Jackie Gleason and the Honeymooners

A Classic in the Truest Sense of the Word

If you've never seen the old black and white television show, The Honeymooners, you don't know what you are missing. The comedy and humor stand up so well that you can find this show's influences in nearly every comedy program or movie that has been made since this show first aired some 50 years ago.

The cast had perfect timing and played so well off of each other, it was true comedic genius. The man behind the show was Jackie Gleason. This man could say more with one facial expression than some actors can express throughout an entire screenplay.

In the Beginning

The Honeymooners originally started in 1951, as a short skit on a show called, The Cavalcade of Stars, which later went on to become, The Jackie Gleason Show. Jackie Gleason invented the character, Ralph Kramden. Ralph was your average blue collar worker who had dreams of grandeur.

Most of the scenes took place in the Kramden's sparsely decorated apartment on Chauncey Street. The weekly premise was always the same, Ralph scheming to get rich quick, and never succeeding. But the show went much deeper than that.

The characters involved displayed real love and affection for each other. Ralph didn't want to get rich for himself. Ralph wanted to be a success for his wife Alice, played lovingly by the beautiful actress, Audrey Meadows. Ralph was never just out for himself, either. Each of his "hair-brained schemes" included his best friend, sewer-worker Ed Norton, played to perfection by Art Carney. This fine cast was rounded out by Ed's wife, Trixie, who was played by actress Joyce Randolph.

It went on to become a half hour situation comedy program in 1955. Unfortunately, bad timing on the CBS schedule was the cause of its demise and short run in prime time but the original 39 episodes went on to become a staple of late night televison and grabbed the attention of millions of loyal followers.

The Honeymooners' basic comedy routines have stood up throughout the years and whether you've seen the program once or a hundred times over, they will make you laugh out loud.

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