Big picture find!

[Bill S.]

I was searching through the archives at GettyImages.com earlier and found a whole bunch of Honeymooners pictures, most of which are new to me. I've seen a lot of pictures from this site posted on different message boards before, so I don't think there should be any issue with me posting these, but if there is, let me know and I will remove them. This will probably end up being several posts long because you are only allowed to attach 7 images per post...

I'm pretty sure these first two are from "The Worry Wart"; the third one appears to be taken from "Kramden Vs. Norton" (during rehearsal); the fourth and fifth are anybody's guess; and the sixth and seventh appear to be taken from either "Alice's Aunt Ethel," or "Goodbye Aunt Ethel" (notice how high the window frame went in both the Lost Episodes & Classic 39):

[Bill S.]

Here's some more rehearsal pics, and a few from "Songwriters":

[Bill S.]

Here's a couple more from "Songwriters," a few of Audrey and her sister Jayne backstage, and a couple taken during rehearsal for 1962's "Two Below"/"Retreat To The Basement" sketch, with Sue Ann Langdon & Patricia Wilson as Alice & Trixie:

[Bill S.]

Alright, here's the last batch for now...just some random pics (I think they're rehearsing for "Songs & Witty Sayings" in the fourth one):

[*ClassicPinUp*]

Oh wow those are some really great pictures! I love pictures of them taken during rehearsals. Thanks so much for posting these!

[Bill S.]

Oh wow those are some really great pictures! I love pictures of them taken during rehearsals. Thanks so much for posting these!
No problem. I'm so happy that I found pictures I've never seen before, it makes me wonder how many more pictures like these are out there somewhere.

[The Great One]

Wow!!! Awesome pictures! I have never seen them before. I think you deserve an award for such a great find. Thanks for posting the pics. Your efforts are appreciated! :clap :clap :clap

[powbangzooom]

Amazing pics! I only recognized one of them. Wow! How sweet they are! WOo! Woo! Thanks brother Raccoon!

[W.B.]

So let me get this straight: The pic that is the heading of this board, with Ralph raising his left arm towards Alice, with Norton and Trixie in the background, was from the day the "Songwriters" episode first aired? Ver-r-r-ry interesting.

And the pic of the Meadows sisters' standing on their heads: Now we know where that bit in "Songs and Witty Sayings" came from.

Finally: One of the pics from 1962, the camera in the background was a Marconi Mark IV, which CBS selected to replace the antiquated TK-10/11 cameras the network used up to that point - and was used before (and on some CBS programs, two years after) the color Norelco PC-60 cameras came on the market in 1965. (No. 1, the picture was improved over the older RCA cameras, with 4.5" image orthicons vs. the 3" I.O.'s, and No. 2, the camera was made by a company other than RCA.) This was interesting, because I'd somehow thought the cameras were first used in 1963.

[VIDEOWACK]

Also interesting to note was the apparent use of TelePrompters attached to the DuMont Electronicams and the "stand-alone" prompter off-stage. Jackie always boasted the non-use of "prompters" or "cue-cards".....this supports director Frank Satenstein's remarks at a 1980's R.A.L.P.H. Convention here in Long Island that JG DID, in fact use written help. He went as far as to say the even dialogue was written on the steam-pipe he got trapped in at the end of "DIAL J FOR JANITOR". Still, it doesn't matter......they sure looked as if they didn't need them. Thanks for the pics!!!

[Bill S.]

So let me get this straight: The pic that is the heading of this board, with Ralph raising his left arm towards Alice, with Norton and Trixie in the background, was from the day the "Songwriters" episode first aired? Ver-r-r-ry interesting.
Well, if you're referring to the 2nd picture down in Post #2 of this thread, then I'm not sure what they were rehearsing for. It's definitely from some rehearsal, which might not have been the same day the episode aired, but now that you mention it, it IS possible that they were rehearsing for "Songwriters." If you take a look at the 2nd picture down in Post #3 of this thread (which is from "Songwriters"), the table cloth appears to be the same as the one in that rehearsal picture. BUT, that's also the same table cloth that can be seen in the last 3 pictures I posted in Post #1...the last two being from either "Alice's Aunt Ethel" or "Goodbye Aunt Ethel."

And the pic of the Meadows sisters' standing on their heads: Now we know where that bit in "Songs and Witty Sayings" came from.
I was thinking that too, Jayne must have been helping her rehearse for that bit...what else could they have possibly been doing?

He went as far as to say the even dialogue was written on the steam-pipe he got trapped in at the end of "DIAL J FOR JANITOR".
Wow, this is news to me. I knew about Jackie hiding a script in the baby's crib in "The Adoption," but not this. That makes me wonder what other little places he had hidden cue cards and whatnot...

[Benno123]

I read somewhere once that Audrey and Jayne Meadows performed as a "group" a couple of times on The Jackie Gleason Show. I think they even performed the song "Dear Ralph" that they recorded, though I could be wrong. This may be where the pictures came from ... or they may just be some kind of publicity stills. None the less ... very cool pics indeed!

[Bill S.]

I forgot to add that the first picture from that 1962 Honeymooners sketch reveals that they did not use the same set in those sketches as they did in the 50's. As I pointed out in the first post, the window frame in both the Lost Episodes and Classic 39 extends above the set, but as you can see in that picture from 1962, the window frame is not that high.

I think they even performed the song "Dear Ralph" that they recorded, though I could be wrong. This may be where the pictures came from ... or they may just be some kind of publicity stills. None the less ... very cool pics indeed!
They did a song called "Dear Ralph"? This is even more news to me! I've got to hear that! Can anybody confirm whether or not they performed this on the show?

[W.B.]

I forgot to add that the first picture from that 1962 Honeymooners sketch reveals that they did not use the same set in those sketches as they did in the 50's. As I pointed out in the first post, the window frame in both the Lost Episodes and Classic 39 extends above the set, but as you can see in that picture from 1962, the window frame is not that high.
It wasn't even the same set as used from the 1966 musical version of "The Adoption" up until "The Second Honeymoon" hour-long special in 1976.

[W.B.]

They did a song called "Dear Ralph"? This is even more news to me! I've got to hear that! Can anybody confirm whether or not they performed this on the show?
If they did perform it, it likely would've been on the 1955-56 "Stage Show" - as I.I.N.M., the Classic 39 incarnation of The Honeymooners was still on when RCA Victor released this record, which was part of the It's Honeymooners Time album which Murray Hill put out in 1985. The Meadows sisters also did another "group" single, the year before (1955): "Hot Potato Mambo."

[Bill S.]

It wasn't even the same set as used from the 1966 musical version of "The Adoption" up until "The Second Honeymoon" hour-long special in 1976.
Wow, that set from "The Adoption" lasted 10 years? Well, obviously there was that gap from 1970-1973 (if "Women's Lib" is included) and then again from 1973-1976, but either way that set lasted a long time! There were so many set changes made over the years, it's hard to keep track of them all. They must have changed sets about 2 or 3 times BEFORE the Classic 39, and that's not even including the Pert Kelton shows...I'll have to check those to see whether or not they switched sets after Jackie moved to CBS in '52. But after the C39, the set remained the same throughout that 1956-1957 season of the Lost Episodes, and since those two sketches from '62 were filmed at the same place (if I'm not mistaken), I don't understand why they used a different set, and then switched it up again in '66. :crazy:

If they did perform it, it likely would've been on the 1955-56 "Stage Show" - as I.I.N.M., the Classic 39 incarnation of The Honeymooners was still on when RCA Victor released this record, which was part of the It's Honeymooners Time album which Murray Hill put out in 1985. The Meadows sisters also did another "group" single, the year before (1955): "Hot Potato Mambo."
I've read about this "Stage Show" many times in the past, but I'm still a little unclear as to what it was. Wasn't it just a half-hour version of TJGS, that aired within the same hour as the Classic 39 episodes? If so, I wonder why it was never made available on home video. If I remember correctly, Jackie had Elvis on there one night...

I'd definitely like to hear that "Dear Ralph" song though, as well as the other song you mentioned...you wouldn't happen to know where I could find the lyrics to those would you?

[W.B.]

I've read about this "Stage Show" many times in the past, but I'm still a little unclear as to what it was. Wasn't it just a half-hour version of TJGS, that aired within the same hour as the Classic 39 episodes? If so, I wonder why it was never made available on home video. If I remember correctly, Jackie had Elvis on there one night...

I'd definitely like to hear that "Dear Ralph" song though, as well as the other song you mentioned...you wouldn't happen to know where I could find the lyrics to those would you?
Stage Show was a half-hour variety show, hosted by Gleason's buddies Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey. It was a last hurrah for the Dorsey brothers, as Tommy died a few months after the show ended and Jimmy died a year later. And indeed, it was on Stage Show that Elvis had his first national (as opposed to regional) TV exposure - and performed "Heartbreak Hotel." Compared to The Honeymooners, though, Stage Show was a ratings disaster; while the Classic 39 did reasonably well against Perry Como, "Mr. C" walloped the Dorseys. It was this factor, plus the perception fed by the media over the "failure" of the 39 episodes in the ratings department, that led Buick to pull the plug on the respective shows after only one season.

As to where to get "Dear Ralph" - check eBay, GEMM et al. for the 45 (or even 78) itself, even for the It's Honeymooners Time LP. If this is of help, the artists are credited in order as Jayne & Audrey Meadows. And no, the song was not about a certain Brooklyn bus driver . . .

[Honeymooners_Myspace]

Just amazing!... thanks so much for sharing these with us Bill... the third from the bottom one of Audrey sitting down smiling right into the camera is one of my favorites... Va Va Va Vooom!

[Bill S.]

I know this is an old thread, but it seemed an appropriate place to post some of my more recent finds...

[GQ28]

WOW this is very fasinating ...I never seen these before.

[Wisenheimer]

These pictures are amazing. Thanks for sharing.

[Bill S.]

Colorized photo compared to the original black & white version (both images found on eBay):

[Bill S.]

A few more interesting shots found on eBay and iOffer:

[GQ28]

great find!