Episode Reviews: "Halloween Party" ('52 version) & "Cold" ('52 version):

[Frank Gannucci]

Episode Reviews: “Halloween Party” (’52 version) & “Cold” ('52 version):

Episode #30
DVD: Attached to “New Bowling Ball", "The Turkey", "Lost Baby", "Quiz Show" ('52 version), "Cold", "Pickles", "Jellybeans" & “Six Months To Live” (1952 version) on the Lost Episodes restored box set.

According to John K's Book "To The Moon", this episode was originally titled: "Masquerade." Other Honeymooners books have this episode entitled: “Question Mark” probably because they knew a Honeymooners episode took place on this date (10/25/52) but didn’t know the summary.

The 1954 version is supposedly on the same video as "Box Top Kid", but MPI made an error and put the 1953 version on some or all tapes of Vol. 26.

The Kramdens and Nortons are getting dressed up to go to Ralph's boss' party. Alice is dressed as an angel. Trixie comes in dressed as a sailor. Alice gave Ralph a very unique costume to say the least. Alice: "Hey Ralph, come on out and show the costume you are going to wear." Ralph (yells from the bedroom): "I’M COMING! I’M COMING!" Ralph comes dressed with a sweatshirt, a hat, and a grass skirt that is pulled up to his chest. He hates his costume and asks what he is. Alice: "You’re a Zulu Chief." Ralph: "If this is what a Zulu Chief wears, I hate to be a private citizen in that tribe." Ha! Trixie goes upstairs.

Ralph complains about his costume. He says Alice's costume must have cost a fortune. Alice reveals the hard work that she had to go through to make her costume. Ralph decides to go into the bedroom. Ed comes in dressed as Clara Bow, a woman. Alice says hello to Ed. Ed: "How did you recognize me?" Ralph's finger is in a mousetrap. Ralph yells in pain and tells Ed he has a mousetrap on his finger. Ed: "What are you going as, a mouse?" Ed takes the trap off Ralph. Ralph yells to Alice as to why she has a mousetrap in he closet (where he got the mousetrap) where she should have one in the kitchen. Ralph: "Two mousetraps? Who are you showing off for?" Ralph decides that he wants to rip up his tux and go as an elegant bum. Alice says no. Ralph: "Why? I am not going to wear it again. All my brothers are married and your sister is not going to get hooked." Gee, that was nice. NOT!

Trixie comes back and paints Ed's fingertips. Ralph comes out and rips his tux and puts it on. Ed: "Ralph, you'll be the biggest bum at the party." Freddie Muller and his wife come by to pick them up and they are dressed to the teeth. Even though the boss' party is on Halloween, it's a normal dance and not a costume party. Fred sees Norton and thinks that it's Alice. Ed corrects him. When Fred offers to shake Ed’s hand, he declines. Art makes a blooper when he says: “My fingernails are still dry.” Freddie and his wife leave. Ed: "Why are we sitting around like mopes for? Why don't we go out trick-or-treating?" Question: If all of them went trick-or-treating, wouldn't that be a TAD immature for people their age? The Nortons leave. Ralph apologizes to Alice. He says that he was jealous of Alice’s costume since he thinks that she looks great in that. They agree to go change and take a walk but not before they hug and kiss.

Episode #31 (Syndicated episode #83)
TV: Attached to "Expectant Father."
VCR: Attached to "Ralph's Sweet Tooth" & "Pickles."
DVD: Attached to "My Fair Landlord", "Halloween Party", "Lost Job" & "Ralph's Sweet Tooth." Attached to “New Bowling Ball", "The Turkey", "Lost Baby", "Quiz Show" ('52 version), "Halloween Party", "Pickles", "Jellybeans" & “Six Months To Live” (1952 version) on the Lost Episodes restored box set.

When “Cold” & “Pickles” were released on VHS, they were attached to one another. Kind of ironic considering that MPI never released Honeymooners episodes in order until they released the restored Lost Episodes Box Set.

In this episode, Ralph has a terrible cold but by the way he's been acting, you think he was MUCH sicker than he is. Alice is trying to nurse him back to health. Trixie comes by, but of course if you see this episode on TV, Trixie is already in the beginning scene.

Ralph doesn't want a doctor to come by because he thinks the doctor will charge him like $10 to paint his throat. Paint his throat? Ralph: "I can have this whole joint painted for $8." Alice says that doctors don't paint throats anymore for people who have colds. Alice makes Ralph some water to put his feet in. Ralph puts his feet in the water. The water pouring from Alice's kettle is scolding hot. As Ralph is screaming in pain, you can see Joyce Randolph trying her best not to laugh. It was that funny.

After Trixie leaves, Ralph complains about Alice bringing in people when he is sick. Ralph then asks Alice to take off the plaster that on his back. He has a cold that is so severe, that he has to have plaster on his back? Taking it off is painful for Ralph. So after Alice is halfway through taking it off, Ralph thinks that she has taken it all of his back. She reveals that she only took some of it off. Ralph says to please the other half of it back on.

Ralph tells Alice a story on how he knew someone who won money and lost it. Alice tells Ralph that she took out a life insurance policy on him. Ralph of course has a fit and accuses her of wanting to see him die. She calls her selfish. Alice then says that she took a life insurance policy on her too. Ralph says that he's sorry and Alice forgives him.