Jackie Gleason: American Scene Magazine

Jackie Gleason's hour-long variety show from 1962 to 1966 was a must-see then, and still is today. Unfortunately, the powers that be have seen fit to deprive the public of that rare treasure in either DVD or VHS format. In the opening monologues, Gleason would do a few jokes, drink booze from a coffee cup - "MMMMMMMMM-BOY, thats good coffee..." or bulge his eyes out with "WOW!", choke on a cigarette - while claiming "it pays to smoke the best!", and dance his way off the stage with "a little traveling music, Mr. Spear! - AND AWAY WE GO!!!" The next hour was an often riotous menagerie of mostly pantomime sketches involving one of several of Gleason's brilliant characters. There was "The Poor Sole", whom often easily wrenched audience hearts through Gleason's amazing ability to generate pathos with his humor - the likes of which can only be compared to Chaplin. Another character had a very long, narrow mustache and a straw hat, and was constantly drunk. And of course, who could forget the impeccable Reginald Van Gleason, a tuxedo and top-hatted daredevil who would stub out his cigarette and put it in his pocket before each stunt. Gleason introduced many famous comedians on his show, as well. The first time many Americans saw Rodney Dangerfield was on Gleason's December, '66 show. Gleason routinely took the summers off, from June to September. He filmed his show in NYC at first, but by series end had moved to Miami Beach, and boasted this at the beginning of each show. The June Taylor Dancers would do a great fan-dance at the beginning of each show and overhead shots of them forming patterns like a kaleidoscope were routine. Gleason would traditionally cap his show at the end with a skit involving "Joe the Bartender" and a somewhat gassed and goofy patron called "Crazy Gugenheim" - portrayed by the immortal Frankie Fontaine (who lived about 2 miles from me, in my home town of Winchester, Massachusetts!) At the end of the skit, Fontaine would sing a song that was often moving and completely out of character - similar to Jim Nabors' "Gomer Pyle" and his singing ability. In the summer of 1980, while Gleason was still alive, he authorized half-hour segments of the original hour-long shows to be rebroadcast for a very brief period. These were a real treat to see, but chopping them up like that just didn't do them justice. Also, unless one was very savvy and well-to-do, and had the foresight to have purchased one of the earliest VCRs prior to that airing, one would not have had an opportunity to capture the show. So, public domain copies are probably extremely rare, if they exist at all. To my knowledge, the entire show was filmed in Black and White. I am not sure, but I think Gleason goes to color in 1967 with the return of "The Honeymooners". During the 1967-70 shows, where they are doing the Honeymooners again, Gleason and Art Carney take a break and do the most marvelous impersonation of Laurel and Hardy I have ever seen. It was utterly hysterical. Almost better than the original two!

I am pleading with the owners of the Gleason show copyrights to please allow us to see them once again in our lifetime - PLEASE RELEASE THE ENTIRE 1962-1966 series shows to DISK!!!! PLEASE RELEASE THE ENTIRE Honeymooners II 1967-1970 series shows to DISK!!!!

Prelude: Upon greeting both the studio and home audiences at his first regular program in three years, Mr. Gleason (apparently spontaneously) erupted with: "HOW SWEET IT IS!"; which became his tag-line.

FOR WHATEVER THE reason, our TV sets were minus "the Great One" for about three years. Having started his run with his own comedy/variety show on the old Dumont Television Network's CAVELCADE OF STARS, Jackie Gleason quickly moved his act to the Columbia Broadcasting System and a much more lucrative $ituation for the newly rechristened "THE JACKIE GLEASON SHOW."

HIS ABSENCE WOULD seem to be a puzzler for us to understand; but of course what seemed like an eternity to a child then (only 3 years), is a very short period of time to those of us former "boomers". Now of course, we are graybeards who are definitely "long in the tooth!"

THERE WAS EVEN some talk that Gleason and Art Carney had a falling out and parting of the ways. Although later developments would certainly seem to disprove this story, Jackie's return without his former comic foil appeared to support this in our minds then.

UPON THE INAUGRAL of this new series dubbed JACKIE GLEASON'S American SCENE MAGAZINE it was obvious that there was a definite attempt to make his new show more "hip" and even "relevant." There seemed to be a greater influx of guest starring singers, movie actors and comedians of both the veteran and green rookie varieties.

THERE WAS INCREASED inclusion of non continuity comic sketches. Ralph, Norton & the wives were nowhere to be found. Of the "old crowd" of characters, REGINALD VAN GLEASON, JOE THE BARTENDER and THE POOR SOUL fared the best. Instead, a large portion of the typical show featured short, musically accompanied, non verbal "blackouts" that most often had the old sight gag; which had been resurrected from the Days of the Silent Screen.

THE USE OF video taped sequences allowed a greater latitude in constructing and (now) editing a show. Many a sketch would begin with Gleason (as Joe the Bartender) reading from some article in the fictional American Scene Magazine. A favourite ploy was a reference to an advice column entitled "DEAR MISS BARE FACTS"; which would seem to be a sort of titillating double meaning.

IN MAKING UP for the absence of Art Carney (who was doing well on the legitimate stages of Broadway), Jackie Gleason brought in Frank Fontaine and practically turned over the JOE THE BARTENDER sketch to him. He also made good use of veteran comics such as Sid Fields and Stan Ross (he of the "I'm with you!" tag-line); as well as newcomers such as a very young Rip Taylor.

HE NEVER DID abandon such trademark elements as the gallery of beauties doing the informing at show's introduction and opening production numbers by the now famous JUNE TAYLOR DANCERS.

GLEASON'S GREAT LOVE for music was still much in evidence with the use of "Alley Cat" and some such similar instrumental in his short blackout sketches; as swell as some of his own original compositions. Although Jackie lacked formal musical training and reportedly could not read music, he did compose some instrumental pieces. Both "THE HONEYMOONERS THEME" and the show's long used opening with "MELANCHOLY SERENADE" were done by "Irisher" from Brooklyn.*

NOTE: * Jackie Gleason was in good company here; as others who had great successes with musical composition and selection were: Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney and Ernie Kovacs.

There is nothing like it on television today. There couldn't be. This show, these types of shows were about something that's a lost art: entertainment. And this is entertainment at it's best.

For those who are too young to remember Gleason's art was the art of vaudeville, where comedy and great comic acting depended more on characterization, timing, body movement, facial expressions, as opposed to clever dialogue or cutting edge subject. And Gleason was the master of this craft, and many of these skits are Gleason at his peak.

It is a lost form and if you can see it, do.

Gleason,, when playing Ralph Cramdon on the Honeymooners actually never rehearsed that I have read about. Of course everyone else rehearsed and rehearsed and when it came to start taping Jackie rarely made mistakes. I imagine he ad-libbed quite often which to me made it funnier. At the end of his career he ended up playing a dimwit policeman in those horrible Smokey and the Bandit flicks, too bad because I to this day feel he could have played much better parts. That was Jackie Gleason.When someone asked him "Why were the Honeymooners so very popular and still in reruns?" He answered very quickly and honestly "Because they were funny" and that is Jackie Gleason. Also when growing up in NYC I have read he was actually a very good pool player making a living by hustling pool. LOL The story goes that Lucy gave Jackie the nickname "The Great One", and that IS Jackie Gleason.

The show first aired from NYC and I was one of the girls in the tight dresses. It was an amazing time to work with the"Great One". I am sorry that they did not include the names/credits of the sexy girls in the tight dresses aka me, Sally Carter, Gretta Randall, Karen (?), Darlene Enlow, Anne ( sadly she moved to Paris and didn't do anything else. I have forgotten her name). Glad you enjoyed the show, I did