Orange incident mentioned in Patricia Wilson's book

[Bill S.]

On page 186 of her autobiography, Yesterday's Mashed Potatoes: The Fabulous Life of a Happy Has-Been, Patricia Wilson (Trixie in "Two Below") wrote:

I learned that during a live performance of the original Honeymooners, before millions of viewers, Jackie was late making an entrance into a scene. He left Art Carney onstage alone, in the familiar seedy apartment set of Alice and Ralph Kramden. Unflappable, Carney improvised action for Ed Norton. He looked around, scratched himself, then went to the Kramden refrigerator and peered in. He pulled out an orange, shuffled to the table, and sat down and peeled it. Meanwhile frantic stage managers raced to find Jackie. Art Carney sat onstage peeling and eating an orange, and the audience convulsed in laughter. It was Ed Norton free-loading, smacking his lips, and picking his teeth. When Jackie/Ralph finally made a belated entrance, Art/Norton hastily gulped the last segment of orange. The audience roared.