The Honeymooners
In the late 1940s, Jackie Gleason hosted a variety show, The Cavalcade of Stars, on the DuMont Television Network. There he created skits of The Honeymooners with another DuMont performer, Art Carney. The skits became so popular that CBS offered Gleason an opportunity to produce and star in a series of The Honeymooners in 1955, resulting in 39 episodes. Gleason retained the rights to the reruns which became extremely popular with an almost cult-like following.
In the 1980s, Gleason released a number of so-called "lost episodes" (which were in reality never lost but were just sitting in Gleason's vault for decades), though it's not known whether they were skits originally produced for DuMont, or additional CBS productions. These episodes were released on video and sometimes show up in syndication alongside what are known as "The Classic 39". In September 2004 another "lost" episode (this time one that had indeed been misplaced years ago) was reported discovered, with plans for video release pending.
Notable episodes: TV or Not TV, (where Ralph and Ed share a tv not having the money to get each their own)
The show spawned popular catch phrases such as "to the moon!" and "Hey, Ralphie Boy!"
The Honeymooners starred Jackie Gleason as Ralph Kramden, Art Carney as Ed Norton, Audrey Meadows as Alice Kramden, and Joyce Randolph as Trixie Norton. Their characters were popular and enduring enough to be successfully transplanted to the stone age as The Flintstones in 1960.
As it debuted on The Cavalcade of Stars, The Honeymooners can be considered television's first spin-off.
Trivia
The show was spoofed in an episode of The King of Queens. It figures into a series of dreams that Doug Heffernan (Kevin James) has while he is sick. Doug is inserted into Ralph Kramden's role, and his wife Carrie (Leah Remini) steps in for Alice. Additionally, Ed Norton's role is filled by Deacon Palmer (Victor Williams). True to the original Honeymooners, the sequence was filmed in black-and-white. Kevin James is a big fan of Jackie Gleason.
See also
External link
Categories: CBS network shows | Sitcoms | Television series stubs