Frank Gannucci
05-30-2017, 07:49 AM
Honeymooners Episode Reviews: "Champagne & Caviar" & "Letter To The Boss" ('53):
Episode #63 (Syndicated episode #102)
TV: Attached to "What's Her Name."
VCR: Attached to "Love Letter." (On some tapes, it is attached to "Finger Man.")
DVD: Attached to "Finger Man", "New Year's Eve Party" and "Two-Family Car." On the Lost Episodes DVD Box Set, it is attached to “Prowler”, “Guest Speaker”, “Sprained Thumb”, “Lucky Number”, “Vacation At Fred’s Landing” (’53 version), “Hot Dog Stand”, “Two Tickets To The Fight”, “Halloween Party” (’53 version), & “Letter To The Boss” (’53 version).
Air Date: Sat. 11/7/53
I found out that this episode is attached to two different tapes when I went to my friend's house and he has a tape that has "Finger Man" and "Champaign and Caviar" on it. It was a tape that of course you could have bought in a video store, not one that was recorded by one person if you know what I mean.
This episode starts off with Alice and Trixie in the kitchen. Alice explains to Trixie that Ralph's boss, Mr. Marshall is coming for dinner. Ralph gets home with even more food. He is going to do the extreme to impress his boss because he wants a raise and a promotion. Ralph bought some caviar and champagne for his boss. Ralph learns that Ed and Trixie are going to the movies. He doesn't want Ed around when Mr. Marshall arrives. Alice says that she is surprised because Ed would go to the ends of the earth for Ralph.
Ed Norton comes down and says that his is thinking of taking Trixie are thinking about going to the movies or staying down here. Ralph: "Oh no! Go to the movies." It is apparent that Ralph doesn't want Ed around. Ed learns that Ralph's boss is coming over and what Ralph wants out of his boss. Ed looks at the bottle of wine and notices that it was made in 1933 or something. Regardless, it's old. Ed says that Ralph should have bought some more modern wine. Ed: "Why didn't you get some 1953 (the year that this episode was made) wine." Ralph says that the year on that bottle was a good year for wine, that's why. Ed leaves, but as he leaves, he says to Ralph: "You are one of the people that make America great." Let's see. Ralph is an ordinary citizen like you and me and Ed thinks that he is one of the people that makes America great? Especially when America has a lot more people that are of special significance to America. Plus, doesn't Ed know how Ralph can get?
There's a knock on the door. Thinking that that's his boss, Ralph instructs Alice to open the door while he reads the paper in the chair that's facing the ice box. It's Ed Norton. He needs a quarter to go to the movies. Alice goes into the bedroom to get a quarter but can't find any. Ralph goes in the bedroom to get a quarter. Ralph's boss comes down. His boss is played by a much different character. In the latter years, he would be played by a much different character. As Ed and Mr. Marshall talk, Ralph comes out. Ralph: "We don't have a quarter in the..." (seeing the boss): "....whorrrr Mr. Marshall."
Mr. Marshall asks Ed where he works. Ed says that he works in the sewer and that he was lucky to get a job there. Maybe Ralph was right about not letting Ed come down while the boss was here because Ed is embarrassing Ralph. Ed Norton leaves. Alice, Ralph and Mr. Marshall have dinner as Ralph and Mr. Marshall talk about the bus company. One of the things that Ralph says is that he would have used that complaint box yesterday but it was full. Mr. Marshall then asks Ralph how much does he make. Ralph makes $62 a week. Upon hearing that, Mr. Marshall says with the way that Ralph lives, eating champagne and caviar, smoking cigars, he doesn't need a raise and promotion. In fact, all the other people who make $62 a week can live just as good. So, he doesn't think that giving raises would be necessary to those people and he is going to let Ralph (and the other people who make just as much money as Ralph) at $46 a week. Yes, the actor who played the boss made a blooper. When he leaves, Ralph covers his blooper by saying he makes $46 a week after taxes. Ralph apologizes to Alice. Alice says that now that they have some caviar, she would like some. Ralph and Alice kiss and hug.
Episode #64 (Syndicated episode #54)
TV: Half-hour (edited)
VCR: Attached to "Suspense" & "Dinner Guest." On the Reader’s Digest tapes, it is attached to “Norton Movies In”, “Pickles” & “New Year’s Eve Party.”
DVD: Attached to "Suspense", "Dinner Guest" & "Ralph Kramden's Greatest Schemes." (On “The Very Best of The Honeymooners" DVD, this episode, for whatever reason, is attached to Jackie Gleason's Honeybloopers Volumes 1 & 2 & “The Wit & Wisdom of Ed Norton”). On the Lost Episodes DVD Box Set, it is attached to “Prowler”, “Guest Speaker”, “Sprained Thumb”, “Lucky Number”, “Vacation At Fred’s Landing” (’53 version), “Hot Dog Stand”, “Two Tickets To The Fight”, “Halloween Party” (’53 version), & “Champagne & Caviar.”
Air Date: Sat. 11/14/53
Alice is home and Trixie stops by to borrow a cup. Alice is taking out the right sleeves in Ralph's underwear. His right arm gets hot in the bus. His left one doesn't, because that's the arm he puts out the window. After Alice and Trixie make plans, Trixie leaves. I should point out that many years ago on the Honeymooners.net message board; somebody wrote that when they were in a kid in the 70s, they remember reading a script or a part of a script from this episode. Ralph come home and says that he's not hungry because he's just been fired from the bus company after nine years. Wait, in the last season, didn't Ralph say he worked for the bus company for 12 years? Ralph complains about all the inconveniences he had to put up with as a driver like drunks trying to get on the bus without paying, old women yelling at him etc. Alice: "Don't worry Ralph.' You'll get another job." Ralph: "Sure, I will but not a good one like this one." Ha! I should point out that during this scene you can hear a man's voice laughing in the studio audience sometimes Ralph says something funny. Ralph: "We'll have to change our style of living, that's all. Move out of here into a cheap apartment." You can hear that man's voice in the studio audience laughing again. Ralph: "Get rid of this furniture and get some second-hand stuff." There goes that man's laughing again. Ralph says to Alice that they will have to live of whatever money they have. Alice: "Swell. That will take care for tonight, but what about tomorrow?" Ha!
Ralph mentions that they should live with Alice's parents for the time being but Alice nixes that idea. He also brings up some job ads listed in the paper, but they are all for women. Ralph mentions that he only finished his schooling after the sixth grade. It would have been worse if he continued his schooling because it would be embarrassing if he, as a college graduate, being fired from a bus company. Ed Norton comes down, expecting to go bowling. Ralph says that he lost his job. Ed tries to cheer Ralph up, but only makes Ralph feel worse. Ralph hits on the idea that he will write a nasty letter to Mr. J.J. Marshall. Alice objects but her opinion falls on deaf ears. Ralph tells Norton to write what Ralph says. Here is the letter:
"Dear Mr. Marshall:
You dirty bum! You are a miserable low-life. You ought to turn in your membership card to the human race. After nine years of loyal service, I can truthfully say that you are the world's meanest man. You dirty bum!"
MPI Video says that this is a classic Kramden letter. Honeymooners.net said that the line of: "You dirty bum!" is delivered with such conviction that it looks like Ralph invented the insult for the occasion. This should to be shown to every getting a job-related class under the heading: "What not to write to your boss after you get fired." Both claims are probably correct.
Ralph: "Sign it! ’Respectfully yours: Etc. Etc.'" Ed goes out to mail the letter and says that he could get Ralph a job in the sewer. All he has to do is pass the floating test. Ha! Ed leaves. Ralph says to Alice that he used to get little kids on the bus and that he would let them pretend that they are driving the bus. Ralph: "Wait a minute! It's probably one of those brats that is taking my job." Freddie Muller comes by and says that Ralph hasn't been fired, but promoted. Ralph leaves to go get Ed before he mails the letter.
At the bowling alley, Ed fools around the custodian. He says that since he forgot to mail the letter and asks the custodian to mail it. What does the custodian get in return? Ed trying very hard not to litter the floor. Ha! When this episode is shown on TV, this scene as well as the next one have been taking out along with a couple of other things. That's like half the episode. Ralph comes in and finds out that his letter has been mailed and is worried that he will be really fired. Ed: "If he fires, you, send him another nasty letter." Ha! Ed is wearing his traditional Ed Norton outfit but he's wearing a longer, buttoned shirt. Ralph hatches a plan to get the letter. Ed: "What do I get in return?" Ralph: "That's a very selfish thing to say after what I did for you. Remember that race last year? You needed money to bet on that horse." Ed: "You didn't give me the money?" Ralph: "Yeah, the horse lost didn't he?" But when a policeman hears it, Ralph and Ed lie to him saying that they are rehearsing for a play. Ed (to the policeman): "Remember that 3rd grade class play and you were a tree?" Ralph says that he will give the policeman tickets. He leaves. Ed says that they have to get his address so they can send him the tickets. Ralph: "Only I have got a bosom friend like this."
They go outside to get the letter out of the mailbox. Ralph tells Ed to keep a look out in case someone comes by. Ed: "If you are worried about people seeing you getting a letter out of there, how do you think they will react when they see you climbing into it?" Ralph: "Boy, would I love to put one right through." In other words, he wanted to punch Ed. Ed has a solution; he can't get the letter out. Ralph tries to get the letter out, but Ed says that someone is coming. Ed was just practicing to say that, so Ralph gets angry with him.
A mailman comes by and sees Ralph and Ed having the box almost upside-down so Ralph tries to cover it up. The mailman gets the mail out of the box and the custodian comes by and says that he just gave the letter that Ed gave him to the mailman.
The next day, Ralph tries to get the letter before his boss reads it. I guess the mail travels that fast in The Honeymooners. He fails and the boss reads Ralph's letter. He doesn't mind the insults because he always gets them but becomes mad when the author didn't sign his name. Ralph happily faints.
At home, Ralph plans to go to the Royal Chinese Gardens and explains Alice the good news. Ed comes down to explain the fact that he went down and said Ralph didn't mean all of those insults that he wrote in the letter. He felt he had to do it out of niceness. Ed: "Whenever you are in trouble, Ed Norton lives upstairs." Ralph faints in a break-dance like style.
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 #63 (Syndicated episode #102)
TV: Attached to "What's Her Name."
VCR: Attached to "Love Letter." (On some tapes, it is attached to "Finger Man.")
DVD: Attached to "Finger Man", "New Year's Eve Party" and "Two-Family Car." On the Lost Episodes DVD Box Set, it is attached to “Prowler”, “Guest Speaker”, “Sprained Thumb”, “Lucky Number”, “Vacation At Fred’s Landing” (’53 version), “Hot Dog Stand”, “Two Tickets To The Fight”, “Halloween Party” (’53 version), & “Letter To The Boss” (’53 version).
Air Date: Sat. 11/7/53
I found out that this episode is attached to two different tapes when I went to my friend's house and he has a tape that has "Finger Man" and "Champaign and Caviar" on it. It was a tape that of course you could have bought in a video store, not one that was recorded by one person if you know what I mean.
This episode starts off with Alice and Trixie in the kitchen. Alice explains to Trixie that Ralph's boss, Mr. Marshall is coming for dinner. Ralph gets home with even more food. He is going to do the extreme to impress his boss because he wants a raise and a promotion. Ralph bought some caviar and champagne for his boss. Ralph learns that Ed and Trixie are going to the movies. He doesn't want Ed around when Mr. Marshall arrives. Alice says that she is surprised because Ed would go to the ends of the earth for Ralph.
Ed Norton comes down and says that his is thinking of taking Trixie are thinking about going to the movies or staying down here. Ralph: "Oh no! Go to the movies." It is apparent that Ralph doesn't want Ed around. Ed learns that Ralph's boss is coming over and what Ralph wants out of his boss. Ed looks at the bottle of wine and notices that it was made in 1933 or something. Regardless, it's old. Ed says that Ralph should have bought some more modern wine. Ed: "Why didn't you get some 1953 (the year that this episode was made) wine." Ralph says that the year on that bottle was a good year for wine, that's why. Ed leaves, but as he leaves, he says to Ralph: "You are one of the people that make America great." Let's see. Ralph is an ordinary citizen like you and me and Ed thinks that he is one of the people that makes America great? Especially when America has a lot more people that are of special significance to America. Plus, doesn't Ed know how Ralph can get?
There's a knock on the door. Thinking that that's his boss, Ralph instructs Alice to open the door while he reads the paper in the chair that's facing the ice box. It's Ed Norton. He needs a quarter to go to the movies. Alice goes into the bedroom to get a quarter but can't find any. Ralph goes in the bedroom to get a quarter. Ralph's boss comes down. His boss is played by a much different character. In the latter years, he would be played by a much different character. As Ed and Mr. Marshall talk, Ralph comes out. Ralph: "We don't have a quarter in the..." (seeing the boss): "....whorrrr Mr. Marshall."
Mr. Marshall asks Ed where he works. Ed says that he works in the sewer and that he was lucky to get a job there. Maybe Ralph was right about not letting Ed come down while the boss was here because Ed is embarrassing Ralph. Ed Norton leaves. Alice, Ralph and Mr. Marshall have dinner as Ralph and Mr. Marshall talk about the bus company. One of the things that Ralph says is that he would have used that complaint box yesterday but it was full. Mr. Marshall then asks Ralph how much does he make. Ralph makes $62 a week. Upon hearing that, Mr. Marshall says with the way that Ralph lives, eating champagne and caviar, smoking cigars, he doesn't need a raise and promotion. In fact, all the other people who make $62 a week can live just as good. So, he doesn't think that giving raises would be necessary to those people and he is going to let Ralph (and the other people who make just as much money as Ralph) at $46 a week. Yes, the actor who played the boss made a blooper. When he leaves, Ralph covers his blooper by saying he makes $46 a week after taxes. Ralph apologizes to Alice. Alice says that now that they have some caviar, she would like some. Ralph and Alice kiss and hug.
Episode #64 (Syndicated episode #54)
TV: Half-hour (edited)
VCR: Attached to "Suspense" & "Dinner Guest." On the Reader’s Digest tapes, it is attached to “Norton Movies In”, “Pickles” & “New Year’s Eve Party.”
DVD: Attached to "Suspense", "Dinner Guest" & "Ralph Kramden's Greatest Schemes." (On “The Very Best of The Honeymooners" DVD, this episode, for whatever reason, is attached to Jackie Gleason's Honeybloopers Volumes 1 & 2 & “The Wit & Wisdom of Ed Norton”). On the Lost Episodes DVD Box Set, it is attached to “Prowler”, “Guest Speaker”, “Sprained Thumb”, “Lucky Number”, “Vacation At Fred’s Landing” (’53 version), “Hot Dog Stand”, “Two Tickets To The Fight”, “Halloween Party” (’53 version), & “Champagne & Caviar.”
Air Date: Sat. 11/14/53
Alice is home and Trixie stops by to borrow a cup. Alice is taking out the right sleeves in Ralph's underwear. His right arm gets hot in the bus. His left one doesn't, because that's the arm he puts out the window. After Alice and Trixie make plans, Trixie leaves. I should point out that many years ago on the Honeymooners.net message board; somebody wrote that when they were in a kid in the 70s, they remember reading a script or a part of a script from this episode. Ralph come home and says that he's not hungry because he's just been fired from the bus company after nine years. Wait, in the last season, didn't Ralph say he worked for the bus company for 12 years? Ralph complains about all the inconveniences he had to put up with as a driver like drunks trying to get on the bus without paying, old women yelling at him etc. Alice: "Don't worry Ralph.' You'll get another job." Ralph: "Sure, I will but not a good one like this one." Ha! I should point out that during this scene you can hear a man's voice laughing in the studio audience sometimes Ralph says something funny. Ralph: "We'll have to change our style of living, that's all. Move out of here into a cheap apartment." You can hear that man's voice in the studio audience laughing again. Ralph: "Get rid of this furniture and get some second-hand stuff." There goes that man's laughing again. Ralph says to Alice that they will have to live of whatever money they have. Alice: "Swell. That will take care for tonight, but what about tomorrow?" Ha!
Ralph mentions that they should live with Alice's parents for the time being but Alice nixes that idea. He also brings up some job ads listed in the paper, but they are all for women. Ralph mentions that he only finished his schooling after the sixth grade. It would have been worse if he continued his schooling because it would be embarrassing if he, as a college graduate, being fired from a bus company. Ed Norton comes down, expecting to go bowling. Ralph says that he lost his job. Ed tries to cheer Ralph up, but only makes Ralph feel worse. Ralph hits on the idea that he will write a nasty letter to Mr. J.J. Marshall. Alice objects but her opinion falls on deaf ears. Ralph tells Norton to write what Ralph says. Here is the letter:
"Dear Mr. Marshall:
You dirty bum! You are a miserable low-life. You ought to turn in your membership card to the human race. After nine years of loyal service, I can truthfully say that you are the world's meanest man. You dirty bum!"
MPI Video says that this is a classic Kramden letter. Honeymooners.net said that the line of: "You dirty bum!" is delivered with such conviction that it looks like Ralph invented the insult for the occasion. This should to be shown to every getting a job-related class under the heading: "What not to write to your boss after you get fired." Both claims are probably correct.
Ralph: "Sign it! ’Respectfully yours: Etc. Etc.'" Ed goes out to mail the letter and says that he could get Ralph a job in the sewer. All he has to do is pass the floating test. Ha! Ed leaves. Ralph says to Alice that he used to get little kids on the bus and that he would let them pretend that they are driving the bus. Ralph: "Wait a minute! It's probably one of those brats that is taking my job." Freddie Muller comes by and says that Ralph hasn't been fired, but promoted. Ralph leaves to go get Ed before he mails the letter.
At the bowling alley, Ed fools around the custodian. He says that since he forgot to mail the letter and asks the custodian to mail it. What does the custodian get in return? Ed trying very hard not to litter the floor. Ha! When this episode is shown on TV, this scene as well as the next one have been taking out along with a couple of other things. That's like half the episode. Ralph comes in and finds out that his letter has been mailed and is worried that he will be really fired. Ed: "If he fires, you, send him another nasty letter." Ha! Ed is wearing his traditional Ed Norton outfit but he's wearing a longer, buttoned shirt. Ralph hatches a plan to get the letter. Ed: "What do I get in return?" Ralph: "That's a very selfish thing to say after what I did for you. Remember that race last year? You needed money to bet on that horse." Ed: "You didn't give me the money?" Ralph: "Yeah, the horse lost didn't he?" But when a policeman hears it, Ralph and Ed lie to him saying that they are rehearsing for a play. Ed (to the policeman): "Remember that 3rd grade class play and you were a tree?" Ralph says that he will give the policeman tickets. He leaves. Ed says that they have to get his address so they can send him the tickets. Ralph: "Only I have got a bosom friend like this."
They go outside to get the letter out of the mailbox. Ralph tells Ed to keep a look out in case someone comes by. Ed: "If you are worried about people seeing you getting a letter out of there, how do you think they will react when they see you climbing into it?" Ralph: "Boy, would I love to put one right through." In other words, he wanted to punch Ed. Ed has a solution; he can't get the letter out. Ralph tries to get the letter out, but Ed says that someone is coming. Ed was just practicing to say that, so Ralph gets angry with him.
A mailman comes by and sees Ralph and Ed having the box almost upside-down so Ralph tries to cover it up. The mailman gets the mail out of the box and the custodian comes by and says that he just gave the letter that Ed gave him to the mailman.
The next day, Ralph tries to get the letter before his boss reads it. I guess the mail travels that fast in The Honeymooners. He fails and the boss reads Ralph's letter. He doesn't mind the insults because he always gets them but becomes mad when the author didn't sign his name. Ralph happily faints.
At home, Ralph plans to go to the Royal Chinese Gardens and explains Alice the good news. Ed comes down to explain the fact that he went down and said Ralph didn't mean all of those insults that he wrote in the letter. He felt he had to do it out of niceness. Ed: "Whenever you are in trouble, Ed Norton lives upstairs." Ralph faints in a break-dance like style.
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.