Reviews: “Supermarket Shopping" (Alice's Anniversary) & Original openings/closing:

[Frank Gannucci]

Reviews: “Supermarket Shopping” (Alice’s Anniversary) & Honeymooners openings/closings:

Note: I forgot to include this episode.

Episode #3
TV: Hasn’t been seen on TV since its original “airdate”.
VHS & DVD: Hasn’t been released.

Nobody knows for sure if this episode ever aired on TV or not. In the early 2010s, it was revealed that this as long as some other sketches were rumored to have been shown on TV. I am going to assume that the script for this one and this one are on and the same.

The episode opens with Ralph and Alice retuning home after going on a long shopping spree. Immediately, they get into an argument on what Alice spent that day. If you see this episode on TV, you will notice that the episode begins right in the MIDDLE of the argument.

Ralph is upset that Alice just spent his whole paycheck: $42.50 a week. Ralph says that he doesn't want his salary revealed to the whole building. So Alice yells: "$42.50 A WEEK! $42.50 A WEEK! $42.50 A WEEK!" Ralph decides that Alice wants to make it public, so he makes it public by yelling out the window what he earns per week. This same spiel by both would be repeated in two more episodes "The Next Champ" & "Brother Ralph." But in the latter episode, Ralph decides not to make his salary public and another difference is that in both episodes, he earns $62 a week.

Ralph is also complaining that he's tired of Alice dragging him all over the neighborhood for her shopping spree. One of the things Alice did was walk three more blocks from one store to another store to buy pickles. She says she saved a few cents by doing that because in the other store they were in, pickles cost more.

Ralph says because Alice spent his whole paycheck, he doesn't have any money, much like Alice. But, when Ed Norton comes down to borrow $5; Ralph is more than happy to give it to him. He hid the money in a very safe place. Ed leaves. Alice complains that Ralph lied. But Ralph says, since he used the $5 that Ed borrowed, he now doesn't have enough money to buy Alice her anniversary present. Alice thought that Ralph forgot. So when the present arrives at the house, Ralph says he has no money. So Alice pays for it, by getting the money that she hid in a very safe place.

Ralph now knows that Alice lied to him also. Alice reveals that she was going to use that money to buy Ralph a gift. After she says that, Alice says that she needs a pickle. Ralph jumps to the conclusion that they are going to have a baby. He gets so excited, but then Alice breaks the news to him that she has an allergy and she needs those pickles to help her get cured. But, she says that one of these days, they will have a baby. The only baby, they ever wound up having was one in which they adopted and had to give it back to the original other. The storyline in which Ralph thought that Alice was pregnant was repeated a few times after they made this episode.


Original openings & closings:

DVD: Attached to “Honeymooners 35th Anniversary Special” & episodes #33-39 of the Classic 39. On the HD Blu-Ray set, they are attached to the first eight episodes of the classic 39 (including two versions of "The Golfer" with one of them with the original sponsor materials version.)

The opening of the show (which can be seen here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmgWeoGg4wc) is supposedly on this Classic 39 set. I didn’t see it. Perhaps it is an Easter egg. On the HD Blu-Set, it is listed as a special feature that is easy to access. It is not an Easter egg. The opening has Jack Lescoulie yelling out the names rather than Gaylord Avery. The actors names don’t appear on moons but appear in big white letters. After Jack says: “The Honeymooners”, a clip of a bus driving down a street in New York City is shown while all of a sudden, the song is now played at a fast speed. Then we see the inside of the bus while it is still in motion while the famous cast member’s names appear on screen. The bus stops and a Buick stops next to it. Jack: “Brought to you by Buick.” The traffic light flashes green. The cars leave. Jack (yells): “AND AWAY WE GO!”

The next opening is very similar to the syndicated opening. The only difference is that once again, Jack Lescoulie yells out the names and after he yells: “JOYCE RANDOLPH”, the old Buick logo appears on the moon and then a clip of a Buick driving off is shown while Jack yells: “AND AWAY WE GO!” In 2004 on the old Honeymooners.net Message Board, someone claims that they say this intro while watching the Honeymooners on a TV station in Philly in the 70s. I would imagine if that happened, that TV station would have cut off Jack in mid-sentence when he did his intro. On a side note, for the longest time, I never knew that it was Jack Lescoulie who did the voice for these intros.

The first closing has Jackie in his smoking jacket standing on stage in front of a sign that says: “Best Buick Yet.” Jackie: “Have you ever noticed that the stronger the guy is, the quieter he is? Brother that is Buick ’56. It is the quietest, smoothest car you ever drove. Go try one. Good night everyone.” The credits play on a gray background that has the Jackie Gleason Away We Go stick figure logo on it. The credits start with: “Your BUICK Dealer has brought you…The Honeymooners.”

The second closing is similar to the first one. In this one, Jackie is in his business suit and is standing on stage in front of a sign that says: “Best Buick Yet.” Jackie: “Let me tell you something folks, it is a great time to buy a Buick. As far as your present car, trade in while the trade is good. You couldn’t pick a better time than now to trade in your car and get a Buick. It is a great time to buy a Buick. Good night everyone. The credits play on a gray background that has the Jackie Gleason Away We Go stick figure logo on it. The credits start with: “Your BUICK Dealer has brought you…The Honeymooners.”

Credit for all my reviews goes to Yahoo! Groups You're A Riot!

EDIT: Sorry for the misprint earlier. I should have said "openings/closings" and not "promos."