Odd claims in "Variety Shows" book - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Bill S. · 01-03-2020, 08:13 PM

The book Television Variety Shows: Histories and Episode Guides to 57 Programs by David M. Inman makes the following claims about The Jackie Gleason Show:

• "2/6/54: Ed Sullivan (guest host). Hour-long Honeymooners sketch without Gleason, still recuperating."
• "4/17/54: Hour-long Honeymooners sketch about Easter."
• "10/30/54: Honeymooners sketch about Ralph not being invited to the boss's party."

Obviously the Easter thing is inaccurate because "Stand-In for Murder" aired on that date, but I'm curious to know how mistakes like this happen. From what I've read of the other episode descriptions, they appear to be correct.

Google Books Link

ChrisTV · 01-26-2020, 08:51 PM

Finally had a chance to go thru this.
This almost looks like they were reading from the same 'Master sheets" that Todd Wieneke had discussed at MPI.
Before Todd left MPI he was able to confirm a lot of issues we had all figured out that…

10/30/54 - "Halloween Party For The Boss" was the only title mentioned for 10/30/54,
it stood to reason that it was a longer Honeymooners sketch.

And regarding…

2/6/54: Obviously there is no Honeymooners this date.
This is the Saturday night that Ed Sullivan guest hosted, they did a "Man Under The Street" bit with Carney.
& Gleason does last 3 minutes in a wheelchair from this hospital room.
If there had been a hour long Honeymooners without Gleason, it would be known.

4/17/54- Interesting they listed an Easter sketch, even funnier it's listed it as an hour. Yes "Stand-In For Murder" did air that night & the ending never airing on TV.
Easter was on April 18th in 1954. All Saturdays in April 1954 there were full hour Honeymooners: "Fortune Teller", "The Next Champ", "Stand In For Murder" & "Move Uptown". There would be no possibility for an Easter sketch that year. The still known missing "Easter Hats" is from the year earlier 4/4/1953.

Something else I found interesting, the first mention of a Honeymooners sketch is the middle of the 1953-54 season 12/26/53 "New Year's Eve Party”. 40 Honeymooners had already aired & it was this week that the 1st they are mentioned. Very peculiar.

01-03-2020, 08:13 PM	#1
Bill S. Member Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2003 Posts: 1,112	Odd claims in "Variety Shows" book The book Television Variety Shows: Histories and Episode Guides to 57 Programs by David M. Inman makes the following claims about The Jackie Gleason Show: • "2/6/54: Ed Sullivan (guest host). Hour-long Honeymooners sketch without Gleason, still recuperating." • "4/17/54: Hour-long Honeymooners sketch about Easter." • "10/30/54: Honeymooners sketch about Ralph not being invited to the boss's party." Obviously the Easter thing is inaccurate because "Stand-In for Murder" aired on that date, but I'm curious to know how mistakes like this happen. From what I've read of the other episode descriptions, they appear to be correct. Google Books Link

01-26-2020, 08:51 PM	#2
ChrisTV Member Forum Regular Join Date: Aug 25, 2004 Posts: 773	Finally had a chance to go thru this. This almost looks like they were reading from the same 'Master sheets" that Todd Wieneke had discussed at MPI. Before Todd left MPI he was able to confirm a lot of issues we had all figured out that… 10/30/54 - "Halloween Party For The Boss" was the only title mentioned for 10/30/54, it stood to reason that it was a longer Honeymooners sketch. And regarding… 2/6/54: Obviously there is no Honeymooners this date. This is the Saturday night that Ed Sullivan guest hosted, they did a "Man Under The Street" bit with Carney. & Gleason does last 3 minutes in a wheelchair from this hospital room. If there had been a hour long Honeymooners without Gleason, it would be known. 4/17/54- Interesting they listed an Easter sketch, even funnier it's listed it as an hour. Yes "Stand-In For Murder" did air that night & the ending never airing on TV. Easter was on April 18th in 1954. All Saturdays in April 1954 there were full hour Honeymooners: "Fortune Teller", "The Next Champ", "Stand In For Murder" & "Move Uptown". There would be no possibility for an Easter sketch that year. The still known missing "Easter Hats" is from the year earlier 4/4/1953. Something else I found interesting, the first mention of a Honeymooners sketch is the middle of the 1953-54 season 12/26/53 "New Year's Eve Party”. 40 Honeymooners had already aired & it was this week that the 1st they are mentioned. Very peculiar.