Gleason (2002) (TV)

Director:

Howard Deutch

Writers (WGA):

Rick Podell (written by) &
Michael Preminger (written by)

Release Date:

13 October 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Family

Tagline:

How Sweet It Was!

Plot:

The story begins at the height of Gleason's career. He has it all: women, wealth, and extraordinary power...

Plot Keywords:

Television | Irish American | Womanizer | Brooklyn New York City | New York City

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Brad Garrett	...	Jackie Gleason
Saul Rubinek	...	George 'Bullets' Durgom
Gretchen Egolf	...	Genevieve Halford
Kristen Dalton	...	Audrey Meadows
Michael Chieffo	...	Art Carney
Jack Daniel Wells	...	Jack L. Warner
Mark Camacho	...	Sammy Birch
Jason Blicker	...	Sol Friedman
Vlasta Vrana	...	Toots Shor
Shawn Lawrence	...	William S. Paley
Kevin Dunn	...	Jack Philbin - Gleason's manager
Terry Farrell	...	Marilyn Taylor
Johanna Nutter	...	Joyce Randolph
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steve Adams	...	Director Frank Satenstein
Shawn Baichoo	...	Leonard
Claudia Besso	...	CBS Costumer
Howard Bilerman	...	Writer
Marc Boiteax	...	Ventriloquist
Terence Bowman	...	Limo Driver
Jake Brockman	...	Young Jackie
Tony Calabretta	...	Miami Barman
Joe Cobden	...	Coleman Jacoby
Carrie Colak
Nadia David	...	Buxom Blond
Diana Diaz	...	June Taylor Dancer
Kristella Diotte	...	June Taylor Dancer
Richard Dumont	...	Stars Announcer
Kim Feeney	...	Date at Toot's
Jane Gilchrist	...	Matronly Mother
Jayne Heitmeyer	...	Call Girl
Robert Higden	...	Arnie
Paula Jean Hixson	...	Mae Gleason
Arthur Holden	...	Maitre D'
Matt Holland	...	Movie AD
Michelle Johnston	...	June Taylor
Barry Julien	...	Principal
Richard Jutras	...	Movie Director
Kathryn Kriitmaa	...	June Taylor Dancer
Jack Langedijk	...	Herb Gleason
Vanessa Larocque	...	June Taylor Dancer
Vincent Leclerc	...	Police Officer
Pierre Lenoir	...	CBS Announcer
Pauline Little	...	Motel Manager
Nancy Loof	...	June Taylor Dancer
Joel McNichol	...	Stage Manager
Lisa Bronwyn Moore	...	Pert Kelton
Mabel Palomino	...	June Taylor Dancer
Tim Post	...	Police Officer
Maud Saint-Germain	...	June Taylor Dancer
David Schaap	...	Reporter
Amy Sloan	...	Geraldine Halford
Lawrence Anthony Smythe	...	Vaudeville Performer
Dino Valiotis	...	Assistant Director
Al Vandecruys	...	Halsey Emcee
France Viens	...	Dancer
Kevin Woodhouse	...	Assistant director
Brian Wrench	...	CBS Executive

Also Known As:

Gleason: The Jackie Gleason Story

Runtime:

USA:100 min | USA:120 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Netherlands:6

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

Barbara Lieberman Productions

Trivia:

Paula Jean Hixson who plays Gleason's mother is eight years younger than Brad Garrett in real life.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Gleason is shown being fired from Navy Blues (1941) in 1949 or 1950. In real life, the film premiered in 1941 and he was not fired. Also, "Cavalcade of Stars" (1949) was not his TV debut. He starred in the short-lived series _"Life of Riley, The" (1949/II)_ .

Movie Connections:

References "The Honeymooners: The Golfer (#1.3)" (1955)

Somewhat scant on professional development

The movie checks in on Gleason's career at a few points and we see that he started out not very good and got better. But we never see how he managed to get better. He seems never to hear criticism, but only to insist that he knows what he's doing.

And where did they get his stand-up material? It sounds like Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, or at best Jack E. Leonard. Was Gleason an insult comic? I don't remember him that way. The material sounds anachronistic to me. Certainly an anachronism is Gleason shouting out "How sweet it is!" on his Stage Show program. He didn't say that until his big TV comeback.

Maybe the comeback would have been a better story to focus on. How Gleason was reduced to taking work as a game-show host, the game show flopped, and he saved the day with a one-man show that in half an hour returned him to the top of the profession.

Might have been better than trying even briefly to recreate the Honeymooners. Everyone did fine, considering. Michael Chieffo was near-perfect as Art Carney, Kristen Dalton was a competent Audrey Meadows though she forgot to stop sounding so aristocratic when Meadows was playing Alice. But the only thing that can possibly stand out in such a recreation is the imperfections. Hey, the chest of drawers is too low.

Brad Garrett did the voice reasonably well, but it was odd seeing him walking down a corridor hunched down to conceal the difference between himself and his average-sized companions. According to the papers, he had wanted very much to do the role. Okay, Brad, it was a fine salute and if they couldn't find a six-foot-four Audrey Meadows to play against you, that's not anybody's fault.