Honeymooners Episode Reviews: "Double Anniversary Party" & "Checkup":

[Frank Gannucci]

Honeymooners Episode Reviews: "Double Anniversary Party" & "Checkup":

Episode #147 (Syndicated episode #99)
TV: Attached to "Lunchbox."
VCR: Attached to "Songwriters." On some tapes, it’s attached to “Catch A Star”, “Quiz Show (‘52)” & “Songwriters.”
DVD: Attached to "Hair-Raising Tale", "Love Letter" ('56), & "What's Her Name." On the Lost Episodes DVD Box Set, it is attached to “Boys & Girls Together”, “Principle of The Thing”, “Songs & Witty Sayings”, “Letter To The Boss” (’55 version), “Stand-In For Murder” (’55 version), “The Check-Up” & “Forgot To Register.”
Air Date: Sat. 10/13/56

"Double Anniversary Party":

Trixie is helping Alice prepare for her anniversary party which she wants to have in the Nortons apartment. They have some snacks that they want to have the people eat up there. Alice says that Ralph will be surprised when he sees the party (he doesn't know about it). Alice: "He is just like a kid about these things. It's very easy to surprise him about our anniversary. He never remembers it anyway." Ha! Trixie says Ed always forgets their anniversary too so Trixie sent him a note two weeks before the anniversary saying: "Your wedding is in two weeks. Signed, a friend." Ed's reply: "Mind your own business. Signed, a husband." Ed doesn't know about the party too. Trixie then brings up a story that Ed wrote out invitations to his and Trixie's elopement. Trixie: "I never saw such a crowd of people at the foot of a ladder in my life." Gee, some elopement. Trixie goes upstairs with all the food. Trixie instructs Alice to let Ralph come up around 9pm.

Ralph & Ed come in. Ralph: "Something smells go around here." Ed: "It can't be me. I just got finished working in the sewer." Trixie calls Alice up. Alice leaves. Ralph tells Ed his plans about surprising Alice for their anniversary tonight at the Kit Kat Club. Uh oh! Ralph has arranged a table for him and Alice with two candles, a big cake with: "Happy Anniversary Alice" on it and has instructed the choir to play: "Anniversary Waltz." Ed asks Ralph how he is going to get her down there. Ralph is going to act nonchalant and act like it's an ordinary evening. Ralph will ask Alice: "How would you like to see a movie tonight?", she will say "Yes" and since the Halsey Theater is located across the street from the Kit Kat Club, Ralph will say to Alice: "I have to make an important call in the Kit Kat Club. Would you come with me?” they go in and Alice gets surprised. Ralph: "I hope she doesn't faint when she gets surprised." Ed: "I hope she doesn't faint when she finds out that you are willing to take her to a movie." Ralph tells Ed to keep it a secret. Ed: "You're talking to ol' Mum Lips. Down there in the sewer we have a saying about keeping a secret: 'Keep your mouth shut!'" Alice comes back. Ed: "Alice, may I be the first to wish you a very happy ordinary evening?" Ralph (yells): "GET OUT OF HERE!" Ed leaves. Alice: "What's the matter with him?" Ralph: "He's a nut."

Alice sits down. Ralph: "Sure is an ordinary evening. Let's go to an ordinary evening." Ralph goes to get dressed." Alice: "I don't feel like going to a movie. Let's go to the Nortons instead." Ralph (yells): "YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE GOING TO A MOVIE?" Alice: "I thought we would see them." Ralph: "I don't care what you want to do. We are going to the movies." Alice objects. Ralph & Alice argue. Ralph wants to see this movie for about four weeks and it's one of the greatest that has ever been made (he doesn't even know the title of the movie). He looks in the paper and according to him, he sees the title: "The Bowery Boys In Baghdad." Ha! He names some of the stars. Ralph: "You are going to the movies or the moon Alice." Ed comes down and asks Ralph to lend him his hammer that Ralph borrowed from him. Ralph: "I am the captain of this ship Alice because I bring in the money. That ice box belongs to me, this table belongs to me, that bureau belongs to me..." Ed: "When you get to the hammer that is mine." Ralph (yells): "GET OUT!" Ed leaves.

Ralph bullies Alice & then they argue some more. Ralph says that if Alice doesn't go to the movies, he will go alone. Alice in return says that if Ralph doesn't go to the Nortons, she will go alone. Ralph (yells): "YOU GOT TO GO TO THE MOVIES WITH ME ALICE!" Ralph gives up and blabs his anniversary plans to Alice. Alice in response blabs her anniversary plans for Ralph. They agree to go to the Nortons that night and to the club the next night.

Episode #148 (Syndicated episode #89)
TV: Attached to "Hot Tip."
VCR: Attached to "Two Men On A Horse." This sketch is also presented almost in it’s entirety on the MPI clip fest called “Ralph Kramden’s Greatest Schemes.”
DVD: Attached to "Two Men On A Horse", "A Promotion" & "Hot Tip." On the Lost Episodes Restored Box Set, it is attached to “Boys & Girls Together”, “Principal of The Thing”, “Songs & Witty Sayings”, “Letter To The Boss” (’55 version), “Stand-In For Murder” (’55 version), “Double Anniversary Party” & “Forgot To Register.”
Air Date: Sat. 10/20/56

"Checkup":

According to John K’s Book “To The Moon”, this episode is entitled: “The Check Up.”

The girls want to go to Bloomsteins for dresses. They are having a sale. Dr. Stanton comes in and wants to examine Ralph so Ralph will be healthy for his promotion to assistant starter. Ralph isn't home, so the doctor says he will stop by later. Alice thinks she should wait until Ralph gets home. Trixie thinks up a solution. The girls ask Ed to come down and wait for Ralph. They say that a doctor is coming to examine Ralph. The girls leave. Ed comes in followed by Ralph.

Ed picks up a letter. Ralph: "If you are so anxious to read it, read it." Ed said he wouldn't think of reading someone else's mail. Ed asks Ralph if there's anything that is sealed that he would like to see what is inside. Ralph: "Yes, your head." Ralph opens the letter. It's a letter from his Aunt Fanny and he wants Ed to read every word from it. Ed does it, but he reads the part about Ralph owing her $6.00. Ralph kicks Ed out. Ed leaves, but comes back in. Ed says he was instructed by the girls to wait until Ralph comes home. He says that Ralph is going to be examined. Ralph thinks he's coming because Alice wants Ralph to take out more insurance. Ralph wants no part of it. Ed says that insurance isn't so bad. Ed: "If anything would ever happen, I would get $5,000. I got Trixie insured up to the hilt." Ralph still wants no part of it. Ralph: "Alice knows that I'm going to be promoted to Assistant Starter and I'm going to get $.50 extra a week. When that doctor comes, I won't even answer the door." Ralph gets another idea. He will purposely fail the examination. Ed: "You are a quick thinker." Ralph: "One problem. I am in perfect physical shape." He is? Ralph: "My heart is all right. I am a couple of pounds overweight." A couple pounds? He then says he will act like he's got chronic alcoholism when the doctor comes. Ed: "Even when you eat Rye Bread Ralph, you get drunk." Ralph brinks out a bottle of whiskey that's empty.

A knock on the door is heard. Ralph's speech is slurred and unintelligible. The doctor comes in, introduces himself (but doesn't say where he works) and Ralph acts like he is drunk. Ralph: "Which one of you is Dr. Stanton?" The doctor says he isn't here to play games. Ralph: "I'm Doctor Stanton Mr. Kramden." The doctor says that he is in no condition to be examined and will wait until he gets sober. Ralph: "Don't you insult me. I am never sober." Ed: "The last time I saw you sober Ralph was 14 years ago at your wedding." Question: If Ralph hasn't been sober in 14 years, how could he be still alive and not be in some kind of special home? Ralph: "Sobriety leads to trouble." The doctor says that he has seen enough. Ralph asks him for a drink. Ralph gets the bottle of whiskey and makes like he's drinking and collapses on the table. Ed: "He passes out at 7:25 every night." Doctor: "When the company sees my report, he will never have to take another examination." The doctor leaves.

Alice comes in and Ralph reveals what he did. Ralph says that he knows the doctor was here so he can be examined because Alice wants him to take out more insurance. Alice says that that wasn't the truth. He was over here to get you examined to make sure you were fit for your new job. Ralph (yells): "I HAVE A BIG MOUTH!"

Credit I think goes to (the original) Bill's 'Mooners Archives, eBay.com, tv.com, Honeymooners Lost Episodes Book, tvguide.com, honeymooners.net, Honeymooners Lost Episodes DVD booklet, Wikipedia.org, Yahoo Groups You're A Riot! & Amazon.com.

[Frank Gannucci]

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