Does anyone know how many regular characters Gleason played during the course of his entire TV variety show career?

Ralph, Reggie, Poul Soul, Joe the Bartender, Fenwick Babbitt, Stanley R. Sogg, Rum Dum, Agness & Arthur, Pedro the Mexican (?- I've heard about this one, but never seen him). Did he introduce any that just never clicked with audiences and he dropped after a few apperances?

Were most of these dropped by the late 60's? I've seen a very late Fenwick Babbitt sketch with Milton Berle from the late 60's, but it seemed pretty rare. By the end, with the exception of the Honeymooners, Gleason seemed to be more of an MC/host for the various singers and comics who came by the show.

Thanks,

Greg

Charlie Bratton (The Loudmouth) is another. He dropped most of his pre-Ralph Kramden characters once the Honeymooners got its own show, if I remember correctly. However, he did do The Poor Soul on occasion in later years.

As a follow up to the original question...when was the last time Gleason performed these characters? Was the Julie Andrews special the final time he did Reggie, Poor Soul and Joe the bartender? I know he kinda did Reggie as a cameo in Smokey and the Bandit 2.

As a follow up to the original question...when was the last time Gleason performed these characters? Was the Julie Andrews special the final time he did Reggie, Poor Soul and Joe the bartender? I know he kinda did Reggie as a cameo in Smokey and the Bandit 2.

I believe you are right about the last time he did those characters. The Julie-Jackie special was in 1974. BTW. Both Gleason's stepson, Craig Horwich (Marilyn's son) and Marilyn, had cameos in Smokey 3.

As for Stanley R. Sogg, by the American Scene Magazine period the character was renamed Stanley R. Slick. By any name, I could see why some would claim the character influenced (in whole or part) Johnny Carson's oily "Tea Time Movie" host Art Fern.

Gleason did play his Fenwick Babbitt character in a sketch that aired on his Feb. 22, 1969 show; playing opposite frequent Gleason show guest Milton Berle (he was to TJGS by that point, what Steve Martin would later be to Saturday Night Live). But generally, the majority of sketches that didn't feature Ralph in the late 1960's, had Reggie Van Gleason. Do any of you know if Jackie played his Rudy the Repairman or Loudmouth characters in the 1960's shows?

As for Stanley R. Sogg, by the American Scene Magazine period the character was renamed Stanley R. Slick. By any name, I could see why some would claim the character influenced (in whole or part) Johnny Carson's oily "Tea Time Movie" host Art Fern.

Gleason did play his Fenwick Babbitt character in a sketch that aired on his Feb. 22, 1969 show; playing opposite frequent Gleason show guest Milton Berle (he was to TJGS by that point, what Steve Martin would later be to Saturday Night Live). But generally, the majority of sketches that didn't feature Ralph in the late 1960's, had Reggie Van Gleason. Do any of you know if Jackie played his Rudy the Repairman or Loudmouth characters in the 1960's shows?

In a first season ASM sketch he played an un-named repairman (with Frank Fontaine as his helper) who go to an apartment of a couple (played by Sybil Bowen and Howard Freeman) and attempt to catch a mouse. The character was loud and brash just as Rudy was, but there was no reference to a name. Here's a couple shots of a Fenwick sketch with magician Russell Swan from the final season of ASM. :wave:

I have never been able to find any Rudy or Charlie Bratton sketches past the 1950's variety show. I do think Jerry Bergen (Whitey in the Rudy scenes) did a bit with Gleason in the late 60's Bonazna show. The Bratton character seemed to only work with Carney 's Clem Finch. There was the Bachelor character that made apperences in the very early Dumont years too.

-Greg

I have never been able to find any Rudy or Charlie Bratton sketches past the 1950's variety show. I do think Jerry Bergen (Whitey in the Rudy scenes) did a bit with Gleason in the late 60's Bonazna show. The Bratton character seemed to only work with Carney 's Clem Finch. There was the Bachelor character that made apperences in the very early Dumont years too.

-Greg

True, Bratton sketches were like Kramden sketches....they both depended on Carney's availability. Jerry Bergen also appeared in the Miami Honeymooners, "Poor People Of Paris" where he played one of the counterfeiters.

I have never been able to find any Rudy or Charlie Bratton sketches past the 1950's variety show. I do think Jerry Bergen (Whitey in the Rudy scenes) did a bit with Gleason in the late 60's Bonazna show. The Bratton character seemed to only work with Carney 's Clem Finch. There was the Bachelor character that made apperences in the very early Dumont years too.
Besides Mr. Bergen's appearance in that aforementioned color Honeymooners episode, that other show you mention - "Yes, We Have No Bonanzas," with Jackie as Reggie Van Gleason as Ben Cartwright, Art Carney as the Hoss-type character and Mr. Bergen as "Little Max" (whom Reggie at one point called "Little Moax"), and Milton Berle as the villain - aired on Oct. 25, 1969. I saw a B&W kinescope of the episode at the Museum of Television & Radio, and one thing I remember is that the ranch in the sketch was called the "Pondersusie." That and Gleason updating the Miami Beach audience about his weight loss during the curtain call.

Wasn't there a character he did with Sid Fields, very burlesque-ish, baggy suit, always said 'wow-wow"? If I remember, he apperared doing old those Abbott & Costello type burlesque routines that Sid knew so well?

-Greg

Wasn't there a character he did with Sid Fields, very burlesque-ish, baggy suit, always said 'wow-wow"? If I remember, he apperared doing old those Abbott & Costello type burlesque routines that Sid knew so well?

-Greg

Yup, Jackie "Wow-Wow" Gleason. :lol:

Great pictures...are these screen caps off video's? I'm looking to build my American Scene collection...do you sell/trade your Gleason stuff?

-Greg

Are u sure? By 1969 most show where in color by then, and stopped using Keniscopes.

Are u sure? By 1969 most show where in color by then, and stopped using Keniscopes.

Is who sure about what? If you are talking of the 1969 kinescope of the "Bonanza" take-off that is available to view at the museum of TV and Radio, that's easily explainable. Kinescopes of taped TV shows were made and shipped overseas for the armed forces to view, well into the 1970's. While I was stationed in Thailand from 1969 to 1970, that is the way we saw shows from the U.S. They didn't ship video tape overseas, they created 16mm film prints and that is what was viewed, unless of course the show was shot on film to begin with.

I thought that Gleason show was in color starting in 1966 untill the end 1970?

I thought that Gleason show was in color starting in 1966 untill the end 1970?
Oh it was, all right, it was. In fact all of Gleason's post-1962 TV works were on videotape, and more specifically, on color videotape post-1966. The reason why only B&W kinescopes would be at the MT&R may have to do with the fact that that was all they had access to at the time they got 'em. Now as to . . .

Kinescopes of taped TV shows were made and shipped overseas for the armed forces to view, well into the 1970's. While I was stationed in Thailand from 1969 to 1970, that is the way we saw shows from the U.S. They didn't ship video tape overseas, they created 16mm film prints and that is what was viewed, unless of course the show was shot on film to begin with.
. . . it wasn't just for overseas; I.I.N.M., smaller TV markets in the U.S. that weren't equipped for videotape and, in some cases, color, were sent B&W kines of such shows, which may explain the "seen at ________, _______ Central, on most of these CBS stations" (emphasis mine) - because those stations that aired kines sometimes did so within weeks of the original airings on stations that had the access to color videotape facilities. But as above, in Gleason's case his shows from 1962 on were shot on videotape. I saw a clip of the Feb. 22, 1969 show with a hippie-garbed Milton Berle giving Jackie pointers on modern dress style in color videotape form on the A&E Biography on Gleason - a show the MT&R only has on B&W kinescope (the Gleason show, that is, not the Biography).

Does anyone know who handles the Gleason estate as far as clip clearence or full shows? Are Jackie's daughters and widow (or Jack Philbin for that matter) still involved?

-Greg

Does anyone know who handles the Gleason estate as far as clip clearence or full shows? Are Jackie's daughters and widow (or Jack Philbin for that matter) still involved?

-Greg

From what I understand, Marilyn controls his estate, but the lawyers working for her are as shrewd as they come!

...while Jack Philbin is the "caretaker" of the Gleason video archives (he was not only his "Executive Producer", he was also his business partner in the TV ventures). Jackie saved just about everything he did on TV after 1952- kinescoped filmed copies of his '50s variety show, the 1958-'59 half-hour series, the 1961 "YOU'RE IN THE PICTURE" telecast and the brief series of "one-on-one" interview shows that followed it {"THE JACKIE GLEASON SHOW"}...and videotapes of his '60s variety series, black & white and color.

Where the Museum of TV and Radio got THEIR "kinnies" of some of his '60s
shows, I don't know.


:tv:

. . . when Paul Brownstein was on The Larry King Show a few years ago for the "50th Anniversary" interview before the CBS special, he said that no one could locate a print of Gleason's 1973 CBS TV special where Sheila MacRae played Alice for the last time. I haven't viewed the King show for awhile, but I believe Brownstein said that they finally located a kinescope print of the special at the Museum of Television and Radio. (Once again, a kinescope in the Museum.) I wonder if all shows that were videotaped in the early 1970s had kinescopes, or was this just the rare exception. If that's the case, are there kinescopes of All In The Family out there?!?!?!?!

. . . when Paul Brownstein was on The Larry King Show a few years ago for the "50th Anniversary" interview before the CBS special, he said that no one could locate a print of Gleason's 1973 CBS TV special where Sheila MacRae played Alice for the last time. I haven't viewed the King show for awhile, but I believe Brownstein said that they finally located a kinescope print of the special at the Museum of Television and Radio. (Once again, a kinescope in the Museum.) I wonder if all shows that were videotaped in the early 1970s had kinescopes, or was this just the rare exception. If that's the case, are there kinescopes of All In The Family out there?!?!?!?!

I don't recall Brownstein's remarks about a "kinescope" of the 1973 show, but a color video tape DOES exist of that "Women's Lib" episode. A clip of it was shown on the "Honeymooners 50th Anniversary Special" of 5/6/02, hosted by Kevin James.

I think the entire 1973 special exists on color videotape. Many years ago, when the Museum of TV & Radio had their Gleason tribute, they showed a clip of the Roaring '20's (I.I.N.M.) dance number from that show, wherein a noticeably thinner Mr. Gleason (thinner than even Mr. Carney by that point, apparently), wearing a tuxedo and what looked like a bowler hat, was doing his patented "away-we-go" moves.