Hamana hamana hamana...
Posted on 06/14/2013 12:33:57 PM PDT by Borges
THE HONEYMOONERS cast was a marriage made in Heaven, but Jackie Gleason’s drinking and bizarre habits turned some days into a living hell for his co-stars, reveals Joyce Randolph, the last surviving member of the legendary sitcom’s cast.
“Working with Jackie was the toughest challenge an actress could face,” the 88-year-old, who played Art Carney’s TV wife Trixie Norton, reveals in an exclusive interview at her Manhattan apartment. “You never knew what he’d say or do. He often ad-libbed and you had to think lightning fast to keep the laughs coming.”
The classic show centered onthe antics of Big Apple bus driver Ralph Kramden (Gleason), his sewer worker pal Ed Norton (Carney) and their long-suffering wives Alice Kramden (Audrey Meadows) and Trixie. The program’s 39 episodes ran from 1955 to 1956.
Joyce says she’d break into “cold sweats of fear” because Gleason, who died at age 71 in 1987, had a photographic memory and found the idea of rehearsing “loathsome. He wanted everything fresh and spontaneous. We rehearsed behind his back with someone else reading his part. Performing live with him, we never knew what was going to happen next with him – but we needn’t have worried.
“Jackie hardly looked at the script, and every line came out perfectly. You were always on your toes to keep up with him.”
Joyce says Gleason also was “terribly moody.” He’d be “fun and charming” one day, but the next “he’d be barking out orders as if he hated everyone!”
Tactfully speaking about Gleason’s legendary thirst for alcohol, Joyce says she knew his coffee was often laced with whiskey, which “affected his mood.”
After The Honeymooners, Joyce concentrated on her family. She and her wealthy marketing exec hubby Richard Charles, who died in 1997 at age 74, had one son, Randolph Charles, in 1960.
“Nowadays, I don’t want to play old lady parts,” Joyce says.
“Nor do they make shows like the Honeymooners anymore – so my acting career is definitely over.”
But not a day goes by that she doesn’t think of her costars. “It’s hard to believe I’m the last one left,” says Joyce.
“I get quite tearful when I see re-runs of The Honeymooners. I still remember every line, every joke. It’s still funny all these years later. Jackie Gleason was a comedic genius.”
A bit off topic, sorry, but your post reminded me of these movies.
If you haven’t seen “Harry and Tonto” or “Going in Style” with Art Carney, do check them out.
Both are classics!!
ping ping... ah the good-ol days
The character was hardly ever seen. I’m surprised she considered it a full time job.
Rumor has it he only took the part because he thought that Burt Reynolds would be fun to drink with.
I watch the reruns and look at that dingy little apartment with hardly any creature comforts. And then laugh when I realize the average Pittsburgh bus driver makes close to six-figs by milking union OT rules and then retires in his early 50’s with full pension and healthcare.
OMG..now that’s funny! :-)
Thanks! Now instead of doing what I should be doing I’m watching the show on YouTube. Netflix gave me no results!
She didn’t even appear in 7 of the 39 episodes.
I heard that too and apparently he was never right again after that.
“There is no way, no way, that you could come from my loins.
Whey I get home, I’m goin to punch your momma in the mouth”.
classic.
Eddie Murphy pretty much ruined the Honeymooners for me, now all I can think of is this:
Norton! Norton, pal! Come on down! I want to show you something.
HEH HEH”
“Hey Ralphie boy, what do you say there, pal of mine?”
“You know Norton, I’ve been watchin’ you.
And I know you’ve been watchin’ me, Norton.
You’re watchin’. I know.”...........
.....”Whoooooooooah!
Hummuna-hummunah-hummunah-hummunah-hummunah-hummunah-hu...”
“Way to go there, Ralphie boy!”
Ever since the Carol Burnett thing, Enquirer has learned to do that only to dead people.
I hated the Honeymooners. Gleason always gave me the creeps. Serious creeps. Like where’s the Lysol creeps. Couldn’t stand him as Sheriff Bufford T. Justice, either. Wished they’d had someone else for that part.
He’s supposed to be a gritty working stiff. What did you expect Cary Grant?
“Nor do they make shows like the Honeymooners anymore – so my acting career is definitely over.”
She can say that again! I loved the Honeymooners and what is on TV today is Trash with a capital T!
Don’t forget his fraternity, the Benevolent Order of the Raccoons.
“Actually, didn’t he take a sip then say “woooooaaahh or wooooowwww?”
I remember one episode after he moved the show to Miami. He sat in the chair on the stage, took a sip of ‘coffee’ and said, “Whoa! They cut this coffee so much that it is bleeding in the cup!” LOL
“Wasn’t there a scandal or bruhaha over JG and the June Taylor Dancers?”
There was an ongoing affair with the ‘leader’ of the June Taylor dancers. I am not sure but I think that he later married her.
“Wasn’t there a scandal or bruhaha over JG and the June Taylor Dancers?”
Didn’t matter to me. Watching the Jackie Gleason Show on Saturday nights, me and my sister would be rolling on the floor in hysterics. As young kids, we wouldn’t have known about “scandals”. Such things were reserved for the “older” generation. We just LOVED the show.
I read a biography of Gleason that was in my Jr. HS library (Columbia Heights Jr. High, Columbia Heights, Minnesota). It seems that Gleason was quite the musician as well. He released quite a few albums of piano compositions. This was back in the day when you had to have TALENT.
Gleason DID...
Hamana hamana hamana...
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