Forgotten 1973 "Honeymooners" episode...

Most Honeymooners histories either omit or quickly gloss over "Women's Lib", a skit done on Jackie's 1973 CBS special, halfway between the end of Gleason's series in 1970 and the start of the "reunion" specials in 1976. This is a shame as not only is it one of the most entertaining post-50's skits, it's fascinating for other reasons. First of all there are no songs, and this plays more like a classic half-hour than other latter-day Honeymooners. Also of historical note is that this was Shelia MacRae's last appearance as Alice....Audrey Meadows would return to the role for the specials of the late 70's.

But the most fascinating aspect of this episode is its racy and topical humor, so unlike anything the show had done in the past...you can see the influence of permissive 1970's shows like "All in the Family". Luckily, the characters don't stray too far from familiar territory, and this works relatively well...

I hope YouTube doesn't pull this, but if they do I'll find another way to post....Enjoy.

 

Thank you!

 

LOVE IT!!!!!

 

Now, that was interesting. It does indeed play like one of the classic 39 episodes, right down to the music cues and the entire show taking place in just one room. After having done the musical hour long episodes, I wonder what led Jackie Gleason to return to the classic format? Too bad the entire special can't be released on DVD, my guess is that the rights to it are a mess. And there probably wouldn't be many copies sold.

 

Is this the episode where the couples go to a "key party" and Ralph and Norton wake up the next morning in bed together?

 

I have seen the entire 1973 special and it is great, but the audience sounds asleep during a Reggie Van Gleason sketch. Too bad because from what I remember it was pretty funny!

 

That's a very interesting show. The copyright is given to Peekskill Enterprises, which was Gleason's own production company. I would bet his estate owns the rights, and it would just be a question of clearing the SAG, WGA, and DGA residuals, plus paying the music rights.

 

I dont think I have seen that episode!

I LOVE THE HONEYMOONERS!!! -- I found a VHS tape one time @ salvation army with episode after

episode taped on it!! (from 1988 I think during a USA marathon) -- @ least 12 shows!!

 

Didn't Gleason WRITE all of those music cues?

 

I bought the classic 39 DVD set at Wal Mart for 10 bucks last year during a sale. Funny that they had the same set without a new slip cover on their regular shelf for 20.

 

I'm sure he took credit for them, yes

 

I was shocked to learn that Shelia MacRae was actually a year older than Audrey Meadows...

 

Just further proof that there are no bad "Honeymooners" - only good and great!

 

Thanks! I saw that when it originally aired. I remember the Bert Parks gag!

 

I don't like seeing the characters older. I want them to only exist as they did in the original 39.

 

?????

 

I wonder why Audrey Meadows and Joyce Randolph weren't asked to reprise thier roles in the 60s?

 

I like Ralph and Ed and Trixie and Alice to be in a black and white time capsule in 1956.

 

Audrey Meadows was welcome to, but didn't want to move to Miami full time (she did return for the 1966 special, "The Adoption" as well as the late-70's ABC specials)...Joyce Randolph was never asked for reasons that aren't exactly clear.

 

If you look at their resumes, Joyce Randolph did very little TV after the original iteration of "The Honeymooners" left the air, while Jane Kean was all over TV and was probably seen as having a wider set of performing skills. Although a lot of the color episodes were recycled "lost episode" scripts, the writers did tweak them and it seems like Trixie got a larger role and was allowed to have a lot more punchlines (a lot of times on the classic 39 she's really just there to move the exposition along). I think they felt that Jane Kean was more up for that task - and if you watch the episodes she's very good (and doesn't seem quite so out of place with Shelia McRae as she does when Audrey Meadows comes back). I've mentioned this in other Honeymmoners' threads, but I remember Joyce Randolph hosting specials on WPIX in New York (basically her presenting her "favorites" of the classic 39) around the time of the reunion specials that didn't include her.

 

Joyce stated that she wasn't asked about the 1960s shows but wouldn't have relocated to Miami anyway due to having a child at the time. However, as much as I love the 1966 "Adoption" episode I find it strange that she was not asked for at least that show, especially since Audrey was on it. In her autobiography Audrey said that she was originally asked and agreed to come back for the color shows but they kelp adding more and more, from 6 to 8 to 12 to finally the majority of the season and she backed out.

The 1970s reunion specials Joyce was never even contacted about but many people felt that since Jane Kean and Jackie Gleason were long time friends that may have been part of the reason she was asked back into the role. There have been rumors that Walter Stone, a Gleason writer, was working on a final Honeymooners special in the mid-1980s which would have closed the door on the characters with Ralph retiring and moving to Miami and Norton staying behind because as long as there have been sewers a Norton has worked in them. It was to have included Joyce but then Jackie got ill and passed on and the special never happened.

 

He's credited for them, but the reality is that he had a ghost-writer working with him and an arranger, because I don't think Jackie could read or write music. He'd whistle out the core of the melody, then they'd build the song around that.

Having said that, I have to admit that "Melancholy Serenade" is a unique, interesting song, Gleason's signature tune. The violin countermelody to the brass is really beautiful.

 

I feel the same about The Honeymooners theme. The drum roll of "You're My Greatest Love" just transports the viewer back in time to the Kramden apartment. The image of the fireworks and skyline with Jackie's face in the moon ... now I need to watch an episode or two!

 

It barely qualifies as a "Honeymooners" sketch, but here's Gleason as Kramden from 1974. (I'm not claiming it's any GOOD )

Go to 7:30.

 

I recently acquired this special and, well ... at least it is Jackie Gleason!