A Short Run
Despite the incredible popularity of The Honeymooners, the sitcom actually only ran from 1955 to 1956. The show’s concept came directly from a comedy sketch by the same name on The Jackie Gleason Show
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The Cast
Ralph Kramden
Ralph Kramden
The lead character Ralph Kramden, played by Jackie Gleason was an average Joe working for the fictitious Gotham Bus Company. Any Honeymooners fan would know that he made $62 a week driving a bus. Because of this poor salary, Ralph made several futile attempts at Get-Rich-Quick schemes. Although these schemes failed miserably, they provided hours of hilarious comedy entertainment for several generations and many more to come.
The cartoon character Fred Flintstone is based on Ralph Kramden
“BANG ZOOM, TO THE MOON, Alice” – Ralph Kramden
Ed Norton
Ed Norton
Supporting character Ed Norton, played by Art Carney was also a working stiff employed by the New York City Dept of Sanitation in Brooklyn NY.
Like his buddy Ralph, he also made $62 a week. His job title was described ambiguously as “Sewer Worker”.
The cartoon character Barney Rubble is based on Ed Norton.
Art Carney picked up 5 Emmy Awards for portraying Ed Norton. He won two for the original Jackie Gleason Show, one for The Honeymooners, and 2 for the last version of The Jackie Gleason Show.
In 1999, TV Guide ranked Ed Norton as the 20th greatest TV character of all time!
Alice Kramden
Alice Kramden
Alice Kramden, played by Audrey Meadows was married to beloved husband Ralph Kramden through better or worse ( and through total insanity). Although the first 9 skits of The Honeymooners was played by actress Pert Kelton, Meadows carried the rest of the load herself. The cartoon character Wilma Flintstone is based on Alice Kramden.
“Ralph, I don’t want a million, I want YOU” – Alice Kramden
Trixie Norton
Trixie Norton
Trixie Norton, played by Joyce Randolph was married to sewage expert Ed Norton. Her first name is actually Thelma but was only referred to as “Trixie” on the show. Although Trixie was not seen in many episodes, the character has gone down in history as iconic. The cartoon wife Betty Rubble is based on this character
Where Did The Honeymooners Live?
The Honeymooners lived at 328 Chauncey Street in Bensonhurst, Brooklynn New York City NY. The exact address of Jackie Gleason’s own birthplace was 364 Chauncey St.
Above: Ralph Learns The Mambo
The Beginnings
In 1950, Jackie Gleason took over the hosting duties for a show called “The Cavalcade of Stars” . After the first year, Gleason and two co-writers began developing sketches that would eventually be called The Honeymooners. Many of it’s situations were based on real life occurrences.
In 1951, The Honeymooners made it’s debut as a 6 minute sketch
Due to the outrageous and hilarious array of characters on The Cavalcade of Stars, Jackie Gleason’s career took off. As a result, it opened the door to him getting a show dedicated to his most popular sketch “The Honeymooners”. The rest is television history
There were several reincarnations of The Honeymooners over the years but none captured the original skits produced between 1955 and 1956
Here are some of the most popular Honeymooners episodes:
Hello, Mom
The Deciding Vote
Something Fishy
Brother Ralph
Here Comes The Bride
The Loudspeaker
On Stage
The Babysitter
Please Leave The Premises
Pardon My Glove
Trapped
A Man’s Pride
Dial J for Janitor
A Matter of Record
A Dog’s Life
TV or Not TV
Funny Money
The Golfer
A Woman’s Work Is Never Done
A Matter of Life and Death
The Sleepwalker
Oh, My Aching Back
Ralph Kramden, Inc.
Opportunity Knocks, But
Alice and the Blonde
The Man From Space
Mama Loves Mambo
Better Living Through TV
Pal O’ Mine
The $99,000 Answer
Mind Your Own Business
The Honeymooners was a huge success and is still beloved by fans today. It was a show that celebrated the joys and struggles of marriage and family life, and it is a great source of entertainment for viewers of all ages. The Honeymooners will always be remembered as a classic sitcom that will continue to bring laughter and joy to generations to come
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