Trixie's limited scenes - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Pug Lover · 06-12-2019, 10:16 PM

I'm pretty sure you've all noticed how Trixie's presence in the series was limited compared to the other three characters.
Many of the classic comic performances were performed by Ralph,Alice and Ed.Trixie not included.She was absent from many episodes as well.

I wonder why that was.
Did Jackie Gleason and Joyce Randolph not get along too well?
Was she not very close to the other cast members?Or maybe she didn't like performing on the show that much.

yellowrose21 · 06-13-2019, 11:58 AM

I don't see the Honeymooners as being like I Love Lucy where the show really depended on the two couples and their various antics. Instead, it was more about Ralph and Ed's crazy adventures and how Alice responded and their love. Trixie could have had more of a presence but it didn't take anything away from the show that she did not. I've never read Gleason did not like Joyce Randolph, but she did tend to keep to herself more than Audrey and Art. Personally I did not find her acting abilities to be on the same level of the other three players, but Trixie had a couple good scenes.

PracTz · 06-13-2019, 12:33 PM

I don't think it had anything to do with how Gleason might have gotten along with the performers playing Trixie but that her function was to get Alice out of the way so Ralph could plot with Ed and to give Alice a means to vent about Ralph. It's hard to recall any scenes of her interacting with Ed alone. Oddly enough, there was an early illusion by Ed of her having been a burlesque dancer when they'd met but this NEVER got followed up nor did any other man besides Ed ever appear to have any interest in her.

yellowrose21 · 06-13-2019, 12:47 PM

It was alluded to that Trixie was in burlesque, but never explored. Ed mentioned once he met her at a show. Although I have not seen all of the 60s "Honeymooners" sketches, I did notice that Jane Kean had more of a role than Joyce did. Maybe it was the writers that gave the character more to do, but Jackie was much closer to Jane than Joyce, but that does mean he did not like her. I always found it interesting that Joyce Randolph had a tendency to call him Mr. Gleason while Carney and Kean said Jackie and Audrey would call him Jack.

Duster76 · 06-13-2019, 10:10 PM

The Honeymooners was about Ralph, he was the focus, not the marriage, not the friendship. Alice was the long suffering wife of an overgrown man-child, Ed the junior partner in Ralph's schemes. Trixie had two main functions, one give Alice someone to talk to when some part of the story needed to be explained or detailed, the second to complete Ed Norton. Ed lives in the same building. has a blue collar job, and he is married with no children, basically Ralph and Ed are in the same boat. She helps establish why Ralph and Ed are friends.

TSMIV · 06-13-2019, 11:52 PM

When I was a kid, Trixie was my favorite character probably just because she didn't appear that much. She was there just enough to stay interesting. I always thought she was more easy going than Alice, but Trix didn't have to live with Ralph.

As for Joyce Randolph as Trixie, she just seemed like a real person who had to put up with these three loud mouth nutcases!

Duster76 · 06-14-2019, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSMIV

When I was a kid, Trixie was my favorite character probably just because she didn't appear that much. She was there just enough to stay interesting. I always thought she was more easy going than Alice, but Trix didn't have to live with Ralph.

As for Joyce Randolph as Trixie, she just seemed like a real person who had to put up with these three loud mouth nutcases!

Trixie and Ed were in better headspace, they had lemons, so they made lemonade. They had a TV, a phone, some order in their living space, while downstairs Ralph conscripted Alice to life on Gilligan's Island* instead of nearby Coney Island.

*
No phone, no lights, no motor car
not a single luxury
like Robinson Crusoe,
it's primitive as can be.

06-12-2019, 10:16 PM	#1
Pug Lover Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 05, 2003 Location: Hamilton Ontario Canada Posts: 467	Trixie's limited scenes I'm pretty sure you've all noticed how Trixie's presence in the series was limited compared to the other three characters. Many of the classic comic performances were performed by Ralph,Alice and Ed.Trixie not included.She was absent from many episodes as well. I wonder why that was. Did Jackie Gleason and Joyce Randolph not get along too well? Was she not very close to the other cast members?Or maybe she didn't like performing on the show that much.
	__________________ "Well here,s another nice mess you,ve gotten me into."Laurel & Hardy

06-13-2019, 11:58 AM	#2
yellowrose21 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 03, 2015 Posts: 5	I don't see the Honeymooners as being like I Love Lucy where the show really depended on the two couples and their various antics. Instead, it was more about Ralph and Ed's crazy adventures and how Alice responded and their love. Trixie could have had more of a presence but it didn't take anything away from the show that she did not. I've never read Gleason did not like Joyce Randolph, but she did tend to keep to herself more than Audrey and Art. Personally I did not find her acting abilities to be on the same level of the other three players, but Trixie had a couple good scenes.

06-13-2019, 12:33 PM	#3
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	I don't think it had anything to do with how Gleason might have gotten along with the performers playing Trixie but that her function was to get Alice out of the way so Ralph could plot with Ed and to give Alice a means to vent about Ralph. It's hard to recall any scenes of her interacting with Ed alone. Oddly enough, there was an early illusion by Ed of her having been a burlesque dancer when they'd met but this NEVER got followed up nor did any other man besides Ed ever appear to have any interest in her.

06-13-2019, 12:47 PM	#4
yellowrose21 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 03, 2015 Posts: 5	It was alluded to that Trixie was in burlesque, but never explored. Ed mentioned once he met her at a show. Although I have not seen all of the 60s "Honeymooners" sketches, I did notice that Jane Kean had more of a role than Joyce did. Maybe it was the writers that gave the character more to do, but Jackie was much closer to Jane than Joyce, but that does mean he did not like her. I always found it interesting that Joyce Randolph had a tendency to call him Mr. Gleason while Carney and Kean said Jackie and Audrey would call him Jack.

06-13-2019, 10:10 PM	#5
Duster76 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2008 Location: New jersey Posts: 1,656	The Honeymooners was about Ralph, he was the focus, not the marriage, not the friendship. Alice was the long suffering wife of an overgrown man-child, Ed the junior partner in Ralph's schemes. Trixie had two main functions, one give Alice someone to talk to when some part of the story needed to be explained or detailed, the second to complete Ed Norton. Ed lives in the same building. has a blue collar job, and he is married with no children, basically Ralph and Ed are in the same boat. She helps establish why Ralph and Ed are friends.

06-13-2019, 11:52 PM	#6
TSMIV Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 29, 2018 Location: Arkansas Posts: 696	When I was a kid, Trixie was my favorite character probably just because she didn't appear that much. She was there just enough to stay interesting. I always thought she was more easy going than Alice, but Trix didn't have to live with Ralph. As for Joyce Randolph as Trixie, she just seemed like a real person who had to put up with these three loud mouth nutcases!