Frank Gannucci
09-05-2008, 07:51 AM
Episode #204
DVD: Attached to "The Match Game", "Double Trouble", "We're Off To See The Wizard" & "Operation Protest."
This "episode" part of Jackie Gleason's 1973 CBS Special (that was brought to us by General Electric) This is also the last episode where Shelia MacRae plays Alice. For the longest time until 2002, nobody knew that this episode existed (at least according to Kevin James who hosted the 50th Anniversary Celebration). Nobody (except the Parlay Center of The Media and the UCLA) had it. Why UCLA has it is anyone's guess? (Maybe one of the Dean's was a Jackie Gleason fan.)
The episode opens up the same way as the Color episodes originally opened in the '69-70 season except a different guy (I think his name is Andre Valuch) is doing the announcing and no Glea Girls are shown. Gary Merrill is making a guest appearance. The screen then cuts directly to the episode just as a drum roll is heard. I wonder if that's when “AND AWAY WE GO!” was said as the special was starting. MPI doesn't have the rights to show the full special. Alice comes out. She turns on the faucet and the faucet is making such noises that you can tell the noises are not coming from the faucet. Trixie comes by and brings Alice a copy of Women's Lib Magazine that Barbara Walters was talking about. Who would have thought that in 2008 that Barbara Walters would still be in the news field? Trixie mentions that in the magazine there is an article called: “Are You A Female Slave” that has ten questions. Trixie: “If you answered three of the questions with a no, then you are one. Trixie asks Alice the questions. Alice answers no to the first two questions. Trixie: “When you and your husband go to bed...” Alice: “No.” Trixie answered no to nine of the questions. So they are both female slaves. Alice picks up the magazine called: “Plaything” despite Trixie saying it was a Woman's Lib mag. “Plaything” was a real issue of a magazine only thing is the title is fake. The produces covered up the real name (I don't know what the name is) with “Plaything.” Alice looks at the centerfold. Trixie: “Is it Burt Reynolds?” It is Bert Parks' centerfold that they take a look at. The crowd laughs at the fact that Bert has a centerfold. Trixie: “That must hurt. Look where they put the staple.” Trix says that that magazine tells it like it is and the way it is is rotten. Alice puts the magazine away and complains about how demanding Ralph is. Alice is ready for him tonight.
Ralph comes home. Looks like Jackie gained some weight. Alice complains to him on how he doesn't include her in his recreational activities and doesn't do his share in the household chores. Alice: “Do you understand?” Ralph: “No.” Ralph wonders what is going on. He is going bowling with Ed and wants Alice to cook up supper for him. Alice: “Call me 'Miss.'” Ralph says that the woman's lib has gotten to Alice but she's not the only one. A nun got on his bus and when he asked: “How you doing Sister?” She said: “Don't call me 'Sister', call me 'Siss.”” This whole conversation was shown on the Honeymooners 50th Anniversary Special and can also be found on Youtube. The only things are that the clip that is shown on both the special and the website hasn't been remastered but it is on this DVD and MPI chose a different camera angle while Ralph said his line. Ralph wants his supper NOW. Alice grabs a can and puts it on the table. Alice: “Here's your can and when you are finished with that, grab yourself a can of dessert. Ha ha ha ha.” Ralph is still upset. Ralph (to Trixie): “Don't you get involved. You are not a 'Miss.' You are a 'Mess.'” Ralph blames Trixie for starting the whole thing. Alice: “I want to be liberated.” Ralph: “Let's start liberating you from your teeth.” Alice: “Typical male reaction. Violence and threats.” Ralph: “It's not a threat. It is a promisss.” Trixie leaves.
Alice says that she wants to be equal. Alice: “I don't want to go through life like my mother. Weak and defenseless.” Ralph: “Your mother was weak and defenseless? She was the one that introduced alligator wrestling to Flatbush.” Alice is serious. She says that Ralph has had it too good for too long. She says that Ralph is going to help her with the cooking, washing and cleaning and he is going to involve her with his recreational activities. Ralph: “I can't take you bowling. You want to know why...You want to know why? CAUSE YOU CAN'T. THAT'S WHY.” Alice is upset. Alice: “From now on, cook your own meals , wash your own socks and make your own bed. I am going out to get a job. I will do the same thing that I do around here only for money.”
Ed comes down with his supper in a can. Ed wants a can opener. Ed doesn't think that Trixie is pushing him around. Ed: “I cook all the meals. She lets me.” Ed is in a hurry. He needs to clean clothes, wash the windows, scrub the floors, take Trixie out bowling and iron her dress so she can go out and look for a job tomorrow. Ralph says that Ed is a poor soul. He goes to get Ed the can opener in the dresser that Alice put the magazine in. He takes it out and looks at a centerfold of Bert Parks. A photo of him looking at this centerfold can be found in the very inaccurate Honeymooners Companion book which was made in 1978 (even though the book has NO INFORMATION about this episode whatsoever.) Ed (singing): “There he is. Mister America.” (not singing): “Va-va-va-voom!” I wonder if a casual fan saw this and questioned Ed's sexuality. Ralph: “Alice, are you turning into a sex maniac or something? How can you bring this trash, this smut into this house?” Alice: “It is not smut.” Ralph: “It isn't? Take a look at these articles? 'Are You Going To Take The Pill?' Are you going to take the pill? We have been married for 13 years.” 13 years? The years that the Kramdens have been married seems to go up and down huh?. Ralph: “You taking the pill is like putting a band aid on a leper.” Alice: “I got something better than the pill. You. Ralph goes through the magazine. Ralph (reading): “'Why Not A Lady Astronaut?'” Alice: “Why not?” Ralph: “How would you like to go to the moon?” Alice is not afraid of any male.
Trixie comes down. Ralph says that he is exploiting this magazine for what it is. Ralph asks Ed to read these filthy articles. Ed takes his time to put his glasses on which upsets Ralph. Ed starts to read a job ad for a crazy job. Ralph: “That is the kind of people who read this magazine: Freaks.” Alice: “You are reading it Ralph.” Ralph goes to the can to throw it out. Trixie says that it is hers despite the fact that she gave it to Alice earlier. Ralph begs to differ. He can throw the magazine out and her out because that this is his house. Ed: “Don't throw her out. You will wrinkle her dress. I will have to iron that one too.” Alice says that Ralph is missing the point. Alice: “Women are finally taking their place in society. We are emerging from centuries of male domination Ralph. This is a sexual revolution. I am not just Alice Kramden. I am every woman in the whole world.” Ralph: “Is that so? Then all of you SHUT UP!” Ed cheers him on. Trixie: “Ed, you are just as bad as he is. Don't you think of me as only a cook and a sex object?” Ed: “Yes and no.” Trixie is mad. Alice says to her to not get upset. Alice: “They are just a couple of narrow-minded male bigots.” Ralph: “This magazine is going in the garbage.” Alice: “If that magazine goes, I go. “ Trixie: “So do I.” That is fine with Ralph. Ralph puts the magazine in the trash. The girls leave to go live upstairs while the boys live downstairs.. This I almost like “King of The Castle”/”Battle of The Sexes.”
Ed: “We sure fixed them. Trixie has a 21 pound turkey upstairs. Can you imagine the time it will take to cook that turkey along with all the trimmings?” Ralph is starting to think about all that food. Ed: “All we have to do is open this little can.” Ralph (yells): “SHUT UP!” Ed takes a look at the magazine. A paper falls out of it but Ed puts it back in. Ed takes a look at Bert Parks centerfold much to Ralph's chagrin. Once again, I wonder if a casual fan saw this and questioned Ed's sexuality.
The next scene opens up with Ralph wearing an apron much like he did in “Brother Ralph.” He wears it around his waist. He starts to cook a turkey and it looks like he doesn't know how to do it. He actually staples the turkey. Ha. Ed comes back with a long blond wig on. Ralph sees Ed with the wig on and he gets scared. Ed: “We got to be real ma. We have to fight women's lib? How do I look?” Ralph: “You look like Tiny Tim's dog.” Ralph says that with that wig on, everyone will think that Ed is nuts. Ralph agrees to fight women's lib by sporting the wig that Ed gave him. He goes into the bedroom and takes it out of it's box. Ralph comes out with an red-haired afro wig on. He looks funnier than Ed. Ed: “You look like Orphan Annie's dog.” Ralph takes off his (meaning Ralph's) in anger and says that he is not wearing any wig. Ed puts the turkey into the oven. He can't put the turkey into the oven because the rack is in the way. Ralph: “Take it out.” The rack is hot. Ralph: “Give me that thing.” The rack is hot so cue Ralph yelling in pain. Ed: “Put snow on your hands. That is what I do.” Ralph: “Where am I going to get snow at this time of the year?” Ed: “You should have thought that before you burned your hands.” Ed goes into the bathroom to get something for Ralph's hands. A guy from ACE Plumbing comes in to fix the sink. He is played by Gary Merrill. Ed comes out with his wig still on with some dippity-doo for Ralph's hands. The plumber looks at Ed. Plumber: “If I have interrupted anything, I will come back later.” Ralph says no. Ed offers the plumber to shake his gloved hand. Ed: “Pardon my glove.” Ralph says to the plumber to not get the wrong idea. Ralph: “We are married.” Ha. Ralph: “I don't mean that. We are just living together.” Plumber: “I see.” Ed: “No, he means that we sleep together.” Of course, the plumber is getting the impression that Ralph & Ed are gay. Plumber: “Nothing surprises me anymore. One day an actual dolphin served me a can of beer.” The plumber goes to fix the sink and sees the centerfold of Bert Parks. Ralph: “We don't read that kind of stuff.” Ed: “We just look at the pictures.” Ha ha. The plumber goes to look at the sink upstairs. Ralph: “Do you know what he thinks with me in this apron and you in that wig?” Ed: “Cooking a sex object?” Ralph is starting to hate the magazine more. Ed looks at it again. Ed just pictures Ralph in a centerfold with his bus driver's hat on. Ralph: “I suppose you would pose for one of those.” Ed: “If it was in good taste, yes.” Ralph: “I can just see you in one of those centerfolds with your boots on and his vest on.
The girls come on down. They came down because the plumber told them what was going on. Alice: “The whole neighborhood thinks that you two are nuts.” Ralph says that he is not crazy but he agrees with the neighborhood that Ed is nuts. Ed: “I may be nuts but I am beautiful.” Ralph: “You are nuts and ugly.” Ed: “You are just jealous because blonds have more fun.” Ed: “Ralph has been picking on me. He is a pick, pick, pick, pick, picker. That is all.” Ralph blames Trix and the magazine for starting this. Alice: “I want my rights.” Ralph: “I will give you those and some lefts too.” Alice says that she wants her freedom. Ralph: “What about me?” He complains about his life and Alice is in the lap of luxury. Alice begs to differ. Alice: “This looks like a model apartment for Skid Row.” She starts to complain about her life. She starts to cry as she says that she wants to be a part of his life. Ralph agrees. He says he wants to give Alice everything she wants but he can't because he is just a bus driver. Alice: “You are my favorite bus driver.” Alice hugs Ralph. Trixie: “How about you Ed?” Ed: “He is my favorite bus driver too.” Both couples have made up and Ralph will take everybody out to the Red Rasberry. Ralph: “It is a real swinging joint. Everyone leaves except Ralph. He takes one look at the Bert centerfold. Ralph: “He doesn't have such big hands like Ed says.”
The red font credits roll with a blue sky background. Some of the names on the credits (such as the June Taylor Dancers) not surprisingly are not shown on this special meaning we didn't see them on screen as well as the song: “Back In The Twenties & Thirties” wasn't shown on screen for people to watch.
"A Talk With Trixie":
The interview opens up a few seconds of the Color Honeymooners opening being shown along with clips of episodes being shown as well as a B&W Picture of the cast. Jean is being interviewed with a picture of the Kramden kitchen being used as a backdrop. This interview looks like it was done recently. It sounds like her voice unfortunately has been badly affected. I wonder if she used to smoke. She tells her about her life and her life into show business.
When she first met Jackie, they were doing one nighters at the Lowes Theaters in Manhattan and making $50 a night. Jackie doing stand-up was not his forte. He was a sketch comic. A clip of “Mexican Hat Trick” is shown. She continues to talk about her early life working Jackie. According to her, Jackie was never rewarded for his Honeymooners work, but Art was. He also was not rewarded for any of his early movies.
A picture of a young Jean Kean is shown. She has a gold dress on. She says that when the Honeymooners first started, her and her sister's popularity was starting to rise. They were starting to perform at the Copa and a couple of other places. When the Honeymooners was revived, her and her sisters' careers went their separate ways and Jean was asked to play the role of Trixie. Jackie wanted her on the show. Jean talked about working with Jackie in a place called Theater By The Sea in Rhode Island. It was a barn theater. Jean was playing Jack's wife. They were doing a dramatic scene. A spider came down from the ceiling between the two of them. Jackie killed the spider and said: “That is the last show you will see for nothing.”
A clip from “Play It Again, Norton” is shown in which Ralph & Ed are talking about driving a bus is romantic.. Jean: “Jackie & Art were polar opposites.” Jean said that Art was shy and never liked to be in a crowd. After every show, we had a party. Jackie liked that. Jean: “So many people asked about what Jackie was drinking at the end of the show. It wasn't booze. It was coffee. He would wait for the party to have some booze and mostly eat. Art couldn't and wouldn't drink because he was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. There was one or two times when he ran, he slipped. Then, all of us would have to search for him.” In other words, he would give into temptation and go to a bar. Ed would always apologize. Then he would be fine.
A clip from the curtain call is shown with Ed saying that is is a light drinker. According to Jean, Art had a bad experience with Walter Matheau during “The Odd Couple” on Broadway. Walter drove him crazy. Art was taken to the Hartford Institute of The Living. Jackie said he wouldn't do the show without Art. He went to Hartford to get Art out and guaranteed to give Art the role of Ed. The show was very successful. They got together in the late 70s to make Honeymooners specials. Audrey turned down the remake because she was married to Box Sixx who was head of Continental Airlines and she liked to travel with him so she didn't want to be committed to a weekly series.
During Shelia's first rehearsal, she played the role so softly, Jack reprimanded her for that. She said: “My Alice is sweeter. She cries.” She said: “Not on this show because if you act hurt in anyway when I say those rough things to you, then people will hate it. People will hate me. We need to end some of those arguments with 'Baby, you're the greatest.”” Jean says that Audrey's Alice always had a line that would top Ralph's. Shelia felt differently about the role.
Jean says that she was not intimidated by replacing Joyce Randolph because she had her own plan. She wanted to do it her way because they are such different personalities. Jean: “I was more of a comedian than Joyce. Joyce played it straighter. She was gracious.” When she was in Sardee's. She ran into Joyce. Joyce complimented her for playing the role of Trixie well.
She says that is was a difficult decision to make to go down to Miami to do the show because her home was in L.A. And she an apartment in New York. Art also had an apartment in New York , so it was hard for him too. Jean said it would be more convenient if he did the show either in New York or L.A., but since he had become a great golfer, that CBS built for him a rehearsal studio right next to the golf course. So he came to rehearsal on the golf cart. It was more convenient for him. He loved it down there and stayed down there until his death.
A clip of Bing Crosby is shown in which he sings “There Is Nothing I Haven't Sung About.” Jean talks about all the guests they had. She thought it was a great idea. Jean also said that it was quite a shore for the writers (Lyn Duddy & Jerry Bresler) to come up with the good songs. Some of those shows could have been extended into a Broadway musical. A clip of all of them singing from “Play It Again, Norton” is shown.
Jean: “When they first tried the revival of the Honeymooners in 1966, they tried it as a part of the ASM. As a sketch. It didn't work out. CBS said we just want the Honeymooners. That is when it all came back. ASM had all these wonderful characters in it but they weren't as popular as the Honeymooners. They tried different Alice's with the sketches and they didn't work out well. All Honeymooners it was. We all had a crazy schedule. Jackie didn't like to rehearse. When eh came into rehearsal with the golf cart, he would scratch out parts he didn't like and then call the chef to make him what he wanted for dinner. He would disappear and say: 'Learn The Lines.' That is all what we would do. There was very little rehearsal. The actual blocking and everything came on the day of the show. We did the show from the (now Jackie Gleason Theater of The Arts) . The theater sat 3,000 people. We made our entrances to applause. It was like a Broadway show. We only stopped to very quickly change clothes. The quartet or the quintet played through the scenes. There was always something happening.”
A clip of Trixie & Ed singing from “The Honeymoon Is Over” is shown. Jean claims that Art messed up one of his lines during the song. Jean says she can't repeat it because it was profane but Jackie let it slide. Wow! Jackie says: “They wouldn't believe that they heard it. They think they heard it wrong.” Of course, this was years before CC was invented. Art said that he knew he did it, so they basically had to redo the whole number against Jackie's better judgment. Oh my! Jackie said that the audience wouldn't laugh twice at the same joke. That was his thinking. He was right. He didn't like to use a laugh track. Those laughs were real.
A picture of her and Art is shown. Jean: “People always asked me, how can you and Ed have such a nice home? It wasn't shown that often. The reason was that I (Trixie) earned money as a stripper. Trixie wanted a nice apartment. A clip of Jackie walking home with Alice's mother (played by Pert Kelton, the original Alice) is shown. Jane says that Pert was real good as Alice. That was Pert's real voice in the Honeymooners episodes. Audrey had to develop that. They had her study Pert as Alice. Alice wouldn't be on it if that McCarthy book in which Pert was listed as a person who voted communist came out. Pert said she didn't know why her name was in there. A lot of innocent people were blacklisted and ruined because of it. CBS was hesitant about bringing Pert along because of the book. Jackie was upset about that because she loved her in that role. Years later, when they did the color episode, it was an emotional experience when Pert played Alice's mother. They all fell apart because she was wonderful. A clip of Jackie introducing Pert is shown.
Jean: “Jackie was a genius because he started out as nothing.” She talks about his early life such as playing a movie in pantomime. Jean: “Jackie could do it all.” A rare color picture of Jackie and Art rehearsing is shown. Jean: “Art was a genius in the same way.” Jean says that the Honeymooners was a never-ending experience and was always very popular on some station ( I wonder if she was talking about WPIX). Jean: “The Honeymooners was a very popular series.”
A still that says: “To order Jean Kean's book: 'A Funny Thing Happened To Me On The Way To The Honeymooners: I Had A Life' go to amazon.com or bearmanormedia.com. I wonder if anyone would assume that by reading the title that Jean hated working on the show?
DVD: Attached to "The Match Game", "Double Trouble", "We're Off To See The Wizard" & "Operation Protest."
This "episode" part of Jackie Gleason's 1973 CBS Special (that was brought to us by General Electric) This is also the last episode where Shelia MacRae plays Alice. For the longest time until 2002, nobody knew that this episode existed (at least according to Kevin James who hosted the 50th Anniversary Celebration). Nobody (except the Parlay Center of The Media and the UCLA) had it. Why UCLA has it is anyone's guess? (Maybe one of the Dean's was a Jackie Gleason fan.)
The episode opens up the same way as the Color episodes originally opened in the '69-70 season except a different guy (I think his name is Andre Valuch) is doing the announcing and no Glea Girls are shown. Gary Merrill is making a guest appearance. The screen then cuts directly to the episode just as a drum roll is heard. I wonder if that's when “AND AWAY WE GO!” was said as the special was starting. MPI doesn't have the rights to show the full special. Alice comes out. She turns on the faucet and the faucet is making such noises that you can tell the noises are not coming from the faucet. Trixie comes by and brings Alice a copy of Women's Lib Magazine that Barbara Walters was talking about. Who would have thought that in 2008 that Barbara Walters would still be in the news field? Trixie mentions that in the magazine there is an article called: “Are You A Female Slave” that has ten questions. Trixie: “If you answered three of the questions with a no, then you are one. Trixie asks Alice the questions. Alice answers no to the first two questions. Trixie: “When you and your husband go to bed...” Alice: “No.” Trixie answered no to nine of the questions. So they are both female slaves. Alice picks up the magazine called: “Plaything” despite Trixie saying it was a Woman's Lib mag. “Plaything” was a real issue of a magazine only thing is the title is fake. The produces covered up the real name (I don't know what the name is) with “Plaything.” Alice looks at the centerfold. Trixie: “Is it Burt Reynolds?” It is Bert Parks' centerfold that they take a look at. The crowd laughs at the fact that Bert has a centerfold. Trixie: “That must hurt. Look where they put the staple.” Trix says that that magazine tells it like it is and the way it is is rotten. Alice puts the magazine away and complains about how demanding Ralph is. Alice is ready for him tonight.
Ralph comes home. Looks like Jackie gained some weight. Alice complains to him on how he doesn't include her in his recreational activities and doesn't do his share in the household chores. Alice: “Do you understand?” Ralph: “No.” Ralph wonders what is going on. He is going bowling with Ed and wants Alice to cook up supper for him. Alice: “Call me 'Miss.'” Ralph says that the woman's lib has gotten to Alice but she's not the only one. A nun got on his bus and when he asked: “How you doing Sister?” She said: “Don't call me 'Sister', call me 'Siss.”” This whole conversation was shown on the Honeymooners 50th Anniversary Special and can also be found on Youtube. The only things are that the clip that is shown on both the special and the website hasn't been remastered but it is on this DVD and MPI chose a different camera angle while Ralph said his line. Ralph wants his supper NOW. Alice grabs a can and puts it on the table. Alice: “Here's your can and when you are finished with that, grab yourself a can of dessert. Ha ha ha ha.” Ralph is still upset. Ralph (to Trixie): “Don't you get involved. You are not a 'Miss.' You are a 'Mess.'” Ralph blames Trixie for starting the whole thing. Alice: “I want to be liberated.” Ralph: “Let's start liberating you from your teeth.” Alice: “Typical male reaction. Violence and threats.” Ralph: “It's not a threat. It is a promisss.” Trixie leaves.
Alice says that she wants to be equal. Alice: “I don't want to go through life like my mother. Weak and defenseless.” Ralph: “Your mother was weak and defenseless? She was the one that introduced alligator wrestling to Flatbush.” Alice is serious. She says that Ralph has had it too good for too long. She says that Ralph is going to help her with the cooking, washing and cleaning and he is going to involve her with his recreational activities. Ralph: “I can't take you bowling. You want to know why...You want to know why? CAUSE YOU CAN'T. THAT'S WHY.” Alice is upset. Alice: “From now on, cook your own meals , wash your own socks and make your own bed. I am going out to get a job. I will do the same thing that I do around here only for money.”
Ed comes down with his supper in a can. Ed wants a can opener. Ed doesn't think that Trixie is pushing him around. Ed: “I cook all the meals. She lets me.” Ed is in a hurry. He needs to clean clothes, wash the windows, scrub the floors, take Trixie out bowling and iron her dress so she can go out and look for a job tomorrow. Ralph says that Ed is a poor soul. He goes to get Ed the can opener in the dresser that Alice put the magazine in. He takes it out and looks at a centerfold of Bert Parks. A photo of him looking at this centerfold can be found in the very inaccurate Honeymooners Companion book which was made in 1978 (even though the book has NO INFORMATION about this episode whatsoever.) Ed (singing): “There he is. Mister America.” (not singing): “Va-va-va-voom!” I wonder if a casual fan saw this and questioned Ed's sexuality. Ralph: “Alice, are you turning into a sex maniac or something? How can you bring this trash, this smut into this house?” Alice: “It is not smut.” Ralph: “It isn't? Take a look at these articles? 'Are You Going To Take The Pill?' Are you going to take the pill? We have been married for 13 years.” 13 years? The years that the Kramdens have been married seems to go up and down huh?. Ralph: “You taking the pill is like putting a band aid on a leper.” Alice: “I got something better than the pill. You. Ralph goes through the magazine. Ralph (reading): “'Why Not A Lady Astronaut?'” Alice: “Why not?” Ralph: “How would you like to go to the moon?” Alice is not afraid of any male.
Trixie comes down. Ralph says that he is exploiting this magazine for what it is. Ralph asks Ed to read these filthy articles. Ed takes his time to put his glasses on which upsets Ralph. Ed starts to read a job ad for a crazy job. Ralph: “That is the kind of people who read this magazine: Freaks.” Alice: “You are reading it Ralph.” Ralph goes to the can to throw it out. Trixie says that it is hers despite the fact that she gave it to Alice earlier. Ralph begs to differ. He can throw the magazine out and her out because that this is his house. Ed: “Don't throw her out. You will wrinkle her dress. I will have to iron that one too.” Alice says that Ralph is missing the point. Alice: “Women are finally taking their place in society. We are emerging from centuries of male domination Ralph. This is a sexual revolution. I am not just Alice Kramden. I am every woman in the whole world.” Ralph: “Is that so? Then all of you SHUT UP!” Ed cheers him on. Trixie: “Ed, you are just as bad as he is. Don't you think of me as only a cook and a sex object?” Ed: “Yes and no.” Trixie is mad. Alice says to her to not get upset. Alice: “They are just a couple of narrow-minded male bigots.” Ralph: “This magazine is going in the garbage.” Alice: “If that magazine goes, I go. “ Trixie: “So do I.” That is fine with Ralph. Ralph puts the magazine in the trash. The girls leave to go live upstairs while the boys live downstairs.. This I almost like “King of The Castle”/”Battle of The Sexes.”
Ed: “We sure fixed them. Trixie has a 21 pound turkey upstairs. Can you imagine the time it will take to cook that turkey along with all the trimmings?” Ralph is starting to think about all that food. Ed: “All we have to do is open this little can.” Ralph (yells): “SHUT UP!” Ed takes a look at the magazine. A paper falls out of it but Ed puts it back in. Ed takes a look at Bert Parks centerfold much to Ralph's chagrin. Once again, I wonder if a casual fan saw this and questioned Ed's sexuality.
The next scene opens up with Ralph wearing an apron much like he did in “Brother Ralph.” He wears it around his waist. He starts to cook a turkey and it looks like he doesn't know how to do it. He actually staples the turkey. Ha. Ed comes back with a long blond wig on. Ralph sees Ed with the wig on and he gets scared. Ed: “We got to be real ma. We have to fight women's lib? How do I look?” Ralph: “You look like Tiny Tim's dog.” Ralph says that with that wig on, everyone will think that Ed is nuts. Ralph agrees to fight women's lib by sporting the wig that Ed gave him. He goes into the bedroom and takes it out of it's box. Ralph comes out with an red-haired afro wig on. He looks funnier than Ed. Ed: “You look like Orphan Annie's dog.” Ralph takes off his (meaning Ralph's) in anger and says that he is not wearing any wig. Ed puts the turkey into the oven. He can't put the turkey into the oven because the rack is in the way. Ralph: “Take it out.” The rack is hot. Ralph: “Give me that thing.” The rack is hot so cue Ralph yelling in pain. Ed: “Put snow on your hands. That is what I do.” Ralph: “Where am I going to get snow at this time of the year?” Ed: “You should have thought that before you burned your hands.” Ed goes into the bathroom to get something for Ralph's hands. A guy from ACE Plumbing comes in to fix the sink. He is played by Gary Merrill. Ed comes out with his wig still on with some dippity-doo for Ralph's hands. The plumber looks at Ed. Plumber: “If I have interrupted anything, I will come back later.” Ralph says no. Ed offers the plumber to shake his gloved hand. Ed: “Pardon my glove.” Ralph says to the plumber to not get the wrong idea. Ralph: “We are married.” Ha. Ralph: “I don't mean that. We are just living together.” Plumber: “I see.” Ed: “No, he means that we sleep together.” Of course, the plumber is getting the impression that Ralph & Ed are gay. Plumber: “Nothing surprises me anymore. One day an actual dolphin served me a can of beer.” The plumber goes to fix the sink and sees the centerfold of Bert Parks. Ralph: “We don't read that kind of stuff.” Ed: “We just look at the pictures.” Ha ha. The plumber goes to look at the sink upstairs. Ralph: “Do you know what he thinks with me in this apron and you in that wig?” Ed: “Cooking a sex object?” Ralph is starting to hate the magazine more. Ed looks at it again. Ed just pictures Ralph in a centerfold with his bus driver's hat on. Ralph: “I suppose you would pose for one of those.” Ed: “If it was in good taste, yes.” Ralph: “I can just see you in one of those centerfolds with your boots on and his vest on.
The girls come on down. They came down because the plumber told them what was going on. Alice: “The whole neighborhood thinks that you two are nuts.” Ralph says that he is not crazy but he agrees with the neighborhood that Ed is nuts. Ed: “I may be nuts but I am beautiful.” Ralph: “You are nuts and ugly.” Ed: “You are just jealous because blonds have more fun.” Ed: “Ralph has been picking on me. He is a pick, pick, pick, pick, picker. That is all.” Ralph blames Trix and the magazine for starting this. Alice: “I want my rights.” Ralph: “I will give you those and some lefts too.” Alice says that she wants her freedom. Ralph: “What about me?” He complains about his life and Alice is in the lap of luxury. Alice begs to differ. Alice: “This looks like a model apartment for Skid Row.” She starts to complain about her life. She starts to cry as she says that she wants to be a part of his life. Ralph agrees. He says he wants to give Alice everything she wants but he can't because he is just a bus driver. Alice: “You are my favorite bus driver.” Alice hugs Ralph. Trixie: “How about you Ed?” Ed: “He is my favorite bus driver too.” Both couples have made up and Ralph will take everybody out to the Red Rasberry. Ralph: “It is a real swinging joint. Everyone leaves except Ralph. He takes one look at the Bert centerfold. Ralph: “He doesn't have such big hands like Ed says.”
The red font credits roll with a blue sky background. Some of the names on the credits (such as the June Taylor Dancers) not surprisingly are not shown on this special meaning we didn't see them on screen as well as the song: “Back In The Twenties & Thirties” wasn't shown on screen for people to watch.
"A Talk With Trixie":
The interview opens up a few seconds of the Color Honeymooners opening being shown along with clips of episodes being shown as well as a B&W Picture of the cast. Jean is being interviewed with a picture of the Kramden kitchen being used as a backdrop. This interview looks like it was done recently. It sounds like her voice unfortunately has been badly affected. I wonder if she used to smoke. She tells her about her life and her life into show business.
When she first met Jackie, they were doing one nighters at the Lowes Theaters in Manhattan and making $50 a night. Jackie doing stand-up was not his forte. He was a sketch comic. A clip of “Mexican Hat Trick” is shown. She continues to talk about her early life working Jackie. According to her, Jackie was never rewarded for his Honeymooners work, but Art was. He also was not rewarded for any of his early movies.
A picture of a young Jean Kean is shown. She has a gold dress on. She says that when the Honeymooners first started, her and her sister's popularity was starting to rise. They were starting to perform at the Copa and a couple of other places. When the Honeymooners was revived, her and her sisters' careers went their separate ways and Jean was asked to play the role of Trixie. Jackie wanted her on the show. Jean talked about working with Jackie in a place called Theater By The Sea in Rhode Island. It was a barn theater. Jean was playing Jack's wife. They were doing a dramatic scene. A spider came down from the ceiling between the two of them. Jackie killed the spider and said: “That is the last show you will see for nothing.”
A clip from “Play It Again, Norton” is shown in which Ralph & Ed are talking about driving a bus is romantic.. Jean: “Jackie & Art were polar opposites.” Jean said that Art was shy and never liked to be in a crowd. After every show, we had a party. Jackie liked that. Jean: “So many people asked about what Jackie was drinking at the end of the show. It wasn't booze. It was coffee. He would wait for the party to have some booze and mostly eat. Art couldn't and wouldn't drink because he was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. There was one or two times when he ran, he slipped. Then, all of us would have to search for him.” In other words, he would give into temptation and go to a bar. Ed would always apologize. Then he would be fine.
A clip from the curtain call is shown with Ed saying that is is a light drinker. According to Jean, Art had a bad experience with Walter Matheau during “The Odd Couple” on Broadway. Walter drove him crazy. Art was taken to the Hartford Institute of The Living. Jackie said he wouldn't do the show without Art. He went to Hartford to get Art out and guaranteed to give Art the role of Ed. The show was very successful. They got together in the late 70s to make Honeymooners specials. Audrey turned down the remake because she was married to Box Sixx who was head of Continental Airlines and she liked to travel with him so she didn't want to be committed to a weekly series.
During Shelia's first rehearsal, she played the role so softly, Jack reprimanded her for that. She said: “My Alice is sweeter. She cries.” She said: “Not on this show because if you act hurt in anyway when I say those rough things to you, then people will hate it. People will hate me. We need to end some of those arguments with 'Baby, you're the greatest.”” Jean says that Audrey's Alice always had a line that would top Ralph's. Shelia felt differently about the role.
Jean says that she was not intimidated by replacing Joyce Randolph because she had her own plan. She wanted to do it her way because they are such different personalities. Jean: “I was more of a comedian than Joyce. Joyce played it straighter. She was gracious.” When she was in Sardee's. She ran into Joyce. Joyce complimented her for playing the role of Trixie well.
She says that is was a difficult decision to make to go down to Miami to do the show because her home was in L.A. And she an apartment in New York. Art also had an apartment in New York , so it was hard for him too. Jean said it would be more convenient if he did the show either in New York or L.A., but since he had become a great golfer, that CBS built for him a rehearsal studio right next to the golf course. So he came to rehearsal on the golf cart. It was more convenient for him. He loved it down there and stayed down there until his death.
A clip of Bing Crosby is shown in which he sings “There Is Nothing I Haven't Sung About.” Jean talks about all the guests they had. She thought it was a great idea. Jean also said that it was quite a shore for the writers (Lyn Duddy & Jerry Bresler) to come up with the good songs. Some of those shows could have been extended into a Broadway musical. A clip of all of them singing from “Play It Again, Norton” is shown.
Jean: “When they first tried the revival of the Honeymooners in 1966, they tried it as a part of the ASM. As a sketch. It didn't work out. CBS said we just want the Honeymooners. That is when it all came back. ASM had all these wonderful characters in it but they weren't as popular as the Honeymooners. They tried different Alice's with the sketches and they didn't work out well. All Honeymooners it was. We all had a crazy schedule. Jackie didn't like to rehearse. When eh came into rehearsal with the golf cart, he would scratch out parts he didn't like and then call the chef to make him what he wanted for dinner. He would disappear and say: 'Learn The Lines.' That is all what we would do. There was very little rehearsal. The actual blocking and everything came on the day of the show. We did the show from the (now Jackie Gleason Theater of The Arts) . The theater sat 3,000 people. We made our entrances to applause. It was like a Broadway show. We only stopped to very quickly change clothes. The quartet or the quintet played through the scenes. There was always something happening.”
A clip of Trixie & Ed singing from “The Honeymoon Is Over” is shown. Jean claims that Art messed up one of his lines during the song. Jean says she can't repeat it because it was profane but Jackie let it slide. Wow! Jackie says: “They wouldn't believe that they heard it. They think they heard it wrong.” Of course, this was years before CC was invented. Art said that he knew he did it, so they basically had to redo the whole number against Jackie's better judgment. Oh my! Jackie said that the audience wouldn't laugh twice at the same joke. That was his thinking. He was right. He didn't like to use a laugh track. Those laughs were real.
A picture of her and Art is shown. Jean: “People always asked me, how can you and Ed have such a nice home? It wasn't shown that often. The reason was that I (Trixie) earned money as a stripper. Trixie wanted a nice apartment. A clip of Jackie walking home with Alice's mother (played by Pert Kelton, the original Alice) is shown. Jane says that Pert was real good as Alice. That was Pert's real voice in the Honeymooners episodes. Audrey had to develop that. They had her study Pert as Alice. Alice wouldn't be on it if that McCarthy book in which Pert was listed as a person who voted communist came out. Pert said she didn't know why her name was in there. A lot of innocent people were blacklisted and ruined because of it. CBS was hesitant about bringing Pert along because of the book. Jackie was upset about that because she loved her in that role. Years later, when they did the color episode, it was an emotional experience when Pert played Alice's mother. They all fell apart because she was wonderful. A clip of Jackie introducing Pert is shown.
Jean: “Jackie was a genius because he started out as nothing.” She talks about his early life such as playing a movie in pantomime. Jean: “Jackie could do it all.” A rare color picture of Jackie and Art rehearsing is shown. Jean: “Art was a genius in the same way.” Jean says that the Honeymooners was a never-ending experience and was always very popular on some station ( I wonder if she was talking about WPIX). Jean: “The Honeymooners was a very popular series.”
A still that says: “To order Jean Kean's book: 'A Funny Thing Happened To Me On The Way To The Honeymooners: I Had A Life' go to amazon.com or bearmanormedia.com. I wonder if anyone would assume that by reading the title that Jean hated working on the show?