Frank Gannucci
12-24-2011, 08:08 AM
Episode Reviews: “The Turkey” & “Dorsey Brothers Show”:
I finally got the time to review these so…
Episode #26
TV: Not seen since its original airdate.
DVD: Attached to “The New Bowling Ball”, “The Lost Baby”, “The Quiz Show” (’52 version), “Halloween Party”, “Cold”, “Pickles”, “Jellybeans” & “Six Months To Live.”
A print of this episode surfaced to the world for the first time in ages on Ebay in 2009. It was released onto DVD in 2011. For obvious reasons, this episode doesn’t look like it was digitally remastered.
Ralph comes home and complains about that he doesn’t know how long he can go on driving a bus. He complains about people going in and out of the wrong doors. Alice says that she lost her wedding ring. Ralph is angry. Ralph says that they should be calm. He asks Alice to remember what she did all day. When she gets to the part about going to her mom’s, Ralph says that the case is solved. Ralph says that Alice helped her mom wash the dishes and as a result, lost the wedding ring when she put in the garbage accidentally and know the ring is somewhere off the coast of Canarsie.
Alice says that she distinctly remembers coming home and taking off the ring and putting it on the dresser. She looked everyplace else. Ralph goes to look for the ring and finds a turkey. Alice says that her club is having turkey raffle this afternoon. Mr. Howard won it and it is his turkey. It is a live turkey. Mr. Howard is going to come and get the turkey. Ralph thinks that the turkey swallowed the ring. Alice says that that is impossible. Ralph disagrees.
Ed comes down. Ralph explains that the turkey and ate her wedding ring. Ralph wants to kill the turkey to get the ring out. When Alice asks Ralph what is Mr. Howard going to do if he sees a dead turkey, Ed says that the turkey left the cage and committed suicide. Ha! Ralph gives Ed $20 to go get a live turkey. Somehow, I think a live turkey would cost more today. Ed leaves. Ralph asks Alice to kill the turkey because he doesn’t want to. Alice doesn’t want to. Ralph has an idea. He puts pepper on a piece of paper and tries to put the pepper near the turkey so the turkey will cough up the ring. (What?) Ralph puts the paper with the pepper near the turkey. Care to guess what happens next? If you guessed Ralph sneezing, you are right. Alice: “What happened?” Ralph: “He blew first.” Ralph says that that ring is a symbol of their love. Alice says that that Ralph is acting like a maniac.
Ed comes in with another live turkey. The turkey, much like the other one is a real one. Ed says that the turkey only costed $17. Wow! Mr. Howard comes in. Mr. Howard goes to get the turkey. Ralph doesn’t know which turkey is real one that Mr. Howard won. Ralph talks to Ed in “private.” He asks Ed which one is his. Ed: “Yours is the one with the ring in it.” Ralph: “How could I tell?” Ed: “Shake them.” How Mr. Howard can’t hear this is mind-blowing. Ralph tries to give Mr. Howard $5 so he can get a turkey. Ed chimes in and says that it costs $17. He gives him the $17 and leaves. Ralph says that Alice costs him $34 and blames Alice.
Trixie comes in to tell Ed that dinner is ready and to give Alice back her ring. She found it on the dresser and thought it wasn’t safe there. The Nortons leave. Ed: “Now you will never find out which one is yours.” Ralph apologizes to Alice. Alice forgives him. They hug and kiss.
Episode #53
TV: Not seen since its original airdate.
DVD: Attached to “Honeymooners Christmas Party” (’52 version), “Glow Worm Cleaning”, “Alice Plays Cupid”, “Suspense”, “Lost Job”, “Anniversary Gift”, “Income Tax”,” “Alice’s Aunt Ethel”, “What’s Her Name”, “Lunch Box”, “Hot Tips”, “Norton Moves In”, “Ralph’s Diet”, “Dinner Guest” & “Manager of The Baseball Team” (’53 version).
Trixie comes into the Kramden apartment with the phonograph with the record. Alice comes out dressed as a Mexican dancer. Trixie says that she will be the star of the Bus Driver’s Ball. Trixie puts the record on and Alice dances to the music. Ralph comes in and is surprised. He turns off the music. Alice wants to explain. Ralph: “Babaloo your way out of this.” An I Love Lucy reference. Alice explains. She mentions that Ralph is the head of the entertainment committee of the Bus Driver’s Ball. Ralph: “You are not laying any egg on any stage.” Alice: “My dance won’t lay an egg.” Ralph: “You are right; it will lay a Spanish omlette.” Trixie says that Alice is really very good. Ralph disagrees. Alice: “She was in show business.” Ralph: “There is a big difference between a stage and a runway.” Trixie: “Are you insisting that I was in burlesque?” Ralph: “If the shoe fits, take it off.” Trixie is upset. Ralph asks Alice for dinner. Alice: “You can get it yourself.” Ralph doesn’t like that. Ralph: “Since the beginning of time, it has been the man’s job to hunt the food and your job to prepare it.” Alice calls Ralph a caved-in caveman and dares Ralph to hit her over the head with a club. Ralph is even more upset. Alice: “Our wedding stopped a theatrical career for me. My family is talented. My mother could have been a great actress. She gave up a chance to appear in silent pictures but she gave it up to have a family.” Ralph: “Har har. The only reason why she didn’t appear in silent pictures was that she couldn’t keep silent.” Alice says that Ralph’s brother, Eddie is very untalented. Alice says that she will be in that show and be a big hit. A similar scene took place later in “Songs & Witty Sayings”/”Life Upon The Wicked Stage.”
Ed comes in. Ralph explains to Ed what happened. Ed tells that he met Trixie when he was an usher. Yet another story about how Ed met Trixie for the first time. Ralph didn’t mean to upset Trix and tells Ed to apologize on his behalf. Ralph is looking for entertainment. Ed offers his services. The only thing he can do is do an imitation of Times Square. Ed imitates cars driving and says things like: “Read all about it” as well as other quotes people yell when they are in that area. What talent. Ralph says that they got Tommy Dorsey for the dance. He will contact him to get him to appear for nothing. Ralph brings out Alice and explains that he is trying to get Tommy (but he doesn’t say his name) and if he can’t get him during his lunch hour, she is to call the musician’s union to get him.
The next day, Trixie comes by. Alice says that JIMMY Dorsey is coming over and explains what she did. Ralph comes home. Alice is preparing hors d’ourves. Ralph teases Trix about her burlesque background by horribly singing: “A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody.” Trixie leaves. Ralph says that he contacted Dorsey and got him to come over tonight. Alice explains that she did the same thing. She says that she got JIMMY Dorsey. Ralph is upset. Ralph: “They hate each other.” Laughter is heard probably because in real-life, it wasn’t true. Tommy Dorsey comes in. They introduce each other. Tommy says that the people will react favorably due to the changes in music that were going on. Ralph tries to get Tommy to leave. Alice: “That must be Jimmy.” Ralph: “Jimmy Holfsetter.” Ralph says that Tommy better go in the bedroom because Jimmy got a disease. Tommy does. Ed comes in. Ed: “Trixie says that Ed Jimmy Dorsey is coming over.” Ralph says that Tommy is in the bedroom. Ed: “Tommy can sleep in the kitchen.” Tom comes out and introduces Tom to “Jimmy.” Ed doesn’t know what is going on but he asks Tom to sign a few autographs for people he knows in the sewer (Bill and Harold). He also asks him to sign an autograph for Herman and have it signed from Joe DiMaggio since he hates music but loves baseball. Ha!
A knock on the door is heard. Ralph asks Ed to go in the bedroom with Tom. They do. Ralph asks Alice to talk to Tommy in the bedroom. She does. Jimmy Dorsey comes in. Ralph explains that the bus drivers are running a dance and asks him to appear. Jimmy says that Alice already explained it to him and he says that he and his band think that it is a great idea. Jimmy says that he and his band need to rehearse. Alice comes out and says that he (meaning Tom) has agreed to appear. Alice goes to get Tommy Dorsey while Ralph tries to get Tommy to look outside the window so Tommy wouldn’t see him. Tommy comes out with Alice & Ed. Ralph says that the person looking out the window is sick. Tommy leaves. Ed: “I’ll walk him to the subway. I hope your friend feels better.” Ralph tries to force food on Jimmy. After a few seconds, Ralph says that Jimmy can leave now. Jimmy does. Ralph is so happy that he got Jimmy to play at the ball. Alice says that she got Tommy to play and that she thought that Ralph talked him out of it. Ralph is upset. Ralph thinks things over. Ralph: “If one of them shows up first, the other one that shows up after that leaves.” Alice: “What if they show up simultaneously?” Ralph: “Then I leave. There will be blood all over the joint.”
At the ball, people are dancing while a band (which in the storyline at least, includes Jerry Patt and his pit) is playing. After that, a man (played by George Petrie), asks everyone to give them a hand. The man and a woman from the crowd conducts a drawing for a door prize by picking a number out of a fishbowl. The person, who has that number, wins a 21 inch mahogany TV set. Before that, the man asks everyone not to throw your hot dog rolls on the dance floor. The number is 122. Two people (Ralph Kramden and a character played by Frank Marth) say that they have the number. Frank’s character says that he is not a bus driver, but he got here because a friend of his is a bus driver. They both have a fight and Ralph “punches” him. Ralph finds out that his paper says 122 on it, but it is a hat check and not a ticket. Ralph apologizes. The man played by Frank Marth is identified as Jack Philbin. Gee, I wonder where they got THAT name. Jerry Patt and his pit play another song. People dance along.
Later on, Ralph is at his table. He gets told that Tommy has arrived with his band. Ralph goes backstage. Jimmy Dorsey arrives. Ed tries to get Jimmy out of there. Jimmy sees Tommy and wonders why he is up there. Ed, being stupid, says: “Hey Tommy, what are you doing?” Tommy wonders what Jimmy is doing. They both said that Ralph wanted them to play here. Since Tommy is here, Jimmy wants to leave. So does Tommy. Ralph comes out and seeing the Dorseys, tries to go away. Alice calls for Ralph to come back. Everyone is watching. Alice explains that they don’t want to play and she states the reason. Mr. Ferguson, the President of the Gotham Bus Company comes by. He has heard of them leaving the joint. If they do, they will ruin their dance. He is also beginning to think that all of this is all Ralph’s fault. If they leave, Ralph will have to leave with them. Because of the money and time spent for the dance, Ralph will be fired. Ralph blames the Dorseys for him getting fired. They will agree to play for Ralph. They also bury the hatchet because they were feuding over nothing. (They can’t remember why they hate each other.) Ralph says that when the Dorseys play, they are a riot. When they are single, they are a small riot. They Dorseys play music. Here comes the boring part for me at least. The first song sounds like “Hokey-Pokey” I can’t identify the song. After that, they play a slow dance song. The lights get turned off and everyone gets on the floor to dance. A spotlight shines on people. A singer from the band is shown with the spotlight as the camera does a close-up on him as he sings the lyrics. I think the song is “Ruby, It’s You.” After the song, the lights come back on. Another song that I can’t identify is played. Everyone is standing and clapping. Everyone makes room as Ed & Trixie dance. Soon after that, everyone makes room so Ralph can dance. Jackie Gleason shows off some of his usual dance moves. Some of which were used in “Mama Loves Mambo.” After that, Tommy plays another song that I can’t identify as the episode ends.
I finally got the time to review these so…
Episode #26
TV: Not seen since its original airdate.
DVD: Attached to “The New Bowling Ball”, “The Lost Baby”, “The Quiz Show” (’52 version), “Halloween Party”, “Cold”, “Pickles”, “Jellybeans” & “Six Months To Live.”
A print of this episode surfaced to the world for the first time in ages on Ebay in 2009. It was released onto DVD in 2011. For obvious reasons, this episode doesn’t look like it was digitally remastered.
Ralph comes home and complains about that he doesn’t know how long he can go on driving a bus. He complains about people going in and out of the wrong doors. Alice says that she lost her wedding ring. Ralph is angry. Ralph says that they should be calm. He asks Alice to remember what she did all day. When she gets to the part about going to her mom’s, Ralph says that the case is solved. Ralph says that Alice helped her mom wash the dishes and as a result, lost the wedding ring when she put in the garbage accidentally and know the ring is somewhere off the coast of Canarsie.
Alice says that she distinctly remembers coming home and taking off the ring and putting it on the dresser. She looked everyplace else. Ralph goes to look for the ring and finds a turkey. Alice says that her club is having turkey raffle this afternoon. Mr. Howard won it and it is his turkey. It is a live turkey. Mr. Howard is going to come and get the turkey. Ralph thinks that the turkey swallowed the ring. Alice says that that is impossible. Ralph disagrees.
Ed comes down. Ralph explains that the turkey and ate her wedding ring. Ralph wants to kill the turkey to get the ring out. When Alice asks Ralph what is Mr. Howard going to do if he sees a dead turkey, Ed says that the turkey left the cage and committed suicide. Ha! Ralph gives Ed $20 to go get a live turkey. Somehow, I think a live turkey would cost more today. Ed leaves. Ralph asks Alice to kill the turkey because he doesn’t want to. Alice doesn’t want to. Ralph has an idea. He puts pepper on a piece of paper and tries to put the pepper near the turkey so the turkey will cough up the ring. (What?) Ralph puts the paper with the pepper near the turkey. Care to guess what happens next? If you guessed Ralph sneezing, you are right. Alice: “What happened?” Ralph: “He blew first.” Ralph says that that ring is a symbol of their love. Alice says that that Ralph is acting like a maniac.
Ed comes in with another live turkey. The turkey, much like the other one is a real one. Ed says that the turkey only costed $17. Wow! Mr. Howard comes in. Mr. Howard goes to get the turkey. Ralph doesn’t know which turkey is real one that Mr. Howard won. Ralph talks to Ed in “private.” He asks Ed which one is his. Ed: “Yours is the one with the ring in it.” Ralph: “How could I tell?” Ed: “Shake them.” How Mr. Howard can’t hear this is mind-blowing. Ralph tries to give Mr. Howard $5 so he can get a turkey. Ed chimes in and says that it costs $17. He gives him the $17 and leaves. Ralph says that Alice costs him $34 and blames Alice.
Trixie comes in to tell Ed that dinner is ready and to give Alice back her ring. She found it on the dresser and thought it wasn’t safe there. The Nortons leave. Ed: “Now you will never find out which one is yours.” Ralph apologizes to Alice. Alice forgives him. They hug and kiss.
Episode #53
TV: Not seen since its original airdate.
DVD: Attached to “Honeymooners Christmas Party” (’52 version), “Glow Worm Cleaning”, “Alice Plays Cupid”, “Suspense”, “Lost Job”, “Anniversary Gift”, “Income Tax”,” “Alice’s Aunt Ethel”, “What’s Her Name”, “Lunch Box”, “Hot Tips”, “Norton Moves In”, “Ralph’s Diet”, “Dinner Guest” & “Manager of The Baseball Team” (’53 version).
Trixie comes into the Kramden apartment with the phonograph with the record. Alice comes out dressed as a Mexican dancer. Trixie says that she will be the star of the Bus Driver’s Ball. Trixie puts the record on and Alice dances to the music. Ralph comes in and is surprised. He turns off the music. Alice wants to explain. Ralph: “Babaloo your way out of this.” An I Love Lucy reference. Alice explains. She mentions that Ralph is the head of the entertainment committee of the Bus Driver’s Ball. Ralph: “You are not laying any egg on any stage.” Alice: “My dance won’t lay an egg.” Ralph: “You are right; it will lay a Spanish omlette.” Trixie says that Alice is really very good. Ralph disagrees. Alice: “She was in show business.” Ralph: “There is a big difference between a stage and a runway.” Trixie: “Are you insisting that I was in burlesque?” Ralph: “If the shoe fits, take it off.” Trixie is upset. Ralph asks Alice for dinner. Alice: “You can get it yourself.” Ralph doesn’t like that. Ralph: “Since the beginning of time, it has been the man’s job to hunt the food and your job to prepare it.” Alice calls Ralph a caved-in caveman and dares Ralph to hit her over the head with a club. Ralph is even more upset. Alice: “Our wedding stopped a theatrical career for me. My family is talented. My mother could have been a great actress. She gave up a chance to appear in silent pictures but she gave it up to have a family.” Ralph: “Har har. The only reason why she didn’t appear in silent pictures was that she couldn’t keep silent.” Alice says that Ralph’s brother, Eddie is very untalented. Alice says that she will be in that show and be a big hit. A similar scene took place later in “Songs & Witty Sayings”/”Life Upon The Wicked Stage.”
Ed comes in. Ralph explains to Ed what happened. Ed tells that he met Trixie when he was an usher. Yet another story about how Ed met Trixie for the first time. Ralph didn’t mean to upset Trix and tells Ed to apologize on his behalf. Ralph is looking for entertainment. Ed offers his services. The only thing he can do is do an imitation of Times Square. Ed imitates cars driving and says things like: “Read all about it” as well as other quotes people yell when they are in that area. What talent. Ralph says that they got Tommy Dorsey for the dance. He will contact him to get him to appear for nothing. Ralph brings out Alice and explains that he is trying to get Tommy (but he doesn’t say his name) and if he can’t get him during his lunch hour, she is to call the musician’s union to get him.
The next day, Trixie comes by. Alice says that JIMMY Dorsey is coming over and explains what she did. Ralph comes home. Alice is preparing hors d’ourves. Ralph teases Trix about her burlesque background by horribly singing: “A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody.” Trixie leaves. Ralph says that he contacted Dorsey and got him to come over tonight. Alice explains that she did the same thing. She says that she got JIMMY Dorsey. Ralph is upset. Ralph: “They hate each other.” Laughter is heard probably because in real-life, it wasn’t true. Tommy Dorsey comes in. They introduce each other. Tommy says that the people will react favorably due to the changes in music that were going on. Ralph tries to get Tommy to leave. Alice: “That must be Jimmy.” Ralph: “Jimmy Holfsetter.” Ralph says that Tommy better go in the bedroom because Jimmy got a disease. Tommy does. Ed comes in. Ed: “Trixie says that Ed Jimmy Dorsey is coming over.” Ralph says that Tommy is in the bedroom. Ed: “Tommy can sleep in the kitchen.” Tom comes out and introduces Tom to “Jimmy.” Ed doesn’t know what is going on but he asks Tom to sign a few autographs for people he knows in the sewer (Bill and Harold). He also asks him to sign an autograph for Herman and have it signed from Joe DiMaggio since he hates music but loves baseball. Ha!
A knock on the door is heard. Ralph asks Ed to go in the bedroom with Tom. They do. Ralph asks Alice to talk to Tommy in the bedroom. She does. Jimmy Dorsey comes in. Ralph explains that the bus drivers are running a dance and asks him to appear. Jimmy says that Alice already explained it to him and he says that he and his band think that it is a great idea. Jimmy says that he and his band need to rehearse. Alice comes out and says that he (meaning Tom) has agreed to appear. Alice goes to get Tommy Dorsey while Ralph tries to get Tommy to look outside the window so Tommy wouldn’t see him. Tommy comes out with Alice & Ed. Ralph says that the person looking out the window is sick. Tommy leaves. Ed: “I’ll walk him to the subway. I hope your friend feels better.” Ralph tries to force food on Jimmy. After a few seconds, Ralph says that Jimmy can leave now. Jimmy does. Ralph is so happy that he got Jimmy to play at the ball. Alice says that she got Tommy to play and that she thought that Ralph talked him out of it. Ralph is upset. Ralph thinks things over. Ralph: “If one of them shows up first, the other one that shows up after that leaves.” Alice: “What if they show up simultaneously?” Ralph: “Then I leave. There will be blood all over the joint.”
At the ball, people are dancing while a band (which in the storyline at least, includes Jerry Patt and his pit) is playing. After that, a man (played by George Petrie), asks everyone to give them a hand. The man and a woman from the crowd conducts a drawing for a door prize by picking a number out of a fishbowl. The person, who has that number, wins a 21 inch mahogany TV set. Before that, the man asks everyone not to throw your hot dog rolls on the dance floor. The number is 122. Two people (Ralph Kramden and a character played by Frank Marth) say that they have the number. Frank’s character says that he is not a bus driver, but he got here because a friend of his is a bus driver. They both have a fight and Ralph “punches” him. Ralph finds out that his paper says 122 on it, but it is a hat check and not a ticket. Ralph apologizes. The man played by Frank Marth is identified as Jack Philbin. Gee, I wonder where they got THAT name. Jerry Patt and his pit play another song. People dance along.
Later on, Ralph is at his table. He gets told that Tommy has arrived with his band. Ralph goes backstage. Jimmy Dorsey arrives. Ed tries to get Jimmy out of there. Jimmy sees Tommy and wonders why he is up there. Ed, being stupid, says: “Hey Tommy, what are you doing?” Tommy wonders what Jimmy is doing. They both said that Ralph wanted them to play here. Since Tommy is here, Jimmy wants to leave. So does Tommy. Ralph comes out and seeing the Dorseys, tries to go away. Alice calls for Ralph to come back. Everyone is watching. Alice explains that they don’t want to play and she states the reason. Mr. Ferguson, the President of the Gotham Bus Company comes by. He has heard of them leaving the joint. If they do, they will ruin their dance. He is also beginning to think that all of this is all Ralph’s fault. If they leave, Ralph will have to leave with them. Because of the money and time spent for the dance, Ralph will be fired. Ralph blames the Dorseys for him getting fired. They will agree to play for Ralph. They also bury the hatchet because they were feuding over nothing. (They can’t remember why they hate each other.) Ralph says that when the Dorseys play, they are a riot. When they are single, they are a small riot. They Dorseys play music. Here comes the boring part for me at least. The first song sounds like “Hokey-Pokey” I can’t identify the song. After that, they play a slow dance song. The lights get turned off and everyone gets on the floor to dance. A spotlight shines on people. A singer from the band is shown with the spotlight as the camera does a close-up on him as he sings the lyrics. I think the song is “Ruby, It’s You.” After the song, the lights come back on. Another song that I can’t identify is played. Everyone is standing and clapping. Everyone makes room as Ed & Trixie dance. Soon after that, everyone makes room so Ralph can dance. Jackie Gleason shows off some of his usual dance moves. Some of which were used in “Mama Loves Mambo.” After that, Tommy plays another song that I can’t identify as the episode ends.