JACKIE GLEASON'S series within a series never fails to bring us so many laughs in just about every episode. No matter how many times we see them, we can always find the time to watch again. This is particularly true of that one season's output of 1955-56; where each episode seemingly was as good as or better than the next.
IN regards to this we present today's 'sacrificial lamb' in THE HONEYMOONERS: The $99,000 Answer.
ONCE again this is a comedy that we could watch over and over, laughing just bas heartily as we did when we first saw it as a segment of THE JACKIE GLEASON SHOW; which occupied an hour on CBS TV's Saturday evening schedule (1952-57).
THIS of course is a tribute to the talents and comic genius that was Jackie Gleason and his production company. In complement to the "Great One's" singularly splendid abilities, he did so with the aid of a most talented and appropriate of a supporting cast. That would be Miss Joyce Randolph, Miss Audrey Meadows and the inimitable Mr. Art Carney.
ART CARNEY has been called the king of the second bananas; a title that Mr. Jackie Gleason, himself, has decried. Gleason always gave the credit that Carney truly deserved and was truly appreciative of Art's special talents in both verbal and physical comedy. It would seem in another earlier, by-gone era that the Ed Norton man could have had a long and fruitful career as a silent film funnyman; being remembered along with guys like Chaplin, Turpin, Keaton, Chase, Lloyd and Langdon.
AS for this particular Honeymooner's installment, we see a reference to Television History; as the popular game show on CBS then was THE $64,000 QUESTION. This was while the quiz shows were on top and before somebody spilled the beans on both CBS and NBC for its answer to the genre in TWENTY-ONE.
IN viewing this Honeymooner's episode this evening over WMEE TV, Channel 23 here in Chicago, we did so with the idea of seeing it for the first time. We also looked at the show with the view of a critic; trying to both reflect and dissect just what made it tick.
OUR conclusion was that it was a real tribute to Gleason and his entire company as what we found it to be was essentially a one-gag outing. That's not to say that it is any the less funny or worthy of our praise; for it certainly is that. It is a gem of a comedy and its singular final laugh may well be sort of seen as obvious from early on, yet the careful way in which Gleason nurtures and builds it up renders it a joyful masterpiece!
Schultz gives is *****, that's 5 stars out of 4; but,we figure its worth it!
POODLE SCHNITZ!!
