move to that network. The series was retitled The Jackie Gleason Show and premiered on CBS Television on September 20, 1952.1 In 1953, CBS own orchestral accordionist John Serry Sr. made a cameo appearance.

While much of DuMonts programming archive was destroyed after they ceased broadcasting,2 a surprising number of Cavalcade of Stars episodes survive, including several episodes at the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Additionally, at least 14 Gleason episodes survive at the Paley Center for Media.

In his book The Forgotten Network, author David Weinstein mentions an unusual aspect of the DuMont network. He notes that while Drug Store Productions was technically the sponsor, they in turn sold the commercial air time to various companies and products. Weinstein notes this as an early example of U.S. network television moving away from the single-sponsor system typical of the early 1950s. He quotes former DuMont executive Ted Bergmann describing the DuMont version as featuring six commercial breaks during the hour, with each break comprising a single one-minute commercial.3.

Who gets royalties from The Honeymooners?

Meadows was the only member of the Honeymooners cast to earn residuals after the Classic 39 episodes of the show from 1955 to 1956 started airing in reruns. Her brother Edward, a lawyer, had inserted a clause into her original contract whereby she would be paid if the shows were re-broadcast, thus earning her millions of dollars.8 When the lost Honeymooners episodes from the variety shows were later released, Joyce Randolph, who played Trixie Norton, received royalty payments.9.

For her work on the show, Meadows was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (then for In a Regular Series) at the 8th Primetime Emmy Awards. She lost to Nanette Fabray in Caesars Hour.

Career outside The Honeymoonersedit. Meadows appeared in a 1960 episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents titled Mrs. Bixby and the Colonels Coat, one of the 17 episodes in the 10-year series directed by Hitchcock himself, and a rare light-hearted one.

Why was The Honeymooners cancelled?

In explaining his decision to end the show with $7 million remaining on his contract, Gleason said, The excellence of the material could not be maintained, and I had too much fondness for the show to cheapen it. Gleason subsequently sold the films of the Classic 39 episodes of the show to CBS for $1.5 million.

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 made Jackie Gleason famous?

Jackie Gleason was an American comedian, actor and musician. He was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy style, especially by his character Ralph Kramden on The Honeymooners, a situation-comedy television series. His most noted film roles were as Minnesota Fats in the drama film The Hustler starring Paul Newman, and as Buford T. Justice in the Smokey and the Bandit movie series.

Gleason was born at 364 Chauncey Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. Originally named Herbert Walton Gleason, Jr., he was baptized as John Herbert Gleason. His parents, both from Faranree, County Cork, Ireland, were Mae Murphy, a subway change-booth attendant, and Herb Gleason, an insurance auditor. Gleason was one of their two children. Gleasons brother died when he was young, and his father abandoned the family. He attended elementary school at P.S. 73 in Brooklyn. He attended but did not graduate from John Adams High School in Queens and Bushwick High School in Brooklyn. Gleason was raised by his mother, who died when he was 19.

By age 24, Gleason was appearing in movies, first at Warner Brothers as Jackie C. Gleason in such films as Navy Blues with Ann Sheridan and Martha Raye and All Through the Night with Humphrey Bogart; then at Columbia Pictures for the B military comedy Tramp, Tramp, Tramp ; and finally, at Twentieth Century-Fox, where Gleason played the Glenn Miller bands bassist in Orchestra Wives. Gleason also had a small part as the soda shop clerk in Larceny, Inc. with Edward G. Robinson, and a modest part as “Commissioner” in the 1942 Betty Grable/Harry James musical, Springtime in the Rockies.

Who was the drunk on The Honeymooners?

Gleason was a mean-spirited drunk; a petty, insecure man who typically spent a half-hour on Christmas Day with his wife and daughters before going off to party with drinking companions; a drinker who thought it was hilarious to throw up on people; a man who once paid a woman to copulate with a snake; and someone who routinely short-changed, emotionally and financially, the people who were closest to him.

While Gleasons public image was that of a comic genius who liked the good life and indulged in it, in Mr. Henrys telling Gleason never gave credit and in fact showed disdain to the real creators of much of his work — including his signature character, Ralph Kramden of “The Honeymooners.”

Neil Simon, who wrote for one of the almost infinite number of Gleasons variety shows in the 50s, said he left TV for play-writing because “I did not want to become a middle-aged man waiting for the phone to ring so I could go to work writing gags for some abusive, unappreciative s— like Jackie Gleason. It was my personal vision of hell.”

Did Audrey Meadows get along with Jackie Gleason?

To lose a loved one is always difficult, even after years apart. While Audrey Meadows and Jackie Gleason spent a great deal of time together as onscreen husband and wife in The Honeymooners, they were also able to find success independently as actors after the series had wrapped. However, the separation hadnt dampened the love that the two shared as friends, even years later.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Audrey Meadows revealed that she had called Gleason a few days before he passed away of cancer. Meadows revealed that, first, she spoke to Marilyn Taylor, Gleasons wife, because Gleason himself was so sick. Meadows explained, Marilyn said, Im going to take the phone in to him. His speech isnt very clear, but Ill put you on. So I heard her say, as she took the phone to the bed, Jackie, its Audrey. Its your Alice.

If that isnt enough to reduce you to a crying mess, give it another minute to recount what Meadows and Gleasons final conversation was about. Meadows remembered, I said, Jackie, I just called to tell you I loved you. and he said something— I didnt understand a word of it. And I said, I never thanked you for giving me the part of Alice. And suddenly he said, I knew what I was doing! The same voice as ever, clear as a bell.

Why was the first Alice on The Honeymooners blacklisted?

Kelton appeared in the original sketches, generally running about 10 to 20 minutes, shorter than the later one-season half-hour series episodes and 1960s hour-long musical versions. However, she was abruptly dropped from her role due to being blacklisted and was replaced by Audrey Meadows. Rather than acknowledge that she was blacklisted, her producers explained that her departure was based on alleged heart problems. Kelton and her husband had been listed in Red Channels, an early 1950s publication of alleged communists or fellow travelers in the U.S. entertainment industry. Kelton sued the publication for libel, but later dropped the suit.20 In his book The Forgotten Network, David Weinstein wrote Kelton remained on Cavalcade of Stars through the final season of the series (1951–1952), and suggests that it may have been because Jackie Gleason had resisted attempts at having her dropped.

In the 1960s, Kelton was invited back to Gleasons CBS show to play Alices mother in an episode of the hour-long musical version of The Honeymooners (also known as The Color Honeymooners), with Sheila MacRae as a fetching young Alice.

In 1963, Kelton appeared on The Twilight Zone, playing the overbearing mother of Robert Duvall in the episode Miniature. The next year she guest-starred on the popular family sitcom My Three Sons. In this episode Stage Door Bub, Kelton portrays Thelma Wilson, a veteran itinerant stage actress who longs for a settled domestic life but soon realizes that that lifestyle is actually ill-suited for her personality.

What year did Audrey Meadows join The Honeymooners?

Audrey spent months working on the Broadway show Top Banana and then got a job on The Bob & Ray Show. She then replaced Pert Kelton as the most famous and best-loved Alice Kramden of The Honeymooners.

Was Jackie Gleason a heavy smoker?

Later years, health issues and death As early as 1952, when The Jackie Gleason Show captured Saturday night for CBS, Gleason regularly smoked six packs of cigarettes a day.

John Herbert Gleason (February 26, 1916–June 24, 1987), known as Jackie Gleason, was an American actor, comedian, writer, and composer also known as The Great One.123 He developed a style and characters from growing up in Brooklyn, New York, and was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy, exemplified by his city bus driver character Ralph Kramden in the television series The Honeymooners. He also developed The Jackie Gleason Show, which maintained high ratings from the mid-1950s through 1970. The series originated in New York City, but filming moved to Miami Beach, Florida, in 1964 after Gleason took up permanent residence there.

Among his notable film roles were Minnesota Fats in 1961s The Hustler (co-starring with Paul Newman) and BufordT. Justice in the Smokey and the Bandit trilogy from 1977 to 1983 (co-starring Burt Reynolds).

Gleason enjoyed a prominent secondary music career during the 1950s and 1960s, producing a series of bestselling mood music albums. His first album Music for Lovers Only still holds the record for the longest stay on the Billboard Top Ten Charts (153 weeks), and his first 10 albums sold over a million copies each.4 His output spans more than 20 singles, nearly 60 long-playing record albums, and more than 40 CDs.

Was Jackie Gleason rich?

Have you ever heard someone say, I dont care about money? Jackie Gleason said this before, and he meant it.

The Honeymooners star was worth millions, but being rich is not what gave him the drive to follow his dreams. Of course, it gave him the finer things and an upscale lifestyle, but Gleason cared about success.

In an interview with The Baltimore Sun, the actor talked about the connection between success, money and his life.

I dont care about money, Gleason said. Success is like a blue serge suit. You pick up the lint of your critics behavior. People seem to think I should be ashamed of making $11,000,000. Im not. I didnt rob a bank. This is America.