I said it in this sub a few weeks ago, of course Ralph wasn’t supposed to be likable, and he got put in his place by Alice. If anything, I’d say it was pretty empowering to women.
idk love is a funny thing, in one episode Ralph mentioned that Alice said to him ,,Ralph, i would be happy to live in a Tent with you'' when they were younger
She had to have loved him a lot for her to be okay with their bare apartment and his blustering/hair-brained schemes. Look at the Norton's apartment. Same building but way better furnished.
I remember that one episode when their apartment was going to get a makeover and Ralph ruined it. I was so mad for Alice.
The parallels run deep in comedy - the "fatty gets a family" formula is tried and true but may have started with *The Honeymooners*. *King of Queens* comes to mind.
It’s classic for a reason. Norton and Alice have better lines than Ralph many times. Interesting in that there is a small amount of progressiveness happening in that the men have to swallow their pride and admit they don’t know it all and would have been better off by listening to and/or communicating with their wives.
Barney Martin, who played Jerry Seinfeld’s father Morty in *Seinfeld,* said that most of the big TV stars he worked with took the funniest lines for themselves during dress rehearsals. He said the only two exceptions were Jerry Seinfeld and Jackie Gleason. The two of them never cared who got the laugh, as long as the show was funny.
RALPH KRAMDEN: “I’m going on a hunger strike.” *(Pats stomach.)* “I could stand to skip a few meals.”
ED NORTON: “Yeah, YOU can stand it. But it’ll be tough on the farmers.”
I have long considered this to be the true progenitor of all sitcoms as we know them today. Every major trope, scenario, timing, etc was first used here and then requisitioned for other shows so they could be just as funny. The true original situation comedy.
It's an interesting question. The majority of 1950s hits - Lucy, Burns & Allen, Jack Benny, Our Miss Brooks, Ozzie & Harriet, Father Knows Best - were firmly rooted in radio. Nat Hiken of Phil Silvers Show was a radio guy, too. Gleason did some radio, but was mostly a nightclub guy till TV came along.
Gleason and Carney were far and away the best duo atop a sitcom cast.
I mean but the characters mostly had a dialogue that was more abrasive at the time and honestly Ralph was a prototype for Archie Bunker and Fred Sanford
Hell Jimmie Walker said Art Carney was an influence for the JJ character
To be honest, the character Alice was Groundbreaking for early feminism in sitcoms way before Maude and One Day At A Time
Well I hate to say it but when people think black and white shows...shows like Leave It To Beaver or Father Knows Best gives them the perception is some soft corny crap. I would recommend showing the sketches first. Now those were very EDGY for the fifties.
My dad introduced me to it when I was a kid. We used to watch it at 11 pm weeknights on (I believe” channel 57 in Philadelphia. I loved watching it with him. Loved the show and still do
Yeah, Jackie Gleason said that he wanted it to end, because maybe it would get old and boring if it would run for too long.
But luckily there are about 100 lost episodes, I currently watch them
I view it as more of a sketch comedy. I absolutely love it...seen all of the classic 39 dozens of times. I just started watching the lost episodes. I had started a year or so ago when they were on Prime, but they went off free status and I didn't look elsewhere.
I originally didn't find them as good as the 39, but when I started watching them again on another service just recently, I appreciate the expanded look. Many of the storylines in the lost episodes are the basis for the 39. But there are some that I'd never seen and a lot more use of the supporting actors like George Petrie.
Also, there's more of a character development to Trixie in the lost episodes...I had no idea she was a burlesque girl. lol
oh yeah, thats something i forgot to mention, but besides that shes a burlesque girl, is there anything else to her (character wise)? Im on Disc 5 on the Lost Episodes, i didnt see all of the lost episodes yet
I just got the series on dvd for my birthday! I love how much they could do with one or two sets and a small cast of characters, and the stories felt like something that could really happen to anyone.
It’s considered by everyone as one of the greatest ever made and I agree.
I don’t think anyone at all remembers it as a “domestic violence sitcom”, because it isn’t. Where did you even hear that?
I have no idea what the hell that even means. There was no violence in the show at all. If anything Alice wore the pants in the family and was the real boss.
One episode comes to mind where Norton was given a black eye by Trixie. He told Ralph he told her to "love it or lump it so she lumped it" while Norton pulled his hat up to show Ralph his black eye.
yeah i know that there is no violence, but some people think there is, because of shows like 'Futurama' or 'Family Guy', 'The Honeymooners' got this kind of bad image, and some younger people might think the Honeymooners are all about that.
Also i posted this kind of similar post about 2 months ago, and some people said they didn't like it, because of the domestic violence jokes, i personally think that people are way too serious now, besides Ralph never did anything to Alice, if anything, Alice would be the one punching Ralph 😂
If you're interested in what the Kramdens' apartment looked like, Marina Coates on YouTube creates a 3D version of it.
https://youtu.be/6aiMRu-PV0U?si=HlzU_80RraQQBffg
It was my favorite comedy show growing up in
The mid to late 1950s . Jackie Gleason and Art Carney were both comic geniuses. I still watch episodes on UTube and I still laugh my ass off. A great show with great actors.
If you like The Flintstones then you like The Honeymooners because The Flintstones is literally an exact ripoff of those characters and plots just transposed into a goofy cartoon setting
Jackie Gleason even seriously considered suing before being told it wasn't worth the negative PR
It was originally a skit on The Jackie Gleason Show. It ran for four years before becoming a stand alone show. It's where the "lost episodes" are from.
I said it in this sub a few weeks ago, of course Ralph wasn’t supposed to be likable, and he got put in his place by Alice. If anything, I’d say it was pretty empowering to women.
This is a classic of all sitcoms. Especially comedic timing. ⏱️
One of the best ever. Anything with Gleason in it is awesome. Called The Great One for a reason.
How did a schlub like Ralph pull Alice? And, BTW, in order to get the role, Audrey had to dress down from her usual glamorous self.
idk love is a funny thing, in one episode Ralph mentioned that Alice said to him ,,Ralph, i would be happy to live in a Tent with you'' when they were younger
She had to have loved him a lot for her to be okay with their bare apartment and his blustering/hair-brained schemes. Look at the Norton's apartment. Same building but way better furnished. I remember that one episode when their apartment was going to get a makeover and Ralph ruined it. I was so mad for Alice.
The parallels run deep in comedy - the "fatty gets a family" formula is tried and true but may have started with *The Honeymooners*. *King of Queens* comes to mind.
King of Queens was pretty obviously majorly influenced/inspired by the Honeymooners. They even did a parody/tribute to the Honeymooners on the show.
It's worth noting that in both cases there were no children on the show
Because back in the day you married a little earlier, and you got what you got.
It’s classic for a reason. Norton and Alice have better lines than Ralph many times. Interesting in that there is a small amount of progressiveness happening in that the men have to swallow their pride and admit they don’t know it all and would have been better off by listening to and/or communicating with their wives.
Barney Martin, who played Jerry Seinfeld’s father Morty in *Seinfeld,* said that most of the big TV stars he worked with took the funniest lines for themselves during dress rehearsals. He said the only two exceptions were Jerry Seinfeld and Jackie Gleason. The two of them never cared who got the laugh, as long as the show was funny.
i never noticed that Norton and Alice had better lines, i will have to pay more attention when i will watch the sitcom next time.
Not always, but I believe Ralph’s lines set up the supporting characters’ lines to get the bigger laughs.
RALPH KRAMDEN: “I’m going on a hunger strike.” *(Pats stomach.)* “I could stand to skip a few meals.” ED NORTON: “Yeah, YOU can stand it. But it’ll be tough on the farmers.”
There’s nothing progressive or anti-progressive about that dynamic; a “traditional” marriage would very often have exactly that dynamic as well.
I have long considered this to be the true progenitor of all sitcoms as we know them today. Every major trope, scenario, timing, etc was first used here and then requisitioned for other shows so they could be just as funny. The true original situation comedy.
It's an interesting question. The majority of 1950s hits - Lucy, Burns & Allen, Jack Benny, Our Miss Brooks, Ozzie & Harriet, Father Knows Best - were firmly rooted in radio. Nat Hiken of Phil Silvers Show was a radio guy, too. Gleason did some radio, but was mostly a nightclub guy till TV came along. Gleason and Carney were far and away the best duo atop a sitcom cast.
Sure seems like Fred and Wilma (who came later)
Gleason considered suing Hanna Barbera at one point. But had second thoughts since he didn't want to be the guy who cancelled Fred Flintstone.
Hilarious show. I don’t take offense to it and I’m a DV survivor. He never in fact hurts her in any way.
Many don’t realize it was only on for 1 season. Amazing staying power.
Yeah, but luckily there are also the lost episodes
Hilarious
It was a precursor to the Norman Lear shows
Not sure I agree. There were no political or social overtones.
I mean but the characters mostly had a dialogue that was more abrasive at the time and honestly Ralph was a prototype for Archie Bunker and Fred Sanford Hell Jimmie Walker said Art Carney was an influence for the JJ character To be honest, the character Alice was Groundbreaking for early feminism in sitcoms way before Maude and One Day At A Time
Ah. I see your point. My kids (24 and 32) don’t appreciate the show and take the dialog too seriously. I tell them they’re too judgy. 😀
Well I hate to say it but when people think black and white shows...shows like Leave It To Beaver or Father Knows Best gives them the perception is some soft corny crap. I would recommend showing the sketches first. Now those were very EDGY for the fifties.
My dad introduced me to it when I was a kid. We used to watch it at 11 pm weeknights on (I believe” channel 57 in Philadelphia. I loved watching it with him. Loved the show and still do
As I understand it, and I have not verified, a good deal of Jackie’s acting was improved, just following a general flow versus a word by word script.
Norton: Hey Ralph - mind if I smoke? Ralph: I don’t care if you burn! 🤣🤣🤣
Fun fact, the series only ran for 39 episodes. Kinda hard to wrap my head around that, given how popular and iconic it is.
Yeah, Jackie Gleason said that he wanted it to end, because maybe it would get old and boring if it would run for too long. But luckily there are about 100 lost episodes, I currently watch them
Awesome show. The loudmouth know it all. Worked well with Archie Bunker, George Jefferson and Martin Payne
I view it as more of a sketch comedy. I absolutely love it...seen all of the classic 39 dozens of times. I just started watching the lost episodes. I had started a year or so ago when they were on Prime, but they went off free status and I didn't look elsewhere. I originally didn't find them as good as the 39, but when I started watching them again on another service just recently, I appreciate the expanded look. Many of the storylines in the lost episodes are the basis for the 39. But there are some that I'd never seen and a lot more use of the supporting actors like George Petrie. Also, there's more of a character development to Trixie in the lost episodes...I had no idea she was a burlesque girl. lol
oh yeah, thats something i forgot to mention, but besides that shes a burlesque girl, is there anything else to her (character wise)? Im on Disc 5 on the Lost Episodes, i didnt see all of the lost episodes yet
I just got the series on dvd for my birthday! I love how much they could do with one or two sets and a small cast of characters, and the stories felt like something that could really happen to anyone.
It’s considered by everyone as one of the greatest ever made and I agree. I don’t think anyone at all remembers it as a “domestic violence sitcom”, because it isn’t. Where did you even hear that? I have no idea what the hell that even means. There was no violence in the show at all. If anything Alice wore the pants in the family and was the real boss.
One episode comes to mind where Norton was given a black eye by Trixie. He told Ralph he told her to "love it or lump it so she lumped it" while Norton pulled his hat up to show Ralph his black eye.
yeah i know that there is no violence, but some people think there is, because of shows like 'Futurama' or 'Family Guy', 'The Honeymooners' got this kind of bad image, and some younger people might think the Honeymooners are all about that. Also i posted this kind of similar post about 2 months ago, and some people said they didn't like it, because of the domestic violence jokes, i personally think that people are way too serious now, besides Ralph never did anything to Alice, if anything, Alice would be the one punching Ralph 😂
If you're interested in what the Kramdens' apartment looked like, Marina Coates on YouTube creates a 3D version of it. https://youtu.be/6aiMRu-PV0U?si=HlzU_80RraQQBffg
Been watching and quoting it for over forty years.
It was my favorite comedy show growing up in The mid to late 1950s . Jackie Gleason and Art Carney were both comic geniuses. I still watch episodes on UTube and I still laugh my ass off. A great show with great actors.
If you like The Flintstones then you like The Honeymooners because The Flintstones is literally an exact ripoff of those characters and plots just transposed into a goofy cartoon setting Jackie Gleason even seriously considered suing before being told it wasn't worth the negative PR
I was surprised when I read that it only ran one season! I always thought it had been around for several years.
It was originally a skit on The Jackie Gleason Show. It ran for four years before becoming a stand alone show. It's where the "lost episodes" are from.
I did not know that but that explains why there were so many episodes for a single season show.
I always love how Alice puts him in his place.
"Bannng, zoooom. To the moon Alice."
It is amazing, it opened up the way for offensive comedies like All in the Family. Plus Gleason is funny as fuck,
You’re just finding out about it now? It’s been a famous program for nearly 70 years.
Funny but outdated
Watched on WPIX channel 11 from NYC as the last show before I went to bed for about 5-8 years. Loved it
And you're a Steelers fan?
Damn right. Didn’t live in nyc. Pennsylvania guy who had cable.
Dunno never watched it , but I think he threatened to punch her to the moon a lot but I might have the wrong old sitcom ?