Frank Gannucci
09-07-2018, 07:42 AM
Honeymooners Episode Reviews: "Two Faces of Ralph Kramden" & "The Main Event":
Episode #196 (Syndicated episode #25)
TV: Hour-long musical (edited.)
DVD: Attached to "The Main Event" & "To Whomever It May Concern." On the Best of Color Episodes DVD, it is attached to “Be It Ever So Humble”, “Sun & Raccoon Capital” & “Double Trouble.”
Color Episode Title: "Two Faces of Ralph Kramden."
Lost Episode Title: "Stand-In For Murder."
Air Date: 11/18/67
"Two Faces of Ralph Kramden":
Out of all the Color Honeymooners episodes, this remade one was probably the most important one even though there are a lot of differences between this episode and the lost episode version (especially the ending.) When the first version of this lost episode version of this aired, only the studio audience saw the ending of this episode. As Leonard Stern recalls, the show had not ended by nine o 'clock and without explanation CBS just cut away from the sketch before it finished. "There was so much laughter we ran out of time before the solution,'' he says. ''The television audience was left up in the air. Each of the major dailies, certainly the tabloids, did stories on it, speculating how it would end. It made page two, page one, in each of the New York newspapers. The following week Gleason, who never did superb monologues, tried to explain this convoluted story on the air so the audience would have satisfaction. In so doing, he took up so much time that they ran over again." Back in the 50s, it was common place for shows not to run overtime I guess. In 1969, what became known as "The Heidi Game", the NY Jets took on the Oakland Raiders. The game went past 7p. Since NBC was contractually by Timex to show the movie "Heidi" at 7p, they showed the movie instead which caused a HUGE outcry and caused a rule to be made that games be televised to their conclusion. Oh my! Can you imagine what would happen if NBC did that same thing with a new episode of SNL? Imagine the backlash. By the way, when I went to the Museum of TV and Radio in 1998, I saw the Honeymooners Reunion special in which Audrey talked about this whole scenario but after they showed Ralph saying: "So that's why she called me Harry." A knock on the door is heard. Ralph answers it and the announcer says (with the Jackie Gleason Production logo on the screen): "This has been a Jackie Gleason Production." By the way, if you get the lost episode on DVD and VHS, you will not get the ending that was not shown to the TV audience. Bummer! Another thing, many people think one of the reasons for that in addition to being CBS' fault, it was the blooper in which Art Carney couldn't escape out of the apartment thus delaying the ending by a few seconds. Somehow, I doubt that it was completely the fault of Art not being able to open the door. Yet another thing, when this episode was redone again as a lost episode, they managed to get it done on time but this episode was not the one chosen for syndication as well as VHS release (in the 80s) & DVD release (n the early 2000s.) It was finally released on the Best of The Lost Episodes in 2011 as well as the Lost Episodes DVD box Set that was released in 2011.
Another episode that I know is a rare color 16mm print or was taped from CBS in ’71 or in the 60s. I can tell because I did a tape trade with Videowhack in early 2007 before this episode was released.
Finally, the episode. In the beginning, one of the Gleason girls says that Barbara Nickels, Robert Strauss and Bruce Gordon will star in this episode. This episode opens up with a shot of the inside of the Kitty Kat Klub. We finally get to see what the inside of that place looks like, I guess. The girls sing and dance to: "Daddy Buy Me Some More." As they finish, one of the girls (who is really ugly) asks a man when they are going to South America like Sam promised. The man says that Sam can't take them anywhere as long as Bugsy Malone and his gang are out to get him. Woman: "I said to Sam: `Make Love. Not War.'" She goes up to the hideout. Ralph Kramden enters and asks if he can use the phone since his bus broke down. He says sure. He looks at him and sees something strange. Another man enters and the audience applauds (he probably is Robert Strauss).They both see that he looks a lot like Sam. They bring out Sam. (Sam is played by Jackie Gleason in a dual role.) Sam sees Ralph in the "phone booth." Sam: "He's me. A little fatter of course." Sam thinks up a plan. They will get Ralph to dress up like him. Bugsy's boys will kill him and then they will be off to South America. Sam identifies the smaller man as Harry (the person who came in and when he did, the audience applauded him.) Sam says to Harry that he will have to know what he does and that he likes the way he treats people and their personality. Sam: "Tell him that you might have an opening in your organization. Of course, don't tell him the name of the organization. Make it legit, like the insurance business. If he wants the job, report back to me and I will tell you what to do." Sam goes to get Kitty (the ugly woman) and will see them at the hideout. Harry leaves. Bugsy's boys as well as Bugsy (I guess he was played by Bruce Gordon.) He asks for big Sam. The man, frightened, says he doesn't know. Bugsy: "If I see his face, I will kill him." Bugsy and his boys leave. Ralph thanks the guy for letting him use his phone. Noise is heard and the man thinks that Ralph may have been killed. Ralph comes back inside and asks if he can use his phone again because two of his tires blew out.
At the Kramden apartment, Alice is busy doing knitting something. Ed comes down. Alice asks if Trixie has blue thread upstairs. Ed checks the different color patches on his shirt to make sure. (The patches were covered by his vest. His shirt is otherwise white.) Alice goes upstairs. Ed then drinks some milk from the milk bottle and then puts water in the milk to make it seem like milk hasn't been consumed by a thief. He did the same thing in "A Little Man Who Wasn't There." Ralph comes home. He asks what Ed has been doing. Ed responds by saying he didn't do anything, so Ralph says that he has been stealing milk again. As Ralph is getting bread for a sandwich, he asks Ed for a sandwich. Ed: "Thank you. It won't spoil my supper because I already ate." Ralph says that after he got back on his route, one person offered him the job. Ed starts to make himself a big sandwich. Ralph (yells): "WAIT A MINUTE!" Ed: "I skipped my dessert." The man offered him a job of being an insurance executive of an insurance company. Ed talks about a similar situation that happened to him about someone offering him a better job than the one he had. That is how he got his job in the sewer. Ha! Harry comes by. Ralph: "The first time I saw you, I knew that you were honest and sincere." Gee, how gullible are Ralph & Ed? Harry says that Ralph has been hired already and Ralph believes it. Gee, how gullible are Ralph & Ed? Harry explains the duties and offers him $600 a week and already offers him the week salary in advance. Ralph & Ed, being stupid, still believe them. Ralph says that he will have to kill himself in order to do a good job. Harry says: "On this job, you won't have to kill yourself. Everything is taken care off for you. You are now the boss of the Eastern district of our insurance company." Harry says that the president will tell Ralph the insurance business in a short time. Harry then says that tomorrow morning; his new limo will take him to his new Park Avenue apartment. Alice can't stay with Ralph for the first days because the president will be in town and having Alice around will make the situation worse. He says that Alice will move in about a month. Harry introduces Ralph & Ed the secret knock. Harry: "There is another insurance company bothering us." Ed asks Ralph for a job. Ralph: "What qualifications do you have for selling?" Ed: "I never drove a bus." Ralph asks Ed to stop by tomorrow. Ralph doesn't know the name of the insurance company. They sing: "Open Up And Opportunity Knocks." As Ralph & Ed look like they are knocking on something, a knocking noise is heard.
At the hideout, Sam identifies one of is henchmen that was earlier threatened by Bugsy as Bruno. He gives Kitty some money to get some new clothes when they go to South America. Kitty isn't in on the plan to knock off a guy that looks like Sam. Sam goes into the bedroom. Bruno comes in and tells Sam to stay in the bedroom. He lets Ralph in. Ralph: "This apartment looks better than mine when it was brand new." Bruno lets Ralph see the bedroom. Ralph: "Since we are going to be living here, I may need to get my wife some new clothes." Bruno: "Don't worry about it. All she will need is a black dress." The phone rings as Bruno directs Ralph to his room. Bruno answers the phone and tells Harry (who is on the other line) that he can get things rolling. Sam comes out. Ed knocks on the door and Bruno lets him in. Ed talks to the boss thinking that it is Ralph. He even takes the bosses hat and "improves" it. That's funny. Ed goes into the kitchen. Ralph leaves just as Harry comes in. Harry says to Bugsy that he is on their side and will help them kill Sam. They are going to put Ralph in the apartment as bait and when he opens up the blinds that will be the signal for the Bugsy's mob to shoot and kill. Harry says that they will call Kramden and tell him to open the blinds and look at his new convertible. Ralph comes out with his new clothes on. The two henchmen leave. Incidentally, the henchmen didn't think that Ralph not only looks like his boss but SOUNDS like him too. Ed emerges from the kitchen. Ralph asks him when he got here. Ed says that he was just talking to him. Ralph: "I guess I didn't hear you." The phone rings and its Nick. He says that they just got Ralph a new car. Ralph goes to the window to open the blinds but changes his mind when Ed says that they can view it outside. They leave and slam the door which causes the blinds to open and the mob from across the street (which incidentally is the Hackett mob) starts shooting. I don't know how they did that without using real bullets. After the shooting ends, Ralph comes back to get his hat. Amazingly, Ralph & Ed supposedly didn't hear the shooting.
I should mention that since the copy of this episode was either recorded in the late 60s or early 70s or was a rare color 16 mm print, I got the middle commercial break bumper when one of the Gleason Girls says: "Stay tuned for more of the Jackie Gleason Show." He also recorded the end commercial bumper in which the same girl says: "Welcome back to the Jackie Gleason Show." These bumpers were not shown on Youtoo America.
At the restaurant room of Bugsy's hideout, Bugsy rips his henchmen for not killing Sam. Bugsy: "With the way he's built, I don't know how you could have missed him." He tells his men to leave. Bugsy leaves the room along with the bartender when he sees Ralph & Ed. Ralph & Ed arrive at Bugsy's so he can "sell him insurance." A bug is buzzing and Ed is trying to swat it. The bug's buzzing is so loud that you can tell it's not a real bug that is buzzing. The bartender comes back in. Ed finally gets the bug with his hand that startles the bartender to get Bugsy. (He was afraid that Ralph and/or Ed were going to kill him if he didn't give them Bugsy and didn't know Ed was swatting a bug.) When Bugsy walks in, he is ready for a showdown with his archenemy looking for a showdown but Ralph is clueless. They sit down. Ed: "Later on, he (Ralph) might let me take a shot at you." Bugsy's gang is shown to Ralph and Bugsy calls him his boys. Ralph: "Lovely family." Bugsy: "They were going to see you today." Ralph: "Sorry, I missed you." Bugsy: "They won't miss you tonight." Bugsy says that they will take care of Ralph. He asks them to stand up. Ralph reaches into his jacket and everyone thinks he is getting his gun. Ralph: "All I wanted was to give you a cigar." Bugsy and his gang stand up and show their guns. Bugsy: "Get moving. We are all going in my limo and we will all take you for a little ride." They leave.
They arrive at the hideout. Ralph & Ed are still being held at gunpoint. Ralph says that he is not Sam and he is now an insurance executive. Ed does his best James Cagney impression. That doesn't work. Ralph: "If I was Sam, I wouldn't have a nut like that working for me. I showed you my driver's license." Bugsy: "That could be a phony." Bugsy still isn't 100% convinced that he is Bugsy. Bugsy: "I promised my mom, I wouldn't kill an innocent man." Ralph: "You are a fine man." A knock on the door is heard. They leave to go to the bedroom just as Bugsy says that if Ralph spills the beans, Ed and Ralph will get shot as well as the person who knocked at the door. Ralph gets the door and it's Alice. Alice says that the place is a mess. He asks her to get out. Alice isn't happy that Ralph is kicking her out. Ralph shows her the door. Ralph: "I have a business appointment." Kitty is at the door and thinking that Ralph is Sam, she hugs and kisses him. Alice (imitating Kitty): "So that is your business appointment." Ralph doesn't know Kitty and tries to tell her that. Kitty doesn't believe him. Ralph calls Kitty a nut, so Kitty hits him. A bang is heard when she hit him. Kitty leaves. Alice is upset because she thought that Ralph was cheating on her. She also continues to imitate Kitty's voice. Ralph tries to say the truth. Alice doesn't believe him and says she won't leave. Bugsy and his boys get Alice and put her and Ralph in the bedroom so they can tie them up. This is almost like the scene in "Trapped", only Ralph asked Ed to get out and Ralph wasn't going to get tied in that episode. Bruno and Harry come in and go in the opposite room. Bugsy goes to get more rope. Sam then Gives Bruno and Harry instructions. Barry and Bruno leave. Sam goes into the same room that Harry and Bruno were in moments ago. The phone rings. Bugsy and Sam go to get it. They finally see the fact that they are in the same apartment. The cops come in with Kitty. Kitty thinks Sam double-crossed her. She must have tipped off the cops that he was there. Kitty: "No one two-times me." Sam: "You are a fruitcake." Sam gets caught and leaves with some cops. The rest of the cops rescue the Kramdens and Ed and get Bugsy and his gang. The cop says that he will stop by here later on, so Ed gives him the secret knock. Cop (to Ralph): "You look like someone I saw: Jackie Gleason." Alice somehow, finally got told the truth that Ralph wasn't two-timing her. The Kramdens and Ed don't know what was this all about. Ralph says that from now on, he will stay in his own backyard. They all sing: "I'm Keeping Close To You." Just like in the song "Open Up And Opportunity Knocks" as the people who are singing the song look like they are knocking on something, a knocking noise is heard. Also, during the song, Ralph says that he will never trust a stranger again. Sure.
During the curtain call, Jackie says: "How Sweet It Is". He praises the Miami Beach audience and introduces Shelia and Art. He then says goodnight. He doesn't introduce the supporting cast nor does he explain the significance of this episode.
Episode #197 (Syndicated episode #26)
TV: Hour (edited).
DVD: Attached to "The Two Faces of Ralph Kramden" & "To Whomever It May Concern"
Color Episode Title: "The Main Event."
Lost Episode Title: "The Next Champ."
Air Date: 12/2/67
"The Main Event":
In the intro, Nick Clooney says that Marylyn Gleason's favorite Jackie Gleason movie was "Gigot." (pronounced Geego) Jackie played the death mute in the movie. During this intro, fire engine sirens are heard. Oh boy.
The June Taylor Dancers enter an ice cream shop and I believe sing and dance to a song that has something to do with ice cream. After that, they leave. Ralph and Ed enter the soda shop before bowling. Ed orders a Cherry Fosate Dash of Wintergreen. I think that is what he ordered. Ralph says that he has to take off some weight. He orders a bowl of peach ice cream with some chocolate fudge and marshmallow sauce. (He will make up those calories tomorrow when he doesn't have any grapefruit. What? Was that a blooper on the part of Jackie?) Ed says that Ralph is 255 pounds of willpower. Dynamite Moran from Altoona comes by. He has come to New York to make it big. He needs a manager. Ed says that Dynamite KOed his first opponents in 15 seconds and 12 seconds respectively in the first round. Ralph: "That 12 seconds must be a record." Ralph says that KO must have been a record. If it was in real life, then Mike Tyson broke that record in 1988 by KOing his opponent in 2 seconds. Dynamite says that he needs a manager and it has to be someone who knows that he can fight. Ed: "Why don't you get the guy you KOed in 12 seconds?" Dynamite says that the manager that gets him is getting the next champ. Dynamite starts punching in the air. Dynamite shows him his fight clippings. A person across the room is having trouble getting a pack of cigarettes from the vending machine, so Ed hits the machine and nothing happens Ralph hits the machine and nothing happens. Dynamite helps him by punching the machine which helps him get the pack of cigarettes out. Dynamite hit it no harder than Ralph and Ed did. Dynamite says he has to use the phone and call the "Y" to find a place to stay. Ralph then gets his crazy idea of becoming Dynamite's manager. Ralph: "Do you know what a manager and a trainer get of the purse? A third. Do you know what a boxer can get? $300,000 to $400,000 a fight." Ed: "A strong kid like that can fight five or six times a week." Sure, he could. When Dynamite comes back in, he still needs a place to stay. Ralph says that Dynamite can live with him. Ralph says that Alice will love for him to bring a friend home. Ed: "Ralph, are you sill married to Alice?" Alice will like the fact that another person is coming to live with them, will she? Ralph then says that he will become his manager and Norton will train him and he will live with Ralph. Ralph says that he will get Dynamite a fight. Ed: "I think you will get that fight with Alice when she finds out about this." It's a deal. Ralph says that his apartment is 3b. Dynamite gets his stuff. Ralph & Ed sing: "A Sporting World Is A Wonderful World."
Alice is shown in the apartment with cans of food. Trixie comes in and helps Alice out as far as figuring out the males for the week. She says that with prices the way they are, she barely gets by. Given how prices have skyrocketed since then, the prices back then seem pretty good. Ralph comes home with a box of sweets probably because he knows that Alice will not like the idea of him managing a boxer. Alice naturally doesn't. Ralph says that it won't cost money and it will just be a hobby. Ralph says that he will be moving in a half-hour. Alice feels like KOing Ralph when she hears the news. Ralph says that Dynamite will sleep in the kitchen and just have an occasional meal like four or five times a day). Ralph says that all throughout life he wanted to be something in the sports world. He wanted to baseball, but he was to slow. He wanted to play basketball, but he was too short. He wanted to be a jockey, but he was a little too heavy. Alice: "You're too fat to be a horse." Ha! Alice scrimps on Ralph's salary, $85 a week which is not a fortune. (I guess his salary increased because in earlier episodes it was much lower.) Ralph and Alice do more arguing and Ralph starts eating chocolates. Alice goes into the bedroom. Dynamite comes in with his stuff as well as a box of candy for Alice that looks the same as the one Ralph gave her (which is chocolates in a heart-shaped candy box). Ralph: "Alice Dynamite is here." Alice slams the door. Ralph: "She must be asleep."
Ralph & Dynamite arrive at an Italian restaurant in which the waiter is played by George Petrie. Ralph asks Dynamite to sit at the bar while Ralph & Ed get a table. When Ed arrives, Dynamite is to send Ed to Ralph's table. Ralph makes sure he gets the table that is next to the table that Mr. Cosgrov the fight promoter sits at normally. Ed comes in and sits at Ralph's table. Ralph has been trying to get him at his office but to no avail. He is going to do more than talk to him. He is going to show Mr. Cosgrov how good Dynamite is. Mr. Cosgrov is going to have lunch with the toughest fighter there is. His name is "Killer" Cucco. Ed thinks that "Killer" Cucco is a woman. "Killer" is the leading contender for the World's Heavyweight Championship and Dynamite is going to knock him out in the restaurant. Ed says that won't happen because Dynamite won't KO any boy for no good reason. Ralph agrees but if someone called "Killer" a yellow fink, a stumble bum and a punch-drunk powder-puff, he will be mad enough to fight. Then Dynamite will hit him. Ed says if "Killer" hears all those insults, he will be a murderer. Ralph says that Dynamite won't call him those names, but Ed will. What a great friend, huh? Ed is petrified. Ralph says that Dynamite will rescue him before Ed gets hurt. All Ralph has to do is say: "How dare you!" Ed is still scared that he will get killed and that he will run away. Ralph is ashamed of Ed. According to Ralph, "Killer" Cucco's hands are lethal weapons and that he can't hit anybody unless it's a fighter. He read that rule in a story called "Steamboat" Jones vs. The late Mike Dan. Ralph says he won't trade places with Ed because as his manager, he has to uphold his dignity. Ed: "In other words, you are the yellow fink." Ralph (yells): "YOU ARE GOING TO DO IT!" Ed orders some roast turkey, some mashed potatoes, a bottle of champagne, a big cigar and a priest. Mr. Cosgrov, his wife and Killer come in and sit at the table. They order lunch. Unbeknownst to Ralph & Ed, a policeman comes in and orders Dynamite to move his car because it's illegally parked. Dynamite leaves. Oh boy! This is going to throw a wrench into Ralph's plan. Ralph orders Ed to start the fight, but every time Ed does, he gets scared and sits back down. Ralph has had enough and starts to pick the fight on his own. Oh boy! Ralph (seeing how big Cucco is): "My friend says that you are a yellow fink, a stumble bum and a punch-drunk powder puff." Ed says that he didn't. Ralph (yells): "HOW DARE YOU!" Dynamite doesn't come. Mr. Cosgrov stops the fight from happening and says that since Cucco is a fighter, he can't hurt anybody. But Cucco's wife wants to fight Ralph and hits him with her purse. Ralph (yells): "HOW DARE YOU!" Dynamite comes in and "Killer" Cucco greets him. He tells Mr. Cosgrov that Dynamite what a great puncher. Ralph & Ed explain what is going on. Mr. Cosgrov says that he will stop by tomorrow and watch Dynamite train. Ralph says that he has him training at his place. Mr. Cosgrov and his entourage leave. Ralph, Ed & Dynamite sing: "That is What It Takes To Make The Champ." All of them actually step off the set and onto the stage.
The next day, Alice & Trixie go down to the basement of the building. (Dynamite's Training Facility complete with dressing room). Alice & Trixie complain about the amount of food that Dynamite eats. The milk and orange juice he drinks. Dynamite comes in. He just ran around the block several times with Ed. Ralph is more exhausted than the two and he was just counting the laps. Dynamite & Ed must be in real good shape or the block is really short (especially when you consider that Ed said they must have ran around the block 150 times.) Ralph says that it was coming down the steps that made him exhausted. The girls leave. Ed is going to spar with Dynamite but Ed wears a tin head as headgear for protection. Ralph demands him to take it off. Ed puts on the regular headgear. Ed is going to show off some of his boxing fancy footwork. He demonstrates it. The fancy footwork that he has is stupid. Ralph stops him. Ed says that he used that footwork in the Navy and he was the Middleweight Champ but not in the Navy but in Tebow. There were too fat guys and two skinny guys and Ed was bigger than the skinny guys and slimmer than the fat ones. Ralph demands that Ed demonstrate his boxing skills. Ed: "The most important thing is to protect yourself at all times." He tells Ralph to put up his hands and he does. Ed tells Ralph to protect his face. Ralph does and Ed hits him in the stomach. Yeah, just like in "The Bensonhurst Bomber". This scene is such a riot. As a matter of fact, the scene in which Ed punched Ralph in the stomach and Ralph yelling in pain was shown on the Larry King Live Honeymooners Special in 2002. Ed was only trying to teach Dynamite not to trust anybody in the ring. Alice comes down with Mr. Cosgrov. Dynamite goes into his dressing room to put on his trunks. Mr. Cosgrov says that Dynamite is still a little green and to groom a fighter takes a lot of money. Mr. Cosgrov offers Ralph a $1,000 for his contract because he is a sucker for a guy that can punch. Dynamite comes back with his trunks on. Mr. Cosgrov says that he will try to get Dynamite a fight anyway so Ralph declines the money much to Alice's chagrin. Ed spars with Dynamite and accidentally "KOes" him. Of course, you can tell that Art never really hit him that hard. Ralph is upset that Dynamite got KOed by Ed. "Glass jaw" says Mr. Cosgrov. Mr. Cosgrov leaves. Alice takes Dynamite upstairs. Ed apologizes. Ralph is upset. Ralph demands that Ed fight with him and Ed hits Ralph in the stomach again causing Ralph to holler in pain again. Ralph chases Ed out.
The next day, Ralph comes back down to the basement. Dynamite comes back out. His jaw is much better. Dynamite goes back into the dressing room. Alice comes down with stakes. She is steaming mad that Ralph hasn't given up on his idea. Ralph says that Alice can't call him a quitter. Alice: "Sure I can't. But I can call you a bunch of things starting with the letter A. Absolutely nuts. B: Brainless. Coo-Coo..." Ralph says for her to stop. Ralph is now the manager and Dynamite is the trainer of Ed "Tiger" Norton. Ed is now going to be a boxer. He comes out with his hat, tank top and shorts. He starts punching in the air. Ralph, Ed and Dynamite all leave. Dynamite and Ed are going to run outside.
During the curtain call, Jackie says: "How sweet it is!" He drinks his coffee and says in Ralph Kramden fashion: "Wow!" Jackie: "There is nothing like a good cup of coffee after a hard day's work. This coffee is mountain grown you know." It must have been Folgers Coffee. Jackie: "Little still. Way up on the mountains." Jackie praises the Miami Beach audience. Jackie: "The people who write our scripts. Marvin Stone." Yeah, he made a blooper. Jackie: "Marvin Marx, Walter Stone and Rod Parker. Lyn Dudley and Jerry Bressler write the music lyrics." He mentions that people thought he was nuts when he hired a Swedish woman to make the coffee backstage. Jackie introduces Jesse White (the person who played Mr. Cosgrov). He introduces George Petrie (the guy who played the waiter and incidentally Jackie pronounces his last name as Pet-ree. I thought it was pronounced as Peet-ree.) Jackie introduces Peter Palmer (the guy who played "Dynamite"). Jackie of course introduces the regular cast. Art steals the last few minutes of the curtain call by running onto the stage, shaking Gleason's hand, and running to the opposite side of the stage. Everybody in the audience was laughing and the camera zoomed out so much during his introduction that we finally got to see what the edge of the stage looked like back then. Jackie says goodnight.
Credit I believe goes to tv.com, Honeymooners Lost Episodes Book, tvguide.com, honeymooners.net, Honeymooners Box Set booklet Honeymooners Lost Episodes DVD booklet, Yahoo! Groups You’re A Riot! & amazon.com
Episode #196 (Syndicated episode #25)
TV: Hour-long musical (edited.)
DVD: Attached to "The Main Event" & "To Whomever It May Concern." On the Best of Color Episodes DVD, it is attached to “Be It Ever So Humble”, “Sun & Raccoon Capital” & “Double Trouble.”
Color Episode Title: "Two Faces of Ralph Kramden."
Lost Episode Title: "Stand-In For Murder."
Air Date: 11/18/67
"Two Faces of Ralph Kramden":
Out of all the Color Honeymooners episodes, this remade one was probably the most important one even though there are a lot of differences between this episode and the lost episode version (especially the ending.) When the first version of this lost episode version of this aired, only the studio audience saw the ending of this episode. As Leonard Stern recalls, the show had not ended by nine o 'clock and without explanation CBS just cut away from the sketch before it finished. "There was so much laughter we ran out of time before the solution,'' he says. ''The television audience was left up in the air. Each of the major dailies, certainly the tabloids, did stories on it, speculating how it would end. It made page two, page one, in each of the New York newspapers. The following week Gleason, who never did superb monologues, tried to explain this convoluted story on the air so the audience would have satisfaction. In so doing, he took up so much time that they ran over again." Back in the 50s, it was common place for shows not to run overtime I guess. In 1969, what became known as "The Heidi Game", the NY Jets took on the Oakland Raiders. The game went past 7p. Since NBC was contractually by Timex to show the movie "Heidi" at 7p, they showed the movie instead which caused a HUGE outcry and caused a rule to be made that games be televised to their conclusion. Oh my! Can you imagine what would happen if NBC did that same thing with a new episode of SNL? Imagine the backlash. By the way, when I went to the Museum of TV and Radio in 1998, I saw the Honeymooners Reunion special in which Audrey talked about this whole scenario but after they showed Ralph saying: "So that's why she called me Harry." A knock on the door is heard. Ralph answers it and the announcer says (with the Jackie Gleason Production logo on the screen): "This has been a Jackie Gleason Production." By the way, if you get the lost episode on DVD and VHS, you will not get the ending that was not shown to the TV audience. Bummer! Another thing, many people think one of the reasons for that in addition to being CBS' fault, it was the blooper in which Art Carney couldn't escape out of the apartment thus delaying the ending by a few seconds. Somehow, I doubt that it was completely the fault of Art not being able to open the door. Yet another thing, when this episode was redone again as a lost episode, they managed to get it done on time but this episode was not the one chosen for syndication as well as VHS release (in the 80s) & DVD release (n the early 2000s.) It was finally released on the Best of The Lost Episodes in 2011 as well as the Lost Episodes DVD box Set that was released in 2011.
Another episode that I know is a rare color 16mm print or was taped from CBS in ’71 or in the 60s. I can tell because I did a tape trade with Videowhack in early 2007 before this episode was released.
Finally, the episode. In the beginning, one of the Gleason girls says that Barbara Nickels, Robert Strauss and Bruce Gordon will star in this episode. This episode opens up with a shot of the inside of the Kitty Kat Klub. We finally get to see what the inside of that place looks like, I guess. The girls sing and dance to: "Daddy Buy Me Some More." As they finish, one of the girls (who is really ugly) asks a man when they are going to South America like Sam promised. The man says that Sam can't take them anywhere as long as Bugsy Malone and his gang are out to get him. Woman: "I said to Sam: `Make Love. Not War.'" She goes up to the hideout. Ralph Kramden enters and asks if he can use the phone since his bus broke down. He says sure. He looks at him and sees something strange. Another man enters and the audience applauds (he probably is Robert Strauss).They both see that he looks a lot like Sam. They bring out Sam. (Sam is played by Jackie Gleason in a dual role.) Sam sees Ralph in the "phone booth." Sam: "He's me. A little fatter of course." Sam thinks up a plan. They will get Ralph to dress up like him. Bugsy's boys will kill him and then they will be off to South America. Sam identifies the smaller man as Harry (the person who came in and when he did, the audience applauded him.) Sam says to Harry that he will have to know what he does and that he likes the way he treats people and their personality. Sam: "Tell him that you might have an opening in your organization. Of course, don't tell him the name of the organization. Make it legit, like the insurance business. If he wants the job, report back to me and I will tell you what to do." Sam goes to get Kitty (the ugly woman) and will see them at the hideout. Harry leaves. Bugsy's boys as well as Bugsy (I guess he was played by Bruce Gordon.) He asks for big Sam. The man, frightened, says he doesn't know. Bugsy: "If I see his face, I will kill him." Bugsy and his boys leave. Ralph thanks the guy for letting him use his phone. Noise is heard and the man thinks that Ralph may have been killed. Ralph comes back inside and asks if he can use his phone again because two of his tires blew out.
At the Kramden apartment, Alice is busy doing knitting something. Ed comes down. Alice asks if Trixie has blue thread upstairs. Ed checks the different color patches on his shirt to make sure. (The patches were covered by his vest. His shirt is otherwise white.) Alice goes upstairs. Ed then drinks some milk from the milk bottle and then puts water in the milk to make it seem like milk hasn't been consumed by a thief. He did the same thing in "A Little Man Who Wasn't There." Ralph comes home. He asks what Ed has been doing. Ed responds by saying he didn't do anything, so Ralph says that he has been stealing milk again. As Ralph is getting bread for a sandwich, he asks Ed for a sandwich. Ed: "Thank you. It won't spoil my supper because I already ate." Ralph says that after he got back on his route, one person offered him the job. Ed starts to make himself a big sandwich. Ralph (yells): "WAIT A MINUTE!" Ed: "I skipped my dessert." The man offered him a job of being an insurance executive of an insurance company. Ed talks about a similar situation that happened to him about someone offering him a better job than the one he had. That is how he got his job in the sewer. Ha! Harry comes by. Ralph: "The first time I saw you, I knew that you were honest and sincere." Gee, how gullible are Ralph & Ed? Harry says that Ralph has been hired already and Ralph believes it. Gee, how gullible are Ralph & Ed? Harry explains the duties and offers him $600 a week and already offers him the week salary in advance. Ralph & Ed, being stupid, still believe them. Ralph says that he will have to kill himself in order to do a good job. Harry says: "On this job, you won't have to kill yourself. Everything is taken care off for you. You are now the boss of the Eastern district of our insurance company." Harry says that the president will tell Ralph the insurance business in a short time. Harry then says that tomorrow morning; his new limo will take him to his new Park Avenue apartment. Alice can't stay with Ralph for the first days because the president will be in town and having Alice around will make the situation worse. He says that Alice will move in about a month. Harry introduces Ralph & Ed the secret knock. Harry: "There is another insurance company bothering us." Ed asks Ralph for a job. Ralph: "What qualifications do you have for selling?" Ed: "I never drove a bus." Ralph asks Ed to stop by tomorrow. Ralph doesn't know the name of the insurance company. They sing: "Open Up And Opportunity Knocks." As Ralph & Ed look like they are knocking on something, a knocking noise is heard.
At the hideout, Sam identifies one of is henchmen that was earlier threatened by Bugsy as Bruno. He gives Kitty some money to get some new clothes when they go to South America. Kitty isn't in on the plan to knock off a guy that looks like Sam. Sam goes into the bedroom. Bruno comes in and tells Sam to stay in the bedroom. He lets Ralph in. Ralph: "This apartment looks better than mine when it was brand new." Bruno lets Ralph see the bedroom. Ralph: "Since we are going to be living here, I may need to get my wife some new clothes." Bruno: "Don't worry about it. All she will need is a black dress." The phone rings as Bruno directs Ralph to his room. Bruno answers the phone and tells Harry (who is on the other line) that he can get things rolling. Sam comes out. Ed knocks on the door and Bruno lets him in. Ed talks to the boss thinking that it is Ralph. He even takes the bosses hat and "improves" it. That's funny. Ed goes into the kitchen. Ralph leaves just as Harry comes in. Harry says to Bugsy that he is on their side and will help them kill Sam. They are going to put Ralph in the apartment as bait and when he opens up the blinds that will be the signal for the Bugsy's mob to shoot and kill. Harry says that they will call Kramden and tell him to open the blinds and look at his new convertible. Ralph comes out with his new clothes on. The two henchmen leave. Incidentally, the henchmen didn't think that Ralph not only looks like his boss but SOUNDS like him too. Ed emerges from the kitchen. Ralph asks him when he got here. Ed says that he was just talking to him. Ralph: "I guess I didn't hear you." The phone rings and its Nick. He says that they just got Ralph a new car. Ralph goes to the window to open the blinds but changes his mind when Ed says that they can view it outside. They leave and slam the door which causes the blinds to open and the mob from across the street (which incidentally is the Hackett mob) starts shooting. I don't know how they did that without using real bullets. After the shooting ends, Ralph comes back to get his hat. Amazingly, Ralph & Ed supposedly didn't hear the shooting.
I should mention that since the copy of this episode was either recorded in the late 60s or early 70s or was a rare color 16 mm print, I got the middle commercial break bumper when one of the Gleason Girls says: "Stay tuned for more of the Jackie Gleason Show." He also recorded the end commercial bumper in which the same girl says: "Welcome back to the Jackie Gleason Show." These bumpers were not shown on Youtoo America.
At the restaurant room of Bugsy's hideout, Bugsy rips his henchmen for not killing Sam. Bugsy: "With the way he's built, I don't know how you could have missed him." He tells his men to leave. Bugsy leaves the room along with the bartender when he sees Ralph & Ed. Ralph & Ed arrive at Bugsy's so he can "sell him insurance." A bug is buzzing and Ed is trying to swat it. The bug's buzzing is so loud that you can tell it's not a real bug that is buzzing. The bartender comes back in. Ed finally gets the bug with his hand that startles the bartender to get Bugsy. (He was afraid that Ralph and/or Ed were going to kill him if he didn't give them Bugsy and didn't know Ed was swatting a bug.) When Bugsy walks in, he is ready for a showdown with his archenemy looking for a showdown but Ralph is clueless. They sit down. Ed: "Later on, he (Ralph) might let me take a shot at you." Bugsy's gang is shown to Ralph and Bugsy calls him his boys. Ralph: "Lovely family." Bugsy: "They were going to see you today." Ralph: "Sorry, I missed you." Bugsy: "They won't miss you tonight." Bugsy says that they will take care of Ralph. He asks them to stand up. Ralph reaches into his jacket and everyone thinks he is getting his gun. Ralph: "All I wanted was to give you a cigar." Bugsy and his gang stand up and show their guns. Bugsy: "Get moving. We are all going in my limo and we will all take you for a little ride." They leave.
They arrive at the hideout. Ralph & Ed are still being held at gunpoint. Ralph says that he is not Sam and he is now an insurance executive. Ed does his best James Cagney impression. That doesn't work. Ralph: "If I was Sam, I wouldn't have a nut like that working for me. I showed you my driver's license." Bugsy: "That could be a phony." Bugsy still isn't 100% convinced that he is Bugsy. Bugsy: "I promised my mom, I wouldn't kill an innocent man." Ralph: "You are a fine man." A knock on the door is heard. They leave to go to the bedroom just as Bugsy says that if Ralph spills the beans, Ed and Ralph will get shot as well as the person who knocked at the door. Ralph gets the door and it's Alice. Alice says that the place is a mess. He asks her to get out. Alice isn't happy that Ralph is kicking her out. Ralph shows her the door. Ralph: "I have a business appointment." Kitty is at the door and thinking that Ralph is Sam, she hugs and kisses him. Alice (imitating Kitty): "So that is your business appointment." Ralph doesn't know Kitty and tries to tell her that. Kitty doesn't believe him. Ralph calls Kitty a nut, so Kitty hits him. A bang is heard when she hit him. Kitty leaves. Alice is upset because she thought that Ralph was cheating on her. She also continues to imitate Kitty's voice. Ralph tries to say the truth. Alice doesn't believe him and says she won't leave. Bugsy and his boys get Alice and put her and Ralph in the bedroom so they can tie them up. This is almost like the scene in "Trapped", only Ralph asked Ed to get out and Ralph wasn't going to get tied in that episode. Bruno and Harry come in and go in the opposite room. Bugsy goes to get more rope. Sam then Gives Bruno and Harry instructions. Barry and Bruno leave. Sam goes into the same room that Harry and Bruno were in moments ago. The phone rings. Bugsy and Sam go to get it. They finally see the fact that they are in the same apartment. The cops come in with Kitty. Kitty thinks Sam double-crossed her. She must have tipped off the cops that he was there. Kitty: "No one two-times me." Sam: "You are a fruitcake." Sam gets caught and leaves with some cops. The rest of the cops rescue the Kramdens and Ed and get Bugsy and his gang. The cop says that he will stop by here later on, so Ed gives him the secret knock. Cop (to Ralph): "You look like someone I saw: Jackie Gleason." Alice somehow, finally got told the truth that Ralph wasn't two-timing her. The Kramdens and Ed don't know what was this all about. Ralph says that from now on, he will stay in his own backyard. They all sing: "I'm Keeping Close To You." Just like in the song "Open Up And Opportunity Knocks" as the people who are singing the song look like they are knocking on something, a knocking noise is heard. Also, during the song, Ralph says that he will never trust a stranger again. Sure.
During the curtain call, Jackie says: "How Sweet It Is". He praises the Miami Beach audience and introduces Shelia and Art. He then says goodnight. He doesn't introduce the supporting cast nor does he explain the significance of this episode.
Episode #197 (Syndicated episode #26)
TV: Hour (edited).
DVD: Attached to "The Two Faces of Ralph Kramden" & "To Whomever It May Concern"
Color Episode Title: "The Main Event."
Lost Episode Title: "The Next Champ."
Air Date: 12/2/67
"The Main Event":
In the intro, Nick Clooney says that Marylyn Gleason's favorite Jackie Gleason movie was "Gigot." (pronounced Geego) Jackie played the death mute in the movie. During this intro, fire engine sirens are heard. Oh boy.
The June Taylor Dancers enter an ice cream shop and I believe sing and dance to a song that has something to do with ice cream. After that, they leave. Ralph and Ed enter the soda shop before bowling. Ed orders a Cherry Fosate Dash of Wintergreen. I think that is what he ordered. Ralph says that he has to take off some weight. He orders a bowl of peach ice cream with some chocolate fudge and marshmallow sauce. (He will make up those calories tomorrow when he doesn't have any grapefruit. What? Was that a blooper on the part of Jackie?) Ed says that Ralph is 255 pounds of willpower. Dynamite Moran from Altoona comes by. He has come to New York to make it big. He needs a manager. Ed says that Dynamite KOed his first opponents in 15 seconds and 12 seconds respectively in the first round. Ralph: "That 12 seconds must be a record." Ralph says that KO must have been a record. If it was in real life, then Mike Tyson broke that record in 1988 by KOing his opponent in 2 seconds. Dynamite says that he needs a manager and it has to be someone who knows that he can fight. Ed: "Why don't you get the guy you KOed in 12 seconds?" Dynamite says that the manager that gets him is getting the next champ. Dynamite starts punching in the air. Dynamite shows him his fight clippings. A person across the room is having trouble getting a pack of cigarettes from the vending machine, so Ed hits the machine and nothing happens Ralph hits the machine and nothing happens. Dynamite helps him by punching the machine which helps him get the pack of cigarettes out. Dynamite hit it no harder than Ralph and Ed did. Dynamite says he has to use the phone and call the "Y" to find a place to stay. Ralph then gets his crazy idea of becoming Dynamite's manager. Ralph: "Do you know what a manager and a trainer get of the purse? A third. Do you know what a boxer can get? $300,000 to $400,000 a fight." Ed: "A strong kid like that can fight five or six times a week." Sure, he could. When Dynamite comes back in, he still needs a place to stay. Ralph says that Dynamite can live with him. Ralph says that Alice will love for him to bring a friend home. Ed: "Ralph, are you sill married to Alice?" Alice will like the fact that another person is coming to live with them, will she? Ralph then says that he will become his manager and Norton will train him and he will live with Ralph. Ralph says that he will get Dynamite a fight. Ed: "I think you will get that fight with Alice when she finds out about this." It's a deal. Ralph says that his apartment is 3b. Dynamite gets his stuff. Ralph & Ed sing: "A Sporting World Is A Wonderful World."
Alice is shown in the apartment with cans of food. Trixie comes in and helps Alice out as far as figuring out the males for the week. She says that with prices the way they are, she barely gets by. Given how prices have skyrocketed since then, the prices back then seem pretty good. Ralph comes home with a box of sweets probably because he knows that Alice will not like the idea of him managing a boxer. Alice naturally doesn't. Ralph says that it won't cost money and it will just be a hobby. Ralph says that he will be moving in a half-hour. Alice feels like KOing Ralph when she hears the news. Ralph says that Dynamite will sleep in the kitchen and just have an occasional meal like four or five times a day). Ralph says that all throughout life he wanted to be something in the sports world. He wanted to baseball, but he was to slow. He wanted to play basketball, but he was too short. He wanted to be a jockey, but he was a little too heavy. Alice: "You're too fat to be a horse." Ha! Alice scrimps on Ralph's salary, $85 a week which is not a fortune. (I guess his salary increased because in earlier episodes it was much lower.) Ralph and Alice do more arguing and Ralph starts eating chocolates. Alice goes into the bedroom. Dynamite comes in with his stuff as well as a box of candy for Alice that looks the same as the one Ralph gave her (which is chocolates in a heart-shaped candy box). Ralph: "Alice Dynamite is here." Alice slams the door. Ralph: "She must be asleep."
Ralph & Dynamite arrive at an Italian restaurant in which the waiter is played by George Petrie. Ralph asks Dynamite to sit at the bar while Ralph & Ed get a table. When Ed arrives, Dynamite is to send Ed to Ralph's table. Ralph makes sure he gets the table that is next to the table that Mr. Cosgrov the fight promoter sits at normally. Ed comes in and sits at Ralph's table. Ralph has been trying to get him at his office but to no avail. He is going to do more than talk to him. He is going to show Mr. Cosgrov how good Dynamite is. Mr. Cosgrov is going to have lunch with the toughest fighter there is. His name is "Killer" Cucco. Ed thinks that "Killer" Cucco is a woman. "Killer" is the leading contender for the World's Heavyweight Championship and Dynamite is going to knock him out in the restaurant. Ed says that won't happen because Dynamite won't KO any boy for no good reason. Ralph agrees but if someone called "Killer" a yellow fink, a stumble bum and a punch-drunk powder-puff, he will be mad enough to fight. Then Dynamite will hit him. Ed says if "Killer" hears all those insults, he will be a murderer. Ralph says that Dynamite won't call him those names, but Ed will. What a great friend, huh? Ed is petrified. Ralph says that Dynamite will rescue him before Ed gets hurt. All Ralph has to do is say: "How dare you!" Ed is still scared that he will get killed and that he will run away. Ralph is ashamed of Ed. According to Ralph, "Killer" Cucco's hands are lethal weapons and that he can't hit anybody unless it's a fighter. He read that rule in a story called "Steamboat" Jones vs. The late Mike Dan. Ralph says he won't trade places with Ed because as his manager, he has to uphold his dignity. Ed: "In other words, you are the yellow fink." Ralph (yells): "YOU ARE GOING TO DO IT!" Ed orders some roast turkey, some mashed potatoes, a bottle of champagne, a big cigar and a priest. Mr. Cosgrov, his wife and Killer come in and sit at the table. They order lunch. Unbeknownst to Ralph & Ed, a policeman comes in and orders Dynamite to move his car because it's illegally parked. Dynamite leaves. Oh boy! This is going to throw a wrench into Ralph's plan. Ralph orders Ed to start the fight, but every time Ed does, he gets scared and sits back down. Ralph has had enough and starts to pick the fight on his own. Oh boy! Ralph (seeing how big Cucco is): "My friend says that you are a yellow fink, a stumble bum and a punch-drunk powder puff." Ed says that he didn't. Ralph (yells): "HOW DARE YOU!" Dynamite doesn't come. Mr. Cosgrov stops the fight from happening and says that since Cucco is a fighter, he can't hurt anybody. But Cucco's wife wants to fight Ralph and hits him with her purse. Ralph (yells): "HOW DARE YOU!" Dynamite comes in and "Killer" Cucco greets him. He tells Mr. Cosgrov that Dynamite what a great puncher. Ralph & Ed explain what is going on. Mr. Cosgrov says that he will stop by tomorrow and watch Dynamite train. Ralph says that he has him training at his place. Mr. Cosgrov and his entourage leave. Ralph, Ed & Dynamite sing: "That is What It Takes To Make The Champ." All of them actually step off the set and onto the stage.
The next day, Alice & Trixie go down to the basement of the building. (Dynamite's Training Facility complete with dressing room). Alice & Trixie complain about the amount of food that Dynamite eats. The milk and orange juice he drinks. Dynamite comes in. He just ran around the block several times with Ed. Ralph is more exhausted than the two and he was just counting the laps. Dynamite & Ed must be in real good shape or the block is really short (especially when you consider that Ed said they must have ran around the block 150 times.) Ralph says that it was coming down the steps that made him exhausted. The girls leave. Ed is going to spar with Dynamite but Ed wears a tin head as headgear for protection. Ralph demands him to take it off. Ed puts on the regular headgear. Ed is going to show off some of his boxing fancy footwork. He demonstrates it. The fancy footwork that he has is stupid. Ralph stops him. Ed says that he used that footwork in the Navy and he was the Middleweight Champ but not in the Navy but in Tebow. There were too fat guys and two skinny guys and Ed was bigger than the skinny guys and slimmer than the fat ones. Ralph demands that Ed demonstrate his boxing skills. Ed: "The most important thing is to protect yourself at all times." He tells Ralph to put up his hands and he does. Ed tells Ralph to protect his face. Ralph does and Ed hits him in the stomach. Yeah, just like in "The Bensonhurst Bomber". This scene is such a riot. As a matter of fact, the scene in which Ed punched Ralph in the stomach and Ralph yelling in pain was shown on the Larry King Live Honeymooners Special in 2002. Ed was only trying to teach Dynamite not to trust anybody in the ring. Alice comes down with Mr. Cosgrov. Dynamite goes into his dressing room to put on his trunks. Mr. Cosgrov says that Dynamite is still a little green and to groom a fighter takes a lot of money. Mr. Cosgrov offers Ralph a $1,000 for his contract because he is a sucker for a guy that can punch. Dynamite comes back with his trunks on. Mr. Cosgrov says that he will try to get Dynamite a fight anyway so Ralph declines the money much to Alice's chagrin. Ed spars with Dynamite and accidentally "KOes" him. Of course, you can tell that Art never really hit him that hard. Ralph is upset that Dynamite got KOed by Ed. "Glass jaw" says Mr. Cosgrov. Mr. Cosgrov leaves. Alice takes Dynamite upstairs. Ed apologizes. Ralph is upset. Ralph demands that Ed fight with him and Ed hits Ralph in the stomach again causing Ralph to holler in pain again. Ralph chases Ed out.
The next day, Ralph comes back down to the basement. Dynamite comes back out. His jaw is much better. Dynamite goes back into the dressing room. Alice comes down with stakes. She is steaming mad that Ralph hasn't given up on his idea. Ralph says that Alice can't call him a quitter. Alice: "Sure I can't. But I can call you a bunch of things starting with the letter A. Absolutely nuts. B: Brainless. Coo-Coo..." Ralph says for her to stop. Ralph is now the manager and Dynamite is the trainer of Ed "Tiger" Norton. Ed is now going to be a boxer. He comes out with his hat, tank top and shorts. He starts punching in the air. Ralph, Ed and Dynamite all leave. Dynamite and Ed are going to run outside.
During the curtain call, Jackie says: "How sweet it is!" He drinks his coffee and says in Ralph Kramden fashion: "Wow!" Jackie: "There is nothing like a good cup of coffee after a hard day's work. This coffee is mountain grown you know." It must have been Folgers Coffee. Jackie: "Little still. Way up on the mountains." Jackie praises the Miami Beach audience. Jackie: "The people who write our scripts. Marvin Stone." Yeah, he made a blooper. Jackie: "Marvin Marx, Walter Stone and Rod Parker. Lyn Dudley and Jerry Bressler write the music lyrics." He mentions that people thought he was nuts when he hired a Swedish woman to make the coffee backstage. Jackie introduces Jesse White (the person who played Mr. Cosgrov). He introduces George Petrie (the guy who played the waiter and incidentally Jackie pronounces his last name as Pet-ree. I thought it was pronounced as Peet-ree.) Jackie introduces Peter Palmer (the guy who played "Dynamite"). Jackie of course introduces the regular cast. Art steals the last few minutes of the curtain call by running onto the stage, shaking Gleason's hand, and running to the opposite side of the stage. Everybody in the audience was laughing and the camera zoomed out so much during his introduction that we finally got to see what the edge of the stage looked like back then. Jackie says goodnight.
Credit I believe goes to tv.com, Honeymooners Lost Episodes Book, tvguide.com, honeymooners.net, Honeymooners Box Set booklet Honeymooners Lost Episodes DVD booklet, Yahoo! Groups You’re A Riot! & amazon.com