Does anyone know what episode this followed? Any guesses? I imagine it was pretty rare for Gleason to do this in the B&W episodes.

It seems odd to me that the end of 'Twas The Night Before Christmas' Gleason mentions that they don't usually step out of character and yet he introduces all of them by their character names.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-vQy9Y3zV8

I thought I had that complete episode with original commercials, went checking to be sure... It's from "Hello Mom" from 12/3/55. The opening is different too, with a Bus going down the street and a different voice announcing the stars of the show.

I thought I had that complete episode with original commercials, went checking to be sure... It's from "Hello Mom" from 12/3/55. The opening is different too, with a Bus going down the street and a different voice announcing the stars of the show.

Thanks for taking the time to research this Dizzy. :thumbsup: You are true blue Pal O' Mine :smurf:
I wish the original footage like this was on the DVD sets. Maybe one day there will be some kind of directors cut special edition release. Probably just a crazy hare-brained dream.

...network prints from the 1955-'56 season, and they're definitely different from the syndicated version that was distributed after 1957:

For one thing, there were TWO opening titles used- the first one during the first half of the season (through January 1956) featured "Ralph's bus" rolling down the street, with a Buick pulling up to it, and the camera following it as it drove into the distance...then, the one seen during the second half of that season (through September 1956), adapted into the syndicated title, with the omission of a Buick "icon" and their car driving down the road. There was a sponsor I.D. in the original titles [as delivered by Jackie's announcer, Jack Lescoulie- CBS announcer Gaylord Avery replaced his voice in the syndicated title]- "Brought to you by.....YOUR BUICK DEALER! And away we go.....!!"- that had to be eliminated when the 39 filmed episodes went into syndication. Also eliminated were the original closing titles, which rolled in front of the famous "matchstick" figure of Jackie in his "And away we go!" pose {it also became the corporate trademark of "Jackie Gleason Enterprises"}. Those credits were refilmed against a black background, with the words "Your BUICK Dealer has brought you..." and "For Buick- Jack Lescoulie" eliminated from the original credits as well.

As for the "curtain calls"- sometimes, Jackie would bring his cast out for one final bow [as he did at the end of his live and videotaped variety shows]. Most of the time, it would be Jackie emerging from the curtain in his dressing gown, next to a "Best Buick Yet" sign, delivering a 30 second "pitch" on behalf of his sponsor {urging viewers to see their Buick dealer}, ending with, "Good night, everybody!!", which faded into the closing credits as the audience applause was heard. Naturally, his Buick endorsements had to be omitted from syndication. Only once, in the Christmas episode, did he bring Carney and his co-stars out for a special curtain call without a Buick pitch directly attached to it (that might have been added separately for the network version- probably something along the lines of Jackie adding, "On behalf of my cast, crew and our sponsor, Buick, we hope you have a Merry Christmas. Good night, everybody!").

:tv:

Thanks for all of the info TV Knowledge Fan. Below is a link to a video of this alternate opening scene. I'm suprised that it wasn't added to the special features section of one of the DVD's.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmgWeoGg4wc