Heyyyy, Ralphie Boy!
A few months ago, I wrote about why I thought The Honeymooners was a better show than I Love Lucy. I still maintain that stance, but would further like to talk about why The Honeymooners is such a great show that has stood the test of time and continues to influence media today. I intend to cover as much information about the show as I can (without relying on copying too much from Wikipedia, hopefully). Welcome to Honeymooners country!
Bang, zoom!
The Honeymooners began on the DuMont Network's "Cavalcade of Stars" until it moved to the CBS Network's "Jackie Gleason Show."
The sketches ran from 1951 to 1955 until it debuted as a half hour series on October 1st, 1955. Despite being a rating success, the show would last for only one season and 39 episodes (the Classic 39). Many attribute this to the fact that Gleason believed they could not maintain the quality of the 39 episodes produced and would rather go out on top then produce episodes of lesser quality. 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." The Honeymooners would return though in the form of sketches and hour long specials on and off until 1978. I will admit, however, that the color episodes and more specifically the ones without all of the core four cast members (Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows and Joyce Randolph) are not up to the caliber of the older episodes. That is just a personal opinion though.
Hamana-hamana-hamana-hamana.
The show began in 1950 when Jackie Gleason took over as host for the variety show: Cavalcade of Stars. Drawing upon experiences growing up as a youth, he and his writers created a show about a poor husband and his wife living in Brooklyn, NY. The first skit to air was only 6 minutes long. Art Carney appeared in this skit not as Ed Norton, but as a police officer.
Alice was played by Pert Kelton for the first seven episodes until being replaced by Audrey Meadows. It is said that Kelton was replaced due to being blacklisted. Eventually added to the cast were Ed and Trixie Norton. Trixie was played by Elaine Stritch for just one episode until being replaced by Joyce Randolph. And thus, The Honeymooners we know and love were born and the start of a great sitcom began.
How sweet it is!
Jackie Gleason rarely liked to rehearse as he felt it would often kill the spontaneity of his performance. Carney, Meadows and Randolph would often rehearse without him. The result was that while the cast was able to bring a fresh approach to the material, mistakes were often made. Lines were either recited incorrectly or forgotten altogether, and actors did not follow the scripted action. To compensate, the cast developed visual cues for each other.
Gleason would pat his stomach whenever he had forgotten his line. Meadows would glance at the refrigerator when someone else was supposed to retrieve something from it. This, in my opinion, was not a bad thing. In fact, the complete opposite. Watching the scenes were they ad lib or you can tell they messed up a line are even funnier than the written material. This spontaneity led to many classic moments.
A mere bag of shells.
The bulk of The Honeymooners took place within the apartment building in Brooklyn, NY where Ralph and Alice Kramden and Ed and Trixie Norton lived. The apartment building's address was 328 Chauncey Street in Brooklyn, New York City. This was Jackie Gleason's childhood address. The apartment he grew up in served as the model for the set. Although it is stated that the characters live in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn the address is actually in Bushwick. Gleason believed that Bensonhurst sounded more like a Brooklyn neighborhood to viewers outside of New York City. It was here that Ralph hatched his schemes to provide a better life for himself and Alice. Often dragging his best pal Norton into his scheming.
Har har, hardee har har!
Ralph Kramden worked for the fictional Gotham Bus Company. He makes very little money and is often shooting for the stars to provide more for Alice. And that is where the heart of the show lies. Despite being very short tempered and often turning to hollow threats, Ralph was a man that had a soft heart and wanted nothing more than to provide a better life for Alice. However, his plans more often than not backfired and ended with hilarious results (feeding his boss dog food, shooting a television commercial where everything goes wrong, buying a parking lot for what he thought would be a movie theater (turned out to be a drive in theater), selling a story to the trades believing he is dying when it fact the doctors report was for his mother in laws dog). And the list goes on and on.
One of these days... One of these days... POW! Right in the kisser!
Alice Kramden is Ralph's wife of fifteen years. She is the only one able to stand up to Ralph's insults with quick quips of her own.
Ralph: Peanuts! Peanuts, Alice! What am I supposed to do with peanuts?
Alice: Eat 'em, like any other elephant!
She is the level headed one of the bunch often seeing the error in Ralph's plans before he realizes them himself. (It is not until Ralph goes against Alice's wishes and attempts his scheme that he realizes she was right, as usual). Alice's mother is more sharp tongued than her daughter and always puts Ralph down for not being able to provide more for her daughter. Despite this, Alice stands by Ralph and says those things do not matter. She is with him because she loves him.
Well, if I was asked to describe your build, I'd 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.
Ed Norton is Ralph's upstairs neighbor and is a sewer worker. He and Trixie are the Kramden's best friends. Despite making the same amount of money as Ralph, Norton lives in a nicer apartment than Ralph and is able to afford more luxurious items, such as a television set. Despite less desire for get rich quick schemes, Norton continually gets mixed up with Ralph and his plans. This is because they are devoted best friends. Whether it be pool, bowling, the Raccoon Lodge or trying to a get rich quick scheme, Ralph and Ed were best friends through and through.
Ralph: Me and my silly pride. Well, I promise you this, Norton: I'm gonna learn. I'm gonna learn from here on out how to swallow my pride.
Norton: Well, that ought not to be too hard, you've learned how to swallow everything else.
I’ve got a BIG MOUTH!
On top of the four main cast members, the show often featured "Gleason Players." These were actors that would often portray a number of different characters throughout the shows run. The two main "players" were George Petrie and Frank Marth. I liked this element of the show and it often showed the range of these actors. I wish more shows would employ this method today. It brings out a good sense of continuity. (A modern example of this being used is Sam Raimi's Spiderman movies and the roles Bruce Campbell played in them).
One of these days Alice, straight to the Moon!
The Honeymooners have influenced a variety of shows since it originally aired included The Flinstones and The King of Queens and pretty much every comedy in between. Ed Norton was the original wacky next door neighbor. Seinfeld's Kramer takes a lot from Norton. The show endures because it is still relatable and despite premiering over 60 years!! ago does not feel dated. It is a show anyone can appreciate. It will be remembered for many, many years to come because of its common themes of friendship, love and loyalty. And most importantly, its comedy.
Baby, you're the greatest.
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