Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Jackie Gleason

[The Great One]

I haven't seen this show yet but from what I have read Audrey Meadows, Art Carney, and Sheila MacRae were among the many who were there to roast Jackie Gleason. My guess is that it must have been a funny and touching episode. Has anyone on this message board seen it and would be willing to post their comments about it?

[VIDEOWACK]

Originally Posted by The Great One

I haven't seen this show yet but from what I have read Audrey Meadows, Art Carney, and Sheila MacRae were among the many who were there to roast Jackie Gleason. My guess is that it must have been a funny and touching episode. Has anyone on this message board seen it and would be willing to post their comments about it?

Besides Art, Audrey and Sheila, the other guests that nite were Jane Kean, Phyllis Diller, Gene Kelly, Danny Thomas, Milton Berle, Sid Ceasar, Foster Brooks, Nipsey Russell and Frank Gorshin.

It was a very amusing show loaded with many great stars who have since passed on. My only wish with the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts was for them to be less staged and more spontaneous. Everything that is said by all guests (including the roastee) is being ready off of cue cards. I suppose they had to keep it tight due to the constraints of TV, but it would have been interesting if just once they tried doing it "off the cuff". Still, it's alot of fun to watch and will definitely make a Gleason fan smile.

[W.B.]

I did read in some books that that roast was a (if not the) spark that led to the four hour-long non-musical Honeymooners specials that aired on ABC between 1976 and 1978.

[The Great One]

Originally Posted by VIDEOWACK

Besides Art, Audrey and Sheila, the other guests that nite were Jane Kean, Phyllis Diller, Gene Kelly, Danny Thomas, Milton Berle, Sid Ceasar, Foster Brooks, Nipsey Russell and Frank Gorshin.

It was a very amusing show loaded with many great stars who have since passed on. My only wish with the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts was for them to be less staged and more spontaneous. Everything that is said by all guests (including the roastee) is being ready off of cue cards. I suppose they had to keep it tight due to the constraints of TV, but it would have been interesting if just once they tried doing it "off the cuff". Still, it's alot of fun to watch and will definitely make a Gleason fan smile.

Thanks for the info. It's easy to forget that on most tv shows what is being said is read off of cue cards. I agree with you, it would be interesting if everything that was said was spontaneous. It would be fun to see the best comedic minds try to outdo each other.

[The Great One]

Originally Posted by W.B.

I did read in some books that that roast was a (if not the) spark that led to the four hour-long non-musical Honeymooners specials that aired on ABC between 1976 and 1978.

That's interesting to hear. I'll have to find out what's a good book on Gleason that talks about that.

[Woolworth27]

Originally Posted by VIDEOWACK

Besides Art, Audrey and Sheila, the other guests that nite were Jane Kean, Phyllis Diller, Gene Kelly, Danny Thomas, Milton Berle, Sid Ceasar, Foster Brooks, Nipsey Russell and Frank Gorshin.

It was a very amusing show loaded with many great stars who have since passed on. My only wish with the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts was for them to be less staged and more spontaneous. Everything that is said by all guests (including the roastee) is being ready off of cue cards. I suppose they had to keep it tight due to the constraints of TV, but it would have been interesting if just once they tried doing it "off the cuff". Still, it's alot of fun to watch and will definitely make a Gleason fan smile.

What is your source about the cue cards?

[Bill S.]

Originally Posted by Woolworth27

What is your source about the cue cards?

Sometimes you can just tell, look at their eyes when they're speaking.

[VIDEOWACK]

Originally Posted by Woolworth27

What is your source about the cue cards?

It's overwhelmingly obvious they are reading....you can't mistake it.