WOW, that's is just mind boggling. Especialy during that time in TV history when it wasn't that mabny great shows to start with.

variety shows were pretty big in the 50's. The Honeymooners were more popular when it was part of the Jackie Gleason Show then when it was its own sitcom.

variety shows were pretty big in the 50's. The Honeymooners were more popular when it was part of the Jackie Gleason Show then when it was its own sitcom.




As Hard as I been laughing so far watching these eps I just can't understand why this show didn't catch on

For one thing The Perry Como Show ran 15 years and so did the Jackie Gleason show, just not all at once. Jackie Gleason did the Calvalcade of Stars in 1949 byt 1957 I am sure he was tired of the same roll. He did Requiem for a Heavy Weight, Gigot, and many other movies. The Honeymooners didn't do that well in the rating but the Jackie Gleason certiantly did. He would return to TV with You're in the Picture (which I have) and his talk show before the Variety Show came back. And there were lots of good shows in 56. Lucy, Ed Sulivan, Milton Berle, Alfred Hitchock, Arthur Godfrey, What's My Line, Gunsmoke, Red Skelton. Lassie etc. All still do well in the ratings and have high respect for them.

....and it had to do with Lorillard Tobacco, the sponsor of "TWO FOR THE MONEY", the comedy quiz show hosted by Herb Shriner that followed "THE JACKIE GLEASON SHOW" on CBS' Saturday night schedule in 1953-'55 at 9pm(et). Lorillard's contract with CBS insisted that they immediately follow Jackie Gleason, no matter what show he appeared in. When Jackie decided he would appear in the filmed "HONEYMOONERS" show in the fall of '55, he wanted the show to be on at 8pm(et), followed by the Dorsey Brothers' "STAGE SHOW" [which he also produced]. However, Lorillard insisted that they were keeping their 9pm time period (even though the W.A. Schaffer Pen Co. joined "TWO FOR THE MONEY" as alternate sponsor that fall), and were NOT going to move THEIR show to 8:30. Gleason insisted CBS take "THE HONEYMOONERS" and "STAGE SHOW" as an hour-long "package". So, "STAGE SHOW" had to start at 8pm, followed by "THE HONEYMOONERS". Perry Como, who had JUST begun HIS hour-long variety series at 8pm on NBC (opposite "STAGE SHOW"), got more ratings at the top of the hour than "THE HONEYMOONERS" did at the bottom. CBS got Lorillard to drop their insistance on "THE HONEYMOONERS" being on before "TWO FOR THE MONEY" in February 1956, and flip-flopped the two shows so that Jackie was on at 8pm, as he originally insisted he should be. But Perry already had more people watching HIM at 8 (even though the Neilsen ratings were very close between the two), and Gleason finally decided at the end of the season to return to HIS live variety show the following season, with "STAGE SHOW" AND "TWO FOR THE MONEY" cancelled at the end of the season with "THE HONEYMOONERS".

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This reminds me of that scene from "Catch A Star" when Ralph and Norton were in the hotel lobby arguing about who was funnier on the Jackie Gleason Show. After Norton says that "Carney's the whole show," Ralph walks over to the man at the desk (George Petrie) to ask his opinion, to which he replies, "I can't say, I watch Perry Como." :lol:

This reminds me of that scene from "Catch A Star" when Ralph and Norton were in the hotel lobby arguing about who was funnier on the Jackie Gleason Show. After Norton says that "Carney's the whole show," Ralph walks over to the man at the desk (George Petrie) to ask his opinion, to which he replies, "I can't say, I watch Perry Como." :lol:
There was an irony in the 1967 remake "Ralph Kramden Presents" where the man of the desk (once again Mr. Petrie), in answer to the same question, retorted, "I couldn't tell you, I watch 'Flipper.'" The irony lies in the fact that prior to Mr. Gleason retooling his show to make it more Honeymooners-centric in 1966-1967, the Florida-based dolphin nearly knocked The Great One off the air then.

It was a sign of the times. Perry Como was hot.....Gleason was not. That's as simple as it can get. Back in the 50's TV shows came and went with the wind. It was just a matter of who could withstand the wind and for how long!

...when Lorillard Tobacco dropped "TWO FOR THE MONEY" at the end of the 1955-'56 season, their "Old Gold" cigarettes became a regular sponsor of the revived "JACKIE GLEASON SHOW" in the 1956-'57 season!

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