JanLady617: I don't know the answer to your question, but I can offer some speculation: My guess is that Jackie Gleason did not enjoy working with kids. I can't think of any project he was involved in where a child played a prominent role. Also, I just don't think the show would have worked as well if the Kramdens had children (I think the viewers, and maybe the censors, would have been a lot less tolerant of their "argument" scenes if a child was in the room with them). The closest they came to addressing this issue (in my opinion) was during one of the Honeymooner "Specials" that was broadcast during the 1970s. In one of these programs, the plot revolved around Ralph's mistaken belief that Alice was pregnant (although they were both old enough to be grandparents at that point in their careers!).
|