Frank Gannucci
04-28-2017, 08:27 AM
Honeymooners Episode Reviews: "Prowler" & "Guest Speaker":
Episode #55 (syndicated episode #86)
TV: Attached to "Glow Worm Cleaning Powder."
VCR: On some tapes, it is attached to "Stars Over Flatbush." On some tapes, it is attached to “Stars Over Flatbush”, “The Adoption” & “Ralph’s Diet.”
DVD: Attached to "Stand-In For Murder" & "Box Top Kid." On the Lost Episodes DVD Box Set, it is attached to “Guest Speaker”, “Vacation At Fred’s Landing” (’53 version), “Sprained Thumb” (’53 version), “Lucky Number”, “Hot Dog Stand”, “Two Tickets To The Fight”, “Halloween Party” (’53 version), “Champagne & Caviar” & “Letter To The Boss” (’53 version)
Air Date: Sat. 6/6/53
A cop knocks on Alice's door and warns her that a prowler is in the building but he's going to watch out for him. Alice is too nervous to go to sleep so she wakes up Ralph. Ralph wakes up and Alice explains that a crook is in the building and she is too nervous to go to sleep. Ralph: "Why don't you ask your mother to stay up with you? She knows a lot about men coming into the house this late at night. Ask your father."
Ralph gets the dresser and chairs and piles it up against the door. Ralph: "I do more work at night then most people do all day." Sure, you do Ralph. Someone knocks on the door and Ralph and Alice think it's the prowler so Ralph gets his old gun and tells Alice that if something happens to him, she would be covered. He is leaving all of the things in the apartment to her in his will. Alice should have sarcastically said: "Gee, thanks Ralph." The person who knocks on the door is Norton. So Ralph opens the door to let him in. Ed: "I just thought I would come by and tell you to pile up things against the door." Ralph: "Thank you but I already have done that." Ed: "How did I get in?" Ed is so stupid. Alice says that Ed should be upstairs protecting Trixie.
Another knock is heard so Ed thinking it’s the prowler yells: "HEY, GO AWAY!" It's Trixie. Trixie comes in and Alice says she gave them an awful scare. Ed replies: "That's okay Alice. She always looks like this in the morning." Ha! Trixie sys that Ed should have been upstairs protecting her. Ed says that he would but he heard the footsteps, thinking it's the prowler. Ralph says that it was Trixie. Ed: "Trixie is the prowler?" Ralph: "You are a mental case." Ed and Trixie leave.
Alice gives Ralph a cup of water and it is really hot. The water looks to be soapy. How could that happen? Ralph: "3am and we get hot water. During the day it's ice cold." Ralph says that as long as he's with Alice, nothing can happen to her just as the prowler is coming through the window (even though there is no fire escape that is visible.) Why would a thief come into a place where the lights are on? Ralph: "Just relax. Relax. Relax..." The prowler hits Ralph on the head. Ralph is unconscious. Alice notices the prowler and screams. The policeman comes by and nabs the prowler. Later on, Ralph regains consciousness. Ralph: "...Just relax. Relax. Relax." Ralph says something about his old gun and how there was no way it could have harmed anybody. Ralph accidentally hits the trigger and the gun makes such a noise that it stuns Ralph. Ralph: "You are married to the prize dope of all times." They hug.
When I saw this episode for the first time, I was laughing my head off and immediately assumed that it was going to be a good 30-minute episode. (This was before I found out that fifteen minute Honeymooners sketches were made.) I was disappointed when I saw the ending come at the fifteen minute mark.
Episode #56 (Syndicated episode #51)
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 episodes as well as other Jackie Gleason clips.) On the Lost Episodes DVD Box Set, it is attached to “Prowler”, “Vacation At Fred’s Landing” (’53 version), “Sprained Thumb” (’53 version), “Lucky Number”, “Hot Dog Stand”, “Two Tickets To The Fight”, “Halloween Party” (’53 version), “Champagne & Caviar” & “Letter To The Boss” (’53 version).
Air Date: Sat. 6/13/53
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 notices 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 Sergeant 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 procrastinating. 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 interrupting Ralph. Trixie interrupts Ralph's rehearsal so many times, that Ralph yells: "SHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT UP!" He motions 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 because 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 Raccoon 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 in terms of greeting members, and obviously members in later episodes.
Credit I think goes to (the original) Bill's 'Mooners Archives, eBay.com, tv.com, Honeymooners Lost Episodes Book, tvguide.com, honeymooners.net, Honeymooners Lost Episodes DVD booklet, Wikipedia.org, Yahoo Groups You're A Riot! & Amazon.com.
Episode #55 (syndicated episode #86)
TV: Attached to "Glow Worm Cleaning Powder."
VCR: On some tapes, it is attached to "Stars Over Flatbush." On some tapes, it is attached to “Stars Over Flatbush”, “The Adoption” & “Ralph’s Diet.”
DVD: Attached to "Stand-In For Murder" & "Box Top Kid." On the Lost Episodes DVD Box Set, it is attached to “Guest Speaker”, “Vacation At Fred’s Landing” (’53 version), “Sprained Thumb” (’53 version), “Lucky Number”, “Hot Dog Stand”, “Two Tickets To The Fight”, “Halloween Party” (’53 version), “Champagne & Caviar” & “Letter To The Boss” (’53 version)
Air Date: Sat. 6/6/53
A cop knocks on Alice's door and warns her that a prowler is in the building but he's going to watch out for him. Alice is too nervous to go to sleep so she wakes up Ralph. Ralph wakes up and Alice explains that a crook is in the building and she is too nervous to go to sleep. Ralph: "Why don't you ask your mother to stay up with you? She knows a lot about men coming into the house this late at night. Ask your father."
Ralph gets the dresser and chairs and piles it up against the door. Ralph: "I do more work at night then most people do all day." Sure, you do Ralph. Someone knocks on the door and Ralph and Alice think it's the prowler so Ralph gets his old gun and tells Alice that if something happens to him, she would be covered. He is leaving all of the things in the apartment to her in his will. Alice should have sarcastically said: "Gee, thanks Ralph." The person who knocks on the door is Norton. So Ralph opens the door to let him in. Ed: "I just thought I would come by and tell you to pile up things against the door." Ralph: "Thank you but I already have done that." Ed: "How did I get in?" Ed is so stupid. Alice says that Ed should be upstairs protecting Trixie.
Another knock is heard so Ed thinking it’s the prowler yells: "HEY, GO AWAY!" It's Trixie. Trixie comes in and Alice says she gave them an awful scare. Ed replies: "That's okay Alice. She always looks like this in the morning." Ha! Trixie sys that Ed should have been upstairs protecting her. Ed says that he would but he heard the footsteps, thinking it's the prowler. Ralph says that it was Trixie. Ed: "Trixie is the prowler?" Ralph: "You are a mental case." Ed and Trixie leave.
Alice gives Ralph a cup of water and it is really hot. The water looks to be soapy. How could that happen? Ralph: "3am and we get hot water. During the day it's ice cold." Ralph says that as long as he's with Alice, nothing can happen to her just as the prowler is coming through the window (even though there is no fire escape that is visible.) Why would a thief come into a place where the lights are on? Ralph: "Just relax. Relax. Relax..." The prowler hits Ralph on the head. Ralph is unconscious. Alice notices the prowler and screams. The policeman comes by and nabs the prowler. Later on, Ralph regains consciousness. Ralph: "...Just relax. Relax. Relax." Ralph says something about his old gun and how there was no way it could have harmed anybody. Ralph accidentally hits the trigger and the gun makes such a noise that it stuns Ralph. Ralph: "You are married to the prize dope of all times." They hug.
When I saw this episode for the first time, I was laughing my head off and immediately assumed that it was going to be a good 30-minute episode. (This was before I found out that fifteen minute Honeymooners sketches were made.) I was disappointed when I saw the ending come at the fifteen minute mark.
Episode #56 (Syndicated episode #51)
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 episodes as well as other Jackie Gleason clips.) On the Lost Episodes DVD Box Set, it is attached to “Prowler”, “Vacation At Fred’s Landing” (’53 version), “Sprained Thumb” (’53 version), “Lucky Number”, “Hot Dog Stand”, “Two Tickets To The Fight”, “Halloween Party” (’53 version), “Champagne & Caviar” & “Letter To The Boss” (’53 version).
Air Date: Sat. 6/13/53
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 notices 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 Sergeant 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 procrastinating. 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 interrupting Ralph. Trixie interrupts Ralph's rehearsal so many times, that Ralph yells: "SHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT UP!" He motions 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 because 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 Raccoon 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 in terms of greeting members, and obviously members in later episodes.
Credit I think goes to (the original) Bill's 'Mooners Archives, eBay.com, tv.com, Honeymooners Lost Episodes Book, tvguide.com, honeymooners.net, Honeymooners Lost Episodes DVD booklet, Wikipedia.org, Yahoo Groups You're A Riot! & Amazon.com.