Box Set Reviews: “Norton Interviews” (Part 3): “Rock & Roll – Jackie Gleason” & more:

[Frank Gannucci]

Reviews: “Norton Interviews” (Part Three): “Rock & Roll – Jackie Gleason” & “Norton Helps The Guest Host – Johnnie Ray”:

TV: In 2019, Decades started showing this sketch despite it technically not being a Honeymooners episode and it is paired with the Ed Norton interview called "The Dodgers - Jackie Gleason":
DVD: Attached to Ed Norton Interviews entitled: "Man Under The Street - Ed Sullivan", "People To People - Robert Q. Lewis", "The Dodgers - Jackie Gleason", "The Cost of Living - Jackie Gleason", "Norton Helps The Guest Host - Johnnie Ray." It is also attached to radio episodes entitled: "Letter To The Boss" & "Love Letter." It is also attached to Additional Sketches And Commercials, New Featurettes & Scripts for missing episodes entitled: "Easter Hats" (both '52 & '53 versions), "Alice's Birthday" & "Missing Pair of Pants" (some DVDs don't have "Missing Pair of Pants" & have another script of "Alice's Birthday.")
Air Date: Sat. 5/25/57

“Rock & Roll – Jackie Gleason”:

Jackie Gleason is on stage and he says he is going to ask an average citizen what they think of rock & roll which according to Gleason is one of the “problems” in our country. The average citizen comes out. Of course, it is Art Carney as Ed Norton. Ed introduces himself to the TV audience (as if they didn’t know who he was). He thanks Gleason for being on stage and says hello to all his friends in “Never-Never Land” and to his crew in outlet #53. Gleason asks Ed how things are going down in the sewer. Ed says that it could be better. They haven’t had a good year since 1952. Ed: “That is what we call a good vintage year.” Jackie: “How long have you been in the sewer game?” Ed: “If you go down there, you wouldn’t call it a game. I have been down there for 15 years as the boat sails.” Gleason then asks him if he would recommend the sewer as a profession for young men. Ed says yes he would. Ed: “If I had a son, I would want him to WADE in my foot steps.” Ed then gets permission to ask for recruits. Ed: “Young men between the ages if 17 and 56: If you are a college graduate and have a working knowledge of French, Biology, English Literature and Ancient History, don’t pay any attention to what I am about to say. If you are a young man who is looking for a job with a future and a chance for adventure, would you consider a sewer career? The hours are easy, good pay and plenty of recreational facilities. Especially during the Grunion season. If you would like to join us, just drop down and take the exam. The exam? They throw you in a tank of water and if you float, you are in.

Jackie: “What do you think of the rock and raze scene.” Jackie flubbed his line and responds to his flubbing by having a good laugh at it. Ed doesn’t hate it. He has nothing against it. He just prefers long-haired music like “Ding Dong. The Wicked Witch Is Dead”, “Peter Cottaintail” etc. He calls them classics. Like he said, he has nothing against it. He mentions that one time he wrote a rock and roll song and dedicated it to Coney Island. The song was called: “You ain’t NATHAN like a hot dog.” I wonder if Nathan sponsored this episode. According to the Lost Episodes book that was made in the mid 80s, Bulova and Old Gold Cigarettes were the two only sponsors during this season but we all know that most Honeymooners books have mistakes in them. Ed says that he is a music lover and when he was a kid, they said he was a child prodigy. He knew about the three BBBs which were Beethoven, Bach, Shaster Cooverage. Jackie says that the last one starts with an S. Ed responds by saying he was an expert in music and not spelling. Jackie says that a lot of people are saying that rock and roll is a bad influence on the younger generation. Ed disagrees. Ed: “When I Was young, they said if I do dances like the Apple, I would grow up to be a nut. Ha ha ha. It didn’t affect me.” Ed says that his wife loves rock and roll. Ed: “She is musically inclined. She has got music drums in her ears.” Ed took his wife out to a rock and roll concert. Bill Hailey and his group were playing someplace. It was a personal appearance and they got the best seats which were $4.40. I bet that price would be higher today. Bill Hailey comes out and she faints. Ed responded by exchanging their seats for balcony seats.

Jackie thanks Ed for coming. Ed wants to do one more thing. Ed says he belongs to the Raccoons and all of the Raccoons are fond of Ray Bloch. He would like to present a Raccoon cap that he had in his lunch pail that he brought out to Ray Bloch. Jackie: “Would this make him a Raccoon?” Ed: “No, but it will keep his head warm.” Ray Bloch was bald except for hairs around his head during his time on this show in case you didn’t know. Ed walks off the stage. Jackie (throwing the Raccoon cap in Ray’s direction): “A little traveling music Ray.” Jackie dances off the stage as Ray and his orchestra play traveling music.

TV: In 2019, Decades started showing this sketch despite it technically not being a Honeymooners episode and it is paired with the Ed Norton interview called "The Dodgers - Jackie Gleason":
DVD: Attached to Ed Norton Interviews entitled: "The Cost of Living - Jackie Gleason", "Man Under The Street - Ed Sullivan", "People To People - Robert Q. Lewis", "The Dodgers - Jackie Gleason", "Rock & Roll - Jackie Gleason." It is also attached to radio episodes entitled: "Letter To The Boss" & "Love Letter." It is also attached to Additional Sketches And Commercials, New Featurettes & Scripts for missing episodes entitled: "Easter Hats" (both '52 & '53 versions), "Alice's Birthday" & "Missing Pair of Pants" (some DVDs don't have "Missing Pair of Pants" & have another script of "Alice's Birthday.")
Air Date: Sat. 6/8/57

“Norton Helps The Guest Host – Johnnie Ray”:

As Johnnie is saying: “And now ladies and gentlemen…” Art (as Ed) is overheard talking off-stage. Ed comes on stage. Ed asks people named Charlie and Joe to put spotlights on himself as well as asks some other guy to turn the lights off (which the guy does) and to turn them back on. Johnnie is wondering what is going on. Ed introduces himself to Johnnie and says that he works in the sewer. Ed says that Johnnie has been one of his favorites for years. Ed says that one of his favorite Johnnie Ray songs is “When Your Sweetheart Writes A Letter To Your Wife.” He also liked one of his other songs “Cry” only because the tears floated down the sewer and it created high tide. Ed asks Johnny (a stagehand) to dress up the curtain. Mr. Ray asks him if he is connected to the show. Ed says that he is. (No? Really?). Ed says that he and Gleason are close and he shows his hand to show how close they are. His thumb is Gleason which is away from the next finger which is crossed with another finger due to arthritis. Ed got a wire from Gleason that says that he is at the theater to help out Johnnie. It is signed: “Your friend, Ralph.” I guess that Jackie was on vacation. Johnnie reads the telegram and according to Johnnie after the part in which Ed is helping Johnnie, Jackie says: “Who needs you? Your friend, Ralph.” I guess that “Your friend, Ralph” is a not-very-inside joke. Ed said that Johnnie misunderstood the wire because Jackie is Ed’s pal.

Ed has a novelty act to show to everybody. He brings out Ceeso. I guess that is Ed’s way of saying Cecil which is king of like Ed’s way of saying oil is erl. Ceeso is a kid. He comes out looking like he doesn’t want to be there. He blows some bubblegum. Ed says that he lives in his building and he retrieves the ball for him in the sewer. He does some dancing and some imitations like Jimmy Cagney. Ed looks at the kid and says: “Don’t make no noise or anything.” He can do imitations like on dog on the other side of the lake trying to get attention and the other dog on the other side of the lake answering him. When he does the imitation of the dog trying to get attention, he makes loud barking noises. When he does the imitation of the other dog, he makes light barking noises. Also according to Ed, he can do imitate Nat King Cole. Ed asks for some music. The camera zooms in on Art as he imitates Nat by singing some verses of “Somewhere Along The Way.” The audience applauds.

Johnnie says that he can’t find a space for him in the show because the show is booked solid. Ed says to the kid: “I told you not to do those things. Why didn’t you pay attention to me?” Ed and the kid leave the stage. Johnnie gets Art Carney and whoever it was that played Ceeso (Cecil?) to take a bow which they do. The kid still looks like he didn’t want to be there. I wonder if he really felt that way. He asks Ray for traveling music. Johnnie tries to imitate Jackie dancing to the traveling music for a little bit.

At the end of the show, Johnnie comes back out. Art (as Ed) comes back out too. He liked the songs that he sung on the show. He agreed that the songs came from the heart. Art: “You got to please all of the people some of the time.” Only some of the time? Art: “If the people come out of the theater and they hum it, it’s a hit. A got a friend of mine who is a cab driver named Lou Carter. Lou has got an album named “Lou’s Love Songs.” One of the songs is one of his favorites. It is called “Mabel.” He sings and dances to it. The audience loves this. In the song, the women’s names are Mabil (not a typo) and Maple. After that, he leaves the stage but at Johnnie’s request, Art takes another bow. That’s the end. I should point out that despite MPI saying that this extra is 4:28; it is actually a little over seven minutes.

[Frank Gannucci]

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