Honeymooners Box Set Reviews: Additional Sketches & Commercials (Part One):

[Frank Gannucci]

Honeymooners Box Set Reviews: Additional Sketches & Commercials (Part One) (“Art Carney Gets An Award” & “Art Carney Nescafe Commercial”)

DVD: Attached to the radio versions of “Letter To The Boss” & “Love Letter”, “New Featurettes” & “Scripts For Missing Episodes.”
Air Date: Sat. 5/21/55

“Art Carney Gets An Award”

This took place on the May 21, 1955 edition of the Jackie Gleason Show before the “Letter To The Boss” sketch. Jack Lescoulie comes out and introduces to Jackie the mayor of St. Paul, Joseph Dillan. The audience cheers. Joseph says he would like to make a presentation to Art Carney. Jackie yells for Arthur who comes out and shakes Gleason’s hand as well as Joseph’s. Jackie leaves the stage. When Joseph Dillian says something about the twin cities’ sanitation’s department, the audience laughs because they know what Art Carney’s famous Honeymooners character does for a living. Joseph says that the twin cities’ sanitation department’s has a superior disposal system, very scenic sewer system and picturesque manhole covers. The twin cities board of trustees bestows upon Art Carney the title of Special Sewer Investigator & Master of The Ground Pumps. Art is all happy as the audience cheers. Joseph says that they also named a sewer after Art called the Carney Sewer. Art thanks the mayor not only for him himself but for all of his “fellow workers” down below. Art: “When we hold on sewer workers convention, feel free to DROP IN at any time.” Art & the mayor get off the stage as Jackie gets back on and asks for Ray for some traveling music. Jackie dances off the stage.

"Art Carney Nescafe Commercial"
Air Date: Sat. 6/6/53

This commercial was apparently filmed during the June 6, 1953 edition of the Jackie Gleason Show. They did live commercials back then. Jackie comes out with a bathrobe on that is the same as the one Ralph Kramden wore in the “Prowler.” This commercial was filmed either before the “Prowler” sketch or after it. Jackie says that it is the time of the year again for weddings and church bells. Jackie introduces a guy named Jim Fair who is going to tell all the brides that there is something special about this month. Cut to the commercial.

Jim says that there is new “help” for brides. They show a primitive graphic for Nescafe coffee. According to Jim, Nescafe has the most delicious, rich coffee flavor. Coffee that is 100% pure. This type of coffee is possibly only through the Nescafe Jet Process. Light backfiring noise is heard as another primitive graphic is shown that says: “Guarantee: You’ll get better flavor cup after cup than with..” On the DVD, the whole graphic isn’t shown and I presume that was the way it was also shown on TV. But Jim says: “Because of the Jet Process, you will be guaranteed to get better flavor cup after cup than with ground coffee or your money back.” Art Carney is shown at a table with Nescafe coffee. Jim says: “This guarantee is mighty important for you bridges who are interested in care and feeding a husband.” A woman (presumably a Glea Girl) gives Art food to eat. Jim: “Because if your first roast is a little to well done…” Art (presumable looking at the roast since the roast wasn’t shown on camera): “Sheesh!” Jim: “…and if your first biscuit should be a tiny bit heavy…” Art drops the biscuit only to be surprised by the louder than usual noise it makes when it hits the table. Jim: “…don’t worry. If you can boil water, than you can serve your husband the best coffee he ever tasted. Nescafe will save the day.” Art: “Honey I got something to tell you. That’s a good cup of coffee.” Art drinks some coffee out of a saucer much to the slight laughter from the crowd. Art: “Wherever you drink coffee, from the cup or saucer, Nescafe makes a Jim Dandy, to drawer cup of coffee. Hey, hey, hey.” A picture of a Nescafe bottle and a cup of coffee are now shown. Jim: “Buy new Nescafe.”

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.