Frank Gannucci
09-18-2020, 07:08 AM
Honeymooners Episode Reviews: "Ralph Kramden Presents" & "Flushing Ho":
Episode #187 (Syndicated episode #16)
TV: One hour long musical.
DVD: Attached to "Flushing Ho" & "Sees All, Knows All".
Color Honeymooners Episode Title: "Ralph Kramden Presents."
Lost Episode Title: "Catch A Star."
Air Date: Sat. 3/18/67
"Ralph Kramden Presents":
The June Taylor Dancers come in and sing a song about a dance. After that they leave and then the Kramdens & Nortons are at a dance hall. The girls are helping getting the place ready for the Raccoon Dance on Saturday night. Ralph has Ed make a note of what should be done to the dance hall for the dance. The boys will take care of the punch. Ed (writing): "One lemon and a case of hooch for the punch." Ralph mentions that Garrity is on the wagon. Ed: "That is what the lemons are for." Ed instructs Trixie to get his tie back from the dry cleaner's. He says that the stain may be from silly putty. Ralph has Ed run down the list. The boys think of a theme for the dance. Ed suggests "A Salute To Norway." Ed says that the reason for that is because he found out that the Vikings discovered America. Ralph: "You want to celebrate the Vikings discovering America in the Sons of Italy Hall (the place where the dance is going to be held.) Ralph says that he will think of a theme. Ed says that Ralph hasn't found out who's going to blow up the balloons. Ed: "Jimmy Milligan is a good choice." Ralph thinks that he will be Raccoon of the Year. Ralph & Ed sing: "The Grand Exalted Brotherhood of Raccoons' Annual Dance." with a lot of dancers dancing and singing in the background as well.
At the Raccoon Lodge, we finally see what the colors of the inside of the Lodge look like as well as the uniforms. Ralph & Ed greet each other with the friendly Raccoon greeting. Ralph says he wants to talk about him getting the dance hall ready. Ed suggests him saying that he is his special assistant. Ralph: "That is the trouble with you Norton. You are always looking to blow your own horn." Before the meeting starts, Ed is suggested to play the Raccoon Anthem and Ralph to sing. Ed warms up by not playing "Suwannee River" but another song. Ralph gets agitated. Finally Ed plays the anthem which is this:
"From the hallowed streets of Greenpernt,
To the shores of Sheepshead Bay,
From the Verrazano Narrows,
To Canarsie across the way...
We have come together, one and all,
In fellowship to commune,
And to glorify the Grand Exalted
Brotherhood of Raccoons." [Howl]
For a long time, I never knew which episode this song came from. I think that this is where ZXMan (the creator of the real honeymooners.net) got it from. Ed reads the minutes of the last meeting. Ed: "8:00pm, the Raccoon meeting was called to order and the president said he had very important matters to discuss. 8:01pm, member Harry George said there was going to give free beer at the end of the meeting. 8:02pm, meeting adjourned." Ralph gets up. Ed: "Let's hear it for Ralph, chairman of the Dance Committee." Ed claps but no one claps with him. Anyway, the Raccoon annual dance gets announced. Ralph says that this will be the best dance they ever had. Ed: "Let's hear it for Ralph." Ed claps but no one claps with him. Ralph then says he got Freitag from Freitag's Delicatessen to bring in a lot of knockwurst. Ed: "Let's hear it for Ralph." Ed claps but no one claps with him. The purpose of this dance is to raise money but no one sold any tickets. Each member was to get 100 tickets each to sell. One of the members, who has a bad voice, said that one person, said that their dances are too dull. Another person suggested that they get a big TV star to get tickets. Ed has an idea to solve that problem. His idea: Hold a dance. Ralph and everybody else think that that idea is stupid. Ed suggests getting Bob Hope since he entertains men in uniform. The Raccoon with the bad voice (whose name is Rocky by the way) speaks out and Ralph says to him to speak clear. Ed then says that Ralph Kramden knows a big TV star named Jackie Gleason. Rocky & someone else say that Ralph brags about him. The Raccoon president says that with Jackie as the guest, they would have the most successful dance ever. Ralph says that he can't get Jackie because he's in the sun and fun capital of the world. Ed: "What's he doing in Perth Amboy?" Ralph says that he is in Miami Beach and not in New York. Rocky just read that Jackie is in New York. Ralph (about Gleason): "That bum!" Ralph is mad at Ed for spilling the beans.
At home, Ralph is alone in the kitchen and calls Ed a nut. Alice: "Why don't you tell the Raccoons the truth that you don't even know Jackie Gleason?" Ralph disagrees with that suggestion. Ralph: "Do you remember the last time that the Raccoons were this excited?" Alice: "Yeah, the time that you told them that you knew Rudy Valee." Ha! Ralph comes to his senses and goes down to the lodge to tell the truth. Ed comes in with the news that since word leaked out that Jackie Gleason was coming to the dance, 1,000 tickets were sold. Ralph says he can't go down to the lodge now. Ed: "If you told me anything, I will still be your friend Ralph." Ralph tells Ed the truth. He doesn't know Jackie Gleason. Ed: "You dirty rat." Ralph says that he did see him once and saved his life. How did he save his life? Jackie was going to walk across the street near a traffic light. Ralph saw him and stopped for the traffic light's red light. Ralph: "If I gone through the light, I might have hit him. I saved his life." Ed: "You didn't save his life, you saved your bus." Ed suggests paying Gleason. Ralph: "You know what a guy like him gets a night, $100. I know he isn't worth that much money but that is what he gets." Gee, $100. That pales in comparison to the salaries that today's TV stars get. Ralph says that the Raccoons are going to hang him if Gleason doesn't come. Ed says that maybe Gleason will do it for charity. Alice: "What charity is this?" Ed: "Well, see we need a new pool table and when we get the money, we will give the pool table to the settlement house if they have enough money for it." Ralph thinks of going to the hotel where Gleason rehearses and asking him. Alice thinks that Ralph is crazy, but Ralph says they need to take this chance. Alice says something that infuriates Ralph. Ralph: "Just for that remark, even if I bring Gleason to the dance, you are not coming." Ed: "You won't be invited to the hanging either." Ralph kicks Ed out.
At the hotel, the hotel owner (played by George Petrie) greets Jackie (as himself) as he arrives. Jackie goes into a phone booth. During their lunch hour, Ralph & Ed arrive. Ralph & Ed can't see Gleason as Gleason rehearses so they wait at the hotel lobby for him to come down. Shelia MacRae (as herself) comes through the lobby. She is wearing a long fur coat. She greets the hotel owner as George. Ed asks Ralph how he would he like to be married to her. Ralph says that Alice would look just as good with those clothes. Ralph is going to call the bus depot to tell him that he will be late. He goes into the phone booth to call. Immediately, Jackie Gleason pops out of the other phone booth that is connected to the other one. Ed doesn't see him. Ralph comes out. Girls scream at someone outside and that person comes in the hotel. It's Sammy Spear and Ed recognizes him. Sammy: "Those girls never leave a guy alone." Ed: "That is what you get for being a sex symbol." Ed decides that he wants to go upstairs and wash up. He says to the elevator operator: "Follow that cable." Soon, Art Carney (as himself) comes in and is memorized. Ralph (yells): "YOU'RE ART CARNEY! YOU'RE ART CARNEY!" It doesn't occur to Ralph that Art looks EXACTLY like Ed Norton. Ralph asks Art for his autograph. Art obliges and goes upstairs. Ralph realizes that he missed the opportunity to ask Art to appear at the dance and bangs at the elevator door. Ed Norton comes down and Ralph tells him that he met Art Carney. Ed: "You know some people say that Jackie Gleason is a riot but if you ask me, that Art Carney is the whole show." Ralph argues with Ed over whose funny, Jackie or Art. Ralph asks the manager of the hotel: "Pardon me sir, but on the Jackie Gleason Show, who's funnier, Jackie Gleason or Art Carney?" Hotel Manager: "I can't say. I watch Flipper." A delivery man comes in and has a delivery for Jackie but Ralph takes the delivery upstairs and pays the kid a dollar. Boy: "Jackie never gave me this much." Ralph goes upstairs to see him. But, Jackie (as himself) comes down and Ed Norton is so memorized by his appearance. Ed: "It is a pleasure for me to look at you in the flesh and there's so much of it." It doesn't occur to Ed that Jackie looks EXACTLY like Ralph Kramden and sounds like him too. Jackie (to the hotel manager): "Whatever he (Ed) is drinking, give me a case of it." Jackie leaves. Ralph comes down and Ed said that he saw Gleason but never asked him to come to the dance and that he left. Ralph is upset. Jean Kean comes in and it doesn't occur to Ralph & Ed that she looks exactly like Trixie. Ed: "Have I seen you before?" Jean: "I don't believe so." Ed: "Have you ever worked in the sewer?" Jean: "Hardly." Ralph says that is Jean Kean. Ed asks Jean to come to the Raccoon dance. Jean takes it the wrong way and slaps Ed. Ed: "She reminds me of Trixie." Ralph & Ed leave.
At the Raccoon dance, the girls and Ed arrives. Ralph is hiding. He finally comes in. Ralph is scared. He can't see the boys because he is scared and wants to face them at the bus depot where he has workman's comp. Alice isn't worried. Ralph says that she isn't worried because she wants his insurance which is $200. Jackie Gleason is heard. Ralph can't believe it. Jackie: "How sweet it is." Jackie asks for music. The music plays. Alice explains the whole situation in which she is responsible for Gleason coming which involved making a pizza for him. Ed: "How do you think he got that title, `The Fat One.'?" Ralph: "That is `The Great One.'" They sing: "The Grand Exalted Brotherhood of Raccoons' Annual Dance."
At the curtain call, Jackie just says "Goodnight." The network now known today as YTA TV edited out footage where Jackie speaks to the crowd as well as Sammy Spear. He jokingly says that Sammy's performance was bad and that is the last time he will be on the show. Sammy later appeared in "Case of The Cuckoo Thief."
My thoughts: This is one of the episodes where the viewer has to suspend disbelief the most. I mean how could the characters take one look at the stars and NOT notice that they sound and look like their friends so to speak?
Episode #188 (Syndicated episode #18)
TV: One hour long musical.
VHS: In 2015 on Ebay, a producers copy of this tape showed up on eBay. It is attached to the Jackie Gleason Show episode that has the "Stars Over Flatbush" sketch. This tape was made in the 1980s and it had original commercials.
DVD: Attached to "Hair To A Fortune" & "The People's Choice." On the Best of Color Honeymooners DVD, it is attached to “Sun & Raccoon Capital”, “Two Faces of Ralph Kramden” & “Double Trouble.”
Color Honeymooners Episode Title: "Flushing Ho"
Lost Episode Title: "One Big Happy Family"
Air Date: Sat. 4/22/67
"Flushing Ho":
The June Taylor Dancers come out and sing a song about the streets of Brooklyn I believe. After that, they leave. Ralph is demanding complete silence while doing his taxes, so when he hears noise on the streets like hollering and yelling on Chauncey Street, he yells at all the people on the street to get away from his building. The Ice Cream man comes pushing an ice cream cart and says to Ralph, he has a peddler's license. Ralph: "Get on your bicycle and start peddling." The Ice Cream says that all men are equal. Ralph still says for him to get away from his building. He gets Callaghan, the cop and asks him if there is a city ordinance against loud and unnecessary noise on the streets. Callaghan says there is and tells Ralph to stop yelling or he would be put in jail. Ha! The Ice Cream man leaves. The Roasted Peanuts man comes by and Ralph yells at him to get away. Then, the Pizza Man comes by. Ralph yells at the pizza man but then tells him to make him to pizzas with anchovies and send them up to 2B. We finally know Ralph's apartment number.
Ralph is now in his apartment looking for his paper that had his social security number on it. Alice tells Ralph that is in the top bureau drawer. Ralph thinks that he found it. Ralph: "56-68-73." Alice: "Those are the measurements for that new suit you bought." Ralph is getting more upset. He finally finds the paper. Alice offers to help Ralph with his taxes. Ralph is having a hard time understanding one of the questions. Ralph says that it is too hard and doesn't care if he gets sent off to jail. Alice asks Ralph why he doesn't fill out the short form and Ralph says it's because he needs to put down his business deductions like getting his uniform cleaned last year. It costs him $3 every time he got it done once last year. Alice suggests taking a straight 10%. Ralph says that all Alice does is spend, spend, spend. He complains about the time that Alice spent money for a 100 watt bulb for the bathroom. Ralph: "'Ralph, I want the ice box painted.' 'I want a curtain for the bedroom window.' Why do we need a curtain for the bedroom window? All you see is a brick wall. You are not married to Nelson Rockefeller." Alice: "I got news for you Ralph. You are not married to Happy either." She goes into the bedroom. Ed Norton comes in. He is having a tough time doing his taxes too. He puts his glasses on for the first time in the four months he had them. Ed talks about deductions that he has like getting his rubber boots vulcanized, taking a course on becoming a lifeguard and candles. Ed: "When the candle goes out, that means that there is no air and it's safe to breathe." They talk about their business losses like the $125 they spent on that uranium field in Asbury Park and the $200 they sunk on that fund to make Hoboken, New Jersey a Honeymooners paradise. They also talk about the lawyer's fees when they went into bankruptcy. Ed: "We didn't pay them yet." Ralph: "We'll put it down as a bad debt." There's no way you can do that in real life. After doing a little math, Ralph figures that he has $3,165.12. Ralph thinks that he made a mistake because he doesn't even have the 12 cents. Ed: "The 12 cents is living expenses." When Ralph realizes that he and Norton between them are paying $65 a month in rent, he proposes that they pool their money and share an apartment in a swell neighborhood, like Flushing. Ralph says that he knows Ed's faults and if he himself had any, Ed would know it. Gee, Ralph is 100% perfect? Something about that doesn't make sense. They sing: "Let's Consolidate."
The Kramdens and Nortons take a look at an apartment in 23 Mockingbird Lane in Flushing, Queens, New York. Ralph: "We are used to much better." Ed: "We lost a lot of money in the Mentalated Dental Floss Crash." Ralph says that the kitchen is in a room all by itself. Ed asks for the bedroom with the North light so it will help him with the painting as far as seeing the numbers go. Huh? (The apartment did need painting.) Ralph has plans as far as putting Ed's furniture in the apartment in the living room and not his. Alice: "We can't mesh two periods: early modern and early depression." Ralph was going to donate his furniture. One of the benefits of the move is immediately obvious: at Chauncey Street the view from Ralph's window was the back of a Chinese restaurant; from the new apartment he can see the front of a Chinese restaurant. They take the apartment, but they don't know who should get the bigger bedroom. Ralph: "That is it. One big happy family." They sing: "One Big Happy Family."
The euphoria of new surroundings wears off quickly though, when Norton spends all morning in the bathtub washing a toy boat while Ralph's waiting to bathe before going to work. When Ralph finally gets into the bathroom, Ed says: "I think the people on bus #802 are going to get theirs today." Ralph takes a tumble on the soap Norton dropped on the floor and then can't get any hot water. Ralph accidentally sits down on Ed's boat. Ralph tries to salvage his morning with a few waffles but Norton gets to them first, causing more friction. Ralph complains that Norton is only caring for himself and that last night there was two potatoes and that Ed grabbed the big one. Ralph: "If I were you, I would have grabbed the little one." Ed: "What are you complaining about? You got the little one." Ralph is late and tells Norton to get ready for work. Today is Ed's day off. Ralph yells about the fact that Ed kept him waiting for a bath and he didn't have to go to work so he challenges Ed to a fight which ends when Ralph realizes that Ed has his glasses on and he can't punch him with glasses on. You can actually see the camera zoom out a little too much and see part of the real stage. Ed: "It's too bad Ralph isn't on color TV. When his face gets red like that, it's sensational."
Ralph gets home after a day's work. Things are no better that night; Ralph not seeing the bathroom since he moved in. Norton comes in with painting attire. Everything Norton does--whistling, singing, tapping on the table, folding the paper, cleaning his eyeglasses—drives Ralph crazy. Ralph complains about Ed being selfish as far as food goes. Ed also ate a whole pie much to Ralph's chagrin as well as having four pork chops compared to Ralph's six. Alice asks Ralph to look at a broken toaster. Ed says that the electro curl is not connected to this screw here. Translation: A screw is loose. Ed asks Ralph to hold the knife on the loose screw while Ed plugs in the toaster. Alice is actually not smart enough to stop Ed and Ralph. Ralph is getting "electrocuted." Ralph throws Norton out which causes the man upstairs earlier to complain. Ralph turns on the radio. Ed comes back in and kicks Ralph out since it's his apartment. Ed turns on the TV much to Ralph's chagrin. Ralph yells at Ed to turn off the TV. Ed & Ralph yell some more. Ed turns on the TV with the volume turned up and Ralph turns up the volume on the radio. Alice turns both electronics off. The guy from upstairs complains. Ralph (yells to the guy): "SHUT UP BEFORE I REPORT YOU TO THE SUPERINTENDENT!" Man (yells): "I AM THE SUPERINTENDENT." Ralph warns Ed not to turn on the set or he will throw it out the window. Ed says to Trixie that Ralph warned him not to turn on the TV. Trixie & Ed sing: "Why Do You Act So Defenseless and Weak?" Ed says that if he put the TV plug back in, he would get hit by Ralph. Trixie does it. Ralph comes out. Ed says: "Trixie turned it on. Hit her." Ralph and Ed yell at each other. Soon Ralph and Norton, Trixie and Ralph, and Alice and Trixie are squabbling. You can see part of the real stage again. The superintendent of the building comes down and kicks the blabbermouths from Bensonhurst out of the apartment house. Alice scolds Ralph for ruining the one good idea he ever had. Ralph is upset that it was his and Ed's fault. They all agree to move back into their old apartments. All four of them sing: "Two Big Happy Families."
At the curtain call, Jackie has a cup of coffee and introduces the cast.
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 #187 (Syndicated episode #16)
TV: One hour long musical.
DVD: Attached to "Flushing Ho" & "Sees All, Knows All".
Color Honeymooners Episode Title: "Ralph Kramden Presents."
Lost Episode Title: "Catch A Star."
Air Date: Sat. 3/18/67
"Ralph Kramden Presents":
The June Taylor Dancers come in and sing a song about a dance. After that they leave and then the Kramdens & Nortons are at a dance hall. The girls are helping getting the place ready for the Raccoon Dance on Saturday night. Ralph has Ed make a note of what should be done to the dance hall for the dance. The boys will take care of the punch. Ed (writing): "One lemon and a case of hooch for the punch." Ralph mentions that Garrity is on the wagon. Ed: "That is what the lemons are for." Ed instructs Trixie to get his tie back from the dry cleaner's. He says that the stain may be from silly putty. Ralph has Ed run down the list. The boys think of a theme for the dance. Ed suggests "A Salute To Norway." Ed says that the reason for that is because he found out that the Vikings discovered America. Ralph: "You want to celebrate the Vikings discovering America in the Sons of Italy Hall (the place where the dance is going to be held.) Ralph says that he will think of a theme. Ed says that Ralph hasn't found out who's going to blow up the balloons. Ed: "Jimmy Milligan is a good choice." Ralph thinks that he will be Raccoon of the Year. Ralph & Ed sing: "The Grand Exalted Brotherhood of Raccoons' Annual Dance." with a lot of dancers dancing and singing in the background as well.
At the Raccoon Lodge, we finally see what the colors of the inside of the Lodge look like as well as the uniforms. Ralph & Ed greet each other with the friendly Raccoon greeting. Ralph says he wants to talk about him getting the dance hall ready. Ed suggests him saying that he is his special assistant. Ralph: "That is the trouble with you Norton. You are always looking to blow your own horn." Before the meeting starts, Ed is suggested to play the Raccoon Anthem and Ralph to sing. Ed warms up by not playing "Suwannee River" but another song. Ralph gets agitated. Finally Ed plays the anthem which is this:
"From the hallowed streets of Greenpernt,
To the shores of Sheepshead Bay,
From the Verrazano Narrows,
To Canarsie across the way...
We have come together, one and all,
In fellowship to commune,
And to glorify the Grand Exalted
Brotherhood of Raccoons." [Howl]
For a long time, I never knew which episode this song came from. I think that this is where ZXMan (the creator of the real honeymooners.net) got it from. Ed reads the minutes of the last meeting. Ed: "8:00pm, the Raccoon meeting was called to order and the president said he had very important matters to discuss. 8:01pm, member Harry George said there was going to give free beer at the end of the meeting. 8:02pm, meeting adjourned." Ralph gets up. Ed: "Let's hear it for Ralph, chairman of the Dance Committee." Ed claps but no one claps with him. Anyway, the Raccoon annual dance gets announced. Ralph says that this will be the best dance they ever had. Ed: "Let's hear it for Ralph." Ed claps but no one claps with him. Ralph then says he got Freitag from Freitag's Delicatessen to bring in a lot of knockwurst. Ed: "Let's hear it for Ralph." Ed claps but no one claps with him. The purpose of this dance is to raise money but no one sold any tickets. Each member was to get 100 tickets each to sell. One of the members, who has a bad voice, said that one person, said that their dances are too dull. Another person suggested that they get a big TV star to get tickets. Ed has an idea to solve that problem. His idea: Hold a dance. Ralph and everybody else think that that idea is stupid. Ed suggests getting Bob Hope since he entertains men in uniform. The Raccoon with the bad voice (whose name is Rocky by the way) speaks out and Ralph says to him to speak clear. Ed then says that Ralph Kramden knows a big TV star named Jackie Gleason. Rocky & someone else say that Ralph brags about him. The Raccoon president says that with Jackie as the guest, they would have the most successful dance ever. Ralph says that he can't get Jackie because he's in the sun and fun capital of the world. Ed: "What's he doing in Perth Amboy?" Ralph says that he is in Miami Beach and not in New York. Rocky just read that Jackie is in New York. Ralph (about Gleason): "That bum!" Ralph is mad at Ed for spilling the beans.
At home, Ralph is alone in the kitchen and calls Ed a nut. Alice: "Why don't you tell the Raccoons the truth that you don't even know Jackie Gleason?" Ralph disagrees with that suggestion. Ralph: "Do you remember the last time that the Raccoons were this excited?" Alice: "Yeah, the time that you told them that you knew Rudy Valee." Ha! Ralph comes to his senses and goes down to the lodge to tell the truth. Ed comes in with the news that since word leaked out that Jackie Gleason was coming to the dance, 1,000 tickets were sold. Ralph says he can't go down to the lodge now. Ed: "If you told me anything, I will still be your friend Ralph." Ralph tells Ed the truth. He doesn't know Jackie Gleason. Ed: "You dirty rat." Ralph says that he did see him once and saved his life. How did he save his life? Jackie was going to walk across the street near a traffic light. Ralph saw him and stopped for the traffic light's red light. Ralph: "If I gone through the light, I might have hit him. I saved his life." Ed: "You didn't save his life, you saved your bus." Ed suggests paying Gleason. Ralph: "You know what a guy like him gets a night, $100. I know he isn't worth that much money but that is what he gets." Gee, $100. That pales in comparison to the salaries that today's TV stars get. Ralph says that the Raccoons are going to hang him if Gleason doesn't come. Ed says that maybe Gleason will do it for charity. Alice: "What charity is this?" Ed: "Well, see we need a new pool table and when we get the money, we will give the pool table to the settlement house if they have enough money for it." Ralph thinks of going to the hotel where Gleason rehearses and asking him. Alice thinks that Ralph is crazy, but Ralph says they need to take this chance. Alice says something that infuriates Ralph. Ralph: "Just for that remark, even if I bring Gleason to the dance, you are not coming." Ed: "You won't be invited to the hanging either." Ralph kicks Ed out.
At the hotel, the hotel owner (played by George Petrie) greets Jackie (as himself) as he arrives. Jackie goes into a phone booth. During their lunch hour, Ralph & Ed arrive. Ralph & Ed can't see Gleason as Gleason rehearses so they wait at the hotel lobby for him to come down. Shelia MacRae (as herself) comes through the lobby. She is wearing a long fur coat. She greets the hotel owner as George. Ed asks Ralph how he would he like to be married to her. Ralph says that Alice would look just as good with those clothes. Ralph is going to call the bus depot to tell him that he will be late. He goes into the phone booth to call. Immediately, Jackie Gleason pops out of the other phone booth that is connected to the other one. Ed doesn't see him. Ralph comes out. Girls scream at someone outside and that person comes in the hotel. It's Sammy Spear and Ed recognizes him. Sammy: "Those girls never leave a guy alone." Ed: "That is what you get for being a sex symbol." Ed decides that he wants to go upstairs and wash up. He says to the elevator operator: "Follow that cable." Soon, Art Carney (as himself) comes in and is memorized. Ralph (yells): "YOU'RE ART CARNEY! YOU'RE ART CARNEY!" It doesn't occur to Ralph that Art looks EXACTLY like Ed Norton. Ralph asks Art for his autograph. Art obliges and goes upstairs. Ralph realizes that he missed the opportunity to ask Art to appear at the dance and bangs at the elevator door. Ed Norton comes down and Ralph tells him that he met Art Carney. Ed: "You know some people say that Jackie Gleason is a riot but if you ask me, that Art Carney is the whole show." Ralph argues with Ed over whose funny, Jackie or Art. Ralph asks the manager of the hotel: "Pardon me sir, but on the Jackie Gleason Show, who's funnier, Jackie Gleason or Art Carney?" Hotel Manager: "I can't say. I watch Flipper." A delivery man comes in and has a delivery for Jackie but Ralph takes the delivery upstairs and pays the kid a dollar. Boy: "Jackie never gave me this much." Ralph goes upstairs to see him. But, Jackie (as himself) comes down and Ed Norton is so memorized by his appearance. Ed: "It is a pleasure for me to look at you in the flesh and there's so much of it." It doesn't occur to Ed that Jackie looks EXACTLY like Ralph Kramden and sounds like him too. Jackie (to the hotel manager): "Whatever he (Ed) is drinking, give me a case of it." Jackie leaves. Ralph comes down and Ed said that he saw Gleason but never asked him to come to the dance and that he left. Ralph is upset. Jean Kean comes in and it doesn't occur to Ralph & Ed that she looks exactly like Trixie. Ed: "Have I seen you before?" Jean: "I don't believe so." Ed: "Have you ever worked in the sewer?" Jean: "Hardly." Ralph says that is Jean Kean. Ed asks Jean to come to the Raccoon dance. Jean takes it the wrong way and slaps Ed. Ed: "She reminds me of Trixie." Ralph & Ed leave.
At the Raccoon dance, the girls and Ed arrives. Ralph is hiding. He finally comes in. Ralph is scared. He can't see the boys because he is scared and wants to face them at the bus depot where he has workman's comp. Alice isn't worried. Ralph says that she isn't worried because she wants his insurance which is $200. Jackie Gleason is heard. Ralph can't believe it. Jackie: "How sweet it is." Jackie asks for music. The music plays. Alice explains the whole situation in which she is responsible for Gleason coming which involved making a pizza for him. Ed: "How do you think he got that title, `The Fat One.'?" Ralph: "That is `The Great One.'" They sing: "The Grand Exalted Brotherhood of Raccoons' Annual Dance."
At the curtain call, Jackie just says "Goodnight." The network now known today as YTA TV edited out footage where Jackie speaks to the crowd as well as Sammy Spear. He jokingly says that Sammy's performance was bad and that is the last time he will be on the show. Sammy later appeared in "Case of The Cuckoo Thief."
My thoughts: This is one of the episodes where the viewer has to suspend disbelief the most. I mean how could the characters take one look at the stars and NOT notice that they sound and look like their friends so to speak?
Episode #188 (Syndicated episode #18)
TV: One hour long musical.
VHS: In 2015 on Ebay, a producers copy of this tape showed up on eBay. It is attached to the Jackie Gleason Show episode that has the "Stars Over Flatbush" sketch. This tape was made in the 1980s and it had original commercials.
DVD: Attached to "Hair To A Fortune" & "The People's Choice." On the Best of Color Honeymooners DVD, it is attached to “Sun & Raccoon Capital”, “Two Faces of Ralph Kramden” & “Double Trouble.”
Color Honeymooners Episode Title: "Flushing Ho"
Lost Episode Title: "One Big Happy Family"
Air Date: Sat. 4/22/67
"Flushing Ho":
The June Taylor Dancers come out and sing a song about the streets of Brooklyn I believe. After that, they leave. Ralph is demanding complete silence while doing his taxes, so when he hears noise on the streets like hollering and yelling on Chauncey Street, he yells at all the people on the street to get away from his building. The Ice Cream man comes pushing an ice cream cart and says to Ralph, he has a peddler's license. Ralph: "Get on your bicycle and start peddling." The Ice Cream says that all men are equal. Ralph still says for him to get away from his building. He gets Callaghan, the cop and asks him if there is a city ordinance against loud and unnecessary noise on the streets. Callaghan says there is and tells Ralph to stop yelling or he would be put in jail. Ha! The Ice Cream man leaves. The Roasted Peanuts man comes by and Ralph yells at him to get away. Then, the Pizza Man comes by. Ralph yells at the pizza man but then tells him to make him to pizzas with anchovies and send them up to 2B. We finally know Ralph's apartment number.
Ralph is now in his apartment looking for his paper that had his social security number on it. Alice tells Ralph that is in the top bureau drawer. Ralph thinks that he found it. Ralph: "56-68-73." Alice: "Those are the measurements for that new suit you bought." Ralph is getting more upset. He finally finds the paper. Alice offers to help Ralph with his taxes. Ralph is having a hard time understanding one of the questions. Ralph says that it is too hard and doesn't care if he gets sent off to jail. Alice asks Ralph why he doesn't fill out the short form and Ralph says it's because he needs to put down his business deductions like getting his uniform cleaned last year. It costs him $3 every time he got it done once last year. Alice suggests taking a straight 10%. Ralph says that all Alice does is spend, spend, spend. He complains about the time that Alice spent money for a 100 watt bulb for the bathroom. Ralph: "'Ralph, I want the ice box painted.' 'I want a curtain for the bedroom window.' Why do we need a curtain for the bedroom window? All you see is a brick wall. You are not married to Nelson Rockefeller." Alice: "I got news for you Ralph. You are not married to Happy either." She goes into the bedroom. Ed Norton comes in. He is having a tough time doing his taxes too. He puts his glasses on for the first time in the four months he had them. Ed talks about deductions that he has like getting his rubber boots vulcanized, taking a course on becoming a lifeguard and candles. Ed: "When the candle goes out, that means that there is no air and it's safe to breathe." They talk about their business losses like the $125 they spent on that uranium field in Asbury Park and the $200 they sunk on that fund to make Hoboken, New Jersey a Honeymooners paradise. They also talk about the lawyer's fees when they went into bankruptcy. Ed: "We didn't pay them yet." Ralph: "We'll put it down as a bad debt." There's no way you can do that in real life. After doing a little math, Ralph figures that he has $3,165.12. Ralph thinks that he made a mistake because he doesn't even have the 12 cents. Ed: "The 12 cents is living expenses." When Ralph realizes that he and Norton between them are paying $65 a month in rent, he proposes that they pool their money and share an apartment in a swell neighborhood, like Flushing. Ralph says that he knows Ed's faults and if he himself had any, Ed would know it. Gee, Ralph is 100% perfect? Something about that doesn't make sense. They sing: "Let's Consolidate."
The Kramdens and Nortons take a look at an apartment in 23 Mockingbird Lane in Flushing, Queens, New York. Ralph: "We are used to much better." Ed: "We lost a lot of money in the Mentalated Dental Floss Crash." Ralph says that the kitchen is in a room all by itself. Ed asks for the bedroom with the North light so it will help him with the painting as far as seeing the numbers go. Huh? (The apartment did need painting.) Ralph has plans as far as putting Ed's furniture in the apartment in the living room and not his. Alice: "We can't mesh two periods: early modern and early depression." Ralph was going to donate his furniture. One of the benefits of the move is immediately obvious: at Chauncey Street the view from Ralph's window was the back of a Chinese restaurant; from the new apartment he can see the front of a Chinese restaurant. They take the apartment, but they don't know who should get the bigger bedroom. Ralph: "That is it. One big happy family." They sing: "One Big Happy Family."
The euphoria of new surroundings wears off quickly though, when Norton spends all morning in the bathtub washing a toy boat while Ralph's waiting to bathe before going to work. When Ralph finally gets into the bathroom, Ed says: "I think the people on bus #802 are going to get theirs today." Ralph takes a tumble on the soap Norton dropped on the floor and then can't get any hot water. Ralph accidentally sits down on Ed's boat. Ralph tries to salvage his morning with a few waffles but Norton gets to them first, causing more friction. Ralph complains that Norton is only caring for himself and that last night there was two potatoes and that Ed grabbed the big one. Ralph: "If I were you, I would have grabbed the little one." Ed: "What are you complaining about? You got the little one." Ralph is late and tells Norton to get ready for work. Today is Ed's day off. Ralph yells about the fact that Ed kept him waiting for a bath and he didn't have to go to work so he challenges Ed to a fight which ends when Ralph realizes that Ed has his glasses on and he can't punch him with glasses on. You can actually see the camera zoom out a little too much and see part of the real stage. Ed: "It's too bad Ralph isn't on color TV. When his face gets red like that, it's sensational."
Ralph gets home after a day's work. Things are no better that night; Ralph not seeing the bathroom since he moved in. Norton comes in with painting attire. Everything Norton does--whistling, singing, tapping on the table, folding the paper, cleaning his eyeglasses—drives Ralph crazy. Ralph complains about Ed being selfish as far as food goes. Ed also ate a whole pie much to Ralph's chagrin as well as having four pork chops compared to Ralph's six. Alice asks Ralph to look at a broken toaster. Ed says that the electro curl is not connected to this screw here. Translation: A screw is loose. Ed asks Ralph to hold the knife on the loose screw while Ed plugs in the toaster. Alice is actually not smart enough to stop Ed and Ralph. Ralph is getting "electrocuted." Ralph throws Norton out which causes the man upstairs earlier to complain. Ralph turns on the radio. Ed comes back in and kicks Ralph out since it's his apartment. Ed turns on the TV much to Ralph's chagrin. Ralph yells at Ed to turn off the TV. Ed & Ralph yell some more. Ed turns on the TV with the volume turned up and Ralph turns up the volume on the radio. Alice turns both electronics off. The guy from upstairs complains. Ralph (yells to the guy): "SHUT UP BEFORE I REPORT YOU TO THE SUPERINTENDENT!" Man (yells): "I AM THE SUPERINTENDENT." Ralph warns Ed not to turn on the set or he will throw it out the window. Ed says to Trixie that Ralph warned him not to turn on the TV. Trixie & Ed sing: "Why Do You Act So Defenseless and Weak?" Ed says that if he put the TV plug back in, he would get hit by Ralph. Trixie does it. Ralph comes out. Ed says: "Trixie turned it on. Hit her." Ralph and Ed yell at each other. Soon Ralph and Norton, Trixie and Ralph, and Alice and Trixie are squabbling. You can see part of the real stage again. The superintendent of the building comes down and kicks the blabbermouths from Bensonhurst out of the apartment house. Alice scolds Ralph for ruining the one good idea he ever had. Ralph is upset that it was his and Ed's fault. They all agree to move back into their old apartments. All four of them sing: "Two Big Happy Families."
At the curtain call, Jackie has a cup of coffee and introduces the cast.
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.