Honeymooners Episode Review: "Double Trouble" & more:

[Frank Gannucci]

Honeymooners Episode Review: "Double Trouble" & more:

Episode #220 (Syndicated episode #40)
TV: Hour (edited).
DVD: Attached to "We're Off To See The Wizard", "The Match Game", "Operation: Protest", "Women's Lib" & "A Talk With Trixie." On the Best of the Color Honeymooners DVD, it is attached to "Be It Ever So Humble", "The Sun & Raccoon Capital", & "Two Faces Of Ralph Kramden".
Air Date: 12/6/69

Once again, the June Taylor Dancers come out and sing: "Welcome To Sun Valley." They are dressed as skiers and most of them have a cast on their foot. I think those broken feet are fake because I am pretty sure if they were, they wouldn't be allowed to dance and in real-life if a person had a broken foot, well they should try to keep weight off of it. After that, they leave. The Kramdens & Nortons arrive at a hotel in snowy Sun Valley, Idaho. They are all very cold because of the conditions. It was Ralph's idea to go to a ski resort for the weekend. Ed Norton is wearing a big long fur coat and a hat. Basically, it's similar to the ensemble that he wore in "Please Leave The Premises." Ed ask Ralph to hold his long fur coat, the coat that he has on underneath it, his scarf, his long-sleeved blue shirt and several hot water bottles. Ed says he had them on so his sandwiches wouldn't get cold, so Ralph challenges him to a fight. The girls get Ralph to calm down. Ralph Kramden gets paged. A Lieutenant McKoy of the L.A. police department comes up to Ralph. He is putting Ralph under arrest. Lieutenant McKoy says that Ralph has been going to fancy hotels and throwing big parties and has been picking up the tab and leaving the hotel without pay. Ralph denies this. McKoy meets Ed Norton and says that Ralph Kramden, the criminal, has been traveling with a companion named Norton. Ed is in the clear but Ralph is in trouble. McKoy also says that Ralph has been writing bad checks in San Francisco, Honolulu, Chicago and Miami Beach. Ed: "What a coincidence. My friend Ralph has been in all those towns." McKoy is going to book him, thrown him in a L.A. jail and keep him in there until his trial comes up. McKoy takes Ralph upstairs so he can talk with him. Alice goes upstairs. Trixie knows that Ralph is not guilty. So does Ed. Trixie says that there must be someone going around looking like Ralph Kramden and doing all those evil things. Ed: "There is one thing that bothers me. Why didn't Ralph invite us to all those parties?" They go upstairs. "Ralph Kramden" (played by Jackie Gleason) & two female friends come in and rings the bell. He claims that he is Ralph Kramden and would like to cash a check for $500. "Ralph's" room is 238. He gives $100 to one of his girl's mother which is the other girl. The girl that "Ralph" gave the money to is Norton. They go inside.

At the jail, Ed Norton arrives to talk to Ralph Kramden. They are in the room where in order for a person to talk to a resident jailbird, the person uses a microphone and they are separated by a glass shield (not sure what that room is called). Ed cleans off his chair and cleans the glass. Ralph comes in typical prison attire for a jailbird. Ed says that the stripes make Ralph look fat. Ed (yells): "HOW ARE YOU DOING RALPH?" Ralph says that he doesn't have to yell, just use the microphone. Ed tests the microphone by singing, so Ralph yells at him to stop. Ralph asks how Alice is doing. Ed says that when he left, that Alice was crying her eyes out not because of Ralph being in jail but her hairdresser cancelled her appointment. Ralph is upset. Ed said that she wants to look nice so when she sees him, which is next Thursday (that's the closest day she could get after she gets her hair done.) Ed: "She tried to get a lawyer, but the lawyer couldn't do anything with her hair." Ralph wants her to get a lawyer so he can get out of here. Ralph says that it is miserable being in jail. Ed tells him to relax since he's only been in jail for 10 minutes. Ed said he asked the people in the poolroom back home to wire money for Ralph's bail. The only trouble is that the telegram came collect. Ralph needs $5,000 bail. Ed has an idea: "Why don't you write a check?" Ralph says he's liable to be in jail for 90 years. Ralph says when he gets out of jail; he isn't going to hate society. He is going back home, get his job back, and when he drives the bus out of the garage, he is going to crash his bus into that poolroom and fix those bums (as Ralph calls them). Ed: "That is the spirit." A Mr. Clark from Pettskill Studios come in and bails Ralph out of jail. Ralph is free until his trial comes up. Ralph goes inside. A Mr. Clark puts Ralph in Ed's custody until the trial comes up. He is supposed to make track of every move that Ralph makes. Mr. Clark leaves. Ed reveals that he is now in charge of looking after Ralph like he's his little brother. The lights dim as Ed (sings): "You're Norton's Little Brother Now." Ed talks to Ralph about the time that they played Pin the Tail on the Donkey and that Ralph always made sure that Ed was the donkey. Ed also remembers the times that he and Ralph played childish games. Ed also remembers the time when he got a catcher's mitt for his eighth birthday. Ralph was there. Ralph said he was going to break it in for him. Ed: "You must have done a good job. I haven't got it back yet." Ha! Ed remembers the time that he and Ralph went out for pizza and to protect him from getting fat, he gave Norton the smallest piece. Ed also remembers the time when they used to do Ring Alevio (somehow MPI's subtitles say: "Unintelligible" when Ed says that.) Ed then continues to sing: "You're Norton's Little Brother Now."

At a restaurant, "Ralph" comes in with his two female friends. They are sitting at the table in the center. "Ralph" orders champagne and caviar. "Ralph" asks two other females from another table to come along and drink with him and his entourage. They gleefully join. "Ralph" and some of the girls (sing): "Living High." The two other girls leave. They have to go to the Y.W.C.A. to play volleyball. "Ralph" says that he will sign a check and leave without paying. "Ralph": "By the time I get to Phoenix, the check will be bouncing all over the place." "Ralph" asks to cash a $500 check in the restaurant. He goes inside with the girls to cash it in. Meanwhile, the Kramdens and Nortons enter the restaurant and sit down at the same center table. The girls love the champagne and caviar at the table that they think is because of Ralph buying it. Ed checks the joint out before Ralph comes in. Ralph is wearing the same exact clothes that "Ralph" is wearing (except for a flower). The same waiter that waited on "Ralph" is waiting on the Kramdens & Nortons. He says to Ralph: "I see you have a couple of new ladies." Ralph doesn't know what he is talking about. Ralph says that they can have whatever they want because Ralph is celebrating tonight. Ralph: "It's a coming out party." Ed: "He was in jail for a bum check rap." Ralph hits him for saying that. The waiter is worried. He goes into the back room where "Ralph" is. Ralph wonders what is wrong with him. Ed said that he and Ralph are to call the studio and tell them where they are. They go into the back room. Trixie is suspicious about things like the champagne. She wonders if Ralph ordered it. Alice said that he did. Alice: "We'll ask him when he comes back." "Ralph" comes out with his female friends. He says he wants to pay the tab and get out. Somehow, Alice & Trixie don't hear this. "Ralph" goes to his table. "Ralph": "What are two young ladies doing at my table?" Alice: "Sit down. Sit down." Alice & Trixie think that it's the real Ralph and Trixie asks if he ordered the champagne. He said that he did. "Ralph": "I always said that champagne attracts pretty faces." Alice: "What has gotten into you?" "Ralph": "It's love." When Trixie asks where Norton is, he says that he is in the ladies room. Oh my! Trixie: "The ladies room?" "Ralph": "Where do you go to powder your nose, the men's room?" "Ralph" kisses Alice and says he has to leave for Phoenix before the banks open. Alice thinks that Ralph has gone crazy. Trixie says that it's because he has been in Ed's custody for a day. Ed comes out and Trixie asks him if he has been in the ladies room powdering his nose. Ed: "Why, is it shiny?" Ralph comes out. Alice asks Ralph how is it possible if he went out one way and came in to the restaurant from the back room. Ralph doesn't know what she is talking about. Alice says that maybe she had too many glasses of champagne. Ed notices the person who arrested Ralph. He invites him over. The lieutenant arrests Ralph again for making checks out to a bank in L.A. that he doesn't have account in. Ralph wonders what is going on. Ralph denies this and they leave with Ralph. Ed denies what the policemen accused Ralph of. Trixie is putting two and two together. She says that Ralph exited through the exit and came back in from the back room. Ed said that he never left Ralph when they went to make that phone call. Trixie said that while they were doing that, Ralph came in smoking a cigar and had a carnation. Trixie: "There are two Ralph's." Ed: "You mean that the weight Ralph lost formed into another person?" Trixie says that there is another Ralph cashing in phony checks and they have to catch him. Ed: "We don't know what he looks like." They all sing: "We Are Going To Find That Dirty Crook." During the song, all of them pretend to be like they are they are trying to find the crook.

The wives arrive at a bar to catch Ralph's double. At the bar is one of the Glea Girls (I think it was Greta Von Hagge). This is the 15th bar that they have been to and they are tired. Ed comes in dressed as a woman. They plan to catch the evil Ralph by having Ed dressed as a woman and have him sign his name on a check. The girls leave. Ed sits down. A drunkard (Frank Fontaine) spots Ed and thinks that he's a woman. Crazy: "Are you one of the June Taylor Dancers?" Ed said no. Crazy: "If you change your mind, I will be at the bar." "Ralph" comes in and sits down at another table. Ed spots him and drops his handkerchief. Ed whistles. "Ralph" hears him and calls "her" a charming young lady. He must need glasses. "She" says she is by herself and was ready for him. "Ralph": "I got a wild one. What is your name, Muscatel?" "Girl": "That is right." "Ralph" offers "her" some champagne. "She" declines the wine because she doesn't accept wine from strangers, but he will ask for a scotch on the rocks and some beer. "Ralph": "I will have a 10 cent glass of Muscatel. This is going to be worth it." (to "her"): "What is that aroma?" "Woman": "It's Clorox. My body stocking is still wet." He asks her what she is doing today. "She" said that she came here to get a drink for her sorrows. "She" isn't in trouble but her grandmother needs an operation. She needs a tattoo of the Grand Canyon removed from her back. Ha! "She": "It will cost $500." "Ralph": "Suppose I give you $50 and we can color in the Grand Canyon?" "She" doesn't like that idea. She needs the $500 and asks him to write a check and "cries" at the thought of him not giving "her" the $500. He accepts it. "Ralph": "I can't stand to see a lady cry." "Muscatel" (in a man's voice): "Neither can I. Write the check." Somehow, "Ralph" isn't suspicious about all this yet. He writes the check just as the wives and the policemen come in. "Ralph" is apprehended and the real Ralph is revealed to be innocent. "Ralph": "Muscatel, would you wait for me." Muscatel: "You know I would." Everyone leaves.

At the same bar later on, the same drunkard (Frank Fontaine) comes in singing and sits down at a table with his beers. The Nortons & Alice come in. Ed ordered champagne to celebrate Ralph's release from jail. Ralph comes in with McKoy as the Nortons & Alice sing: "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow." Ralph asks McKoy about that impostor that looked like him. McKoy says he goes by several different names depending on where he is. Sometimes he is known as Handsome Harry, Gorgeous Jim etc. He leaves. Ralph says that the policemen said he looked like a handsome thief. Ralph: "They arrested me because I had a pretty face." They sing: "Beautiful."

At the curtain call, Jackie introduces the main cast (Ed actually gives him what I think is a headband with a bow) and praises the Miami Beach audience and says "Goodnight!" During the curtain call, Johnny Olsen plugs the next episode by saying: "Don't forget to tune in next week to see 'Reggie and The Red Baron' starring Jackie Gleason, Art Carney & Milton Berle." My guess is that skit aired on a Jackie Gleason Show episode that had no Honeymooners material in it. I wonder why Youtoo America or Familynet or Paul Brownstein (the person who was responsible for the show being put in syndication and the owner of the syndicated copies of these episodes) didn't censor that out because I am sure casual fans would get confused if they didn't get the copy that MPI got. (The MPI copy is unedited but it doesn't have this announcement.)

Episode #221
DVD: Haven’t been released onto DVD and it probably never will be.
Aired: 1/17/70

"Incredible World of Ed Norton":

Note: I haven’t seen the “Incredible World of Ed Norton.” Some people say that this was a pilot for a show that was going to star Art Carney and Al Lewis. The pilot was said to be a disaster and it never aired. However, some people say that the show wasn't that bad and it did air on 1/17/70.

I did dig up some info. on it and despite an earlier post that said it was similar to a sketch called "Man Under the Street" (aka "Private Life of A Sewer Worker") that had Ed Sullivan (as himself) interview Ed Norton, I was wrong. According to tv.com, guests mentioned that there was two scenes ever in this sketch. First one was Ed Norton in the sewer, cleaning his teeth and singing. The second one took place at a restaurant. I am thinking that Ed Norton sang "Song of The Sewer" and/or his own version of "Va-va-va-voom" during the first scene and/or during the later scene. "Song of The Sewer" sung by Art Carney in the 50s can be heard here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TKv23td-fw. The latter song can be heard here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQGJ2kzew9g

The Jackie Gleason Show that has this sketch is on the tape trading circuit BUT the sketch is not seen because someone super-imposed another clip from an earlier Jackie Gleason Show episode on top of it and you can tell because at the end of the super-imposed clip, the show unnaturally (as in abruptly right in the middle of the clip) jumps to the closing credits. Why? Well, this is what I found out curtesy of what sitcomsonline.com member cloggedmind wrote on the Trading Post section:

"Well, it is all speculation and I, for one, do not believe the "it was so awful Gleason cut it to protect Carney's reputation," and so on. What I do believe is that, having traded, bought and sold a few collector prints of various films, and having owned (and still do!) a few obscure homebrew telecine copies of third and fourth-hand films, it could be:

a) A Mistake. Simply, when cobbling together a full-length program to dupe for armed forces, personal archiving, or overseas sales, mis-matched elements were used. Hell, I got a couple of 16mm Stooges film prints that have The End titles spliced in from the wrong eras, and even some of those Screen Gems logo plastered hack jobs (a widescreen era Columbia Pictures logo, tacked on one!).

b) A rights issue. Quite often, for unspecified reasons (usually involving $$) authors may choose to not allow programs to be shown, sold, traded or otherwise. It happens, and it could have happened when JG's folks were making these film copies.

c) Lost elements. Broken or ruined footage may have been replaced. Or, with so few copies in circulation, someone may have taken a shine to that particular footage, hoping to retire upon its later "discovery" and subsequent sale to the right person. So they put in something else laying around to fill time. This kind of cut and paste leads to the next possibility:

d) Hoarding. This happens too often in the film collectors' circles. One gets hold of rare footage and is scared to let anyone near it for fear of devaluing the material. Best examples I know of are things like the Three Stooges Cartoon/live action combo films "Stooges Scrapbook" and "The Spain Mutiny". People have them but will not share, sell or allow viewing. 2 people have also claimed in the last 12 years to have superior 16mm copies of the Stooges' swansong "Kook's Tour" but allegedly could not agree on a ransom price.

I would guess it is a combination of A and D, with someone subbing in some footage and selling the print as is. I'd bet somewhere long ago, someone knew they had something rare and cannibalized the footage. The kinescope ends with Johnny Olsen reminding you to tune in to the Honeymooners next week, and it has the Bressler/Duddy song credit which hints at it maybe coming from another Honeymooners episode, which would be incorrect, as well, and flown in from separate elements

AND, the print just runs out as broken film. Poof. Proving (?) that the elements were kinda iffy anyway.

Frustrating, but there you have it."

Credit I believe goes to The old Bill 'Mooners Archive, eBay.com, tv.com, Honeymooners Lost Episodes Book, tvguide.com, honeymooners.net, Honeymooners Box Set booklet Honeymooners Lost Episodes DVD booklet, Yahoo! Groups You’re A Riot! & amazon.com