'Lost' Episode of 'Honeymooners' Found

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) - It's news that would make Jackie Gleason shout out his trademark "And away we go!" A new "lost" episode of the classic 1950s TV comedy "The Honeymooners" has been uncovered in the Peabody Awards archive at the University of Georgia.

The episode, titled "Love Letter," originally aired on Oct. 16, 1954, on "The Jackie Gleason Show," said Ruta Abolins, director of the Peabody Awards Collection and Media Archives at UGA.

"It does not exist in another archive and is a unique 'lost' episode in 'The Honeymooners' history," Abolins said in a statement Thursday.

Gleason starred as Ralph Kramden, a blustery New York City bus driver. Audrey Meadows played his sharp-tongued wife, Alice. Art Carney was his goofy neighbor, Ed Norton, a sewer worker, and Joyce Randolph played Ed's wife, Trixie.


Archivist Margaret Compton discovered the "Love Letter" episode during a preservation review of the archives' kinescopes and videotapes. She said plans are being made by Gleason Enterprises to release the never-rebroadcast episode on home video.

"The Honeymooners" was introduced on Oct. 5, 1951, during Gleason's first variety series, "Cavalcade of Stars," broadcast live on the DuMont Television Network. From 1952 to 1955, "The Jackie Gleason Show" ran on CBS where the live sketches grew from 10 minutes to 30 minutes in length. "The Honeymooners" also ran as a CBS sitcom in the 1955-56 season, and "The Jackie Gleason Show" returned as a variety program in the 1956-57 season.

A re-performance of "Love Letter" aired during Gleason's 1956-57 series, but the Peabody Awards archive holds the only known copy of the original sketch from the earlier variety show.

The episode deals with Kramden's discovery of a love letter that he mistakenly believes is meant for his wife.

Some 70-odd "lost" episodes of "The Honeymooners" emerged from Gleason's vault in the 1980s.

The Peabody Awards, considered among the most prestigious and selective prizes in electronic media, recognize excellence and meritorious work by radio and TV stations, networks, webcasters, producing organizations and individuals. Gleason won an individual Peabody in 1955.

The Awards Archive holds more than 40,000 titles, including radio programs dating from 1940 and television from 1948.

Special TV Land Broadcast:

- New Honeymooners Lost Episode
"Love Letter"
Saturday, October 16, 2004
8:00 p.m. ET/PT

Before the classic 39 episodes of The Honeymooners debuted in 1955, there were short sketches of the show on The Jackie Gleason Show where airing from 1952-1955. An episode that aired on this date 50 years ago (Oct. 16, 1954) will air for the first since then. It was found at the University of Georgia in the Peabody Awards archive.


Press Release will follow sometime this week...

TV LAND TO PRESENT RECENTLY UNEARTHED LOST EPISODE OF

THE HONEYMOONERS 50 YEARS TO THE MINUTE OF

ITS ORIGINAL AIRING

Network to Air Episode on October 16, 2004 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

New York, NY, October 13, 2004 - In a historic television event 50 years to the minute of its original airing, TV Land will present a new "lost" episode of the classic 1950s comedy The Honeymooners entitled "Love Letter" on October 16, 2004 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Uncovered in the Peabody Awards Archive at the University of Georgia, this "lost" episode originally aired on October 16, 1954 on The Jackie Gleason Show.

"Love Letter" deals with Ralph Kramden's (Jackie Gleason) discovery of a love letter that he mistakenly believes is meant for his wife Alice (Audrey Meadows). The episode was uncovered in the Peabody Awards archive at the University of Georgia. It was discovered during a preservation review of the archives' kinescopes and videotapes. Although it was re-made so that it could be part of the "Classic 39," this particular episode was presumed "lost" and is the only known copy which exists from The Jackie Gleason Show.

"By presenting this episode of The Honeymooners, which hasn't been seen in 50 years, TV Land continues to deliver its promise to bring the best and rarest of television to our viewers," states Larry W. Jones, President, TV Land and Nick at Nite. "This is an exceptional moment in TV history and TV Land is thrilled that we can share this historic episode with our viewers."

The Honeymooners - which began as a segment on Dumont's Cavalcade of Stars -- elicited such an enormous response from viewers that it became a regular feature and eventually received an entire half-hour time slot on CBS, becoming one of TV's all-time classic comedies. The Honeymooners ranked #2 from 1954-55, garnered Emmy Awards for Audrey Meadows (Supporting Actress in a Regular Series in 1954) and Art Carney (Best Supporting Actor from 1953-55 plus Special Classification of Individual Achievement for The Jackie Gleason Show 1966-67 and 1967-78).

The series revolves around Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason), a frustrated New York bus driver with a big mouth and a tiny Brooklyn apartment he shares with his wife, Alice (Audrey Meadows). Living upstairs from the Kramdens are their best friends, the Nortons. Ed (Art Carney) -- who everyone including his wife, Trixie (Joyce Randolph) calls Norton -- is a sewer worker for the Department of Sanitation and is often working on get-rich-quick schemes with Ralph.

Thanks Pavanbadal for the info.:) I'm looking forward to see this never before seen lost episode this Saturday.:woohoo:

Originally posted by Full House
Thanks Pavanbadal for the info.:) I'm looking forward to see this never before seen lost episode this Saturday.:woohoo:

It's NOT never before seen. It was an episode that aired 50 years ago and has never aired since.

Originally posted by pavanbadal
It's NOT never before seen. It was an episode that aired 50 years ago and has never aired since.

I know. Thanks!;)

I can't believe I missed this. Pav, do you know if it will air again?

I'm watching the newly discovered "Lost" episode called "Love Letter", the episode that haven't aired for the first time on TV Land. I wonder if WPIX (WB11) hasn't aired a newly discovered one yet. Will see.:)

hello and greets to the group

a couple of points

1-in answer to the question, according to zap2it.com, the lost epi of the honeymooners will be shown at 11pm ET on 10/16/04 on TV Land. happy viewing

2-perhaps someone can answer this question-what is it with TV Land? this is the 2nd time in recent memory (or not so recent) that the opening credits to a tv show have been butchered or altered. Back when TV Land did the 50th anniversary of I love Lucy special, did anyone else notice the hatchet job that they on the opening credits. Yeah, back in the 50's, a cigarette company sponsored the show. Big friggin deal. and then to have some "clown" who supposedly represents TV Land come out before the show and give some lame a$$ reasons why they did not show it the way it was 50 years ago was ludicris (sorry about the spelling). So it was a cigarette company....oh yeah, wait, that is not politically correct in the 21st century. Why would you want to rip up a piece of history.

I guess I ask the same question about the lost episode of the honeymooners. Didnt Oldsmobile sponsor the show way back when? Somehow i suspect that those opening credits still exist. Would it have killed TV Land to show it with everything intact and uncut. Once again, that would have been a real piece of history.

yeah, i know this thread wont feed the worlds hungry or cure the common cold but it would be nice if the clowns at TV Land would pull their heads out of the sand and wake up to this. Common guys. cant you give the audience a little more credit than that????

:wave:

I watched the whole episode of "Love Letter" on a newly discovered "Honeymooners". The opening was cut off except a fireworks opening (like the "Classic 39" opening as I say) and the closing credits was completely intact. I like the ending of the show where the ladies walks around towards the camera as the credits roll while the announcers giving out staff names and ended with a CBS logo towards the circle where the lens opens up and reads "CBS Television Network" on it and a Paramount logo, the later ones of the same thing ended with a CBS logo and a Viacom logo.:) That might be good if WPIX will have a "Honeymooners" marathon by New Year's Eve including a newly discovered "Love Letter" lost episode. As I said, I like the original ending to the "Honeymooners (aka 'The Jackie Gleason Show')" instead of that 1985 closing credits.:)

hey to the group once again

I had a chance to sit down and watch the show (i taped it). Overall not bad at all. The closing credits were nicely done except for the part where TV land went split screen to let everyone know that there was an episode of cheeer coming up. Do they think that the viewers have that short of an attention span? there was no way that they could have put that cheers promo on AFTER the honeymooners?? I thought that TYVLand would step up to the plate and do the right thing. Man oh man, was i wrong.

at one time I thought there was a petition out to get TVland/Nick at night to stop doing that (not that they would or even give it consideration)

the really sad and scary part is when this epi becomes part of the tv syndication package, how much will be cut out? Hmmmm.....

:happyface

Great episode. I didn't realize it was an hour long. For some reason, this episode seemed familiar. It was like I've seen it before. (Which is obviously not true)

I watched it to and it was good. It seemed like I had seen it before as well. A commercial TV Land aired for it said that the script was remade later so you might have seen the remake of the episode.

HI; DOES ANYONE HAVE A COPY OF LOVE LETTER RECENTLY SHOWN ON TVLAND FOR TRADE. I HAVE A BUNCH OF RARE HONEYMOONERS STUFF TO TRADE. RUSSELL

Each Honeymooners "lost episode" is merely a portion of one episode of The Jackie Gleason Show that was broadcast in the 1950s. (They vary in length from less than 10 minutes to more than 40 minutes.)

Films and television episodes released in the U.S.A. before 1964 had to have their copyrights renewed after 28 years. If the copyrights were not renewed, then they ceased to exist.

There are copyright renewals for episodes of The Red Skelton Show that were broadcast in the 1950s, but there are no copyright renewals for episodes of The Jackie Gleason Show that were broadcast in the 1950s.

Go to:
https://cocatalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local

Put the following in the search box:

red skelton show

Click on the "Begin Search" button.
Click on the first result.
You'll see:


Appleby's invention.
Type of Work: Motion Picture
Registration Number / Date: RE0000233100 / 1985-01-03
Renewal registration for: LP0000009076 / 1957-06-17
Title: Appleby's invention.
Series: The Red Skelton Show
Copyright Claimant: C B S, Inc. (PWH)

Names: CBS, Inc.


We see that the episode was registered for copyright in 1957 and that the copyright was renewed after 28 years.

Compare that with what happens when we search for "jackie gleason show".

Go to:
https://cocatalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local

Put the following in the search box:

jackie gleason show

Among the results no renewals are seen.

Resort results by: Date (ascending)

After this sort, any renewals would be the first things seen, but there are none to be found.

So it seems that all of the episodes of The Jackie Gleason Show that were broadcast in the 1950s are in the public domain.


Return to:

https://cocatalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local

Click on the following:

Search by: Keyword

In the "Search for:" box, type

honeymooners lost episode vacation landing

In the "Copyright Number" column, look for PA0000324569. (It will probably be in the second row.)

Click on the title in that row. You'll see:


The Honeymooners, the lost episodes : [episode ti.], Vacation/Fred's...
Relevance:
Type of Work: Motion Picture
Registration Number / Date: PA0000324569 / 1987-04-30
Title: The Honeymooners, the lost episodes : [episode ti.], Vacation/Fred's Landing / producer, Jack Hurdle ; director, Frank Satenstein.
Imprint: [S.l.] : J. Gleason, c1985.
Description: 1 videocassette : sd., b&w ; 3/4 in.
Copyright Claimant: Jackie Gleason
Date of Creation: 1953
Date of Publication: 1985-01-29
Authorship on Application: Jackie Gleason Enterprises, Inc., employer for hire.

Other Title: Vacation/Fred's Landing
Names: Hurdle, Jack
Satenstein, Frank
Gleason, Jackie
Jackie Gleason Enterprises, Inc.


Note the date of creation: 1953. The year 1987 (or 1985) would have been too late to renew the copyright on something created in 1953. And the registration number begins with PA, not RE. So this is not a renewal; it is an attempt to copyright in 1987 something that was created in 1953. This is not an episode of the television series named The Honeymooners (which was broadcast in 1955 and 1956); it is a Honeymooners sketch from the television series named The Jackie Gleason Show.

We have already determined that none of the episodes of The Jackie Gleason Show that were broadcast in the 1950s are protected by copyright. Since this is a portion of an episode that is in the public domain, how can it be granted copyright?

These Honeymooners sketches from The Jackie Gleason Show are sold in DVD format by Jackie Gleason Enterprises.

A title screen has been added at the beginning of each story, and a video transition effect has been added between scenes. If these title screens and transition effects are removed, then shouldn't what remains be considered public domain?

When I saw this message, I was excited but skeptical that it could have been a thread from 2004. I was right. I am dissappointed