View Full Version : Episode Reviews: "Guest Speaker" & "Vacation At Fred's Landing":


Frank Gannucci
04-06-2007, 01:19 PM
Episode #37
TV: Attached to "Lost Job."
VCR: Attached to "Great Jewel Robbery."
DVD: Attached to "Great jewel Robbery", "Lawsuit" & "Valentine Special" (clips from The Honeymooners Lost epiosdes as well as other Jackie Gleason clips.)

Ralph is getting ready to go to a Raccoon meeting. He thinks he's going to be Raccoon of the year. As he's getting ready, he notice that he doesn't have any pants to wear. So he comes out in the kitchen wearing boxer shorts. Alice: "You don't have any pants." Ralph: "Well, thank you very much Sargeant Friday." Ha! It turns out that Ralph's pants are at the cleaners.

Ralph tries to rehearse the speech in front of Alice. He isn't finished making it yet but he will rehearse it. All of his speech so far is "Fellow Raccoons, I know that in order for you guys to get here tonight, you Raccoons worked like beavers..." Yeah, he isn't procastinating. Ed Norton comes in and wonders what Ralph has on. Ralph says that he's a Raccoon. You can tell that this is one of the first episodes when Ed says he isn't a Raccoon and doesn't plan on being one. Why doesn't he plan on being one? He mentions a story about when he joined a club on the first day, he was treated terribly. Why did he feel so terrible? When he got home, Trixie beat him up for staying out so late. Ha! Ralph: "Can you take a hint? I have a speech to memorize and I would like to have peace and quiet." Ed: "Okay, what's the hint?" Ralph says that he wants Ed out. Ed leaves.

A boy from the cleaners comes by with the pants and Ralph pays him
with the change. Probably less than one dollar. Ralph continues
rehearsing, but Alice interrupts him. Ralph demands that he does not
be interrupted and Alice complies. Ralph tries to do more rehearsing, but Trixie comes in and talks to Alice thus accidently interupting Ralph. Trixie interrupts Ralph's rehearsal so many times, that Ralph yells: "SHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT UP!" He montions for Trixie to leave. She does.

Ralph then gets mad at Alice because he can no longer rehearse his speech thanks to her. He complains some more about not being Raccoon of the Year and becuase of that, not doing special things that come with that honor. Freddie Muller (or some other guy played by George Petrie), a fellow Raccoon comes in and him and Ralph do what was back then the Raccooon greeting. Both put their hands on each other's shoulders and raise their tails on their caps. Ralph mentions that Alice is probably the first woman in history to see the Raccoon greeting. Anyway, the guy played by George gives Raccoon the notice on who is going to be Raccoon of the Year. He leaves. Ralph opens the letter and reads it. Ralph is not going to be Raccoon of the Year. He's sad and also sorry that he yelled at Alice. Alice says that Ralph will always be Raccoon of the Year in their house.

This episode is similar in a way to "The Loudspeaker" isn't it? The Raccoon group would change it's greeting names, and obviously members in later episodes.

Episode #38
TV: Not seen on TV since it's originaly airdate.
VCR: (1953 version): Attached to "Man In The Blue Suit."
DVD: (1953 version) Attached to: "Goodbye Aunt Ethel", "What's The
Name" and "The Best of The Lost Episodes." (Note: Even though on the box it says that this is the 1954 version, it is actually the '53 version. The '54 version is on DVD as well.)

In John K.'s Book "To The Moon", it says that this episode aired on June 27 1953. It actually aired on June 20, 1953. It also gave the wrong airdate for "Glow Worm Cleaning Powder" too.

This episode is the first half-hour long Honeymooners episode ever made. So I'm sure it was a big deal when they made this episode.

Alice comes home and Trixie follows her home. Alice says she had a rough day. She couldn't get the key to her apartment so she put down the groceries that she had in her hand and went down to the landlord and landlady. She complained about how her husband doesn't pick up the garbage that she usually puts by her front door. The landlord who just came in says: "What are you talking about? I picked up your garbage (Alice's groceries) right now." Alice had to run down to the garbage truck to get her groceries. What humiliation!

Alice and Trixie talk about the fun time they are going to have in Atlantic City and what things that they are going to do. Ralph comes home with stuff for the trip. Trixie leaves just as Ralph reveals his new fishing attire. Why? Because Ralph reveals that they are going to Fred's Landing. A place that is right near Lake Pookamoonshine (sp?). Alice wants to go to Atlantic City. Ralph: "Atlantic City? What type of place is that for a vacation?" Let's see. Atlantic City is a very popular and great place in southern New Jersey where there are a lot of hotels, casinos and beaches. A place where people can have a whole lot of fun. Fred's Landing is a place where people camp and fish and that's it. If I was a fisherman or not, I would go to Atlantic City not Fred's Landing. Ralph reveals the "great romantic story" that Fred's Laniding is attached to. A boy and a woman loved each other but they were on enemy teams. They both got killed and got buried with their arms around each other.

Alice wants to go to Atlantic City. She says she has had enough hard work to do around the house (cooking, cleaning etc.) She needs a vacation. Ralph says he has worked hard in his life too. He drives a bus all day and sees things like Central Park every day. He needs a vacation.

Ed Norton comes down in his sewer attire and says he is ready for the
trip. Ralph says that he is ready for wading in the water. Ed says that he does that every day in the sewer so it won't be new to him. He reveals a very funny story about one time when he went fishing but he couldn't catch anything because since it was dark out, he didn't know he was fishing in a place that didn't even have water and fish. Ha! Ed plans on telling Trixie that they are going to Fred's Landing because he will say that Atlantic City is closed for the summer. Oh boy! Can you imagine how much money Atlantic City would lose if they closed for the summer. What a dumb move that would be. Ed leaves. Alice says that she doesn't want to go to Fred's Landing. Ralph: "All right. Stay home." Alice: "I wouldn't give you the satisfaction!"

On Vacation Day 1, Ralph and Ed have to push the car because the car
is having engine trouble. The background in this scene is so not real. You can tell it's a fake background. Ralph and Ed try to fix the car by Ed getting behind the driver seat while Ralph fumbles with the engine. This is a funny scence as Ed accidently "electricutes" Ralph. After a number of mishaps, Ralph starts yelling at Ed. Ralph: "You were just trying to help me? You almost eletircuted me. Why don't you help me out some more? Why don't yo run me over with the car?" Ed: "The car won't start." Ha! Everyone thinks that they are lost. Ed says no. Ed: "You see this balck dot here? That's New York City. That is where we started from. then we go through the Lincoln Tunnel. This black dot here isJersey City. This black dot is Bayoone." Ralph: "Bayoone is moving and that's an ant." Ed: "Well, let's follow the ant. He looks like he knows where he is going." They eventually met a man who helps out by fixing the car. He fixes the engine. Then he leaves. Ralph and Ed go back in the car to start up the engine. The engine isn't fixed at all. Ralph and E wind up having to push the car again as Ed starts to sing: "Give me the road to..." Ralph (yells to Ed): "SHUT UP!"

At Fred's Landing, Trixie and Alice are very tired of having to cook and do all the other things that Ralph and Ed tell them to do while they go out fishing. I would love to see a fishing scene with Ralph and Ed. Ralph and Ed come back with this "big" catch that Ralph had a tug-of-war with. The "big" fish is very small. Ralph: "He lost weight during the fight." Sure Ralph. Ralph and Ed want to get some sleep before dinner. Ralph (to the girls): "You don't know how hard it is to fish. That's work. You two are lucky to have nothing to do around here." Ralph and Ed go into their respective tents which are very small. Alice (to Ralph): "One of these days, pow right in the kisser." Ralph: "What did you say Alice?" Alice: "Nothing." Question: How could Ralph not hear Alice when Alice is a few feet from him? Alice and Trixie cook up a plan to get Ralph and Ed to leave here. Anohter question: How could Ralph an Ed not hear of Alice and Trixie's plan when they are a few feet from them? Ralph and Ed must go to sleep very fast. Alice blows smoke in Ralph's tent. Ralph wakes up. Alice says to Ralph that she is cooking. Ralph: "Watch out! I'm not on the menu." Alice "falls" over Ralph's feet and in the process pours water over Ralph's legs. That doesn't work. Alice: "Look out Trixie! There's a snake!" Ralph wakes up. Alice: "You msut of scared the snake away. They would make another reference to Fred's Landing and a snake being in a tent in "The Worry Wart." Ralph: "First you try to drown me, then cook me, now you want me to go back in there with a snake?" Boy, Ralph is overeacting. Alice: "We ae living like the Indians did." Ralph: "Well, if this is how the Indians lived, now wonder they are the vanishing race." Ha!

Alice and Trixie leave as Ralph and Ed say they are miserable here too. Ed: "Let's leave before the girls get back." Ralphy concoct a plan to get them to leave here. There is a bear skin rug in the lodge that Ralph will use to scare the girls into leaving.

A "bear" comes near Ed and Ed thinks that it is Ralph. It is so obvious that the "bear" is not a real one. Ralph is behind Ed and sees the bear. Ralph tells Ed that he is not the bear that is in front of him. Ed (to the bear, yells): "EEE!" The girsl see the "bear" and get scared. ralph says that they are leaving and apologizes to Alice for dragging her here. Alice says: "We still have a lot of time to see Atlantic City!" They hug and kiss.

One minor thing I would like to point out is on Honeymooners.net., the description for this version of this episode as of today still reads: "953 version of this epiosde is ONLY available on VHS." Obviously, this was writen
before MPI made the lost episode DVDs, but sill I can see a casual fan getting confused when they read that description if you know what I mean. Also, considering that Honeymooners.net hasn't been updated in the last three years or so, I wouldn't look for that description of that episode to change anytime soon.

Credit goes to mpihomevideo.com & Yahoo! Groups You're A Riot!

Bill S.
04-06-2007, 02:45 PM
This episode is similar in a way to "The Loudspeaker" isn't it? The Raccoon group would change it's greeting names, and obviously members in later episodes.
Yes, "Guest Speaker," was a "rough draft," so to speak, of "The Loudspeaker." If I remember correctly, Ralph actually asks Norton to join the Racoon Lodge in the earlier version.

In John K.'s Book "To The Moon", it says that this episode aired on June 27 1953. It actually aired on June 20, 1953. It also gave the wrong airdate for "Glow Worm Cleaning Powder" too.
I also have the original version of "Vacation" listed with an air date of June 27, 1953, but I just checked my VHS copy (attached to "Man In The Blue Suit," as you mentioned) and it says June 20, 1953. That's strange, but I think John's book would be the more reliable source, considering they went through old TV Guides and such to get that information, and MPI's made plenty of mistakes in the past. Another interesting thing to note is that the remake of "Vacation" aired on June 19, 1954, which could've possibly led to some confusion. What's the error with "Glow Worm Cleaning"? The air date I have is January 3, 1953...

Frank Gannucci
04-06-2007, 11:31 PM
I also have the Honeymooners Lost Episodes book. Here it says: "Vacation At Fred's Landing" aired on June 20, 1953. It also said "Glow Worm" aired on June 27, 1953. This information is also available on Honeymooners.net's Episode Summary section.

No disrespect to John K or anyone who helped to write "To The Moon", but there are a lot of errors in that book when it comes to episode titles (albeit they are minor.) So, I am inclined to beieve that he made a mistake when it comes to "Glow Worm's" airdate. (It says that "Glow Worm Cleaning" aired on JANUARY 3, 1953. Not June 27, 1953 like The Honeymooners Lost Episode book says)

Then again, I could be wrong.

Bill S.
04-07-2007, 04:09 PM
I also have the Honeymooners Lost Episodes book. Here it says: "Vacation At Fred's Landing" aired on June 20, 1953. It also said "Glow Worm" aired on June 27, 1953. This information is also available on Honeymooners.net's Episode Summary section.
Hmm...I'll have to look into this. The "Vacation" air dates are only a few days off but the air dates for "Glow Worm" are months apart. Somebody definitely made a mistake, it's just a question of who.

No disrespect to John K or anyone who helped to write "To The Moon", but there are a lot of errors in that book when it comes to episode titles (albeit they are minor.) So, I am inclined to beieve that he made a mistake when it comes to "Glow Worm's" airdate. (It says that "Glow Worm Cleaning" aired on JANUARY 3, 1953. Not June 27, 1953 like The Honeymooners Lost Episode book says)
Well, I'm pretty sure Craig Horwich, Jackie's stepson, helped compile that list, and whatever he contributed was probably accurate. As for the titles, I know what you mean, I've noticed that as well, but what we both view as errors may have been the original titles for those particular sketches. For example, in the TV Guide that listed the information for "Glow Worm," it could've said that there was a Honeymooners sketch called "Glow Worm Cleansing Powder," and MPI could've stepped in later on and shortened it to "Glow Worm Cleaning" because it sounded better.