The Color Honeymooners (The Jackie Gleason Show) - Collection 1 DVD Review

[TJ]

The Jackie Gleason show kicked off its 1966-1967 season by re-introducing "The Honeymooners." But it wasn't your typical "Honeymooners." The show was now in color and musical performances were added. Art Carney rejoined Jackie Gleason, but Sheila McRae took over as Alice and Jane Kean took over as Trixie. The Color Honeymooners Set 1 includes nine of the one hour "Jacking Gleason Show" re-mastered and unedited.

Read our review:
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/thecolo...dvdreview.html

Post any questions or comments about this set.

[VIDEOWACK]

hmmmm, each episode runs 48-49 mins? That worries me. I would think an uncut episode (from that TV era, anyway) should be closer to 53-54 mins. Commercials were only 60 seconds each, and I believe there were 6 spots in each show.

[TeeVeeCloset]

I'm afraid the real mooners fans were hoping for a much more complete and extensive review regarding the length and content of these episodes....do they have the original "miami beach" opens or the newly created generic "color honeymooners" openings?, are the complete june taylor song and dance numbers included? Are Jackie's closing monologues complete? This is the stuff we want to hear!

[VIDEOWACK]

Originally Posted by TeeVeeCloset

I'm afraid the real mooners fans were hoping for a much more complete and extensive review regarding the length and content of these episodes....do they have the original "miami beach" opens or the newly created generic "color honeymooners" openings?, are the complete june taylor song and dance numbers included? Are Jackie's closing monologues complete? This is the stuff we want to hear!

Exactly! According to what was mentioned in that post and in the TVShowsonDVD.com announcement (link enclosed here) they are supposed to be unedited. But that 48-49 minute running time has me concerned. If these turn out to be nothing more than the exact copies that were produced for Goodlife, there will be alot of unhappy campers......including myself!

http://tvshowsondvd.com/releaseinfo.cfm?ReleaseID=5799

[W.B.]

Originally Posted by VIDEOWACK

hmmmm, each episode runs 48-49 mins? That worries me. I would think an uncut episode (from that TV era, anyway) should be closer to 53-54 mins. Commercials were only 60 seconds each, and I believe there were 6 spots in each show.

Actually . . . sans the two-minute commercials in-between one program and the next, make that 58 minutes in an hour, then subtract another two minutes for local commercial breaks in-between the show, that's 56 minutes . . . take off six additional spots, you then have 50 minutes. Theoretically.

If these shows are "intact," I suppose they'd take off the bumpers of Glea Girls indicating "Stay tuned for the second half of The Jackie Gleason Show . . ." and "Welcome back to the second half(?) of The Jackie Gleason Show." That probably accounts for 30 seconds tops - total. And then there are, up to the 1967-1968 season, plugs for the sponsors at the start and the end of each show. So that all might explain the "48-49 minute" estimate mentioned.

[VIDEOWACK]

Well, we'll find out 2 weeks from tomorrow

[Pavan]

The reviewer will be answering questions here shortly. Thanks for the comments and interest.

[T-Greg]

Now we know what Gleason Express featurette is included as the bonus (Gee... a full 9 minutes' worth...isn't that just super). If Gleason was alive today, I'm sure he would not allow such a stingy release.

Special Features:

* The Great Gleason Express (approx. 9 minutes)

A fantastic bonus feature! It details Jackie Gleason deciding to move his show to Miami Beach, Florida, and how he rented a train - yes, a train - to transport himself, the cast and crew to Miami Beach. It includes still photographs as well as video of the trip. It's an awesome feature and I'm so glad it was included!

[TVJunkie101]

Sorry, folks. I'm not a mind reader and didn't really think to include a lot of that stuff you are asking about, because, frankly, I wasn't alive when the show was originally on.

I didn't see the original Color Honeymooners, but the main title is "The Jackie Gleason Show" and it has four girls introducing the cast (the orchestra, etc.). The dance numbers appear complete and there is a brief monolgue by Jackie at the end of most episodes.

And yes, each episode runs between 46 and 49 minutes in length. I can go through each episode and list the run-times if you're all interested.

I apologize for the shortness in the set, but frankly, it was difficult to find out what to talk about for a 9-episode 3-disc set. I wasn't aware of all of the fans concerns... I try my best.

[TVJunkie101]

[quote]I'm afraid the real mooners fans were hoping for a much more complete and extensive review regarding the length and content of these episodes....do they have the original "miami beach" opens or the newly created generic "color honeymooners" openings?, are the complete june taylor song and dance numbers included? Are Jackie's closing monologues complete? This is the stuff we want to hear![quote]

And again, I apologize for the shortness, but frankly, I didn't even think to include some of the stuff ... Like I said, I wasn't around for the original Honeymooners. But yes, I believe all of what you asked for is intact. I'm not sure about Jackie's monologues, they appear quite short, he comes out, says a few words, introduces the cast for the episode and that's it. I'm guessing they are complete but I can't say for sure.

[VIDEOWACK]

Originally Posted by TVJunkie101

Sorry, folks. I'm not a mind reader and didn't really think to include a lot of that stuff you are asking about, because, frankly, I wasn't alive when the show was originally on.

I didn't see the original Color Honeymooners, but the main title is "The Jackie Gleason Show" and it has four girls introducing the cast (the orchestra, etc.). The dance numbers appear complete and there is a brief monolgue by Jackie at the end of most episodes.

And yes, each episode runs between 46 and 49 minutes in length. I can go through each episode and list the run-times if you're all interested.

I apologize for the shortness in the set, but frankly, it was difficult to find out what to talk about for a 9-episode 3-disc set. I wasn't aware of all of the fans concerns... I try my best.

OK, here's a direct question that (if answered yes) will sort of calm our fears of cut episodes: Do these shows have the Glea Girls at the beginning announcing who the stars are in each particular episode? If they do, then we can assume (although, that's a dangerous word) that these are the original versions.

[three 14]

the only way i will buy the dvd is if they are uncut because i have the color honymooners that they have on the goodlife channel.

[TVJunkie101]

Originally Posted by VIDEOWACK

OK, here's a direct question that (if answered yes) will sort of calm our fears of cut episodes: Do these shows have the Glea Girls at the beginning announcing who the stars are in each particular episode? If they do, then we can assume (although, that's a dangerous word) that these are the original versions.

I answered this already, but yes.

[VIDEOWACK]

Originally Posted by TVJunkie101

I answered this already, but yes.

Yes, you did and I noticed that after I typed my question. I attempted to delete it, but I guess this site has flaws in it as do other sites. Thanks for the response.

[VIDEOWACK]

Originally Posted by W.B.

If these shows are "intact," I suppose they'd take off the bumpers of Glea Girls indicating "Stay tuned for the second half of The Jackie Gleason Show . . ." and "Welcome back to the second half(?) of The Jackie Gleason Show." That probably accounts for 30 seconds tops - total. And then there are, up to the 1967-1968 season, plugs for the sponsors at the start and the end of each show. So that all might explain the "48-49 minute" estimate mentioned.

Yes, and those mid-show bumpers were quite lengthy as I now recall. Later on they would shorten them, but in the early stages of that new format the camera would slowly zoom in on a Glea Girl who would say what she had to, then the camera would slowly zoom back to a full shot. The same would happen after station I.D. Put that time together and you could easily be talking of a minute, which is alot of air time. I think they later realized they were using up too much time and the zooms were eliminated...made it much shorter.