Jackie Gleason: American Scene Magazine

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.

I saw a copy for this program in a video rental store and picked it up. It immediately brought me back to Saturday nights in the early 60's. The opening music with the good looking girls in tight dresses who introduced the shows sponsors. Then the June Taylor dancers routine followed by Jackie himself coming out to thunderous applause. The applause would die down long enough for Jackie to say "How Sweet It Is" which would get the crowd going again. His introduction of his flashy dressed orchestra leader Sammy Spear. One of his girls would bring him a cup of coffee? which he would take a sip and then say "WOW" a few quick jokes and his trademark "A little traveling music Sam...And Away We Go" There was even a skit with Frank Fontaine as Crazy Guggenheim in Joes Bar. At the end of the hour Jackie would come out and say "The Miami Beach audience is the greatest audience in the world...Good night everybody"

There are no longer variety shows such as this on television. Perhaps this type format just wore it self out. Jackie Gleason is best remembered for his classic show "The Honeymooners" and to a later generation as the Sheriff in the "Smokey and the Bandit" films. For me any way it will always be for this show on Saturday Nights.

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

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.

I remember this program very well. It aired on Saturday nights and it was one program that the entire family enjoyed. I was only 8 when I first saw this program and since this series is not available on DVD (and was never available on VHS), which is downright criminal, I am limited to memories that are over 45 years old, so details may be vague if not downright erroneous.

The series followed pretty much the same format, which worked like a charm. The show began with Jackie Gleason drinking a cup of coffee, and boy, it must've been one cup of coffee judging by the way he praised it! Then came the dancers whose numbers were quite a spectacle. Next, came the skits and numbers with Jackie Gleason and his guests. The show closed with a scene with Jackie Gleason portraying his role as Joe, the bartender tending bar. In came Crazy Goggenheim, plastered to the gills, (played by Frank Fontaine)with his jokes which were always hilarious! He never failed to leave us all in stitches! Joe would then yell "C'mon, sing us a song!" which he did. As the title of one of Frank Fontaine's albums stated,"Frank Fontaine sings like crazy!" And he did! But it was Frank Fontaine's "Crazy Guggenheim" that I enjoyed the most!

C'mon! Release the series on DVD, or at least release a "Best of..." compilation so we could once again enjoy the comic brilliance of Crazy Guggenheim, one more time!