The Gleason Characters

[Gleasonclown]

Does anyone know how many regular characters Gleason played during the course of his entire TV variety show career?

Ralph, Reggie, Poul Soul, Joe the Bartender, Fenwick Babbitt, Stanley R. Sogg, Rum Dum, Agness & Arthur, Pedro the Mexican (?- I've heard about this one, but never seen him). Did he introduce any that just never clicked with audiences and he dropped after a few apperances?

Were most of these dropped by the late 60's? I've seen a very late Fenwick Babbitt sketch with Milton Berle from the late 60's, but it seemed pretty rare. By the end, with the exception of the Honeymooners, Gleason seemed to be more of an MC/host for the various singers and comics who came by the show.

Thanks,

Greg

[T-Greg]

Charlie Bratton (The Loudmouth) is another. He dropped most of his pre-Ralph Kramden characters once the Honeymooners got its own show, if I remember correctly. However, he did do The Poor Soul on occasion in later years.

[Gleasonclown]

As a follow up to the original question...when was the last time Gleason performed these characters? Was the Julie Andrews special the final time he did Reggie, Poor Soul and Joe the bartender? I know he kinda did Reggie as a cameo in Smokey and the Bandit 2.

[T-Greg]

Originally Posted by Gleasonclown

As a follow up to the original question...when was the last time Gleason performed these characters? Was the Julie Andrews special the final time he did Reggie, Poor Soul and Joe the bartender? I know he kinda did Reggie as a cameo in Smokey and the Bandit 2.

I believe you are right about the last time he did those characters. The Julie-Jackie special was in 1974. BTW. Both Gleason's stepson, Craig Horwich (Marilyn's son) and Marilyn, had cameos in Smokey 3.

[W.B.]

As for Stanley R. Sogg, by the American Scene Magazine period the character was renamed Stanley R. Slick. By any name, I could see why some would claim the character influenced (in whole or part) Johnny Carson's oily "Tea Time Movie" host Art Fern.

Gleason did play his Fenwick Babbitt character in a sketch that aired on his Feb. 22, 1969 show; playing opposite frequent Gleason show guest Milton Berle (he was to TJGS by that point, what Steve Martin would later be to Saturday Night Live). But generally, the majority of sketches that didn't feature Ralph in the late 1960's, had Reggie Van Gleason. Do any of you know if Jackie played his Rudy the Repairman or Loudmouth characters in the 1960's shows?

[VIDEOWACK]

Originally Posted by W.B.

As for Stanley R. Sogg, by the American Scene Magazine period the character was renamed Stanley R. Slick. By any name, I could see why some would claim the character influenced (in whole or part) Johnny Carson's oily "Tea Time Movie" host Art Fern.

Gleason did play his Fenwick Babbitt character in a sketch that aired on his Feb. 22, 1969 show; playing opposite frequent Gleason show guest Milton Berle (he was to TJGS by that point, what Steve Martin would later be to Saturday Night Live). But generally, the majority of sketches that didn't feature Ralph in the late 1960's, had Reggie Van Gleason. Do any of you know if Jackie played his Rudy the Repairman or Loudmouth characters in the 1960's shows?

In a first season ASM sketch he played an un-named repairman (with Frank Fontaine as his helper) who go to an apartment of a couple (played by Sybil Bowen and Howard Freeman) and attempt to catch a mouse. The character was loud and brash just as Rudy was, but there was no reference to a name. Here's a couple shots of a Fenwick sketch with magician Russell Swan from the final season of ASM.

[Gleasonclown]

I have never been able to find any Rudy or Charlie Bratton sketches past the 1950's variety show. I do think Jerry Bergen (Whitey in the Rudy scenes) did a bit with Gleason in the late 60's Bonazna show. The Bratton character seemed to only work with Carney 's Clem Finch. There was the Bachelor character that made apperences in the very early Dumont years too.

-Greg

[VIDEOWACK]

Originally Posted by Gleasonclown

I have never been able to find any Rudy or Charlie Bratton sketches past the 1950's variety show. I do think Jerry Bergen (Whitey in the Rudy scenes) did a bit with Gleason in the late 60's Bonazna show. The Bratton character seemed to only work with Carney 's Clem Finch. There was the Bachelor character that made apperences in the very early Dumont years too.

-Greg

True, Bratton sketches were like Kramden sketches....they both depended on Carney's availability. Jerry Bergen also appeared in the Miami Honeymooners, "Poor People Of Paris" where he played one of the counterfeiters.

[W.B.]

Originally Posted by Gleasonclown

I have never been able to find any Rudy or Charlie Bratton sketches past the 1950's variety show. I do think Jerry Bergen (Whitey in the Rudy scenes) did a bit with Gleason in the late 60's Bonazna show. The Bratton character seemed to only work with Carney 's Clem Finch. There was the Bachelor character that made apperences in the very early Dumont years too.

Besides Mr. Bergen's appearance in that aforementioned color Honeymooners episode, that other show you mention - "Yes, We Have No Bonanzas," with Jackie as Reggie Van Gleason as Ben Cartwright, Art Carney as the Hoss-type character and Mr. Bergen as "Little Max" (whom Reggie at one point called "Little Moax"), and Milton Berle as the villain - aired on Oct. 25, 1969. I saw a B&W kinescope of the episode at the Museum of Television & Radio, and one thing I remember is that the ranch in the sketch was called the "Pondersusie." That and Gleason updating the Miami Beach audience about his weight loss during the curtain call.

[Gleasonclown]

Wasn't there a character he did with Sid Fields, very burlesque-ish, baggy suit, always said 'wow-wow"? If I remember, he apperared doing old those Abbott & Costello type burlesque routines that Sid knew so well?

-Greg

[VIDEOWACK]

Originally Posted by Gleasonclown

Wasn't there a character he did with Sid Fields, very burlesque-ish, baggy suit, always said 'wow-wow"? If I remember, he apperared doing old those Abbott & Costello type burlesque routines that Sid knew so well?

-Greg

Yup, Jackie "Wow-Wow" Gleason.

[Gleasonclown]

Great pictures...are these screen caps off video's? I'm looking to build my American Scene collection...do you sell/trade your Gleason stuff?

-Greg

[Woolworth27]

Are u sure? By 1969 most show where in color by then, and stopped using Keniscopes.

[VIDEOWACK]

Originally Posted by Woolworth27

Are u sure? By 1969 most show where in color by then, and stopped using Keniscopes.

Is who sure about what? If you are talking of the 1969 kinescope of the "Bonanza" take-off that is available to view at the museum of TV and Radio, that's easily explainable. Kinescopes of taped TV shows were made and shipped overseas for the armed forces to view, well into the 1970's. While I was stationed in Thailand from 1969 to 1970, that is the way we saw shows from the U.S. They didn't ship video tape overseas, they created 16mm film prints and that is what was viewed, unless of course the show was shot on film to begin with.

[Woolworth27]

I thought that Gleason show was in color starting in 1966 untill the end 1970?