Posted on 07/25/2015 7:19:29 PM PDT by shineon
My Dad and I used to watch the Jackie Gleason Show. Dad turned 90 last June, but his memory is not so good and I don't have anybody to share these memories with anymore. So I thought someone on free republic might have some.
I guess it’s a forgotten fact that before the Honeymooners, Jackie Gleason had his own orchestra.
It would stack up against any other full orchestra of its time and he created some absolutely first rate recordings of the standards of the time. I found them on cassette in 1994 & it is some wonderful music that just fills the living room with beautiful sounds.
The orchestra leader later became the master comedian. Jackie Gleason was truly a many-sided individual.
You are blessed to still have your dad. Mine passed in 1995, WWII vet. I remember vividly watching Jackie Gleason with him and when he would get a little ticked off he would do the bang/zoom thing. he also could stand with his back to the tv when Gleason was on and put his hands out to his sides in that stance where Gleason would look from side to side. He would do that as a joke to block the view of the set until we yelled stop it Dad. Maybe your Dad doesn’t remember but try playing the theme music to the show. he might recall that. God bless!
One of my favorites was the handcuff scene from Unconventional Behavior...”You’re not boomphing right Norton.”
That was also my favorite part of the show.
I remember sitting around on Sundays watching the Cowboys play (during the Landry era). My dad would churn butter throughout the game while my mom baked bread with polka music playing in the kitchen. After the game we had fresh baked rolls and fresh butter. Awesome times!
My dad and I watched JG together a lot when I was young. I always looked forward to when the pretty girl would bring him the cup of “coffee” on a saucer, he’d take a sip and say “ W O W “ ;)
That’s funny. ha ha and true love!
my favorite part too... To a six year old Crazy Googenhiem was the best.
Took me many years to figure out that joke... and become a coffee lover.
What's My Line? - Jackie Gleason (Mar 8, 1953)
Jackie appears @ 14:30 in to the show.
Agreed totally. That is a lot of fun to whether it is the men/women of a 1000 roles whose claim to fame was just appearing in all sorts of bit or supporting roles or young stars just starting out (Jack Nicholson in “The Andy Griffith Show” or Robert Redford in a 1962 episode of “The Twilight Zone”). I’ve even seen Telly Savalas in a circa 1958 episode of “The Untouchables”, well before he adopted his well known “Kojak” look.
You can even check the directing credits and I’ve seen Richard Donner (”Superman” and “Lethal Weapon) directed episodes of “The Fugitive” from about 1965 or Robert Altman as director for “Bonanza” and other programs of that era. On a more ominous note, if “The Beverly Hillbillies” crops up in your locale, be sure to look for Sharon Tate playing Mr. Drysdale’s secretary from about 1965 to about 1967 or 68.
These shows were all right before - the beatles LSD electric music and “the summer of love” threw a hand grenade at American culture...
Ah well - one thing leads to the next. We still live in the greatest of times. I linger on every moment.
I saw Art Carney interviewed on some show, probably Merv Griffin, and he said the inspiration for that was his own father. He said his father was supposed to sign his report card and he would always do that. Carney said he wanted to just stick it in front of him at the last minute hoping he would just sign it so he could grab it and run out the door. But he always took his time with the hand gestures, giving him time to look over the report card.
The entire run of Amos’n’Andy shows are on YouTube, for anyone who is interested.
I found this clip about 15 years ago. This is the one I was looking for when starting this thread. Thanks for helping me find it “the poor soul”. I love how he take his coat off and hold it in his hand while standing on the scale, hoping that will make him weigh less...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDiNnrLZIAY
Interesting, isn’t it, that it was once possible to create hilarious comedy shows and situations without sex or a single dirty word.
It’s so much like all of us as we work on self improvement.
Thanks for mentioning The Real McCoys (post #124). I would love for that show to be rebroadcast in its entirety.
It would be hard to mention a comedy team any better than Jackie Gleason and Art Carney!!
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