PDA

View Full Version : Episode Reviews: "Cottage For Sale" & "Lawsuit":


Frank Gannucci
05-25-2007, 10:09 AM
Episode #51
TV: In two parts.
VCR: Attached to "Jellybeans."
DVD: Attached to "Hot Dog Stand", "Alice Plays Cupid" & "Jellybeans."

The VHS version I got with this episode I got for Christmas in 1996. It was the first lost episode commercial tape that I got. There was
plenty more to follow.

This episode opens up with Alice and friends (including Trixie) playing cards. Two of the girsl sing: "Down by the old mill stream." My friend saw this part and he thought that those girls sang awful. I agree. Ed Norton comes in and scares the girls by saying: "The joint is raided." He thoguth for minute he saw the Claudettes. Ed asks Alice if Ralph told her about their big secret. Alice says no. Ed tries to help one of the girls but he ends up costing the girl the game. They were playing Bridge and he thought they were playing Gin Rummy. All of the girls leave (sans Trixie).

Ed keeps on talking about the big secret. The girls seem disinterested as they clean up. Ed: "I know you are champing at the bit to hear about it." Champing? Sounds like Art screwed up his line a little. Ed instantly blabs the secret when he says that both him and Ralph are going to buy a cottage for the four of us for $989. Alice: "You are going to buy wha for who and it's only going to cost how much?" Ed: "I can't tell you. It's a secret." Ha! Alice says it's another one of Ralph's dumb ideas. Ed: "Don't give him all the credit. It was partially my idea too." Ralph comes in and says hello to everybody. He even greeted Ed by saying: "Hi Ed!" One of the rare times he doesn't say "Norton." Ralph wants to surprise the girls by telling them his and Ed's secret. But he finds out that Ed beat him too it. Ralph (to Ed): "You dirty stool pigeon." Ed says that the girls dragged it out of him. Sure, they did. Ralph says that the cottage is part of "Paradise Acres." Ralph tries to explain the whole thing and since him and Norton are partners, that splits the cost to $494.50. Alice says that even with a $489.50 price, it's too expensive. Ralph is mad at Alice. The Nortons leave but not before Ed asks Ralph if right now is a good time about them buying a motor boat for next summer. Oh God! I can just see Ralph and Ed on a motorboat and falling into the water.

Ralph argues some more with Alice. He says that every year on a vacation, both him and Norton spend $100. Gee, either vacation prices were really low back then or Ralph and Norton went to some small town nearby and stayed there for one night. Ralph says with this cottage, he can spend five years of vacation money and they can have that place for the rest of their lives. Doesn't Ralph know that if you go to the same spot for an annual vacation every year that it might get a little boring as far as the destination's scenery goes? That's why many families don't go to the same spot for an annual vacation. Alice still says no because she wants to save it and if they are going to start spending any money, she wants to fix up her winter resort (aka the apartment). Ralph says that when he wanted to buy that TV set and then the car, he got that same response. Ralph: "All our lives, we will save $1,000, $2,000 and do you know what's going to happen Alice? Neither one of us will get sick and we will be stuck with the money." Ha! Alice says no again. Ralph goes into one of his "Boss of the House" speeches. He calls himself the General and now he is ordering Alice to give him the money. Alice's response? She puts a bowl on top of Ralph's head like an army helmet and "salutes" him. Alice: "Har-har-har!" Ralph then says he doesn't want the money now, he just wants Alice to take a look at that model cottage down there on 34th Street. She says: "Yes." Ed Norton comes back down and Ralph tells him that he is the master of the house but when Alice hears it, Ralph is humble.

At the model cottage, we see two shady bisnessmen. One of them is going to try to sell Ralph this $2,000 cottage. Ralph comes in and "Mr. Mosby" (played George Petrie), one of the shady businessmen comes and greets him while the other shady businessman says that he is a customer. He leaves and the Ralph brings in Ed, Alice and Trixie. They go nuts over the cottage. "Mr. Mosby" leaves and then everyone sees all of the features of the cottage. Ed falls asleep on one of the bunks of the bunk bed after laying there for only a minute. Trixie wakes him up by shutting the ice box door. Trixie: "I don't know how he could get unconscious so fast?" Ralph: "He's got a pretty good head start." Alice says that at $989, it's such a bargain and says that Ralph is right in getting the cottage. The girls leave and "Mr Mosby" comes back in. Ralph says that he wants to chop of a few bucks off the $989. "Mr. Mosby" says that the cottage is $2,000. Ed: "Ralph, you got a load of chopping to do." "Mr. Mosby" says that he is going to do what he did for his mother. Ed: "You are going to buy one for us?" Mr. Mosby says that he will take out some of the modern features and that will save Ralph and Ed $1,000. He also says that Ralph, Ed, Alice and Trixie our "Paradise Acres'" kinds of people. He said that about them a number of times during this episode.

The first weekend, Ralph and Ed come and discover that the cottage they bought is a big lemon. Ralph: "$998, we have been robbed." Didn't the cottage cost $989? Sounds like Jackie mesed up his lines a bit. Ed says: "Maybe the girls won't notice the difference." The girls come in and the boys try to act all happy, but it doesn't work. Ed: "This cottage ain't such a bad place." Trixie: "Maybe not for a guy who spends most of his life in the sewer." Ralph says that him and Ed will have an easy time fixing this place up. Oh sure, they will. Alice says that all of them are going back home. Ralph: "When Norton and I come back next weekend to fix this place up so it looks beautiful, you'll be sorry." Don't you just love it when a person volunteers your services. Boy, I would have loved to see Ralph and Ed try to fix that place up and seeing them go through it in Ralph and Ed fashion. They would be on a "Trading Spaces" episode on how not to
fix a place up. They leave.

They come back seconds later when the hear a wolf. Ralph says that he
made a mistake and sarcastically says: "Go ahead and kill me." Alice: "Don't tempt me." It's cold so Ralph goes to the fire place to try to heat the place up, but there's no draft in the pipe. Ed bangs it black smoke comes out causing Ralph to cough. Ed: "I think Ralph is catching a cold." Ed says he sees firewood, so he goes over to get it and put it in the fire place. Ralph stops him. Ralph: "I don't need your help in making a fire. I know all about it." Ralph puts the wood in the fire place and puts kerosene from a lamp in there and puts a lit match in it. Within seconds, the fire place blows up and falls down. When that happens, a black screen comes on for a second. No one gets hurt. The audinece applauds what just happened.

Trixie balmes Ralph. Ralph blames Ed. Alice says that this whole mess is Ed's fault and Ralph's. Trixie: "My Ed has got more brians in his little finger than Ralph has got in his whole head." Ralph: "He's still an idiot." Basically Ralph, just called himself an idiot. The Kramdens leave and say that the Nortons will give them their $500 back.

Back at home, Ralph comes home from work and says to Alice about the ad he put in the paper about the cottage. A man is coming up to sign the papers so he can get the cottage. Ralph is still mad at Ed while Alice and Trixie have made up. Ralph: "Ed is not my kind of people." Ralph says that Ed is an idto and he has plenty of friends and they reason why they don't ask him out anywhere is because Ralphj always hangs out with Norton. Ralph: "I got 50 over at the bus depot, 50 over at the lodge, 50 over at the pool hall. There's 100 right there." Seems to me that's 150. The Nortons come in while Ralph and Ed try their best to not see each other and talk to each other.

The man comes in and he is ready to sign the papers after he has seen the cottage. The man says that $1,000 is a good price for the cottage. Ralph and Norton make up. Ralph gets the papers and he writes down his signature while Ed writes down his. (The man needed both Ralph and Ed's signatures.) Ed even did his own warmingup bit before writing his name down and Ralph did not yell at him because of that. That's rare. Ralph (to Ed): "You certainly got a nice hand." The man puts down his signature and leaves. All of the gang thinks they have gotten away with a fast one. until the man comes back and says that he is selling the cottage to the state for $4,000. Not something that Ralph, Alice, Ed and Trixie wanted to hear. Ed is angry at Ralph for putting the ad in the paper and Ralph is angry at Ed. Ralph: "Alice, tell Ed that he is not my kind of people."

Episode #52
TV: Attached to "What's The Name."
VCR: Attached to "Battle of The Sexes."
DVD: Attached to "Great Jewel Robbery", "Guest Speaker" & "Honeymooners Valentine."

If you watch this episode on TV, you'll notice that the title of the episod eappears on screen with no music, just Ralph (yelling to Alice): "Alice, what are you doing?" If you watch this episode on VHS/DVD, the episode title comes on screen with music. Also, if you watch this episode on VHS/DVD, you will notice a big white line on the right. If you watch this episode on TV, most of the time the picture is cropped so the line won't be visable. Alice is cleaning the window. Ralph comes out with a cast around his broken leg. Jackie did break his leg once during his variety show several weeks prior to making this episode. So during this episode, his leg really was injured. That might have served as inspiration for this episode. Alice complains that all she has done in the past six weeks is wait on Ralph hand and foot. So, Ralph says that will stop. If he can't get something, he will do without it. That lasts for a few seconds. Typical Ralph. Ralph says that after he sues the bus company for $10,000, he will get some money to use for spending. Imagine, in "The Safety Award", Ralph says he had no accidents on the bus. Alice says that after this ridiculous lawsuit, Ralph will have no job. Ralph: "With the money I will have left over, I will be a millionaire." Doesn't Ralph know that when you sue someone, you are supposed to use the money to pay off the injury so to speak and Ralph must stink at Math for him to think he will be a millionaire with the money he will have left over. Ralph explains the whole accident. It was raining and the windsheild wipersweren't working and because of that, he got into an accident. It was the bus company's responsibility to make sure that the wipers work. Ralph says with the dough, he will open up a grocery store in Jersey City. Hey, that's my mom's old hometown. Ralph: "We will be living on Easy Street just because I broke my leg. I must be the luckiest guy in the world." Sure, he's lucky.

Ralph tries to get up so he can put some weight on his broken leg when Ed Norton comes in. Ralph explains that he is trying to put some weight on his broken leg. Ed: "You are just the boy that can do it." Ed cracks wallnuts when Ralph is doing this so Ralph thinks he broke his leg again and when he hears that was Ed cracking wallnuts, he gets mad at Ed. Alice goes into the bedroom. Ed says he got off the phone with a lawyer and explained the whole case to him. According to the lawyer, the case is perfect. Ralph explains that to Alice and she says she will buy a mink coat. Ralph: "She is just jealous because I have the broken leg."

Ed explains an accident he had in the sewer once. A manhole cover fell on his head and since he couldn't prove it did any damage, the layers said he had no case. He also explains a similar situation that happened to a family member he knows. His story is so wacked that Ralph thinks that every member of his family should drive off to Bellevue. A claims adjuster from the bus company comes and offers Ralph back pay for the time he missed while recuperating and complete payment of his medical bills, but Ralph refuses the offer. Ed says that a person he knows had a situation that is similar to what happend to Ralph. That person stubbed his toe on the edge of the Grand Canyon. Ha! Ralph says that he is suing. The claim adjuster leaves and wishes Ralph good luck. Ed says that Ralph has got his broken leg. He tries to hit it softly but ends up hurting Ralph.

Alice comes back. She saw and talked to the claim adjuster. This is the dumbest thing that Ralph ever did. Ralph: "You won't be saying that when we are living on Park Avenue." Alice: "I thought you were going to open a grocery store in Jersey." Ralph: "I'll commute." The lawyer comes in (he is played by George Petrie). The lawyer explains he whole case to everyone but says that the fault of the accident rests on the driver's shoulders. D'oh! Not something Ralph wanted to hear. Ralph explains that he was the driver. The lawyer, shocked leaves. Ed leaves too. Ralph has no case after all, and, after kicking the adjuster out of the apartment, maybe no job either. Ed leaves.

Ralph apologizes to Alice. As Ralphis talking, you can tell the condition of the audio of the film is bad. Why? Ralph is talking and you can tell that that's not hsi normal voice. Ralph even says that he has been injured for six months when Alice just said that he has been injured for six weeks. Sounds like Jackie messed up his lines and when he did, Audrey's eyes light up. Anyway, Alice forgives Ralph. They hug and kiss.

I should point out that on the VHS/DVD version during the final seconds that while Ralph was talking, you can barely hear him and Alice talk. It seems like a person was hitting a Mute button. If you watch this episode on TV however, the audio is better but you can tell it's overdubbed not only during the final seconds but as well as when Ralph is talking to Ed when Ed reveals that Ralph ahs a perfect case. Jackie & Audrey must have overdubbed this episode when this epiosde was released because their voices sound older. It was that during this overdub, that Jackie made a blooper and said six months instead of six weeks. Six months? Seems like an awful long time to recover from a borken leg, doesn't it? I wonder why the overdubbed lines never made it on the VHS/DVD.

Credit for all reviews goes to "To The Moon", mpihomevideo.com & Yahoo! Groups You're A Riot.

Bill S.
06-07-2007, 01:00 AM
If you watch this episode on TV, you'll notice that the title of the episod eappears on screen with no music, just Ralph (yelling to Alice): "Alice, what are you doing?" If you watch this episode on VHS/DVD, the episode title comes on screen with music. Also, if you watch this episode on VHS/DVD, you will notice a big white line on the right. If you watch this episode on TV, most of the time the picture is cropped so the line won't be visable.
I never saw this episode on TV before, I always assumed they didn't air it because of the poor quality, but I did always wonder how they would've gone about airing it. I think they did something similar with the big white line in "One Big Happy Family." I'm curious to see what MPI will do with these episodes when they're re-released, since they're supposedly restoring them all.

I should point out that on the VHS/DVD version during the final seconds that while Ralph was talking, you can barely hear him and Alice talk. It seems like a person was hitting a Mute button. If you watch this episode on TV however, the audio is better but you can tell it's overdubbed not only during the final seconds but as well as when Ralph is talking to Ed when Ed reveals that Ralph ahs a perfect case. Jackie & Audrey must have overdubbed this episode when this epiosde was released because their voices sound older. It was that during this overdub, that Jackie made a blooper and said six months instead of six weeks. Six months? Seems like an awful long time to recover from a borken leg, doesn't it? I wonder why the overdubbed lines never made it on the VHS/DVD.
I didn't know there was overdubbing done on this episode. I know Jackie & Audrey did that for "The Babysitter," but that's a Classic 39 episode, "Lawsuit" was/is rarely shown on TV. Do you know of any other episodes that were edited like this for TV? I'm pretty sure no overdubbing was done on any of the Lost Episodes on VHS, but I haven't seen how they were all edited for TV.

Frank Gannucci
06-07-2007, 09:38 PM
There was no other episodes like this that were edited for TV as far as I know. I remember recording this episode from WPIX ten years ago and I can distinctly remember that the ending was overdubbed on TV. A friend of mine who likes the Honeymooners watched this episode with me and noticed that there voices (espeically Jackie's) sounded different.

I don't know why this overdubbed version never made it onto VHS or DVD. It just doesn't make sense.

W.B.
06-09-2007, 03:13 AM
Of these two, only "Lawsuit" was remade in color, in 1969 during the period when Gleason was redoing short Honeymooners sketches. It'll be interesting what time period (six weeks or six months) is cited in terms of the broken leg in that version.

Bill S.
06-12-2007, 11:41 PM
Of these two, only "Lawsuit" was remade in color, in 1969 during the period when Gleason was redoing short Honeymooners sketches. It'll be interesting what time period (six weeks or six months) is cited in terms of the broken leg in that version.
You haven't seen the remake of "Lawsuit"? I thought they showed it on AmericanLife. I haven't seen the remake, but I'm curious to see how they made that short little sketch into an hour-long musical.

W.B.
06-14-2007, 07:14 PM
You haven't seen the remake of "Lawsuit"? I thought they showed it on AmericanLife. I haven't seen the remake, but I'm curious to see how they made that short little sketch into an hour-long musical.
No, the 1969 "Lawsuit" was roughly as short as the 1954 original. It was part of his regular variety show, I.I.N.M. Jan Murray was a guest that night.

Bill S.
06-14-2007, 09:35 PM
No, the 1969 "Lawsuit" was roughly as short as the 1954 original. It was part of his regular variety show, I.I.N.M. Jan Murray was a guest that night.
Woah, that threw me way off track. Just how many of the 49 color episodes are an hour long? I always assumed the 42 that AmericanLife showed were the hour-long shows, and the remaining 7 were shorter, but I guess I was mistaken. According to John's book, there's 11 shows that make up the "Trip to Hollywood," and before that there's 8 shows that are remakes of shorter Lost Episodes like "Lawsuit," "Hot Tip," and "Norton Moves In." I'm really confused right now, hopefully somebody can clear this up for me. Which of the 49 does AmericanLife NOT show? :confused:

Frank Gannucci
06-14-2007, 09:44 PM
Here are the episodes. The ones that are in Bold are the ones that ALN DOES NOT SHOW.

#1 - "In Twenty-Five Words or Less": Ralph wins the Flakey Wakey trip to Europe for four by entering a slogan contest.

#2 - "Ship of Fools": The Kramdens and Nortons sail to Europe. Ralph and Ed set themselves adrift on a life boat but are rescued some time later. Upon arriving in Paris, Ralph poses for a publicity photo and falls off the deck.

#3 - "The Poor People of Paris": Ralph & Ed get a great exchange rate -- on counterfeit money.

#4 - "Confusion Italian Style": Ralph is jealous of Alice's guide, not knowing the guide is a little boy.

#5 - "The Curse of the Kramdens": Ralph & Ed have to spend the night in the ancestral Kramden castle, which has its very own ghost.

#6 – “The Mod Couple” (aka "The Honeymooners in England"): The Kramdens & Nortons appear in a Flakey Wakey commercial on an English TV show. Ralph makes a fool of himself and Ed accidently overturns a piano. The Kramdens flee London in Shame but are invited back because the audience loved the commercial.

#7 - "You're in the Picture": Blackmailers fake a hanky-panky photo of Ralph in Madrid, and for once, Alice is jealous.

#8 - "We Spy": Ralph and Ed wander onto a Russian firing range while visiting Germany and are mistaken for spies.

#9 - "Petticoat Jungle": The Kramdens & Nortons go on a safari. The men go hunting -- Ralph kills a rabbit, Ed kills an elephant.

#10 – “Run Santa Run”: Ralph doesn't know that Alice has taken in knitting to pay for his Christmas present, so when he discovers baby things in the apartment he assumes Alice is pregnant. He takes on a job as a sidewalk Santa with Norton as his helper. They are both arrested as operatives in a bookmaking operation.

#11 - "King of the Castle": Back from Europe, Ralph advises Ed to stand up to Trixie -- and suddenly, Alice moves in with Trixie and Ed is living with Ralph.

#12 – “Movies Are Better Than Ever”: Ralph treats himself, Alice and the Nortons to the movies for Ed's birthday. Ed's ticket wins the door prize -- a color TV. Ralph declares war on Ed because he paid for the tickets and wants the TV. Eventually they take their case to court but reconcile after hearing Alice's testimony.

#13 – “Without Reservations”: Ralph's brother-in-law Stanley persuades Ralph and Ed into buying a strategically located hotel along the route of a proposed highway. The highway ends up bypassing the hotel, putting Ralph and Ed out of business but money in Stanley's pocket since he's a
construction worker on the new highway.

#14 – “Life Upon The Wicked Stage”: Ralph pairs up with Ed and Alice pairs up with Trixie to enter a talent contest. Alice and Trixie win first place and Alice uses her winnings to buy Ralph the expensive fishing gear he's had his eyes on.

#15 – “Rafitti, Brooklyn Style”: Ralph tries to score points with his boss by collecting money from the drivers at the depot and buying the boss' daughter an elegant watch as a wedding present. Alice and her mother discover the watch and since it's Alice's birthday, jump to the wrong conclusion. Ralph stages a phony holdup to get the watch back but is thwarted when a real crook overhears his scheme.

#16 – “Ralph Kramden Presents”: Ralph is asked to invite his celebrity friend that he always brags about, Jackie Gleason, to the annual Raccoons dance. In desperation, Ralph & Ed go over to the hotel that Gleason is staying to try to get him to come. Ralph gets to speak to Carney and Ed gets to speak to Gleason but in the confusion, nobody is invited to the dance. Alice promises Gleason the recipe for her anchovy pizza and he shows up at the dance.

#17 – “Flushing Ho”: The Kramdens and Nortons, unable to make ends meet around tax time, decide to move to a large two-bedroom apartment in Flushing and split all expenses. The plan fails when Ralph complains of a dwindling food supply and insufficient time in the bathroom, so they all pack up and move back to Chauncey Street.

#18 – “Sees All, Knows All”: A Coney Island fortune teller tells Ralph that he is going to commit a murder within a week. Ralph wants Alice to move in with her mother till the week passes but Alice refuses. Ralph moves in with Ed and gets so exasperated at him that he nearly kills him. In the end, Ralph manages to get himself arrested for safety by assaulting a police officer.

#19 – “Be It Ever So Humble”: Rather than pay a $5 rent increase, Ralph buys a duplex in the country and takes the Nortons as his tenants. He forces them to sign a 99-year lease. But he is a negligent superintendent, and the Nortons attempt to break the lease with a 3:00 A.M. party and a firecracker in Ralph's fireplace.

#20 – “Hair To A Fortune”: For $500, Ralph and Norton buy a phony hair-restoration formula from a sharp promoter in Central Park. Over Alice and Trixie's objections, they mix up their first batch and try it on Ralph's boss. Using the formula he loses all his hair.

#21 – “The People’s Choice”: Ralph becomes a hero for recognizing "Knuckles" Grogan from his newspaper picture and aiding in his arrest. Then Knuckles escapes and Ralph has to be the bait so the police can recapture him. Local politicians ask Ralph, on the strength of his heroism, to run for state assembly; he agrees, and campaigns vigorously, until he realizes that his sponsors are dishonest. And, at the big pre-election rally, he tells the voters the whole story.

#22 – “Two For The Money”: Ralph, as treasurer of the Raccoon Lodge, has been entrusted with $500 in cash, which he loses at Dennehy's Bar, He plays a long shot at the tracks to replace the money, and his horse wins but he doesn't, because he tore up his ticket at the beginning of the race when it looked like he was going to lose. Fortunately, the money turns up right where Ralph left it--in the pocket of the Raccoons' Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler.

#23 – “Nephew of The Bride”: Alice's Aunt Ethel (played by Doro Merande) moves in with the Kramdens. Ralph, who has to sleep on a cot in the kitchen, plays Cupid for her and Krausmeyer, the butcher (played by David Burns). His plan succeeds, Ethel and Krausmeyer elope, and they return to the Kramdens' for a place to live until they can find a home. And Ralph moves to the YMCA.

#24 – “Out of Sight, Out of Mind”: Ralph is sent to the company psychiatrist when he loses his temper once too often on the job. He is advised to give up his friendship with Norton, Norton mistakes his farewell note for a suicide note, and shadows Ralph to keep him out of trouble. Ralph, seeing Norton everywhere he looks, thinks he's losing his mind...until the truth comes out and the psychiatrist decides that Norton and Kramden belong together.

#25 – “Two Faces of Ralph Kramden”: Ralph is set up as an "insurance executive" by mobsters because he is a dead ringer for their boss (also played by Gleason). Their real boss is fleeing the country with his moll; Ralph, as his stand-in, is due to be exterminated momentarily. Only the intervention of Norton, Alice, and Trixie saves Ralph's life.

#26 – “The Main Event”: Boxer "Dynamite" Moran is living with the Kramdens and Ralph is his new promoter. His first knockout, strictly unofficial and off the record, is staged for the benefit of the manager of heavyweight contender "Killer" Cuoco. The scheme works until Norton accidentally decks Dynamite. Undaunted, Ralph vows to stay in the fight game. Only this time, he will train Norton for the ring.

#27 – “To Whomever It May Concern”: Ralph, told to turn in his bus driver's uniform, dashes off a scathing letter to his boss, only to realize he was not being fired but promoted to traffic manager. He retrieves the letter, and then mails it again by mistake. His boss receives the letter, but has no one to blame, since it is unsigned. Then Norton stops by the boss' office to plead for another chance for his pal...and Ralph's professional aspirations take another nose dive.

#28 – “Sleepy Time Gal”: Ralph meets a hypnotist, the Great Fatchoomara, at the Raccoon Lodge, and persuades him to put Alice in a trance. That way, she will have to show Ralph where she hides her emergency cash. Unfortunately for Ralph, Alice overhears his scheme and substitutes a note for the money. He doesn't realize until too late, on a train to the Miami Beach Raccoons' Annual Convention, that Alice was wise to him all along.

#29 – “Boy Next Door”: Alice, planning a surprise birthday party for Ralph, borrows a cookbook recipe from Trixie. Ralph, discovering the cookbook, finds in it an old love letter written by Ed. He concludes that Ed and Alice are lovers and takes the appropriate actions: following them and telling Trixie. But Trixie just laughs at Ralph, and then she tells him the truth.

#30 – “Follow The Boys”: When the wives complain that their husbands don't fuss over them anymore, Ralph and Ed come up with a compromise: one night a week will be "boys' night out," the other nights they will spend with Alice and Trixie. But this is just another scheme that backfires on Ralph, who is planning to wear out the wives on the first night, but overcomes himself with exhaustion instead.

#31 - "Six Months To Live": Ralph mistakenly believes he is dying. (No other story information available other than it was a short sketch along with two other skits in a variety show format.)

#32 – “Alice’s Birthday”: This year Alice is determined to receive a birthday gift from chronically forgetful Ralph even if she has to buy it herself, which she does. But she's not home when the present is delivered and Ralph, who signs for it, is sure she has a mysterious suitor.

#33 – “Lawsuit”: Against Alice's advice, Ralph, who has broken his leg in a bus accident, is suing the Gotham Bus Company for $75,000. The lawyer thinks he has a good case until he learns that Ralph was driving the bus when the accident occurred.

#34 – “Hot Tip”: Ralph sets out to satisfy a gambling urge. (A sketch from a variety show format of the Gleason Show.)

#35 – “New Bowling Ball”: Ralph gets his finger caught in his bowling ball and he is having a very difficult time getting it out.

#36 – “Norton Moves In”: Norton moves in with the Kramdens because his apartment smells of paint . . . until Ralph, who is going crazy from sharing a cot with Norton, throws paint all over his own place to drive Norton out.

#37 – “The New Manager”: Ralph thinks he's appointed manager of the bus company. (A sketch from a variety show format of the Gleason show.)
#38 – “Play It Again Norton”: The Honeymooners wreck havoc on a cross-country tour. Our two willing but not-so-able boobs (Ralph & Ed) enter a song contest sponsored by movie star Washington Kenmore (played by Paul Lynde). The prize: $25,000 and a Hollywood trip. The problem: entrants must be under 18.

#39 – “Ralph Goes Hollywood”: Bing Crosby, Maureen O'Hara and Bert Parks are the guests as the Honeymooners head for Hollywood to claim their songwriting prize. High jinks include a stay at Maureen's mansion, expense-account living and Ralph's plan to throw a party for Bing. (The role of the "reporter" is played by George Petrie.)

#40 – “The Mexican Hat Trick”: Carol Lawrence and the Baja Marimba Band guests as the Honeymooners head for colorful Mexico. Mix-ups include a rendezvous between the alluring El Lobo (Carol) and Ralph; a run-in with the banditos Jenkins (Jesse White) and Pedro (Phil Leeds); and the kidnapping of Alice and Trixie.

#41 – “Case of The Cuckoo Thief”: Joining the Honeymooners: Oscar winner George Chakiris ("A Chorus Line"). A Hollywood shopping spree turns chaotic when shoplifter Mousey the Dip (George) uses Alice as his unwitting accomplice.

#42 - “The Honeymoon Is Over”: Mike Douglas guests as the Honeymooners are invited to plug the prize-winning song on Mike's show. And what a show it is: Ralph and Alice have an on-camera tiff that gets everyone into the act.

#43 – “Happiness Is a Rich Uncle”: Joey Heatherton guests as the go-go girl sweetheart of Alice's Uncle Howard (David Burns), an 83 year-old millionaire. Suspicious that she's gone-gone over Howard's gold, the Honeymooners decide to put Emily to the test -- with suave Norton as bait.

#44 – “Hawaii, Oh! Oh!”: Donald O'Connor guests as a money minded maitre d' as the Honeymooners visit Hawaii. Charlie (Donald) and his bartender (Jeremiah Morris) concoct a phony diet sauce guaranteed to slim down fatties. The missing ingredient: a sucker. Enter rotund Ralph.

#45 – “The Sun & Raccoon Capital”: The end of the harmonious Honeymooners quartet may be near. At the Miami convention of the Raccoons, it's election time. Opponents for the office of High Exalted Mystic Ruler? Ralph and Norton!

#46 – “The Match Game”: Frances Langford plays the brain behind a computer-match service, as the Honeymooners breeze into the Windy City. Computer-wise, the Norton's match really clicks -- but Cupid somehow missed with the Kramdens! Who's at fault, man or machine?

#47 – “Double Trouble”: Jackie plays a dual role as the Honeymooners check in at scenic Sun Valley, Idaho. A Kramden look alike is passing some bad checks, and the Honeymooners devise their own disguise to track down the culprit.

#48 – “The Incredible World of Ed Norton": An underground view of that popular sewer worker's life. (A sketch presented among many others in the hour of the show.)

#49 – “We’re Off To See The Wizard”: The Honeymooners' Mardi Gras celebration turns typically topsy-turvy. A hotel mix-up leads the foursome to Emma (Doro Merande), Norton's very-distant relative. Emma, a phony spiritualist, takes them in -- then in a séance tries to take Ralph in again.

#50 – “Operation Protest”: Ralph gets his big break when he becomes public-relations director for his bus company. But joy may be short-lived: guess which bus company Alice's protester-nephew is picketing.

Bill S.
06-15-2007, 12:28 AM
^^Thanks for that Frank, it was very helpful. So I guess there's only 30 hour-long musicals in all? I had no idea. Oh, and thanks for reminding me about "The Incredible World of Ed Norton" too, that one slipped my mind. Well, I sure hope MPI is planning on releasing them all, I still don't get why AmericanLife only shows 42. I was under the impression that they excluded the shorter ones, but how long are the Hollywood/Miami/Hawaii episodes? Aren't they short sketches in a variety show format as well? I'd also like to see "Women's Lib" make it's way onto one of the Color Honeymooners sets, since Sheila and Jane were both in it (if I remember correctly). It'd be great if they put the 4 reunion specials out too, maybe on a bonus disc or something. Maybe somebody should contact Paul Brownstein, he'd know better than anybody how many episodes MPI has the rights to.

Frank Gannucci
06-15-2007, 03:12 PM
The Hollywood/Miami/Hawaii sketches are one hour long musicals.

W.B.
06-15-2007, 07:29 PM
I'd also like to see "Women's Lib" make it's way onto one of the Color Honeymooners sets, since Sheila and Jane were both in it (if I remember correctly).
Oh, you're correct all right. Indeed that sketch was the last time Ms. MacRae played Alice.