THE HONEYMOONERS

"CLASSIC 39"

In the early 1950's I was growing up in my home state of New Jersey. During those years watching television was a highlight of my childhood. The plethora of shows on then had an incredible variety not seen today. How my family loved Lucy, Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, You Bet Your Life {with the one, the only Groucho}, Disneyland, The Millionaire, and my mother's special favorite, Alfred Hitchcock. I remember well sitting in our living room in Paulsboro, New Jersey, delighting in one of my own favorite programs, The Jackie Gleason Show. The 1955-1956 season ran the "Classic 39" Honeymooners episodes on a regular basis, with Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows, and Joyce Randolph. Their combined acting was inspired, and together their chemistry was timeless. Gleason and Meadows were perfectly matched as Ralph and Alice Kramden. Art Carney, as sewer worker Ed Norton, was a comic genius, and the perfect foil for Jackie Gleason. Joyce Randolph was brilliant as Trixie Norton, Ed's wife and Alice's best friend and neighbor.

Their comic exploits reflected humorously the true tone of life in 1950's New York. Ralph and Alice's apartment on Chauncey Street was decribed as "early Ma and Pa Kettle". Ralph earned $62 a week as a Madison Avenue driver for the Gotham Bus Company. His cohort in comedy, Ed Norton, worked in the Manhattan sewers, and was the Kramden's upstairs neighbor. The Kramdens and Nortons often dined at Salvatore's Pizzeria and the Hong Kong Gardens Chinese Restaurant. Their baked goods were purchased at Krausmeyer's Bakery. Ralph and Norton bowled on the "Hurricanes" team, played pool together, and relaxed with the guys at Kelsey's Gym. Each week the boys wore coonskin caps and, as Alice described, "Admiral Dewey Sportcoats" at the Raccoon Lodge. Ralph and Alice's arguments were priceless to watch and hear. Her sarcastic remarks were met with "Bang! Zoom! To the moon, Alice!" They fought over money, Ralph's ridiculous hare-brained schemes, the Raccoon Lodge, Alice's mother {"Blabbermouth"}, a movie actress's name- with great humor blended in. Their relationship as more true to life than many of the "saccharine" family shows, making it much more identifiable with working middle class audiences. Ralph and Norton schemed about buying a new TV set, promotions at work, rent increases, with ultimate hilarity. This was no mere bag of shells.

It is a shame that so many young people today are not aware of what entertainment was like in the golden age of yesteryear. They have no idea what they missed. My purpose in creating these webpages is twofold: it is a chance to research the best in entertainment, and to inform YOU of the same! Treat yourself to the Honeymooners "Classic 39". The entire series is available on video cassettes found in catalogs and in many department stores-- tell them you heard about them from the guys at Kelsey's Gym. They might reward you with a ceramic horse with a clock in its stomach! Nostalgia Search is recommending our 15 special favorites of the "Classic 39" Do some research on your own in finding them.

TV Or Not TV

A Dog's Life

The $99,000 Answer

The Man From Space

Mama Loves Mambo

The Babysitter

The Deciding Vote

Alice and the Blonde

Here Comes the Bride

Brother Ralph

The Worry Wart

A Woman's Work Is Never Done

The Sleepwalker

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Hello, Mom

RENT OR PURCHASE THE HONEYMOONERS "CLASSIC 39" AND WE AT NOSTALGIA SEARCH WILL SAY:

"BABY, YOU'RE THE GREATEST!"