Frank Gannucci
07-17-2020, 07:45 AM
Honeymooners Episode Reviews: "Two Below" (aka "Retreat To The Basement") & "TV Game of The Week":
Episode #171
VHS & DVD: Attached to a bunch of other skits as well as more.
Air Date: Sat. 9/29/62
"Two Below" (aka Retreat To The Basement"):
At the Kramden apartment, Trixie (played by Patrica Wilson) comes in. They talk about their upcoming trip to Atlantic City. Trixie bought some clothes which include a hat that when they wear them, they look like they have buckets on their heads. Alice (played by Sue Ann Langdon) bought the same hat. Alice shows Trixie Ralph's large bathing suit. She was letting them out. Ed comes in. He had a normal day in the sewer. He talks about his day. Ralph comes home. He has some news. They are not going to Atlantic City; they are spending a week in the cellar as part of them doing civil responsibility. Ha! The girls don't like it. Ralph talks about an air-raid shelter. He reads them how important it is to test themselves to emergencies in which it is required for them to spend one week in the cellar with the barest essentials. Alice: "One week? We have been doing this for 14 years." Ralph: "We are going down to the cellar." Alice: "What about Atlantic City?" Ralph talks about what would happen if the pilgrims invaded Atlantic City instead of Plymouth Rock. Ralph: "What would happen then?" Ed: "We would be eating turkey with saltwater taffy." The girls say they are going to Atlantic City and go upstairs. Ed asks Ralph if it is all right if he went to Atlantic City with the girls. Ralph: "Go ahead. Why should I be mad? It would be like Caesar being stabbed by Romeo." Ralph (yells): "WHO IS THE BEST FRIEND YOU EVER HAD? I AM." He is? Ralph (yells): "WHO SHOWED YOU WERE THE UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE WAS? I DID. WHO GAVE YOU THE SEWER JOB? I DID." Ralph talks about the best things that he ever did to Norton. Ralph: "I will allow you to go to Atlantic City." Ed: "I will send you a postcard." Ralph (yells): "YOU ARE COMING WITH ME." Gee, what a friend...NOT! The scene closes with a star shrinking the video.
In the cellar, Ralph sets things up. The cellar looks to be different then it was in "Dial J For Janitor." Ralph is wearing an outfit that looks like he is ready for civil defense. Ed comes in with his usual clothes as well as a cap, a canteen and pretty much nothing else and scares Ralph. Ed says the reason why he is wearing what he is because he didn't know what to wear. Ed: "Even Abercrombie & Fitch didn't know what to wear for a week down in the cellar." Ed: "This is a cozy cold bin." Ed unpacks. He takes out a book. Ralph reads the fact that the book was from the Bensonhurst Public Library and has been in Ed's hands since '36. Ralph locks the door. Ed shows some cans of food that have the labels taken off. Ed said that he took them off just in case the cellar gets flooded and if the labels were still on, the labels were going to be washed off anyway. Ralph asks how they are going to tell which food can from which. Ed: "What do you think I am, stupid? I got the labels right here." Ralph tries to kick Ed out but Ed said that Ralph threw the key out. Ed & Ralph use the bunk beds that I guess Ralph made or took down to go to sleep. Ralph: "Don't step on my face." Ed: "I wouldn't dirty my shoe on your face." Ed says that he misses his Indian blanket. Ed says that he can't sleep. Neither can Ralph. Ralph suggests them reading a book and taking turns. Ed goes first. Ed (reading): "'Ivanhoe by Sir Waterscott. Published in London, England. Portions of this book may not..." Ralph (yells): "WILL YOU READ THE BOOK?" Ed reads the book and when he gets to the end of the first sentence, he says "period." He continues to read and says: "the war of the rosses." Ralph (yells): "THE WAR OF THE ROSES." Ha! Ralph snores. Ed wakes him up by yelling "RALPH." Ralph (yells): "WHAT DO YOU WANT?" Ed (yells): "IT'S YOUR TURN TO READ!" Ralph (yells): "WILL YOU GO TO SLEEP?" Ralph tries to go to sleep, so does Ed. Ed can't go to sleep with the bright light that is hanging in front of him. He can't reach it. So he gets an ax. Not only does he not hit the light, he accidentally hits the water pipes, which causes Ralph and to some extent, himself to get wet. Ralph is completely soaked in water and somehow another pipe leaks what I think is oil as the "episode" ends.
During the curtain call, Jackie is still wet when he says "Goodnight!" During the credit roll, Johnny says Trixie was played by Patricia Wilson. According to the Goodtimes Home video VHS which I have, it says that Shelia MacRae played a part in this show which is not true. Johnny Olsen says: "This program was pre-recorded."
At the end of the curtain call, there is a still with the CBS Eye logo. In the middle it says: "This program was pre-recorded." That message, for whatever reason, is hard to read. After this is shown, a person (I think it was Johnny) says: "Thank you Jackie."
Episode #172
TV: Attached to a bunch of other skits as well as more.
Air Date: Sat. 10/20/62
This episode was never released to the public due in part to Gleason Enterprises refusing to release only the Honeymooners sketch. There are a lot of musical clearance issues with this show.
A Glea Girl comes on and introduces the sketch. She says that the set that the Kramdens are getting is their first one. What about all the other ones they had? Alice (played by Sue Ann Langdon) is home with the TV installer (played by Frank Marth). The guy came said that this is a great TV set. Of course, the TV doesn't look as good as the TVs of today. He leaves. Alice is very happy with the set. Ralph comes home with food. He is ecstatic that the set came. Ralph: "Did you ever see a prettier set than that? Isn't that the best picture you ever seen of acid going down a man's stomach?" He moves the antenna all over the room to get a better picture. Ed Norton comes in just as Ralph finds a perfect place for the antenna. The place: On top of the ice box.
Ralph asks Ed what he thinks of his new set. Ed, seeing the antenna and not the set, jokingly says that the set looks like his ice box. Ed turns on the set and both of them watch a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Alice: "When Bugs Bunny is over, would you like to go outside and play?" Ralph says that he is not interested in the cartoon. He is only interested in how the set works. When Ed tells him what is on the screen, Ralph watches. Alice goes into the bedroom. Ralph turns off the set. He wants to watch the football game at 2pm. Ed loves the fact that there is soda pop and food. Ralph says that he doesn't mind him watching his TV show, but if he wants refreshments, he is to go upstairs and get his own. Ed: "You're cheap but at least you don't keep that fact a secret." Ed leaves. This dialogue was played for the first time in over 40 years on the Honeymooners 50th Anniversary special in 2002.
Ralph is getting the food ready. Alice comes out. When she hears the fact that Ralph is going to watch the game, she says that she thought that the set was for both of them. Ralph: "It is. This afternoon, I want to watch the football game. Tonight, I will let you watch the fights." Alice says that if Ralph keeps acting this way, there will be a fight but it will be between the both of them. Ralph: "This is the biggest game of the year. I don't want to miss it. Alice says that she will let Ralph watch it. She goes upstairs to Trixie's. Ralph goes into the bedroom.
Ed comes in with a pizza pie. When he goes to touch the set, Ralph yells from the bedroom: "DON'T TOUCH THE SET." Ed brings out more food and makes a mess. Ralph is upset but he gets reminded that he told Ed to bring his own refreshments. Ralph turns on the set to watch the game. Ed asks Ralph if he wants to take bet. Ralph says yes. Ed says that he is a Harvard fan. He brings out his Harvard flag and walks around with it. Ralph, of course, says that Ed is nuts. Ed: "Harvard means a lot to me. For two years, I worked underneath the sewer at the Harvard club." Ralph: "If you stayed there two more years, you would have gotten your bachelor's degree in Stupidity." Ralph puts out his dollar. The game starts. The game is at Harvard Stadium. The opponent is revealed to be Yale. Didn't Ralph say that this game was the biggest one of the year? Ralph is upset that Ed is eating pizza in front of him. Ralph: "Norton, would you like a potato chip?" Ed: "No thanks. I am down here watching your TV set. It wouldn't be fair for me to take one of your potato chips." Ed loves the pizza that he is eating and describes what is on it which includes Fatchumatta's (sp) cheese. Ralph: "Fatchumara's cheese." I think Art meant to say Fatchumara. Ralph than asks for a slice of pizza. Ed says sure. Ed: "A small piece costs 20 cents. The bigger piece is mine." Ralph (yells): "YOU HAVE THE GALL TO COME ON DOWN HERE AND WATCH MY SET AND CHARGE ME TWENTY CENTS FOR SLICE? JUST FOR THAT, IT WILL COST YOU 50 CENTS TO WATCH THE GAME." What a friend. Ed: "You let me watch the game and I will give you two twenty cent slices and a 10 cent piece." Ralph takes the deal. Ed: "Do you have a license of Pay TV?" Ralph: "Gimme that slice."
Both of them are watching the game while Ralph is yelling: "STOP HIM! STOP HIM!" The set goes off. Ed takes the pizza out of Ralph's hand because the set went off. Ed tries to fix the set by banging it. That of course, doesn't work. Ed then takes the back off of it WITHOUT unplugging the set. Ralph suggests unplugging it and plugging it in. Ed does that. Nothing happens. Ed: "Is your chubby little heart satisfied?" Ralph (yells): "SHUT UP!" Ed then takes out a tube and asks Ralph not to drop it. Of course, the tube is hot. Ralph screams in pain and throws the tube. Ed catches it. Ralph suggests getting a repairman. Ed says that he will repair the set for free. Ed takes out what I am assuming is part of the chassis. Ed asks Ralph for a screwdriver. Ralph gets a screwdriver and a hammer. Ed correctly predicts that if he doesn't fix the set, Ralph will hit him with the hammer.
The next scene opens up. By now, all of the set is taken out. Ed discovers that part of his pizza was in the mesh. Ed says that this one "screw" there is causing all the trouble. How can that be? Besides the screw doesn't even look like a screw to me. It looks like a piece of a crowbar. Ed asks Ralph is he has a soldering iron. Oh boy! The janitor comes in and says that at about 2pm, the electricity went off in the whole building. It is back on now. Looks like Ralph and Ed went through all that trouble for nothing. Ed: "Looks like the joke is on me. I disconnected your entire set when the electricity went off in the whole building." Ralph, with hammer in hand, kicks Ed out and orders him to take his food.
Alice comes back and asks Ralph what happened. Ralph: "Don't ask Alice." Alice says that when Ed ran up the stairs, he dropped half his pizza. Ralph: "If he comes back in this place again, I murder him. There isn't a jury in this world that wouldn't set me free." Ed comes hack all happy. Ed: "Harvard won 7-6. I won the bet." He grabs Ralph's dollar. Ed: "If you get the set fixed before the fights tonight, holler out the window so we can watch." Ralph gets up with the hammer in his hand and chases after Ed. He slips on the food. A very unrealistic slip like sound is heard when he does slip. Ralph comes back inside with a slice of pizza on his head. The sketch has ended.
Jackie comes out for the curtain call. He thanks the audience and says that he loves working with Art Carney. He says that Art gets a lot of laughs. So much so, Jackie says that he makes him look bad. Art is also a great dramatic actor according to Gleason. He brings out Art and says that he is currently on Broadway in the show called: "Take Her She's Mine." Jackie says goodnight to the audience.
As the credit rolls, Johnny does the sponsor plugs which include: Parliament Cigarettes, Palmolive Rapid Shave and Purina Dog Chow. Johnny also says to the audience to contribute to the charity: Give United.
At the end of the show, Jack Benny plugs his show as well as to ask people to donate to "Give United." Next, Ed Sullivan plugs the next episode of his show. After that, a graphic comes on the screen. The graphic has the CBS Eye with the words: "This program has been pre-recorded."
In a classic case of life imitating art, a similar situation happened to me and my friend who is also a Honeymooners fan in 2002. His TV wasn't working properly so we spent a few hours trying to fix the problem. (We didn't take the set apart.) After all that, we found out that the reason why it wasn't working properly was due to a switch in the back.
Credit I think goes to (the original) Bill's 'Mooners Archives, eBay.com, tv.com, Honeymooners Lost Episodes Book, tvguide.com, honeymooners.net, Honeymooners Box Set booklet Honeymooners Lost Episodes DVD booklet, Wikipedia.org, Yahoo Groups You're A Riot! & Amazon.com.
Episode #171
VHS & DVD: Attached to a bunch of other skits as well as more.
Air Date: Sat. 9/29/62
"Two Below" (aka Retreat To The Basement"):
At the Kramden apartment, Trixie (played by Patrica Wilson) comes in. They talk about their upcoming trip to Atlantic City. Trixie bought some clothes which include a hat that when they wear them, they look like they have buckets on their heads. Alice (played by Sue Ann Langdon) bought the same hat. Alice shows Trixie Ralph's large bathing suit. She was letting them out. Ed comes in. He had a normal day in the sewer. He talks about his day. Ralph comes home. He has some news. They are not going to Atlantic City; they are spending a week in the cellar as part of them doing civil responsibility. Ha! The girls don't like it. Ralph talks about an air-raid shelter. He reads them how important it is to test themselves to emergencies in which it is required for them to spend one week in the cellar with the barest essentials. Alice: "One week? We have been doing this for 14 years." Ralph: "We are going down to the cellar." Alice: "What about Atlantic City?" Ralph talks about what would happen if the pilgrims invaded Atlantic City instead of Plymouth Rock. Ralph: "What would happen then?" Ed: "We would be eating turkey with saltwater taffy." The girls say they are going to Atlantic City and go upstairs. Ed asks Ralph if it is all right if he went to Atlantic City with the girls. Ralph: "Go ahead. Why should I be mad? It would be like Caesar being stabbed by Romeo." Ralph (yells): "WHO IS THE BEST FRIEND YOU EVER HAD? I AM." He is? Ralph (yells): "WHO SHOWED YOU WERE THE UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE WAS? I DID. WHO GAVE YOU THE SEWER JOB? I DID." Ralph talks about the best things that he ever did to Norton. Ralph: "I will allow you to go to Atlantic City." Ed: "I will send you a postcard." Ralph (yells): "YOU ARE COMING WITH ME." Gee, what a friend...NOT! The scene closes with a star shrinking the video.
In the cellar, Ralph sets things up. The cellar looks to be different then it was in "Dial J For Janitor." Ralph is wearing an outfit that looks like he is ready for civil defense. Ed comes in with his usual clothes as well as a cap, a canteen and pretty much nothing else and scares Ralph. Ed says the reason why he is wearing what he is because he didn't know what to wear. Ed: "Even Abercrombie & Fitch didn't know what to wear for a week down in the cellar." Ed: "This is a cozy cold bin." Ed unpacks. He takes out a book. Ralph reads the fact that the book was from the Bensonhurst Public Library and has been in Ed's hands since '36. Ralph locks the door. Ed shows some cans of food that have the labels taken off. Ed said that he took them off just in case the cellar gets flooded and if the labels were still on, the labels were going to be washed off anyway. Ralph asks how they are going to tell which food can from which. Ed: "What do you think I am, stupid? I got the labels right here." Ralph tries to kick Ed out but Ed said that Ralph threw the key out. Ed & Ralph use the bunk beds that I guess Ralph made or took down to go to sleep. Ralph: "Don't step on my face." Ed: "I wouldn't dirty my shoe on your face." Ed says that he misses his Indian blanket. Ed says that he can't sleep. Neither can Ralph. Ralph suggests them reading a book and taking turns. Ed goes first. Ed (reading): "'Ivanhoe by Sir Waterscott. Published in London, England. Portions of this book may not..." Ralph (yells): "WILL YOU READ THE BOOK?" Ed reads the book and when he gets to the end of the first sentence, he says "period." He continues to read and says: "the war of the rosses." Ralph (yells): "THE WAR OF THE ROSES." Ha! Ralph snores. Ed wakes him up by yelling "RALPH." Ralph (yells): "WHAT DO YOU WANT?" Ed (yells): "IT'S YOUR TURN TO READ!" Ralph (yells): "WILL YOU GO TO SLEEP?" Ralph tries to go to sleep, so does Ed. Ed can't go to sleep with the bright light that is hanging in front of him. He can't reach it. So he gets an ax. Not only does he not hit the light, he accidentally hits the water pipes, which causes Ralph and to some extent, himself to get wet. Ralph is completely soaked in water and somehow another pipe leaks what I think is oil as the "episode" ends.
During the curtain call, Jackie is still wet when he says "Goodnight!" During the credit roll, Johnny says Trixie was played by Patricia Wilson. According to the Goodtimes Home video VHS which I have, it says that Shelia MacRae played a part in this show which is not true. Johnny Olsen says: "This program was pre-recorded."
At the end of the curtain call, there is a still with the CBS Eye logo. In the middle it says: "This program was pre-recorded." That message, for whatever reason, is hard to read. After this is shown, a person (I think it was Johnny) says: "Thank you Jackie."
Episode #172
TV: Attached to a bunch of other skits as well as more.
Air Date: Sat. 10/20/62
This episode was never released to the public due in part to Gleason Enterprises refusing to release only the Honeymooners sketch. There are a lot of musical clearance issues with this show.
A Glea Girl comes on and introduces the sketch. She says that the set that the Kramdens are getting is their first one. What about all the other ones they had? Alice (played by Sue Ann Langdon) is home with the TV installer (played by Frank Marth). The guy came said that this is a great TV set. Of course, the TV doesn't look as good as the TVs of today. He leaves. Alice is very happy with the set. Ralph comes home with food. He is ecstatic that the set came. Ralph: "Did you ever see a prettier set than that? Isn't that the best picture you ever seen of acid going down a man's stomach?" He moves the antenna all over the room to get a better picture. Ed Norton comes in just as Ralph finds a perfect place for the antenna. The place: On top of the ice box.
Ralph asks Ed what he thinks of his new set. Ed, seeing the antenna and not the set, jokingly says that the set looks like his ice box. Ed turns on the set and both of them watch a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Alice: "When Bugs Bunny is over, would you like to go outside and play?" Ralph says that he is not interested in the cartoon. He is only interested in how the set works. When Ed tells him what is on the screen, Ralph watches. Alice goes into the bedroom. Ralph turns off the set. He wants to watch the football game at 2pm. Ed loves the fact that there is soda pop and food. Ralph says that he doesn't mind him watching his TV show, but if he wants refreshments, he is to go upstairs and get his own. Ed: "You're cheap but at least you don't keep that fact a secret." Ed leaves. This dialogue was played for the first time in over 40 years on the Honeymooners 50th Anniversary special in 2002.
Ralph is getting the food ready. Alice comes out. When she hears the fact that Ralph is going to watch the game, she says that she thought that the set was for both of them. Ralph: "It is. This afternoon, I want to watch the football game. Tonight, I will let you watch the fights." Alice says that if Ralph keeps acting this way, there will be a fight but it will be between the both of them. Ralph: "This is the biggest game of the year. I don't want to miss it. Alice says that she will let Ralph watch it. She goes upstairs to Trixie's. Ralph goes into the bedroom.
Ed comes in with a pizza pie. When he goes to touch the set, Ralph yells from the bedroom: "DON'T TOUCH THE SET." Ed brings out more food and makes a mess. Ralph is upset but he gets reminded that he told Ed to bring his own refreshments. Ralph turns on the set to watch the game. Ed asks Ralph if he wants to take bet. Ralph says yes. Ed says that he is a Harvard fan. He brings out his Harvard flag and walks around with it. Ralph, of course, says that Ed is nuts. Ed: "Harvard means a lot to me. For two years, I worked underneath the sewer at the Harvard club." Ralph: "If you stayed there two more years, you would have gotten your bachelor's degree in Stupidity." Ralph puts out his dollar. The game starts. The game is at Harvard Stadium. The opponent is revealed to be Yale. Didn't Ralph say that this game was the biggest one of the year? Ralph is upset that Ed is eating pizza in front of him. Ralph: "Norton, would you like a potato chip?" Ed: "No thanks. I am down here watching your TV set. It wouldn't be fair for me to take one of your potato chips." Ed loves the pizza that he is eating and describes what is on it which includes Fatchumatta's (sp) cheese. Ralph: "Fatchumara's cheese." I think Art meant to say Fatchumara. Ralph than asks for a slice of pizza. Ed says sure. Ed: "A small piece costs 20 cents. The bigger piece is mine." Ralph (yells): "YOU HAVE THE GALL TO COME ON DOWN HERE AND WATCH MY SET AND CHARGE ME TWENTY CENTS FOR SLICE? JUST FOR THAT, IT WILL COST YOU 50 CENTS TO WATCH THE GAME." What a friend. Ed: "You let me watch the game and I will give you two twenty cent slices and a 10 cent piece." Ralph takes the deal. Ed: "Do you have a license of Pay TV?" Ralph: "Gimme that slice."
Both of them are watching the game while Ralph is yelling: "STOP HIM! STOP HIM!" The set goes off. Ed takes the pizza out of Ralph's hand because the set went off. Ed tries to fix the set by banging it. That of course, doesn't work. Ed then takes the back off of it WITHOUT unplugging the set. Ralph suggests unplugging it and plugging it in. Ed does that. Nothing happens. Ed: "Is your chubby little heart satisfied?" Ralph (yells): "SHUT UP!" Ed then takes out a tube and asks Ralph not to drop it. Of course, the tube is hot. Ralph screams in pain and throws the tube. Ed catches it. Ralph suggests getting a repairman. Ed says that he will repair the set for free. Ed takes out what I am assuming is part of the chassis. Ed asks Ralph for a screwdriver. Ralph gets a screwdriver and a hammer. Ed correctly predicts that if he doesn't fix the set, Ralph will hit him with the hammer.
The next scene opens up. By now, all of the set is taken out. Ed discovers that part of his pizza was in the mesh. Ed says that this one "screw" there is causing all the trouble. How can that be? Besides the screw doesn't even look like a screw to me. It looks like a piece of a crowbar. Ed asks Ralph is he has a soldering iron. Oh boy! The janitor comes in and says that at about 2pm, the electricity went off in the whole building. It is back on now. Looks like Ralph and Ed went through all that trouble for nothing. Ed: "Looks like the joke is on me. I disconnected your entire set when the electricity went off in the whole building." Ralph, with hammer in hand, kicks Ed out and orders him to take his food.
Alice comes back and asks Ralph what happened. Ralph: "Don't ask Alice." Alice says that when Ed ran up the stairs, he dropped half his pizza. Ralph: "If he comes back in this place again, I murder him. There isn't a jury in this world that wouldn't set me free." Ed comes hack all happy. Ed: "Harvard won 7-6. I won the bet." He grabs Ralph's dollar. Ed: "If you get the set fixed before the fights tonight, holler out the window so we can watch." Ralph gets up with the hammer in his hand and chases after Ed. He slips on the food. A very unrealistic slip like sound is heard when he does slip. Ralph comes back inside with a slice of pizza on his head. The sketch has ended.
Jackie comes out for the curtain call. He thanks the audience and says that he loves working with Art Carney. He says that Art gets a lot of laughs. So much so, Jackie says that he makes him look bad. Art is also a great dramatic actor according to Gleason. He brings out Art and says that he is currently on Broadway in the show called: "Take Her She's Mine." Jackie says goodnight to the audience.
As the credit rolls, Johnny does the sponsor plugs which include: Parliament Cigarettes, Palmolive Rapid Shave and Purina Dog Chow. Johnny also says to the audience to contribute to the charity: Give United.
At the end of the show, Jack Benny plugs his show as well as to ask people to donate to "Give United." Next, Ed Sullivan plugs the next episode of his show. After that, a graphic comes on the screen. The graphic has the CBS Eye with the words: "This program has been pre-recorded."
In a classic case of life imitating art, a similar situation happened to me and my friend who is also a Honeymooners fan in 2002. His TV wasn't working properly so we spent a few hours trying to fix the problem. (We didn't take the set apart.) After all that, we found out that the reason why it wasn't working properly was due to a switch in the back.
Credit I think goes to (the original) Bill's 'Mooners Archives, eBay.com, tv.com, Honeymooners Lost Episodes Book, tvguide.com, honeymooners.net, Honeymooners Box Set booklet Honeymooners Lost Episodes DVD booklet, Wikipedia.org, Yahoo Groups You're A Riot! & Amazon.com.