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The continued trials and tribulations of Ralph Kramden
Volume 2 in the "Classic 39" collection offers up a pair of shows from the 1955-56 season of "The Honeymooners." In "A Dog's Life" (Episode #21, February 18, 1956), the good news is that Ralph has convinced his boss to invest in his new snack food sensation. The bad news is that KramMar's Delicious Mystery Appetizer is really dog food. Poor Ralph, he can never win, which is half the fun in this episode, written by Leonard Stern and Sydney Zelinka. Then in "Pardon My Glove" (Episode #25, March 17, 1956), Ralph becomes very suspicious when Alice postpones his surprise birthday party to go to a secret meeting with an interior decorator (Alexander Clark). Written by A. J. Russell and Herbert Finn. Neither of these episodes are exactly "Honeymooner" classics, but watching Jackie Gleason's character wriggle on the hook is always enjoyable. ... Read more

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The first of the "Classic 39" episodes of "The Honeymooners"
"TV or Not TV" is the first of the Classic 39 episodes of "The Honeymooners" that aired during the 1955-56 season. This episode, which is one of my favorites, finds Alice demanding Ralph buy her a television set. Since Ralph does not have enough money, he and Ed go in on a set together. Of course, the two have trouble sharing the new TV, especially since Ralph becomes addicted to watching anything and everything that comes on the tube. But Ed has his own special favorite, a science-fiction show, which he watches in full space ranger outfit, including helmet (see cover). This hysterical episode was scripted by Marvin Marx and Walter Stone, who wrote more classic "Honeymooners" scripts than anyone else. This tape also offers various highlights from other episodes, just to whet your appetite for the rest of the videos in this collection. ... Read more

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Ralph and Ed struggle through "Funny Money" and "Trapped"
This is Volume 3 of the series of "Classic 39" episodes of "The Honeymooners" from the 1955-56 season; you have to remember that once upon a time, this was all we had of this classic television sitcom. In "Funny Money" (Episode #2, October 8, 1955), the Kramdens are all ready to live the high life when Ralph discovers a satchel filled with $50,000. Unfortunately, the money is all counterfeit. Poor, Ralph. To be so close. Another classic episode written by Marvin Marx and Walter Stone. Then in "Trapped" (Episode #29, April 14, 1956), Ralph witnesses a robbery outside Harry's Poor Hall. So the pair of thugs end up holding the Kramdens and Ed hostage. Think of this as "The Honeymooner" version of "The Ransom of Red Chief." Those poor thugs never see it coming in this script by Leonard Stern and Sydney Zelinka. This one would be a 4.5, but we round up on the strength of the "Funny Money" episode. ... Read more

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Ralph Kramden has trouble handling the spotlight
A pair of episodes written by Leonard Stern and Sydney Zelinka are featured on Volume 4 in the "Classic 39" series of "The Honeymooner." In the 1950's, long before there was "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," there were a dozens of quiz shows on television. In "The $99,000 Answer," Ralph gets his chance to win big money on a quiz show. Obsessed with winning it all, Ralph's preparations are distracted by Ed's one-note suggestion. If you have not seen this episode, then certainly you have seen a variation on the big joke this sets up at the end, when Ralph is asked a question to which Ed has been supplying the answer--and completely blanks out. This is Jackie Gleason's all-time best reaction shot. Then in "Onstage" (Episode #31, April 28, 1956), Ralph is thrilled to be cast as the lead in the Lodge's annual fund-raiser, at least, until he finds out Ed is going to be his co-star. Not as funny as it sounds, but that is okay because the first episode on this tape is very, very funny. ... Read more

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The Show That Started It All
"Letter To The Boss," which was first performed live on "The Jackie Gleason Show" on November 14, 1953, was one of the first long "Honeymooners" skits. It was so well received by people that more and more of these long skits were done, thus allowing the characters to build and the situations to become more realistic. There are actually three skits on this tape, but the only one I will focus on will be "Letter To The Boss." This is an episode which features the usual Ralph Kramden bits like jumping to conclusions, allowing his mouth to get him into trouble, and just about anything else you can name! I don't want to give away the whole show if you haven't seen it, but believe me, this is one show that all fans will enjoy. It is fun to look at the shows now, and realize that they were performed within the context of an hour variety show. Yet these "lost" "Honeymooners" shows are so strong that they can stand alone almost 50 years after the were first done. ... Read more

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There is nothing Ralph will not do to make up with Alice
"A Man's Pride" (Episode #39, September 22, 1956), became the last of the "Classic 39" episodes of "The Honeymooners" when Jackie Gleason voluntarily retired the show at the end of the 1955-56 television season. Ralph brags about his success to one of Alice's old suitors and then has to make good on his boast when the man suddenly shows up at the garage. Then there is one of my personal favorites, "A Matter of Record" (Episode #15, January 7, 1956), in which Ralph is at the end of his rope when Alice moves back in with her mother after his latest outburst. Norton then convinces Ralph to transcribe his apology onto a record. I always liked any of "The Honeymooner" episodes where it was clear that the big lug really loved Alice, especially when he had to stumble his way through a heartfelt apology. Of course, she loved him too, but I am not exactly sure why. LOL. ... Read more

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GREAT but not quite the very best sketches
This video has one of the most LEGENDARY Honeymooners sketches ever: Songs and Witty Sayings. The set up is simple. Ralph Kramden (Fred Flintstone role model) and Ed Norton (Yogi Bear role model) want to enter a talent contest. So their wives do too..and the rivalry..and hilarity begins.

Why is this episode so famous? Honeymooners/Gleason documentaries always show part of this sketch, where Jackie Gleason and Art Carney do a bit where they imitate Laurel and Hardy, the comedy team to which these two performers were rightly compared. And it IS a scream. View it for yourself with all of the surprises. Various books also note that Stan Laurel, a huge Gleason fan, was watching that night.

That being said, this sketch is actually one of the weaker ones available on video. The opening segment with Gleason and Carney seems (unlike most Honeymooners you watch) scripted. Gleason somehow seems a bit off in the beginning, and does not seem to be totally transformed into Ralph Kramden (seldom did Gleason seem to be merely acting the part of Ralph). The actual talent show a bit draggy. The BEST parts -- aside from the Laurel and Hardy parody -- are apartment scenes with Gleason and Audrey Meadows (wife Alice). Even so, even a slightly-off Honeymooners sketch is better than most things on TV today...so it's WELL worth your money.

This tape also boasts another "lost" (not really lost but until released by Gleason towards the end of his life stored for years in his air-conditioned vault) Norton Moves In, an ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS shorter Honeymooners sketch. Setup: the Norton's apartment is being painted so Ed and wife Trixie have to move in for the night. I won't give it away but you MUST know this.It has been said many times that no one did comedy-pain better than Jackie Gleason. You'll see a bit of it here -- and that alone is worth the price of this tape.

Greatness is The Honeymooners
This is a must for any and all Honeymooners fan! Enjoy singing along with Ralph, Alice, Ed & Trixie! ... Read more

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Timeless comedy
Sorry, but this is one of the all-time great comedies. Unlike today's comedy which relies very heavily on sexual themes and situations as their crutch, the Honeymooners are a breath of fresh air even after all these years. The comedy may be predictable, but only because this is where is started. They were the original. Ralph may have had a big mouth, but Alice and Co. always ended putting him in his place...or he would do it himself by putting his foot in his mouth. There's a very good reason why this show continues to thrive in syndication after almost fifty years...because it is very entertaining with broad appeal. I don't think you'll be seeing 99% of today's shows still on television in fifty years?

I WISH RALPHIE BOY & CO. WOULD STAY ON THE MOON!
"The Honeymooners" is stale, stagnant and just plain tiresome. The predictable lines that somehow gained staying power, e.g. "Ralphie Boy," "baby, you're the greatest," "bang! zoom!" and "hardy, har har" were nothing but trite little comments or noises. The worst of the mix was the dreaded "hommina." "Hommina" is as annoying as hearing a stick being dragged across canvas and did nothing to contribute to the show in a positive way.

I admit that I don't like "The Honeymooners." The thin plots, the tiresome lines and the claustrophobic little hole in the wall the Kramdens rarely ever leave get old fast. The characters are not appealing. Alice is rude, Ralphie Boy is a windbag, Norton is annoying and Trixie is deadwood. Chauvinism is common throughout the episodes.

Bang! Zoom! I wish they'd all just STAY on the moon! ... Read more

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Alice makes Ralph insanely jealous, not once, but twice
Ralph getting insanely jealous would be the obvious common denominator for the two "Classic 39" episodes of "The Honeymooners" collected on Volume 8. In "Momma Loves Mambo" (Episode #23, March 3, 1956), both Ralph (Jackie Gleason) and Ed (Art Carney) are jealous when a Latin lover type moves into the building and stars sweeping their wives off their feet with free mambo lessons. This is another one of the first-rate episodes written by Marvin Marx and Walter Stone. Then in "The Baby-Sitter" (Episode #17, January 21, 1956), Alice (Audrey Meadows) is taking on baby-sitting jobs in order to pay for the phone she has secretly installed in the apartment. However, Ralph is convinced she is having an affair in this episode written by Leonard Stern and Sydney Zelinka. I would feel sorry for Ralph but I am usually too busy feeling sorry for Alice in these episodes. LOL.

mambo a classic, great comedy, gleason a genius, fantastic
mama likes mambo is argeably one of the greatest moments of comedy in the 20th century it will most likey never be surpassed gleason is the supreme master ... Read more

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This is the one with Ralph and Ed handcuffed together!
Volume 9 in this series offers up a pair of "Classic 39" episodes of "The Honeymooners" dealing with the Loyal Order of Raccoons. First up, in "Unconventional Behavior" (Episode #33, May 12, 1956), Ralph (Jackie Gleason) and Ed (Art Carney) are riding on the train together to the Raccoon convention in Minneapolis. If that does not sound like enough fun, then you will love it when Ed accidentally handcuffs himself to Ralph. This classic episode was written by Marvin Marx and Walter Stone but the famous handcuff routine was really a last-minute improvisation after another gag was cut at the last minute. So when you watch this hysterical bit as they try to sleep in upper and lower berths with their hands locked together in those handcuffs, this was unrehearsed. They are just making it up as they go along for five glorious minutes of classic TV comedy. Then in "The Deciding Vote" (Episode #11, December 10, 1955), Ralph blows up at Norton. Which does not sound like much, until Ralph learns that Norton holds the deciding vote in an important election at the Raccoon Lodge. Not too many things in this world are funnier than Ralph trying to be nice, as in this episode written by A. J. Russell and Herbert Finn, but being handcuffed to Ed on a train is certainly one of them! Volume 9 is one of the best sets in this series. ... Read more

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Art Carney's classic comic creation: Ed Norton
Volume 18 of the "Classic 39" collection of episodes from the last season of "The Honeymooners" is a tribute to Art Carney's great character of Ed Norton. Jackie Gleason always said Carney was 90% of the reason "The Honeymooners" was a success, and while the percentage is an exaggeration, the importance of the actor/character is not. First we have "The Sleepwalker" (Episode #6, November 5, 1955), which finds Norton (duh) sleepwalking. So Trixie has Ralph take care of her husband when he goes out for his somnambulant walks. Of course, this wreaks havoc with Ralph's well ordered routine in a great episode written by A. J. Russell and Herbert Finn. Then, in "Pal O'Mine" (Episode #8, November 19, 1955), Ralph's feelings are hurt when Ed buys a friendship ring for one of his friends at work. It is certainly funny to see the big lug mooning around in this episode written by the team of Leonard Stern and Sydney Zelinka. This tape pretty much proves that Art Carney's Ed Norton was the greatest second banana in television sit-com history. ... Read more

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Ralph Kramden the boxer? The pool shark? Yeah, right...
Whether it is the manly art of self-defense or shooting pool, we all know by now that Ralph Kramden cannot win. In "Bensonhurst Bomber" (Episode #37, September 8, 1956), Ralph is challenged to a boxing match by a local though guy. To avoid being beaten to a pulp, Ralph and Ed come up with a crazy scheme to get the guy to back down. This episode was scripted by Marvin Marx and Walter Stone. Then in "Opportunity Knocks, But" (Episode #32, May 5, 1956), Ralph tries to win big points with his boss over a friendly little game of pool. But it ends up being Norton who comes out ahead in this episode written by Leonard Stern and Sydney Zelinka. It is sort of strange to see this episode after having seen Jackie Gleason's wonderful performance as Minnesota Fats in "The Hustler," but then you remember that the man was a good actor. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Disappointing
I am a huge Honeymooner fan and was delighted to receive this tape as a birthday gift. I didn't know it existed. I expected to see line flubs and funny mishaps from the original 39 episodes that were edited out. Not so. As another reviewer stated much of this video is about Gleason's other show, not the Honeymooners. You can tell that the makers of this tape struggled to make a video out of what little they had to work with. It is entertaining, because it centers around the comic genius, Jackie Gleason, but for Honeymooner fans, it's disappointing.

Disappointed
I bought this tape for my parents for Christmas based on the previous reviewer's comments, and I'm afraid that we all strongly disagree. First of all, 80-90% of the tape has nothing to do with the Honeymooners show; there are instead clips from Jackie Gleason's variety show. Second, these are not "bloopers" such as props falling or the cast members making funny slip ups or anything like that. As the clips are shown there is a narrator trying to explain what is going on, but it is not very funny at all. I say watch the original shows instead.

honeybloopers are great
This is some of the funniest cuts from the honeymooners I have ever seen. You should see them too.If you love comedy you'll love these. ... Read more

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The comedy classic with Ralph, the Chef of the Future!
"Better Living Through TV" (Episode #7, November 12, 1955), is one of the funniest episodes of this classic television sitcom. Written by Marvin Marx and Walter Stone, this episode finds Ralph Kramden as the tongue-tied "Chef of the Future" in a late-night television commercial that is doomed from the start. But you see, Ralph and Norton need to sell two thousand Happy Housewife Helpers. Then they end up destroying the studio as they demonstrate the superior way to "core an apple." This is a very funny episode. Salesmanship is also part of "Mind Your Own Business" (Episode #35, May 26, 1956), when Ralph gives Ed some advice on how to get a promotion at work. The next thing we know, Norton is selling irons door-to-door. This episode was written by Leonard Stern and Syndey Zelinka, and while this is an okay episode, it is just not as funny as the other one on this tape. ... Read more