Question- was the final episode of Gleason's regular TV show an hour long Honeymooners or a variety show? And did he make any mention in his closing moments about it being the last show?

-Greg

Question- was the final episode of Gleason's regular TV show an hour long Honeymooners or a variety show? And did he make any mention in his closing moments about it being the last show?

-Greg

The final Jackie Gleason Show was aired on 2/28/70 and it was The Honeymooners: "Operation Protest". Gleason said nothing at all at the curtain call, other than introducing the cast and saying goodnight. I'm not sure as of the taping of it, that he knew it would be the final show, I have heard 2 versions of the ending of the series. One version is that HE ended it, another is that he was cancelled after the taping.

Thanks Rob....and great pictures too.

Also, the last variety installment of the Gleason show was an ostensibly Valentine-themed edition, aired Feb. 14, 1970. Milton Berle was the main guest, and the other guests were Bob Melvin, Sonny Sands, and Marsh & Adams. (Whatever happened to them?)

As for that "Operation Protest," the 1988 Jackie Gleason: The Great One special had a slate from this show saying something on the order of "Goodbye for the Season."

Also, the last variety installment of the Gleason show was an ostensibly Valentine-themed edition, aired Feb. 14, 1970. Milton Berle was the main guest, and the other guests were Bob Melvin, Sonny Sands, and Marsh & Adams. (Whatever happened to them?)

As for that "Operation Protest," the 1988 Jackie Gleason: The Great One special had a slate from this show saying something on the order of "Goodbye for the Season."

Right, the slate said "see you next season", which implies they had every intention of returning.

I'm not trying to knock Gleason and Company, but does anyone think that Jackie would have had to change formats or do something to go along with the major changes that were happening in TV in the 1970-1971 season. In September The Mary Tyler Moore Show would premiere, and in January, 1971 what I think is the biggest change would happen: All In The Family. I'm just curious what people think would have happened with new (not repeats) situations featuring the Kramdens at the same time that the Bunkers were on.

I should add about my last post if Gleason would have been on during the 1970-1971 season. Sorry, I left that out!

I have was watching a documentry one time and they said during the 1969-70 season the networks decided to pull the plug on a lot of long time running shows even tough most of the shows where doing very well. Shows like the Jackie Gleason , Red Skelton and the Jack Benny show got canned, to make way for new shows like All in the Family and the Mary Talyor Moore Show.:cool:

I'm not trying to knock Gleason and Company, but does anyone think that Jackie would have had to change formats or do something to go along with the major changes that were happening in TV in the 1970-1971 season. In September The Mary Tyler Moore Show would premiere, and in January, 1971 what I think is the biggest change would happen: All In The Family. I'm just curious what people think would have happened with new (not repeats) situations featuring the Kramdens at the same time that the Bunkers were on.

Look at the contrasts in the shows mentioned. Honeymooners (on its way out). The main character is a loudmouth, know-it-all, who yells at his wife and she dishes it right back at him. Mary Tyler Moore. A single, independent woman. Women's Lib is big at this time. Good move with this show, as many women can relate. All in the Family (see honeymooners), but the wife is a ding bat who sits back and accepts it.

The similarities between Ralph Kramden and Archie Bunker are very apparent. In
fact, Carroll O'Connor once wrote Jackie Gleason: "I know I am doing some of
the things you did." To which Jackie wrote back: "I wish I had done some of
the things you're doing." (As quoted in James Bacon's Gleason biography, "How
Sweet It Is: The Jackie Gleason Story")

Bacon goes on to say that, while ALL IN THE FAMILY wasn't a direct steal of
THE HONEYMOONERS (Kramden was not a bigot), but "the shows were too
similar to be on the same network in the same season. There was just no way
Ralph Kramden and Archie Bunker could coexist." Thus, Gleason's show ended
in 1971; and shortly after Norman Lear's classic sitcom made its debut. (I
could be wrong, but I seem to recall reading somewhere that Gleason was
offered the part of Archie Bunker and turned it down.)

...Jackie was certain he'd be renewed for the following season. There was no reason why he thought he'd have to say "good-bye" to his viewers for good, as CBS was in negotiations to extend his long-term contract, which was up that season. But Bob Wood, president of the network, decided otherwise. Even though the ratings were good, he thought Jackie [like Red Skelton] was attracting too many "older" viewers and not enough "young" advertisers....and felt it wasn't worth the money to renew his contract and series, and cancelled both.


:tv:

I believe "All In The Family" was optioned as a possible vehicle for Gleason, but it didn't work out that way. I think he would have made a good Archie Bunker. As for the variety show, "Operation Protest" and a couple of the other later shows make it painfully clear that the times were a-changing. Me, I enjoy both the old guard (Sullivan, Skelton, Gleason) and the shows that followed (AITF, MTM, Bob Newhart).