Honeymooners Episode Reviews: “‘‘Twas The Night Before Christmas” & “Man From Space”:

[Frank Gannucci]

Honeymooners Episode Reviews: “‘‘Twas The Night Before Christmas” & “Man From Space”:

Episode #122 (Syndicated Episode #13)
TV: Half-hour.
VCR: Attached to "Young At Heart." On some tapes it is attached to the “I Love Lucy” episode entitled “I Love Lucy Xmas Special” as well as then-lost footage of the characters celebrating Christmas at the end of the episode entitled “The Fur Coat.” This release has the title “TV Christmas Present.” On some tapes, it is attached to “Man From Space” & “A Matter of Record.” On some tapes, it is attached to “Hello Mom”, “A Matter of Record”, “Here Comes The Bride” & “A Woman’s Work Is Never Done.”
Laserdisc: Attached to “TV or Not TV”, “Funny Money”, “The Golfer”, “Better Living Through TV”, “Brother Ralph”, “Pal O’ Mine”, “A Woman’s Work Is Never Done”, “Something Fishy”, “The Worry Wart”, “The Sleepwalker”, “Hello Mom”, “The Deciding Vote” & “Man From Space.” On some discs it is attached to the “I Love Lucy” episode entitled “I Love Lucy Xmas Special” as well as then-lost footage of the characters celebrating Christmas at the end of the episode entitled “The Fur Coat.” This release has the title “TV Christmas Present.”
DVD: Attached to episodes #9-16 of the classic 39. The HD Blu-Ray set has the exact same episodes (including two versions of "Hello Mom." in which one has the original ads) and includes Best Buick Yet presentation.
On some discs it is attached to the “I Love Lucy” episode entitled “I Love Lucy Xmas Special” as well as not-seen-in-syndication footage of the characters celebrating Christmas at the end of the episode entitled “The Fur Coat.” This release has the title “TV Christmas Present.” On the Honeymooners Christmas Laughter DVD, it is attached to "TV or Not TV", "Funny Money", "The Golfer", "Better Luving Through TV" & "The $99,000 Answer."
Air Date: Sat. 12/24/55

In 2023, this episode along with others was colorized on YouTube but they have been pulled.

To see the script for this episode, click here: http://www.springfieldspringfield.co...episode=s04e13

Alice is wrapping a Christmas present as Christmas music is being played. She hides her present which is a gift for Ralph. She finally decides to hide it under the ice box. Trixie comes by and the two of them talk about Christmas. Trixie says Ed gave her an orange juice squeezer in which you squeeze the orange on top of Napoleon’s head and the juice squirts out of his ears. The same gift that he got her in "Honeymooners Christmas Party." Trixie leaves. Ralph comes home with a Christmas present. He decides to hide it in the ice box but spots Alice seeing him in the act. She says she put his present under there. Ralph says that they are acting like two kids. Ralph wants to know what Alice gave him. Alice won't reveal the contents and suspects that Ralph would unwrap it when she goes upstairs. Ralph says to not worry and that he will wait until Christmas. Alice fools Ralph by indicating that she left and sure enough she spots Ralph trying to get his gift. Alice: "Looks like Mommy will have to hide your present somewhere else. It looks like I can't trust you Ralph." Ralph: "You're the one who can't be trusted. You said that you were going upstairs." Alice hides Ralph's present on the top shelf of the closet. Ralph and Alice decorate the tree. Ralph says that she can tell him where the gift is and he won't get it. Alice tells him where it is and when Alice leaves, Ralph goes to get it...and gets his finger caught in a mousetrap. Ha! Ralph: "Okay, two can play at that game." He puts a mousetrap where he hid Alice's gift (which is under the icebox.) Ralph decorates the tree as Ed Norton comes down. Ed: "Merry Christmas Eve Ralph." They exchange presents. Ed gave Ralph spats while Ralph gave Ed a tie. Ralph: "Why did you give me spats for?" Ed's response is that Ralph isn't the easiest person to shop for since Ralph has everything.

Ralph says he got Alice a gift and that it's under the ice box. Ed goes under there and pulls out the pan that is always under there and assumes that that's the gift. Alice comes down and Ed presents her with the gift that he thinks Ralph got her. Ralph corrects Ed and begins to take the gift out...and gets his finger caught in the mousetrap. Ed assumes that that is the gift. Ralph says that the gift is a matchbox containing of 2000 matchsticks glued together. The same gift he got her in "Anniversary Gift." Ralph says that he was told the gift came from the Emperor's palace in Japan. When a friend comes down and exchanges presents with Alice, Alice gets the same exact gift. The actor that played the friend made a blooper in her line when she says: The gift I gave to you was nothing. I feel embarrassed after the gift I gave you.” The friend leaves. Ralph is screwed.

Ralph is all upset as Ed decorates the tree. Ralph talks about his problem as far as not being able to get Alice a gift. Ed suggests putting a sticker on the gift that says: "Don't open until Christmas" and to give it to Alice on the day after Christmas. That way, Ralph will have a whole year to give her a present. A dumb idea and Ralph says so. Uncle Leo comes in and the studio audience applauds for him. He gives Ralph a gift certificate for him and Alice. He leaves. Ralph gets a scheme. He will use the gift certificate to buy Alice a present. He hatches a plan that will allow him to give Alice a present and for Alice to think that Uncle Leo didn't give them anything. It's a typical Ralph idea. Alice comes home and says that he saw someone that she knew on the way up. Ralph thinks that it was Uncle Leo and gives the gift certificate. Alice: "A $25 gift certificate from Tommy Mullins?" Ralph: "Tommy? I thought you meant Uncle Leo." Alice: "Was he here?" Looks like Ralph foiled his own plan. Ralph: "Yes, he was here." Alice goes into the bedroom. Ralph gets another idea. He will hock his bowling ball to give Alice a new gift. Gee, Ralph is really thinking of Alice here.

Christmas morning, Alice is making breakfast as Ralph likes his new slippers from Alice's mother. They open their presents and to Ralph's chagrin, he finds out that Alice gave him a new bowling ball bag. Ralph says that they can't figure out if the ball will fit. Ralph explains the whole story about what he did and what he did as far as hocking the ball. He said Alice will like her new gift. Alice says that it's beautiful and it's the best present she has ever gotten. It's an orange juice squeezer in which you squeeze the orange on Napoleon’s head and the juice squirts out of his ears.

Ralph says this to Alice. Ralph: "You know something sweetheart? Christmas is...well it's about the best time of the whole year. You walk down the streets even weeks before Christmas comes and there are lights hanging up - red ones and green ones. Sometimes there's snow. Everybody's hustling someplace. But they don't hustle around Christmas time like they usually do. You know, they're a little friendlier. They bump into you and they laugh and say 'Pardon me, Merry Christmas'. Especially when it gets real close to Christmas night. Everybody's walking home - you can hardly hear a sound. Bells are ringing, kids are singing, and the snow is coming down and boy, what a pleasure it is to think that you got someplace to go to and the place you’re going to has someone in it that you really love. Someone that you're nuts about. Merry Christmas!"

And so the show ends...or does it? Jackie stops the curtain from closing and says this: "Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, we usually don't step out of character, but tonight I think that it's proper that Mr. and Mrs. Kramden and Mr. Mrs. Norton wish everybody a Merry Christmas. Would you come in here Norton?"

(The Nortons come out.)

Jackie: "There they are."

(Everyone bows to the crowd's applause.)

Wow, everyone steps out of character at the end of this episode. This type of thing would later be seen in syndication at the end of most of the Color Honeymooners episodes. This was also done when the lost episodes aired for the first time.

Episode #123 (Syndicated Episode #14)
TV: Half-hour.
VCR: Attached to "The Sleepwalker." On some tapes, it’s attached to “‘Twas The Night Before XMas” & “A Matter of Record.” On some tapes, it’s attached to “The Loudspeaker”, “Unconventional Behavior”, “The Deciding Vote” & “Something Fishy.”
Laserdisc: Attached to “TV or Not TV”, “Funny Money”, “The Golfer”, “Better Living Through TV”, “Brother Ralph”, “Pal O’ Mine”, “A Woman’s Work Is Never Done”, “The Deciding Vote”, “The Worry Wart”, “The Sleepwalker”, “Hello Mom”, “’Twas The Night Before Xmas” & “Something Fishy.”
DVD: Attached to episodes #9-16 of the classic 39. The HD Blu-Ray set has the exact same episodes (including two versions of "Hello Mom." in which one has the original ads) and includes Best Buick Yet presentation. On Fan Favorites: The Best of The Honeymooners DVD, it is attached to "TV or Not TV", "Funny Money", "The Golfer", "The Sleepwalker", "Better Living Through TV", "$99,000 Answer" & "Young At Heart."
Air Date: Sat. 12/31/55

To see the script for this episode, click here: http://www.springfieldspringfield.co...episode=s04e14

In 2023, this episode along with others was colorized and put on YouTube.

Ralph greets Ed during lunch hour. They talk about the costume contest at the Raccoon lodge dance. Ralph: "I know how to win the grand prize which is $50." Ed: "So do I. By having the best costume. Ha ha ha." Ralph: "Surely that's the answer but only we know that." They only know that? Wow. Ralph says he has the perfect idea. He's going to go out and buy a costume where all the other people at the dance are going to be wearing homemade costumes. Ed: "You think just like me." Ed says he did the exact same thing. Ralph, being Ralph, accuses Ed of stealing his idea. That's impossible but of course, Ralph doesn't think so. Ralph and Ed get into a fight. Ralph wants nothing to do with him. Ralph: "If you see me walking down the street, get on the other side." Ed: "When you walk down the street, there AIN'T no other side." Ha!

At home, Ralph greets Alice. He says he's going to make a reasonable request. He needs $10. Alice says no. Ralph: "For $5, I can go get a Billy The Kid." Alice: "I'll tell you what I will do. I'll give you a can and you can be Billy The Goat." Ha! Ralph isn't amused and is further aggravated when he finds out that the Nortons are coming for dinner. Alice says that why doesn't Ralph use his brain to make a costume. Ralph: "Because I want to win." Ed comes down in his costume which he is going as Pierre Francois de la Briosche. Ed says that Pierre was his hero and he designed and built the sewers of Paris. Gee, how surprising that Ed would go disguised as a famous sewer man. By the way, the person who designed and built the sewers of Paris was made by another person. Ralph says that the costume is ridiculous. He's going to make his own costume now. When Ed puts two black things in his nose and sneezes because of the black things, Ralph says: "Bellevue is calling." Ralph starts making the costume by taking the door of the ice box. Alice: "Now all the food is going to get spoiled." Ralph: "Just get Ed down. He will eat it." Ralph also takes knobs from the dresser." Ralph: "I need knobs and there's nothing in there that can wait until tomorrow. Where's the flashlight?" Alice: "It's in the thing that can wait until tomorrow." Ralph says that his costume will make fun of Ed's costume and he insults the person that Ed is impersonating. Ed: "You can call me anything you want, but when you insult my hero, you insult the honor of France." Ed slaps Ralph's face with a glove. Ralph kicks him out.

With only a few hours before the contest, Ralph finally unveils his costume. Ralph: "Get ready! I'm coming out!" Ralph comes out as "The Man From Space." What Ralph uses as his costume is BEYOND ridiculous. Trust me, when you see this costume for the first time, you will laugh. Here are the things that Ralph uses as his costume:

It consists of a saucepan, which he is using as a hat, the handle protruding from the back of his neck. On top of the saucepan is a light bulb which is going on and off. The icebox door is strapped around his neck and chest like a shield. It's studded with knobs he took off the bureau and three small flashlight bulbs, which also keep going on and off. Also on the icebox door is the kitchen faucet, which is attached up high with the spout facing Ralph's chin. Beneath all of this paraphernalia he wears a sweatshirt with a turtle neck collar. For pants he wears the bottoms of a pair of striped pajamas. These are tucked into shin -high galoshes. On his hands he wears a pair of thick gardening gloves. In his right hand he carries a homemade ray gun, which consists of a funnel attached to a handle of a compass saw. Over his eyes he has a huge pair of dark goggles. Ralph has a wide motorcycle rider's belt around his waist, from which flares a knee-length tunic made out of a plastic shower curtain.

With all of that details, on paper, the costume is already silly looking. Ralph: "You didn't think I could do it. Can you see the faces on them, down there when I walk in with this? What do you think?" Alice: "I think you're nuts." A piece of Ralph's costume comes off. That wasn't in the script so Jackie covers it by saying: "That's my denaturizer." Ralph: "I don't care about the money now. I just want to teach Ed a lesson." Alice goes into the bedroom. Ed comes in, takes one look at Ralph, gets scared and heads for the hills. That is a priceless moment, isn't it? I knew that I laughed. Ralph says that it's him and he says to Alice that Ed didn't know that he was the "Man From Space." Ed: "'Man From Space'? I thought we were being invaded by Sherman Tanks." Alice comes out with her costume. She's wearing a dress, licking a big lollipop. She's disguised as a cute 12-year-old girl. Ralph: "Where's the rest of the costume. You're knees are showing." Alice: "A 12-year-old girl's knees are supposed show." Ralph: "Not any 12-year-old girl that's married to me." Ed says that he is depressed. That Pierre guy didn't make the sewers, he condemned them. Trixie comes down with some bad news. Ed has to work tonight or he will lose his job. Ed is all upset now. The Nortons leave. Ralph tries to put black things in his nose and almost gets the urge to sneeze but doesn't. He eventually pays the price for putting them in his nose. Those kind of black things Ed put in his nose earlier (not the same black things though.)

At the Raccoon dance, the place is "packed." It has...eight people? Wow! What a dance, huh? Ralph steals the scene by doing his dancing. As a matter of fact, Ralph does a dance 2x because the editors stopped the video and showed the exact dance from a different angle. The music stops and the judges are ready to award the $50 prize for the best costume. The first runner-up is Ralph. Ralph: "I had no idea." Judge (aka "Head Raccoon"): "We choose Ralph for his costume of a pinball machine." Ralph is surprised. The second runner-up is someone else that I don't remember. His costume is a playboy of the roaring 20s. Ralph: "Nice rented costume." Just before the $50 is about to be rewarded. Ed comes in with his sewer gear. Ed: "Am I too late for the eats?" Head Raccoon: "You may be too late for the eats but not for the prize. $50 goes to Ed Norton for him being disguised as the 'Man From Space.'" Ralph is upset at Ed but calms down and enjoys himself for the rest of the night.

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.