I came home late one Friday evening in December of my senior year of HS, about 1030 pm, and my dad was watching TV and the Honeymooners was on and they were playing the Christmas episodes. We sat there for an hour or so watching them and not talking but completely engrossed. That was 40 years ago and dad has been dead for 13 years. It remains a cherished memory of spending time with my dad.
Thanks for sharing, Ima. You might enjoy the story I told about my Dad and the Honeymooners. It's at the top of the page. pianopappy (I'm the guy who posted the interview.)
A very thoughtful, charming and giving man. He paid for my grandparents wedding and it was apparently a huge party. My grandparents were high school seeethearts that grew up with Jackie in Brooklyn. They both spoke very highly of him when I was little.
Take note folks. Jackie Gleason was raised in a single-parent home, lived in an apartment, not unlike the Honeymooners set, did not attend college, yet he was well-spoken (great vocabulary), personable, and highly intelligent. The secret for success: Never let one's humble beginnings define your future. He was not a quitter and did not see himself as a loser.
He was REAL, not these fake celebs!! I love the twinkle he had in his eyes when discussing different things. I could listen to him all day!! What a talent!! Very funny man.
What a freaking beast; I love this guy. I’m 19 years old, and I became a big Jackie Gleason fan after I watched Smokey and the Bandit about a million times.
That's got to be the best interview I've ever seen on anybody.Jackie Gleason was great, I remember him when I was a kid,and he was on TV back in the late 50s and 60s.
That was a great interview, and I could listen to him all day. I liked what he said about Hollywood getting you addicted to the money to control you. The young ones should listen to people like this. They have a lot to teach you. Boy do I miss the ole days.
Jackie Gleason is the “fun” Uncle every kid wished they had growing up. The one who’d teach you how to play cards, shoot pool, take you to ball games and tell tall tales from his youth
That's so true, Orson Welles called him "The Great One" because Jackie Gleason could do all those things and also quote Shakespeare from memory, a true modern day Renaissance Man, I also wish I had an Uncle like him when I was growing up
I actually had an uncle who was just like like Jackie Gleason, looked similar, heavy smoker (camels) drank scotch, overweight, loud , life of the party..............RIP..Unlce Beb !!!!
His Boogie-shuffle dance when exiting his monologue, and then "And Away We Go!". Seen many guys try to imitate it, no one could. You'd have to be 300 lbs, and athletic to get it down. 60 years later it makes me smile.
I stumble on this interview every few years and am always transfixed. Such intelligence and honesty with a sly, but warm smile isn't an everyday thing.
I feel the same way. After watching it everytime I've no doubt that "The Great One" was dubbed on him with honesty, affection, admiration and no sarcasm whatsoever. And awaaay we go...
@@THE-HammerMan Gleason told it this way. He used to play a drinking game with Orson Welles that involved quoting a line or two from Shakespeare, and the other would have to tell which play it came from and the character who delivered the line. One time Welles tried to pull a fast one but Gleason caught it "that's not Shakespeare that's Euripides" and gave the rest of the line. Welles was so impressed he hugged Gleason and said "you're the Great One! You're the Great One!"
Gleason reminds me of my grandfather who passed away back in ‘89. They were of the same generation and similar backgrounds, growing up fast in tough neighborhoods, dealing with family tragedies, etc. Life wasn’t easy but they hustled and made a way for themselves despite difficult circumstances. They smoked and drank, laughed and sang, and went to church on Sunday morning. I have great respect for how men of this era carried themselves.
One of the best interviews i ever saw, and I did when it was first-run. It is as good now as it was then, and Gleason is the reason why. He really WAS "The Great One".
Jackie Gleason conducted a song with his orchestra titled "Moon River", such a beautiful song that brings back memories of me as a kid and my dad listening to it. And here it is December 2021 and I still love it! Thank you Jackie, and I love and miss my dad!
My father attended the same grammar school as Jackie Gleason in Brooklyn. In fact, the school photo in his biography includes Jackie and my Dad. Like my Dad, I pray that Jackie is in heaven.
Jackie Gleason's my first enduring memory of watching television. My dad was a great fan & we never missed "The Jackie Gleason Show." "Joe, The Bartender," "Crazy Guggenheim" & "The Poor Soul" were my favorites. Thank you, so much, for sharing this!
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Gail. You might also enjoy reading of one of my own memories of Gleason's Honeymooners series and how my father finally became a fan of it--very belatedly. It's in a comment below under my handle, "pianopappy".
He doubted he'd qualify for Heaven. If there truly is one, Great One, you'd be accepted in there in a heartbeat. When contemplating that question, you only focused on your personal life. You forgot about the endless joy you've brought to literally millions of people around the world, now for the past 70 years. I know that God recognizes that, even if you didn't. Thank you.
I've heard that honesty and integrity are two characteristics that are "required" for passage through the "Pearly Gates"--he's got as good of a chance as any of us, I believe...
Jackie Gleason was and will always be "The Great One" We miss you Jackie but thanks for leaving behind a legacy of enduring laughter for us all to enjoy for many years to come. And away we go lol.
RIP Jackie. What a versatile entertainer he was. He could do anything and everything: sing, dance, do somersaults effortlessly, compose music, lead an orchestra, play dramatic roles, not just comedic ones, play golf, and he was witty, a quick thinker. He had to be a genius - he never rehearsed - he never had to. He was a natural. He was the most interesting man in the world and he still is, and always will be, The Great One.
I hadn’t seen this since it originally aired in ‘84. I was 12 years old. That ending has stuck with me these many years and I still grinned til it hurt 36 years later. The Great One indeed. RIP Mr Gleason.
davidoffon I don’t drink. Never have. But I’ve known many people who were truly joyous when inebriated. Now go somewhere else with your silly quotes that sound profound but are actually inaccurate and pretentious.
Love him! What an interesting guy. Morley forgot to mention his INCREDIBLE, heartbreaking performance as the mute in Gigot. Unbelievable. Such an expressive face. My dad and I watched The Jackie Gleason Show every night. Red Skelton was amazing. Gleason was a really good actor.
Born and raised in Upstate NY (Buffalo), we got WPIX out of the City and my dad would let me stay up late with him on weeknights during the summer to watch an episode of The Honeymooners after the local newscast ended. We would laugh so hard before bed and then retell the funniest bits the next morning at breakfast. Simple times but wow, those memories are so rich.
What a great interview. Jackie Gleason was one of the best comedians ever. Growing up in the sixties, we never missed his show. Kids could watch it without parents worrying about what would be said. I loved Frank Fontaine sing in the bar scene with Mr. Donahehehee. Just priceless humor!
I was thinking the exact same thing about my dad! Same mannerisms, same smoking and drinking habit, same weight.....same everything. I'm 69 and watching this really brought a tear.
@@thom-mark6443 you got me by 9 years, But I understand. My pop met him when he came into the Flatbush area of Brooklyn to play some pool, and my Pop played him and lost, (my pop was very good too) but Mr. Gleason was actually a hustler in real life he was that good. That was the first and last time Pop had seen Gleason before he got popular or famous.
I remember hearing the news on my car radio. I stopped the car and ran back to my friend's house that I'd just left in order to tell him, as we were both such big fans of The Honeymooners.
Not to worry Mr. Gleason, you will be welcome with open arms from God in heaven for sure. You have provided so much entertainment to so many of us who really needed it.. I hope you are smiling, we still enjoy your work today....
Jackie will out live us all. One of the only t.v. shows you can watch over and over and still get a laugh and can't wait to see another episode. The Honeymooners is irreplaceable. " How Sweet it Is "
Mr. Safer crafted a wonderful interview. Mr. Gleason was a good old soul. He did what I think he meant to do, he made us smile, he made us laugh. I remember, "The Honeymooners" from my childhood. Good memories. It was a different kind of comedy. It wasn't cruel, it wasn't narcissistic, politicking wasn't there. It was just good old fun. The skits were well written and well performed. Back then there was true talent. Today... Well, it's different, and I don't laugh by them as much - something is missing. Love for the audience and love in one's work. But, things go in cycles. I hope it comes back, we need it. Thank you Mr. Gleason. Will you make it to heaven? I think probably so.
So glad I stumbled on this interview. It really brought great warm memories back. Looking at close up of him he was a nice looking fellow. Really a sharp guy and I loved his commentary on most tv ministers. Right on Jackie.
Jackie and Morley talking about The Honeymooners. Morley: "Why is this show as successful today (1984), in reruns, as the first time around?" Jackie: "It's funny." So true.
James, you might enjoy reading my story of how I tried to convince my father how funny those Honeymooners shows were when they were first aired. He was watching Perry Como's show instead. It should be the first comment listed under my TH-cam handle, "pianopappy:.
What’s great is what he said during the first opening seconds of the video still rings true today. I miss TV and those days like it was though. Edit: I just read the description section, thanks for doing all this and sharing it with us. It’s things like this amd people like you who will keep the good ol’ days and cool and interesting things goin around. I’ll check your channel for others like this.
I appreciate your comment very much, Michael. You should be able to find Jack Paar, Nichols and May, Dick Cavett interviewing Phil Silvers, Charles Schulz, Chuck Jones and Jackie Robinson; Jonathan Winters on "I've Got a Secret", Dick Shawn, Doc Severinson, Jack Benny, Benny Goodman on the Merv Griffin Show and some performances from "Austin City Limits" and other musical programs. I've got a lot more VHS cassettes in my heat-protected attic that I'd like to digitize but probably not enough time left to complete the job. (Also, I don't know how much of the stuff taped at the six-hour speed will track.) Thanks again for the encouragement!
I'll never forget watching the Gleason show on Friday nights or Honeymooners reruns with my Dad.....I was quite young so I didnt get a lot of the humour.....but I remember my old man laughing so hard he almost fell out of his chair...
I could watch "The Hustler" over and over, but I really love Gleason's performance in "Soldier in the Rain". There are scenes that never fail to bring a tear to my eye. A great actor, a great comedian, and a highly intelligent man.
The Honeymooners hit too close to home for me. I watched for 'Norton', and 'Trixie', and the rare and precious moments of affection between 'Ralph' and 'Alice'. Frankly, even as a kid I couldn't understand 'Alice' and 'Ralph' staying together.
@@jakeornot6306 I hear ya buddy....I know my parents loved one another deeply, they just didn't know how to love one another properly...Very sad indeed...
Wow ! Thanks for sharing this video gem ! I've always been a huge fan of the late great Jackie Gleason ! I have fond memories of watching his Saturday night TV show as a kid in the 60s. CHEERS !! :-)
OMG! I grew up watching the Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason and Art Carney. Me and my whole family laughed continuously with Art and Jackie! Two really funny guys. I love Jackie Gleason. My favorite movie with him is "Soldier in the Rain" with Steve McQueen and Tuesday Weld. Don't miss this movie! RIP Jackie Gleason and thank you for great TV and cinema 🙏
In 1984 my dad watched this After Jackie died CBS had rebroadcast it. He called my uncle, who ran around with my dad back in the day, and introduced my.mom to my dad, to come over to watch it. They saw Jackie in a show in New York back in the 50s
There NEVER was before, and, there NEVER will be again, another Jackie Gleason, I was born in 1951, and, though already in syndication before I even knew about TV, the Honeymooners were on our TV, nightly!
When Gleason began to film "The Honeymooners" for telecast on Saturday nights in 1955, I was 15 years old. I had been a fan of Gleason's since I was about age 10. My parents were big fans of Perry Como, whose variety show aired on NBC opposite "Stage Show", featuring Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey and their orchestra and "The Honeymooners" on CBS. My parents watched Como's show on the 17-inch TV in the living room. I was relegated to the basement where our old Philco 10-inch TV was (fortunately for me) still operating. When each episode of "The Honeymooners" ended, I would bolt upstairs and rave about the show to my Dad. He would usually respond by saying, "Yeah, but Perry had on (and then he'd recite the names of Como's guest stars)". So, Dad never saw even one of the "classic 39" in their first runs. Fast forward about five years when I was in college. Philadelphia's NBC affiliate (Channel 3), as well as some other local stations around the country, began running "The Honeymooners", which were now in syndication. Channel 3 ran them at ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING! (after the Tonight Show) On one of my weekly calls home to talk to my family, my Dad told me that he had started to watch the Honeymooners reruns; and, he began to rave about them--telling me how funny they are (which, of course, I already knew). I said, "Dad, I told you back when they were on originally that you were really missing a funny, funny show." He replied, "Yeah, but THEY'RE BETTER NOW! (True story.)
omg....bklyn forever ! we had the 1 TV,luckily there was no competition for The Honeymooners. Jackie bellowing,Alice patient,Trixie and Ed upstairs,yelling from the window etc LOL and real Life 101.When Father Knows Best & The Donna Reed Show were on,all we kids did was mock them much to the disappointment of my mother & the aunts--sure they laughed along w/Gleason but wanted us to somehow identify w/ the "higher" things--bwaaaaahahahaaaaaa
Very interesting to see that pause and looking away for several seconds when he was speaking of his childhood surroundings. He was transported back for a few seconds.
That's like WC Fields, he had a rough childhood in Philadelphia and he used that experience as a stepping stone for his career in Vaudeville and movies
This interview was made a few months after I was born. But I love his work in the honeymooners. Jackie gleason was a very talented funny man. May he rest in peace.
And I was born and raised an still live in the same neighborhood he came from and there are still characters of characters that live here! I AM ONE OF THEM!
This guy could do anything. I watched him in "The Hustler" the other night and he was just great. "The Honeymooners" is the greatest comedy ever made. Still hilarious after almost 70 years. Timeless entertainment.
When I was a kid in the late 70s/early 80's.....I could practically recite The Honeymooners episodes by heart...lol...and one of the local channels also aired repeats (obviously) of "The Jackie Gleason Show"...and I'd watch them every day.......he was a true comedic genius.... Some humor from that period seems dated....but his is still just as entertaining as it was back then. :-)
They broke the mold. What an original, class act. I remember growing up in the 60's, and watching grainy black & white re-runs of The Honeymooners when I was a little kid. I couldn't get enough of that entire cast. To this day, we still use Gleason lines from that show. I will never forget "Chef of the future" and the show where he was determined to win $64,000 by naming songs. They practiced for hours and days, naming tunes with Norton on the piano, who started every tune with a few notes from Swanee River, annoying Kramden no end. He'd mastered just about every imaginable tune, and when he got on the big show, the very first tune he was asked to name was Swanee River. Comedy gold.
Chef of the future was just on a few weeks ago...Love it when Norton says: "If my wife Trixie is watching and says I told you so, I gonna belt her right in the mouth!:
Jackie Gleason waited a lifetime to wait for his father to come to visit him. Many of us know that feeling but with all his money and fame, dad never came. A great comedian and luckily saw him in Chicago just before he died.
What an unbelievable legend. What I wouldn’t have given to sit next to him on a coast to coast flight, have a few drinks and just chew the fat. Talk about a lifelong memory.
They do not make men like that anymore. Just a tough old SOB who saw the lows and lived out of it. Took the pain he lived through, didn’t feel sorry for himself, and took whatever life threw at him until he got somewhere. True badass, true legend.
He was one of the greatest actors ever, what people forget the Honeymooners was live, he made very little mistakes, he was a good golfer and a great pool player he was the great one
I watch him and it’s like looking at my dad. My father resembled him so much when Jackie was just this age, because my dad was his age then, too. I really enjoyed the show that he put on in Miami, with the June Taylor dancers. He sure was a great entertainer, there’s just not anyone like these old guys anymore.
He is so right about drinking, you cant remember the night before until you drink again! LOL, Always loved Gleason and my pop knew him as a kid along with just about anyone who grew up in Bushwick and Flatbush, Brooklyn! He loved Pool Halls! so did my pop!
One of a kind. Thank you for posting this piece. I loved his thoughts about Heaven and speaking with God. He must be right: God would not be petty and vengeful. And must have a wonderful sense of humor. I, too, am looking forward to meeting and speaking with God one day. I bet all the funny men and women who have gone before have given him marvelous jokes.
I came home late one Friday evening in December of my senior year of HS, about 1030 pm, and my dad was watching TV and the Honeymooners was on and they were playing the Christmas episodes. We sat there for an hour or so watching them and not talking but completely engrossed. That was 40 years ago and dad has been dead for 13 years. It remains a cherished memory of spending time with my dad.
Thanks for sharing, Ima. You might enjoy the story I told about my Dad and the Honeymooners. It's at the top of the page. pianopappy (I'm the guy who posted the interview.)
I shared many free and easy minutes with my father watching also
Honeymooners was the single most influential show that was ever made. Thank you for that memory. I love reading things like that.
A very thoughtful, charming and giving man. He paid for my grandparents wedding and it was apparently a huge party. My grandparents were high school seeethearts that grew up with Jackie in Brooklyn. They both spoke very highly of him when I was little.
Take note folks. Jackie Gleason was raised in a single-parent home, lived in an apartment, not unlike the Honeymooners set, did not attend college, yet he was well-spoken (great vocabulary), personable, and highly intelligent. The secret for success: Never let one's humble beginnings define your future. He was not a quitter and did not see himself as a loser.
Very well said, top marks
Outstanding. Couldn't have said it better.
My mother used to tell us that we had to be our own cheerleaders to get ahead. Mom was always right.
Well said,,,,,
I agree 100%, Very well stated.
He was REAL, not these fake celebs!! I love the twinkle he had in his eyes when discussing different things. I could listen to him all day!! What a talent!! Very funny man.
What a freaking beast; I love this guy. I’m 19 years old, and I became a big Jackie Gleason fan after I watched Smokey and the Bandit about a million times.
Thanks for sharing, Reed. I became a Jackie Gleason fan while watching him on black and white TV way back in the early 1950s.
That's got to be the best interview I've ever seen on anybody.Jackie Gleason was great, I remember him when I was a kid,and he was on TV back in the late 50s and 60s.
That was a great interview, and I could listen to him all day. I liked what he said about Hollywood getting you addicted to the money to control you. The young ones should listen to people like this. They have a lot to teach you. Boy do I miss the ole days.
But The Great One made the point that he, too, got sucked in. And, I'd bet that he'd been warned. It happens.
It was certainly a confirmation to what I figured what was going on. Anyway Jackie was a legend.
At a time with very little drugs abuse and surrounded by neighbors who were honest, who knew and trusted each other and willing to help each other
@@jakeornot6306 it's sunny outside it's hot outside nope not today.
@@jakeornot6306 7f
Jackie Gleason is the “fun” Uncle every kid wished they had growing up. The one who’d teach you how to play cards, shoot pool, take you to ball games and tell tall tales from his youth
Just like "Uncle Buck"!
That's so true, Orson Welles called him "The Great One" because Jackie Gleason could do all those things and also quote Shakespeare from memory, a true modern day Renaissance Man, I also wish I had an Uncle like him when I was growing up
I actually had an uncle who was just like like Jackie Gleason, looked similar, heavy smoker (camels) drank scotch, overweight, loud , life of the party..............RIP..Unlce Beb !!!!
i used to watch the honeymooners all the time
He reminds me of my Uncle Bill!
I could listen to Jackie talk for a couple of weeks.
Same here ! He was one of a kind among the one of a kinds.
Indubitably ! A natural born story teller ! A true force of nature ! :-)
Well when the great Orson Welles dubs you “The Great One” of comedy, it pretty much tells the story.
Yes, Intelligent, insightful, and quick witted
john stewart When Irish eyes are smiling
I can shed a tear on how much I miss Jackie. The greatest!
just now many. he had that Affect on people. Truly lived up to his Shadow.
And one of the best pool players, tour level, you'll ever see.
What a privilege it must have been to know the great Jackie Gleason. I will always love and respect this man.
His Boogie-shuffle dance when exiting his monologue, and then "And Away We Go!". Seen many guys try to imitate it, no one could. You'd have to be 300 lbs, and athletic to get it down. 60 years later it makes me smile.
So true, so true!
👍❤️
I stumble on this interview every few years and am always transfixed. Such intelligence and honesty with a sly, but warm smile isn't an everyday thing.
I feel the same way. After watching it everytime I've no doubt that "The Great One" was dubbed on him with honesty, affection, admiration and no sarcasm whatsoever. And awaaay we go...
Exactly that EdD5.....I enjoy him the same.
@@THE-HammerMan Gleason told it this way. He used to play a drinking game with Orson Welles that involved quoting a line or two from Shakespeare, and the other would have to tell which play it came from and the character who delivered the line. One time Welles tried to pull a fast one but Gleason caught it "that's not Shakespeare that's Euripides" and gave the rest of the line. Welles was so impressed he hugged Gleason and said "you're the Great One! You're the Great One!"
Gleason reminds me of my grandfather who passed away back in ‘89. They were of the same generation and similar backgrounds, growing up fast in tough neighborhoods, dealing with family tragedies, etc. Life wasn’t easy but they hustled and made a way for themselves despite difficult circumstances. They smoked and drank, laughed and sang, and went to church on Sunday morning. I have great respect for how men of this era carried themselves.
One of the best interviews i ever saw, and I did when it was first-run.
It is as good now as it was then, and Gleason is the reason why.
He really WAS "The Great One".
A superb, illuminating interview by Safer with "The Great One."
A friend of mine revealed her mother was a June Taylor dancer and couldn't say enough about Gleason's generosity or the fact he was 1000% a gentleman
Classy guy. Never looked sloppy.
Jackie Gleason conducted a song with his orchestra titled "Moon River", such a beautiful song that brings back memories of me as a kid and my dad listening to it.
And here it is December 2021 and I still love it!
Thank you Jackie, and I love and miss my dad!
A true class act. Entertainers like Gleason just don't exist anymore.
I agree with you, 83Roboto...
@@RetroFreak35 Back when America was raw.
@@floatsting20 Leftism has destroyed this country...
@@carlosreyes5371 That is an understatement. Called envy
@@carlosreyes5371 you sound like a classic idiot.
He was a one of a kind, don't make actors like this guy anymore an absolute national treasure RIP !!!!!!
He was really a nice looking man. Beautiful sad eyes. RIP Jackie 🙏🏼
I think so too. I just loved him.
yes he did.
My father attended the same grammar school as Jackie Gleason in Brooklyn. In fact, the school photo in his biography includes Jackie and my Dad. Like my Dad, I pray that Jackie is in heaven.
They're there, brother. And someday you'll be there too, hugging your dad while Jackie pours some shots for you guys at the bar.
Really cool to know, thanks for sharing
@@camilocienfuegos2866 what a wonderful picture those words paint!
I didn't want this to end.
Jackie Gleason's my first enduring memory of watching television. My dad was a great fan & we never missed "The Jackie Gleason Show." "Joe, The Bartender," "Crazy Guggenheim" & "The Poor Soul" were my favorites. Thank you, so much, for sharing this!
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Gail. You might also enjoy reading of one of my own memories of Gleason's Honeymooners series and how my father finally became a fan of it--very belatedly. It's in a comment below under my handle, "pianopappy".
Anyone can tell a joke, but only a comedian can make you laugh. RIP Jackie.
I have a notion to second that emotion !! :-)
Facts
Not everyone can tell a joke. Our local morning DJ proves it daily.
A class act had his problems like real people do, but class all the way. Thanks Mr. Gleason
He deserved an Emmy! If I ever get the chance to pay my respects at his resting place.. I’ll be sure to leave that trophy 🏆
What a disgrace not giving this genius an Emmy . Pure jealousy
That's an incredible fact. He should've had shelves of Emmys. And, at least one Oscar, for either The Hustler or Requiem of a Heavyweight.
❤️❤️❤️
He is buried at our lady of mercy catholic center
Doral, Florida
@@bassinbillRC5300 thank you 🙏
He doubted he'd qualify for Heaven. If there truly is one, Great One, you'd be accepted in there in a heartbeat. When contemplating that question, you only focused on your personal life. You forgot about the endless joy you've brought to literally millions of people around the world, now for the past 70 years. I know that God recognizes that, even if you didn't.
Thank you.
I've heard that honesty and integrity are two characteristics that are "required" for passage through the "Pearly Gates"--he's got as good of a chance as any of us, I believe...
Jackie Gleason was and will always be "The Great One" We miss you Jackie but thanks for leaving behind a legacy of enduring laughter for us all to enjoy for many years to come. And away we go lol.
RIP Jackie. What a versatile entertainer he was. He could do anything and everything: sing, dance, do somersaults effortlessly, compose music, lead an orchestra, play dramatic roles, not just comedic ones, play golf, and he was witty, a quick thinker. He had to be a genius - he never rehearsed - he never had to. He was a natural. He was the most interesting man in the world and he still is, and always will be, The Great One.
I was going to add a comment but your's was better than mine.
I hadn’t seen this since it originally aired in ‘84. I was 12 years old. That ending has stuck with me these many years and I still grinned til it hurt 36 years later. The Great One indeed. RIP Mr Gleason.
You just saaaw me shoot pool, didn't ya?"
He had very sad eyes... But he always had a smile on his lips. RIP Jackie ( The Great One) Gleason. Hope to see you on the other side!
davidoffon Stupid. Some are only happy when they’re drunk.
davidoffon I don’t drink. Never have. But I’ve known many people who were truly joyous when inebriated. Now go somewhere else with your silly quotes that sound profound but are actually inaccurate and pretentious.
@davidoffon exactly! What important in life is feeling superior. So you have that going for you. Which is nice. :)
‘The great one’ was definitely sent to us from heaven. 👌👍
My father filmed this for 60 minutes. I love to watch his work especially of The Great One!
Love him! What an interesting guy. Morley forgot to mention his INCREDIBLE, heartbreaking performance as the mute in Gigot. Unbelievable. Such an expressive face. My dad and I watched The Jackie Gleason Show every night. Red Skelton was amazing. Gleason was a really good actor.
Born and raised in Upstate NY (Buffalo), we got WPIX out of the City and my dad would let me stay up late with him on weeknights during the summer to watch an episode of The Honeymooners after the local newscast ended. We would laugh so hard before bed and then retell the funniest bits the next morning at breakfast. Simple times but wow, those memories are so rich.
it was the same in louisville as a kid 11:30 after whas 11 it was on
What a great interview. Jackie Gleason was one of the best comedians ever. Growing up in the sixties, we never missed his show. Kids could watch it without parents worrying about what would be said. I loved Frank Fontaine sing in the bar scene with Mr. Donahehehee. Just priceless humor!
Loved your comment ! My family loved watching his 1960s Saturday night CBS show too !
Yep same here watching it when I was a kid.
At first glance, he looks and sounds very very much like my late father. It's wonderful to see my dad again.
I was thinking the exact same thing about my dad! Same mannerisms, same smoking and drinking habit, same weight.....same everything. I'm 69 and watching this really brought a tear.
@@thom-mark6443 you got me by 9 years, But I understand.
My pop met him when he came into the Flatbush area of Brooklyn to play some pool, and my Pop played him and lost, (my pop was very good too) but Mr. Gleason was actually a hustler in real life he was that good.
That was the first and last time Pop had seen Gleason before he got popular or famous.
The Great James Cagney was stunned at how much Gleason looked like his dad!
@@thom-mark6443 Remind me of my father also pencil thin mustache he died at your age from drinking and smoking
I know exactly what you mean,,,he reminds me of my Grandfather,,,Alot!!
Less then 3 years later he would be gone, RIP The Great one, still making us laugh all these years later.
_"How sweet it is "_ 💕
I remember hearing the news on my car radio. I stopped the car and ran back to my friend's house that I'd just left in order to tell him, as we were both such big fans of The Honeymooners.
His last role was in the movie "Nothing in Common"
FIVE packs a day. That's 100 cigarettes. Whew. 😳
The first to go. A great man. I always think Ralph by then had moved up in the bus company.
Theres' something about charisma and honesty that todays actors just can't seem to express without their good looks.
Good ol' Brooklyn Original.... He was a living legend & now that he's gone , he will NEVER be forgotten.....
I so miss being entertained by his generation. So thankful I'm just old enough to appreciate him.
God bless the soul of Jackie Gleason.
Not to worry Mr. Gleason, you will be welcome with open arms from God in heaven for sure. You have provided so much entertainment to so many of us who really needed it.. I hope you are smiling, we still enjoy your work today....
Jackie will out live us all. One of the only t.v. shows you can watch over and over and still get a laugh and can't wait to see another episode. The Honeymooners is irreplaceable. " How Sweet it Is "
Mr. Safer crafted a wonderful interview. Mr. Gleason was a good old soul. He did what I think he meant to do, he made us smile, he made us laugh. I remember, "The Honeymooners" from my childhood. Good memories. It was a different kind of comedy. It wasn't cruel, it wasn't narcissistic, politicking wasn't there. It was just good old fun. The skits were well written and well performed. Back then there was true talent. Today... Well, it's different, and I don't laugh by them as much - something is missing. Love for the audience and love in one's work. But, things go in cycles. I hope it comes back, we need it.
Thank you Mr. Gleason. Will you make it to heaven? I think probably so.
From one bald old man to another--Thank you !
@@pianopappy Thanks for sharing! We all need that!
I had the great pleasure of seeing The Hustler in a theater. It was truly a great experience.
Me too!
RIP Jackie. You were truly one of a kind. And still funny as hell.
Such a great man.RIP fatman
So glad I stumbled on this interview. It really brought great warm memories back. Looking at close up of him he was a nice looking fellow. Really a sharp guy and I loved his commentary on most tv ministers. Right on Jackie.
Jackie and Morley talking about The Honeymooners.
Morley: "Why is this show as successful today (1984), in reruns, as the first time around?"
Jackie: "It's funny."
So true.
James, you might enjoy reading my story of how I tried to convince my father how funny those Honeymooners shows were when they were first aired. He was watching Perry Como's show instead. It should be the first comment listed under my TH-cam handle, "pianopappy:.
He was a great comedian who knew how to live and always had beautiful women around him. R.I.P. Oh Great One !!
What’s great is what he said during the first opening seconds of the video still rings true today. I miss TV and those days like it was though.
Edit: I just read the description section, thanks for doing all this and sharing it with us. It’s things like this amd people like you who will keep the good ol’ days and cool and interesting things goin around. I’ll check your channel for others like this.
I appreciate your comment very much, Michael. You should be able to find Jack Paar, Nichols and May, Dick Cavett interviewing Phil Silvers, Charles Schulz, Chuck Jones and Jackie Robinson; Jonathan Winters on "I've Got a Secret", Dick Shawn, Doc Severinson, Jack Benny, Benny Goodman on the Merv Griffin Show and some performances from "Austin City Limits" and other musical programs. I've got a lot more VHS cassettes in my heat-protected attic that I'd like to digitize but probably not enough time left to complete the job. (Also, I don't know how much of the stuff taped at the six-hour speed will track.) Thanks again for the encouragement!
I'll never forget watching the Gleason show on Friday nights or Honeymooners reruns with my Dad.....I was quite young so I didnt get a lot of the humour.....but I remember my old man laughing so hard he almost fell out of his chair...
My Dad died when I was quite young, but I do remember him watching the Honeymooners, and now realize how much he could relate to Ralph
One of my favorite episodes is when Norton “helps” Ralph with his income tax.returns.
@@reybarreto7979 “Geeeeet out, OUT” 👉
I could watch "The Hustler" over and over, but I really love Gleason's performance in "Soldier in the Rain". There are scenes that never fail to bring a tear to my eye. A great actor, a great comedian, and a highly intelligent man.
Made me realize I miss Jackie and 60 Minutes. Both have left us.
A thoughtful man. And truly a great performer. The Honeymooners is iconic.
The Honeymooners is on reruns here on Sunday nights. I have seen them in the 50s but still watch the reruns.
Me too, except now I say the lines before the actors have a chance to...
G Vogt Do you live in New York City? That would be PIX 11(WPIX-TV).
@@georgemaster689 I live in Albuquerque but grew up in New Jersey.
The Honeymooners hit too close to home for me. I watched for 'Norton', and 'Trixie', and the rare and precious moments of affection between 'Ralph' and 'Alice'. Frankly, even as a kid I couldn't understand 'Alice' and 'Ralph' staying together.
@@jakeornot6306 I hear ya buddy....I know my parents loved one another deeply, they just didn't know how to love one another properly...Very sad indeed...
The man wrote and produced some awesome big orchestra music.
He released about 40 albums over 20 years!
Hearing that theme again almost brought tears to my eyes.
I always loved the walk that went with “away we go”. He was a huge talent.
Wow ! Thanks for sharing this video gem ! I've always been a huge fan of the late great Jackie Gleason ! I have fond memories of watching his Saturday night TV show as a kid in the 60s. CHEERS !! :-)
Thanks, Jubal, for your comment. Glad it brought back fond memories.
@@pianopappy You're so very welcome ! Whenever I remember my folks & my siblings watching Jackie's show in the 60s, it brings a smile to my face. :-)
OMG! I grew up watching the Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason and Art Carney. Me and my whole family laughed continuously with Art and Jackie! Two really funny guys. I love Jackie Gleason. My favorite movie with him is "Soldier in the Rain" with Steve McQueen and Tuesday Weld. Don't miss this movie! RIP Jackie Gleason and thank you for great TV and cinema 🙏
Awesome interview! I loved me some Jackie growing up. Always seemed liked a cool dude and this interview proved it! RIP Great One!
In 1984 my dad watched this
After Jackie died CBS had rebroadcast it. He called my uncle, who ran around with my dad back in the day, and introduced my.mom to my dad, to come over to watch it. They saw Jackie in a show in New York back in the 50s
This guy was and still is my favorite entertainer. AND A WAY WE GO!
There NEVER was before, and, there NEVER will be again, another Jackie Gleason, I was born in 1951, and, though already in syndication before I even knew about TV, the Honeymooners were on our TV, nightly!
When Gleason began to film "The Honeymooners" for telecast on Saturday nights in 1955, I was 15 years old. I had been a fan of Gleason's since I was about age 10. My parents were big fans of Perry Como, whose variety show aired on NBC opposite "Stage Show", featuring Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey and their orchestra and "The Honeymooners" on CBS. My parents watched Como's show on the 17-inch TV in the living room. I was relegated to the basement where our old Philco 10-inch TV was (fortunately for me) still operating. When each episode of "The Honeymooners" ended, I would bolt upstairs and rave about the show to my Dad. He would usually respond by saying, "Yeah, but Perry had on (and then he'd recite the names of Como's guest stars)". So, Dad never saw even one of the "classic 39" in their first runs. Fast forward about five years when I was in college. Philadelphia's NBC affiliate (Channel 3), as well as some other local stations around the country, began running "The Honeymooners", which were now in syndication. Channel 3 ran them at ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING! (after the Tonight Show) On one of my weekly calls home to talk to my family, my Dad told me that he had started to watch the Honeymooners reruns; and, he began to rave about them--telling me how funny they are (which, of course, I already knew). I said, "Dad, I told you back when they were on originally that you were really missing a funny, funny show." He replied, "Yeah, but THEY'RE BETTER NOW! (True story.)
omg....bklyn forever ! we had the 1 TV,luckily there was no competition for The Honeymooners. Jackie bellowing,Alice patient,Trixie and Ed upstairs,yelling from the window etc LOL and real Life 101.When Father Knows Best & The Donna Reed Show were on,all we kids did was mock them much to the disappointment of my mother & the aunts--sure they laughed along w/Gleason but wanted us to somehow identify w/ the "higher" things--bwaaaaahahahaaaaaa
Yup, and Dad was always right.
@@jasonsabourin2275 Yes, Jason, Dad was still paying my college tuition and board, so I wasn't about to argue. Thanks for your comment!
@@pianopappy 👍
@pianopappy..Wow!! that means you are in your early 80's..God bless you..I hope I see that age..Im only 56..
Awesome interview. If Gleason wasn't the best, he was definitely in the top 5.
He truly was The Great One. There are people as funny as Jackie Gleason but no one funnier.
Very interesting to see that pause and looking away for several seconds when he was speaking of his childhood surroundings. He was transported back for a few seconds.
That's like WC Fields, he had a rough childhood in Philadelphia and he used that experience as a stepping stone for his career in Vaudeville and movies
I noticed that too. He was back in his childhood home.
EXTREMELY powerful. Hit home for me. “Desultory” is the perfect word. If you lived that impoverished Irish Catholic life you know
@@willard2729 Brother... Gleason had it and Don Rickles too...the men I miss the most. You miserable hockey puck......
This interview was made a few months after I was born. But I love his work in the honeymooners. Jackie gleason was a very talented funny man. May he rest in peace.
I have noticed that there are no more guys like this anymore what a shame. I’d like to know why ? Personality and character just amazing.
Because they identify as women now 😳😳 its ma’am
Incredible actor, incredible talent, incredible man.
I miss Jackie.
I could not agree more !!
Not only a great comedian but also a classy guy most of those singers actors and comedians back then were nothing but class acts
Get His DVDs.
And I was born and raised an still live in the same neighborhood he came from and there are still characters of characters that live here! I AM ONE OF THEM!
Is Chancy street still there?
@ keith norris yeah it still there...it aint goin nowhere..lol... BedStuy stand up!!!!
@@woodyferrari1718 lol
Grew up with this man in the 60’s, every Saturday night with the family. Fond memories. Read his autobiography...its a scream!
a memory from childhood the anticipation of watching Jackie Gleason Show, "from the sun and fun capital of the world Miami Beach..."
I just remember that opening shot from the ocean zooming towards the beach
Cue Melancholy Serenade ! 😊
@Ricardo Cantoral Sammy Spear and his Orchestra!
The Great One is greatly missed!
This guy could do anything. I watched him in "The Hustler" the other night and he was just great. "The Honeymooners" is the greatest comedy ever made. Still hilarious after almost 70 years. Timeless entertainment.
Thank You for posting this. i remember watching 60 minutes back then with my grandparents, and probably saw this episode.
Truly one of a kind. What a character, both on screen and in real life.
THANKS FOR POSTING! It is unfair that JG never got an Emmy, while the rest of the cast did. :(
Still the greatest to this day Jackie Gleason we shall not see his like ever again multi-talented full of humanity always natural
When I was a kid in the late 70s/early 80's.....I could practically recite The Honeymooners episodes by heart...lol...and one of the local channels also aired repeats (obviously) of "The Jackie Gleason Show"...and I'd watch them every day.......he was a true comedic genius.... Some humor from that period seems dated....but his is still just as entertaining as it was back then. :-)
They broke the mold. What an original, class act. I remember growing up in the 60's, and watching grainy black & white re-runs of The Honeymooners when I was a little kid. I couldn't get enough of that entire cast. To this day, we still use Gleason lines from that show. I will never forget "Chef of the future" and the show where he was determined to win $64,000 by naming songs. They practiced for hours and days, naming tunes with Norton on the piano, who started every tune with a few notes from Swanee River, annoying Kramden no end. He'd mastered just about every imaginable tune, and when he got on the big show, the very first tune he was asked to name was Swanee River. Comedy gold.
Chef of the future was just on a few weeks ago...Love it when Norton says: "If my wife Trixie is watching and says I told you so, I gonna belt her right in the mouth!:
@@fleetwin1 Can it care a apple?
@@richkurl Ooooh, it can core a apple....Zip Zip Zip Zip, he's doing it the modren way!
One of the great rags to riches stories ever. Jackie came from nothing and ended up being one the most powerful guys in TV for many years
He is my favorite . Love his music too . We watch all his shows when I was a kid .
Morley: Did you ever really believe it (being called "The Great One" ?
Jackie: You just saw me play pool didn't ya.
Every time I watch this interview, I feel like I am going back in time 60 years
He was a highly memorable part of my childhood! I loved him!
Jackie Gleason waited a lifetime to wait for his father to come to visit him. Many of us know that feeling but with all his money and fame, dad never came. A great comedian and luckily saw him in Chicago just before he died.
What an unbelievable legend. What I wouldn’t have given to sit next to him on a coast to coast flight, have a few drinks and just chew the fat. Talk about a lifelong memory.
They do not make men like that anymore. Just a tough old SOB who saw the lows and lived out of it. Took the pain he lived through, didn’t feel sorry for himself, and took whatever life threw at him until he got somewhere. True badass, true legend.
He could do it all. Always delivered.
Fantastic interview. Thank you so much for sharing it. I still love "The Great One."
The Hustler, Gigot, Requiem for a Heavyweight: 3 of the greatest acting performances ever!!
Don't forget the "Smokey and the Bandit" franchise.
He was one of the greatest actors ever, what people forget the Honeymooners was live, he made very little mistakes, he was a good golfer and a great pool player he was the great one
It's always been said that great comics can play drama but not the other way around. Art Carney, Robin Williams.
Also NOTHING IN COMMON .
@@THEMACHINE1755 And, he refused to rehearse. All the "Honeymooners" he did was fresh.
Great interview with two terrific people.
I watch him and it’s like looking at my dad. My father resembled him so much when Jackie was just this age, because my dad was his age then, too. I really enjoyed the show that he put on in Miami, with the June Taylor dancers. He sure was a great entertainer, there’s just not anyone like these old guys anymore.
Jackie Gleason was and still is the number 1 performer, he's such a talented person, RIP The Great One,
He is so right about drinking, you cant remember the night before until you drink again! LOL, Always loved Gleason and my pop knew him as a kid along with just about anyone who grew up in Bushwick and Flatbush, Brooklyn! He loved Pool Halls! so did my pop!
One of a kind. Thank you for posting this piece. I loved his thoughts about Heaven and speaking with God. He must be right: God would not be petty and vengeful. And must have a wonderful sense of humor. I, too, am looking forward to meeting and speaking with God one day. I bet all the funny men and women who have gone before have given him marvelous jokes.