Welcome to My Honeymooners Facts page.
I thought it would be fun to add some facts about the Honeymooners on my site I find interesting as I read some new books I recently bought. Also, there will be some pictures and links to find more information. I hope you enjoy it.
The Honeymooners was first aired as a skit on Jackie Gleasons "Cavalacade of Stars" on October 5, 1951 on the old DuMont Network,.The first three titles of the show that were considered were "The Beast", "The Lovers" & "The Couple next Door", before Mr. Gleason decided on "The Honeymooners" The first Alice was played by Pert Kelton
The early episodes there was just Ralph & Alice. One of the skits was Ralph coming home from work and Alice baked some bread. Of course Ralph was steamed, and took the flour and tossed it out the window and a minute later a cop knocks at the door full of flour. The cop was played by Mr Art Carney.
- Actress Elaine Stritch played the roll of Trixie Norton only once before being replaced by Joyce Randolph.
Joyce Randolphs first role on Cavalcade of Stars was a serious one. She and Mr. Gleason played former sweethearts, once separated by show business and who were now reunited in there hometown in a dressing room scene. When weeks later Mr. Gleason needed someone in a hurry to play Ed Nortons Missus, he said "get me that serious actress" and that was Mrs. Randolph.
Audrey Meadows was at first turned down for the part of Alice Kramden. As Mr. Gleason needed a replacement for Pert Kelton he said Mrs. Meadows was all wrong, she was too young and too pretty. Mrs Meadows had a photographer come to her house the next morning to take pictures of her as she just woke up with no make up and her hair was not all done up. She was holding pots and pans. Mr. Gleason loved them, and she was hired as Alice.
After Mr.Gleason's contract was up with DuMont in July of 1952 he made a switch to CBS in September of 1952. He signed with CBS after negotiating a contract that dwarfed his earlier one : to own, produce, and be solely responsible for the delivery of a weekly hour-long Saturday night variety show ; he would hire the writes, the dancers, the orchestra, the cast; he would be ultimately accountable for every technical and professional detail of "The Jackie Gleason Show."
Audrey Meadows was receiving hundreds of curtain rods and irons in the mail from viewers who wanted Alice Kramden to live a spiffier life. A women send her 10 cents to buy a curtian rod because it would have been to hard to mail one. A Bank sent her pot holders, and told her if Alice would bank with them, Ralph would never have to know.
Whole Families would come to theater for the late night show.At least eleven hundred tickets were given out for every performance. People would line up at 11:A.M. for a show that began at 8 P.M. The line would run from Broadway to Eleventh AVE., across Fifty -second Street and up to Fifty Third. The folks on line would be laughing out loud before they got through the doors.
The Classic 39 episodes where filmed at the Adelphi Theater located at 145 west 53rd st in NYC. Right now there is a Sheriden hotel there.
On The inside TV Land special Mr. Gleason said he didn't like to rehearse. They would get their scripts the Saturday morning of the show and go through it one time.
- The day Mr. Cresenti and Mr.Columbe visited the CBS script library they were suprised at two words they didn't find in any of the scripts- BANG! ZOOM! Mr. Gleason must have stuck that in when he felt it was appropriate. Mr Cresenti & Mr. Columbe are the founders of The R.A.L.P.H. Honeymooners club and authors of many Honeymooners books.
The Animated series "The Flinstones" were based on "The Honeymooners"
Gleason's writers would call Audrey Meadows "The Rock" because she would hold fast to the scripts and guide Gleason and Carney back to the story from their ad-libs.
Actors who Gleason preferred to work with (and who had nerves of steel) were called "Gleason Players."
The sets were painted cardboard and the apartment doors opened out instead of in. The main kitchen/living room set was only 20-by-30 feet. The Kramden apartment was modeled on the flat on Chauncey Street in Bushwick, Brooklyn, where Jackie Gleason and his mother had lived.
- Audrey Meadows was the only cast member whose contract had a royalty clause. Her brother was a lawyer.
When Mr. Gleason would forget his lines, he would pat his stomach so that the cast would know to think of something.
Jackie Gleason, who's Gleason Enterprises owned the Classic 39 shows, sold them to CBS for $1.5 million.
- The Gotham Bus Company, where Ralph worked, is supposedly on 9th Ave. and 48th Street in Manhattan.
"The Great One" was 5' 11 ˝" and is the namesake of the Jackie Gleason (formerly 5th Avenue) Bus Depot in Brooklyn, NY.
The sewer worker Norton mentions: "Nat Birnbaum" is actually George Burns'
real name and was an inside joke. (C39 *Hello Mom*)
Jackie Gleason wrote the theme for The Honeymooners ("You're My Greatest Love.") He released over 20 albums but couldn't read music!
More facts to be added soon, please check back often.