The Honeymooners 

A bus driver and his sewer worker friend struggle to strike it rich while their wives look on with weary patience.

Creator:

Jackie Gleason

Stars:

Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows

Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Jackie Gleason	...	Ralph Kramden 39 episodes, 1955-1956
Art Carney	...	Ed Norton 39 episodes, 1955-1956
Audrey Meadows	...	Alice Kramden 39 episodes, 1955-1956
Joyce Randolph	...	Trixie Norton 39 episodes, 1955-1956
Jack Lescoulie	...	Himself - Announcer 39 episodes, 1955-1956

Storyline

Ralph Kramden is a New York bus driver who dreams of a better life. With his eccentric good friend, Ed Norton the sewer worker, he constantly tries crackpot schemes to strike it rich. All the while, his exasperated wife, Alice, is always there to bring him down to earth or to pick him up if he beats her to it. For as much as they fight, even dunderhead Ralph knows that she is the greatest and vice versa, despite his constant threats of domestic violence.

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Plot Keywords:

sewer | bus driver | 1950s | poverty | money scheme | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Family

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 October 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

Los recién casados

Filming Locations:

Adelphi Theatre, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jackie Gleason Enterprises,Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min (39 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White (original version) Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The show was shot "as live" (filmed before an audience, edited, and shown later). If you ever notice Jackie Gleason patting himself on the stomach, it was a sign that he had forgotten his line.

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Goofs

The background in the Kramden's window changes. Sometimes there are windows and fire escapes. Other times the fire escapes aren't there. This happens within episodes, not just from one episode to another.

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Quotes

Ed Norton: Tough luck, Ralphie-boy.

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Alternate Versions

For the episodes that aired from October to December 1955, the opening credits featured a New York City bus driving down the street. An interior shot showed the view through the windshield and the back of the bus driver (intended to portray Ralph). A Buick (the show's sponsor) pulls up next to the bus then drives away. After January 1956, the opening credits were changed to the more familiar animated opening featuring the cast's names on drawings of moons. A Buick steering wheel was shown on the final moon.

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Beast of Yucca Flats (1995)

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Soundtracks

You're My Greatest Love
Written by Jackie Gleason and Bill Templeton

User Reviews

One of the greatest television shows of all time

Whether it's one of the classic 39 or one of the lost episodes, I always have a blast when I watch this show. It is one of the best shows ever to grace television. Everyone on the show was hilarious whether it was Ralph as the big mouthed, short tempered husband, Ed as the goofy upstairs neighbor or Alice and Trixie as the wives who always tried to keep them in line. It never fails to make me laugh out loud when I watch this show and I'd recommend it to anyone who needs a good laugh.