| The Honeymooners | |
|---|---|
 Title card | |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Jackie Gleason |
| Written by | Marvin Marx Walter Stone A.J. Russell Herbert Finn Leonard Stern Sydney Zelinka |
| Directed by | Frank Satenstein |
| Starring | Jackie Gleason Audrey Meadows Art Carney Joyce Randolph Pert Kelton |
| Theme music composer | Jackie Gleason Bill Templeton |
| Opening theme | "You're My Greatest Love" |
| Ending theme | "You're My Greatest Love" (extended version) |
| Composers | Sammy Spear, Jackie Gleason |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 39 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Jack Philbin Stanley Poss |
| Producer | Jack Hurdle |
| Production locations | Adelphi Theatre, New York, New York |
| Cinematography | Daniel Cavelli Doug Downs Jack Etra |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 26–27 minutes |
| Production companies | Jackie Gleason Enterprises CBS Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | October 1, 1955 – September 22, 1956 |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
The Honeymooners is an American television sitcom that originally aired from 1955 to 1956, created by and starring Jackie Gleason, and based on a recurring comedy sketch of the same name that had been part of Gleason's variety show. It follows the lives of New York City bus driver Ralph Kramden (Gleason), his wife Alice (Audrey Meadows), Ralph's best friend Ed Norton (Art Carney) and Ed's wife Trixie (Joyce Randolph) as they get involved with various schemes in their day-to-day living.
Most episodes revolve around Ralph's poor choices in absurd dilemmas that frequently show his judgmental attitude in a comedic tone. The show occasionally features more serious issues such as women's rights and social status.
The original comedy sketches first aired on the DuMont network's variety series Cavalcade of Stars, which Gleason hosted, and subsequently on the CBS network's The Jackie Gleason Show,[1] which was broadcast live in front of a theater audience. The popularity of the sketches led Gleason to rework The Honeymooners as a filmed half-hour series, which debuted on 1 October 1955 on CBS, replacing the variety series. It was initially a ratings success as the No. 2 show in the United States, facing stiff competition from The Perry Como Show on NBC.[2][3] Gleason's show eventually dropped to No. 19,[3][4] and production ended after 39 episodes (now referred to as the "Classic 39 episodes").
The final episode of The Honeymooners aired on 22 September 1956, and Gleason sporadically revived the characters until 1978. The Honeymooners was one of the first U.S. television shows to portray working-class married couples in a gritty, non-idyllic manner, as the show is mostly set in the Kramdens' kitchen in a neglected Brooklyn apartment building.[5] One of the sponsors of the show was Buick.[6]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
timeswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1999). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows (7th ed.). Ballantine Books. p. 464. ISBN 0345429230.
- ^ a b Jones, Gerard (1993). "Sweet Subversion". Honey I'm Home!: Sitcoms – Selling the American Dream. MacMillan. p. 112. ISBN 0-312-08810-8.
- ^ Brooks; Marsh, "Top-Rated Programs by Season," p. 1245
- ^ Conner (2010), Sitcoms Often Reinforce Racial Ethnic Stereotypes Archived October 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "1956 Buick". AutomotiveTimelines.com. Retrieved December 28, 2023.