Jackie Gleason

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Lore & Background

Gleason's first variety series was *Cavalcade of Stars* on the DuMont Television Network, first aired June 4, 1949. The show's first host was Jack Carter, followed by Jerry Lester. Lester moved to NBC in June 1950, and Gleason—who had made his mark filling in for William Bendix as the title character on the first television incarnation of *The Life of Riley*—stepped into *Cavalcade* on July 15, 1950 and became an immediate sensation. The show was broadcast live in front of a theater audience, offering vaudevillian entertainment. In 1952, CBS president William S. Paley offered Gleason a considerably higher salary to move to that network. The series was retitled *The Jackie Gleason Show* and premiered on CBS Television on September 20, 1952. In 1953, CBS' own orchestral accordionist John Serry Sr. made a cameo appearance. The show typically opened with a monologue from Gleason, followed by sketch comedy involving regular performers including Art Carney, and a musical interlude featuring the June Taylor Dancers. Gleason portrayed recurring characters including supercilious playboy millionaire Reginald Van Gleason III (his personal favorite), friendly Joe the Bartender, loudmouthed braggart Charlie Bratton, Rum Dum, mild-mannered Fenwick Babbitt, The Bachelor, bombastic Rudy the Repairman, the Poor Soul (performed in pantomime), Stanley R. Sogg, and blowhard Brooklyn bus driver Ralph Kramden.

Reader's Guide

By far the most memorable and popular of Gleason's characters was Ralph Kramden, featured originally in *Cavalcade* skits known as 'The Honeymooners', with Pert Kelton as his wife Alice, and Art Carney as Ed Norton. These were so popular that in 1955 Gleason suspended the variety format and filmed *The Honeymooners* as a regular half-hour sitcom (television's first spin-off), co-starring Carney, Audrey Meadows (who had replaced the blacklisted Kelton after the move to CBS), and Joyce Randolph. Finishing 19th in the ratings, these 39 episodes were subsequently rerun constantly in syndication. The show's original variety format returned in September 1956 and continued until June 1957. In October 1958, Gleason debuted a half-hour version of *The Jackie Gleason Show* with Buddy Hackett as a sidekick, cancelled in January 1959. In 1961, Gleason hosted a game show called *You're in the Picture*, which lasted only one episode; he renamed the series *The Jackie Gleason Show* and turned it into a short-lived talk show for eight episodes. In 1962, he returned to the variety format with *American Scene Magazine* (official title still *The Jackie Gleason Show*). After two seasons in New York, production moved to Miami Beach in 1964. In fall 1966, the title reverted to *The Jackie Gleason Show* and remained until cancellation in 1970. During this period, episodes included guest stars and skits, and musical *Honeymooners* episodes were later collected as *The Color Honeymooners* with Sheila MacRae and Jane Kean. The show was shot in color on videotape at the Miami Beach Auditorium. At the end of the 1968–1969 season, the show ranked at No. 25 in the Nielsens. Gleason went on a stringent diet in 1969 and lost approximately 60 pounds; when the show returned in September 1969, it was explained that Ralph Kramden also had gone on a diet. A skinnier Ralph did not seem as funny to viewers and ratings began to slip. On February 16, 1970, CBS announced the cancellation of Gleason's series.

Did You Know?

• Gleason's first variety series, *Cavalcade of Stars*, first aired June 4, 1949, and he became host on July 15, 1950.
• The *Honeymooners* 39-episode sitcom was television's first spin-off.
• Gleason never received an Emmy, though his show earned multiple nominations and wins for cast and crew.
• In 1961, Gleason hosted a game show called *You're in the Picture* that lasted only one episode.
• The show was shot in color on videotape at the Miami Beach Auditorium, and Gleason promoted Miami Beach as the 'sun and fun capital of the world'.