It really was. And there weren't separate agendas knocking into each other: this was, to use a dated term, a team effort. Old school. In the quantum field, there's neither time or distance. I like to think the players know we're relishing their art... across the Cosmos. ✨
✨ Terrific ensemble - the stuff of theatre making its way to a pretty new medium. Great direction, too - close-ups in the two shots, beautifully done. Leaves one wanting more. Rest in paradise... Cosmo & Co. 🌎📺🔭✨🌙🍃🌟
I loved Jackie Gleason when he played the starring role in his film "Gigot." It demonstrated beautifully his prowess at being the sad clown, and because his character was mute, he had to pantomime his actions while only his own musical score accompanied his performance. A brilliant comedian and a heck of a musician as well.
I love this! The character is nearly a thinly veiled version of the real Jackie, he shares quite a bit in common with the character he plays, despite Gleason's denials.
Personally, I listen to Bill Evans and hear shades of Bill Clifton. Anyway, thank you for your interest in Bill's music. I think it was inherent in the Jackie Gleason persona to dominate and he did it so charmingly - that is a testimonial to his great genius. This film is electrified by his and Art Carney's stunning dramatic acting skills as well. This is very special stuff!
The saddest thing James, is that tv reached its golden age just a short few years into the journey, and has steadily deteriorated over the ensuing decades with exceptions of course here and there, but these fabulous anthology series including Playhouse 90, Kraft tv theatre, Philco Playhouse etc, appeared so often in the early years,,what a treat...I was just a bit too young having been born in 1948 to have really appreciated they heyday...
This LIVE! Those great acting performances, flawless, which we all agree on, we’re not live without Eddie retakes. Think about that. And this was a 1953. This was the beginning of Gleason and Carney together.
Gleason used that expression on about every show, among other signature phrases. And there's no doubt Martin was very familiar with all of them. I'm not sure, but that might have been the Reggie Van Gleason III character on the show. I was glad to see this end with "The Poor Soul", which was a great routine. Gleason was a fantastic mime, not in the Marcel Marceau mold, but more in a classic "clown" tradition.
Paul - Carney rolls them on the first scene @1:13 too. Great drama and performances. Gleason was gorgeous! What a shame he was never recognized with an Emmy for his great talent.
Correction...show was recorded by kinescope which was using a high brightness TV monitor connected to a motion picture camera which stored the audio and video on film...Video taping did not start until 1956...
You Sir, know your Kinescope history well...The terrible tragedy is how terribly few scopes were preserved and are available today...it is one reason why Desi Arnaz was pure genius in insisting that every episode of I Love Lucy was filmed...which of course allowed for 1000s of reruns around the world and millions of dollars for Desilu!
At the very end a mustached man enters. When asked “Who’s that?”, Gleason jokes a person’s name. I don’t think he says Criswell. ”. But what does Gleason say????
I forgot to mention that I have researched the identity of the pianist credited for "Melancholy Serenade" and it's not suggested to be Bill Clifton. However , it could be an alias - Bill certainly offers a confident and flowing interpretation. Check out Bill's luscious, satin pillow arrangements and piano playing for the Ilene Woods LP "It's Late" Sterlitta (you tube). Ilene was the voice of Disney's Cinderella. This is a very groovy late 50's session with wonderful production values
This is a great show in general from the golden age of live tv, and a powerful episode reminiscent of the even more impressive Rod Serling script for THE COMEDIAN (1957) starring Mickey Rooney, Mel Torme, Edmond O'Brien and Kim Hunter. It's available here on TH-cam. EDIT: Unfortunately it seems to not be here anymore, I have a dvd but pretty sure it was here last time I checked... but if you liked this it's definitely worth tracking down even if you have to buy a copy. Highest recommendation. The actress playing Gleason's sister here looked very familiar but I couldn't remember from where, it turns out it's 50s tv of course, I have the full series of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS...in which she has a single appearance, and a decent one. But it's a different series I have a few episodes of on a box set of 50s tv police procedurals and detective shows, she starred in two episodes of THE COURT OF LAST RESORT and they're both well worth watching, she delivers a memorable performance in both episodes.
Mischa Auer was in My Man Godfrey (1936)(William Powell, Carole Lombard) as Carlo, a "great musician" who never actually gave a performance as long as he had the sponsorship of the crazy wife in the Bulloch family, much to the ongoing annoyance of the long-suffering head (played so brilliantly by Eugene Pallette) of that dizzy clan.
I listened to Bill Clifton and I heard shades of Bill Evans. I watched Gleason interact with Clifton, putting him in the background, almost pushing him around like all his other flunkies and aping playing the piano while Clifton played in the background. Then I wondered...was Bill Clifton the real genius behind "Melancholy Serenade" and the other gems that Gleason took credit for? I have a strong feeling he is!
Did Gleason play any instrument? He appeared to play the double bass in "Orchestra Wives" and the piano here but I am suspicious given his supposed (vocal) method of musical composition. One tends to get the impression that true musicians like Bobby Hackett (featured on the tune "Tenderly" playing during the Poor Soul routine at the end) who worked for/with Gleason may have not gotten as much credit as they deserved from "the Great One." He who signs the cheques gets things his way!
Quite a bit of Bobby Hackett on TH-cam -- nice way to relax the evening away listening to him (brilliant); and if he isn't well remembered -- well one day even Mr. Gleason (like the rest of us) will be forgotten too. Good that some of us in the here and now CAN remember Mr. Hackett and still be able to tune into his fine sound. 11/2018
As long as you're crediting Cosmo, how about Bill Clifton the piano player? One of the greatest all-around pianists of the 20th century and an important influence on the great Bill Evans. Bill Evans fanatics listen closely - this is the piano playing that rocked Bill Evans harmonic conception and altered the course of jazz piano history.
Even the commercials were interesting during the early days of tv. Not like the crap (shows & commercials) of today! Gleason & Carney were GREAT! And, why is there no weekly Westinghouse Studio One (and all the others) of new and great drama, comedy, sci-fi, and murder mystery? Could it be that all the great actors, producers, stage hands and sponsors are dead?!!!
Commercials were pure garbage til Stan Freberg turned them on their ear. The anthology format doesn't hold an audience anymore, but people are always trying to revive it with results ranging from awful to awesome -- the latest is the freakish but funny "Misfits and Monsters", written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait of all people! More up your alley, I suspect, are series like rik mayall presents and george burns comedy week, both of which have episodes to watch here on TH-cam...
Ken Lieck I agree with some of what you say, esp. concerning “today’s world” and younger generations. But for the older baby boomer gen, the OTR style of radio is what they grew up with just as the past 20 years is what the younger folk have grown up with and what they find “nostalgic”. As the older baby boomer gen dies off, OTR will become at most a smithsonian curiosity. I guess the first 2 gen’s after the invention of ANYTHING is very creative...learning how to exploit the new technology. After that it’s mostly crap. Thanks for the thoughts.
I watched this twice in two days. They don't make entertainment like this these days. Thank you, Jackie.
You:
"They do make entertainment like this these days"
Wouldnt it make sense for you to give examples of the modern entertainment you say exists?
@@AMEER-114- It was a typo.
@@AMEER-114- 🤦
There are a million reasons why this era of American Television is called the Golden Age; and this production is one of the most impressive.
It really was. And there weren't separate agendas knocking into each other: this was, to use a dated term, a team effort. Old school.
In the quantum field, there's neither time or distance. I like to think the players know we're relishing their art... across the Cosmos.
✨
✨ Terrific ensemble - the stuff of theatre making its way to a pretty new medium.
Great direction, too - close-ups in the two shots, beautifully done. Leaves one wanting more.
Rest in paradise... Cosmo & Co.
🌎📺🔭✨🌙🍃🌟
I could watch this over and over...especially late night before i go to bed. A great Gleason movie
I have this downloaded so I can watch it anytime.. . and I do
"You're intruding, but come in!"
Jackie Gleason was (and still is) a funny actor!
I loved Jackie Gleason when he played the starring role in his film "Gigot." It demonstrated beautifully his prowess at being the sad clown, and because his character was mute, he had to pantomime his actions while only his own musical score accompanied his performance. A brilliant comedian and a heck of a musician as well.
So glad you mentioned Gigot. It's always been one of my favorites.
right up there with Chaplin, IMO.
Gleason and Carney, always a good team.
I love this! The character is nearly a thinly veiled version of the real Jackie, he shares quite a bit in common with the character he plays, despite Gleason's denials.
Bobby Torres Then he wasn't really acting ;)
The Best Jackie 💋
Playing the theme he wrote that they used for "The Honeymooners".
"Would you like to come up sometime and see my ratings" Love it.
Thanks for posting this. This is the second time I've watched it. They don't make them like Gleason, Carney and all the old comedy stars these days.
This is my fourth time watching in 7 months. I notice something different each time. Thank you
Gleason and Carney - it does not get any better!
Put Carney and Gleason together, magic. Great cast 🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
The Great One. And Art Carney was spot on in this role.
Personally, I listen to Bill Evans and hear shades of Bill Clifton.
Anyway, thank you for your interest in Bill's music.
I think it was inherent in the Jackie Gleason persona to dominate and he did it so charmingly - that is a testimonial to his great genius. This film is electrified by his and Art Carney's stunning dramatic acting skills as well. This is very special stuff!
amazing golden era tv
_And awaay we go!_
_How sweet it is._
Oh my, oh my, how great television was...
The saddest thing James, is that tv reached its golden age just a short few years into the journey, and has steadily deteriorated over the ensuing decades with exceptions of course here and there, but these fabulous anthology series including Playhouse 90, Kraft tv theatre, Philco Playhouse etc, appeared so often in the early years,,what a treat...I was just a bit too young having been born in 1948 to have really appreciated they heyday...
This LIVE! Those great acting performances, flawless, which we all agree on, we’re not live without Eddie retakes. Think about that. And this was a 1953. This was the beginning of Gleason and Carney together.
It's the "Honeymooners Theme", a Jackie Gleason original. 30:38
I could be wrong but I thought that was the theme to his variety show. The Honeymooners is different.
@@angelthman1659 To my knowledge, Gleason wrote this song for that one season of THE HONEYMOONERS . His CAVALCADE OF STARS theme was different.
Search The Honeymooners theme. It's different from the one here.@@AnnieVanAuken
Mickey Rooney did a television drama a few years later that was very similar to this called "The Comedian." I saw it on PBS a few years back.
We miss you rod serling
The great one!
Excellent quality for kinescope ,i gather the y used 35mm film, thanks for posting this
At 15:00 Gleason says "Excuuuuuse me" so I wonder if Steve Martin had ever seen this episode?
Gleason used that expression on about every show, among other signature phrases. And there's no doubt Martin was very familiar with all of them. I'm not sure, but that might have been the Reggie Van Gleason III character on the show. I was glad to see this end with "The Poor Soul", which was a great routine. Gleason was a fantastic mime, not in the Marcel Marceau mold, but more in a classic "clown" tradition.
Yep, it appears Steve Martin had stolen this line from Gleason
30 years B.S. before Steve!
It's odd seeing Carney & Gleason outside of HONEYMOONERS
Especially Carney as a straight man
Paul - Carney rolls them on the first scene @1:13 too. Great drama and performances. Gleason was gorgeous! What a shame he was never recognized with an Emmy for his great talent.
Jackie Gleason had and has the magic.
“Studio One” has been selected for viewing by our armed forces overseas, and is a CBS Television Network production.
So chill. ✨
Correction...show was recorded by kinescope which was using a high brightness TV monitor connected to a motion picture camera which stored the audio and video on film...Video taping did not start until 1956...
You Sir, know your Kinescope history well...The terrible tragedy is how terribly few scopes were preserved and are available today...it is one reason why Desi Arnaz was pure genius in insisting that every episode of I Love Lucy was filmed...which of course allowed for 1000s of reruns around the world and millions of dollars for Desilu!
Those were the good all days.
He was indeed the Great One.
At the very end a mustached man enters. When asked “Who’s that?”, Gleason jokes a person’s name. I don’t think he says Criswell. ”. But what does Gleason say????
He says the name that's been a running gag thru the program - that of his fictitious dresser in the opening scene...
Cosmo! 😊
I forgot to mention that I have researched the identity of the pianist credited for "Melancholy Serenade" and it's not suggested to be Bill Clifton. However , it could be an alias - Bill certainly offers a confident and flowing interpretation.
Check out Bill's luscious, satin pillow arrangements and piano playing for the Ilene Woods LP "It's Late" Sterlitta (you tube). Ilene was the voice of Disney's Cinderella. This is a very groovy late 50's session with wonderful production values
@ 1:52 Carney does the Ed Norton "shoulder roll" it must have been out of habit when entering...
This aired in 1953 - he hadn't been doing Ed Norton for that long.
I noticed that too!
Wow.
The Great One
Do you have an episode called "Man Under Glass" love to see it
Wow. Gleason and Carny pre Honeymooners by many years. Just how long did they know each other?
A lifetime. They were kids together. Gleason once said, he and Carney were compatible because they were both Irish. They played off each other well.
This is a great show in general from the golden age of live tv, and a powerful episode reminiscent of the even more impressive Rod Serling script for THE COMEDIAN (1957) starring Mickey Rooney, Mel Torme, Edmond O'Brien and Kim Hunter.
It's available here on TH-cam.
EDIT: Unfortunately it seems to not be here anymore, I have a dvd but pretty sure it was here last time I checked... but if you liked this it's definitely worth tracking down even if you have to buy a copy. Highest recommendation.
The actress playing Gleason's sister here looked very familiar but I couldn't remember from where, it turns out it's 50s tv of course, I have the full series of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS...in which she has a single appearance, and a decent one. But it's a different series I have a few episodes of on a box set of 50s tv police procedurals and detective shows, she starred in two episodes of THE COURT OF LAST RESORT and they're both well worth watching, she delivers a memorable performance in both episodes.
th-cam.com/video/6xdUvwrx0pI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=R6jqA2ZNJHZLfcNg
th-cam.com/video/_E9yyeFd5nU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=UW9B5f_hjm6sswvt
31:00 Jackie playing his own theme song
Mischa Auer is the "crazy Russian" (as Rick calls him) bartender in "Casablanca".
filmnoir50 That was Leonid Kinsky who was the "crazy Russian"
Evan Williams Holy Moly! My mistake - thanks.
He played a crazy Russian in Frank Capra's "You Can't Take It With You" (1938).
Mischa Auer was in My Man Godfrey (1936)(William Powell, Carole Lombard) as Carlo, a "great musician" who never actually gave a performance as long as he had the sponsorship of the crazy wife in the Bulloch family, much to the ongoing annoyance of the long-suffering head (played so brilliantly by Eugene Pallette) of that dizzy clan.
@@LordZontar "He frightens me!" - Irene Bulloch LOL!
A "bully" is a BULLY at any time of the year.
RIGHT...u know who???
I wonder if the family guy character was modeled after Jackie gleason's persona? Anyway, this is great acting, hands down!!
I also recommend you watch Mickey Rooney in the ' Comedian' it's also on TH-cam.
"Ralll-feee BOY!"
A flying jump at the moon
By rod serling
I listened to Bill Clifton and I heard shades of Bill Evans. I watched Gleason interact with Clifton, putting him in the background, almost pushing him around like all his other flunkies and aping playing the piano while Clifton played in the background. Then I wondered...was Bill Clifton the real genius behind "Melancholy Serenade" and the other gems that Gleason took credit for? I have a strong feeling he is!
Did Gleason play any instrument? He appeared to play the double bass in "Orchestra Wives" and the piano here but I am suspicious given his supposed (vocal) method of musical composition.
One tends to get the impression that true musicians like Bobby Hackett (featured on the tune "Tenderly" playing during the Poor Soul routine at the end) who worked for/with Gleason may have not gotten as much credit as they deserved from "the Great One." He who signs the cheques gets things his way!
Quite a bit of Bobby Hackett on TH-cam -- nice way to relax the evening away listening to him (brilliant); and if he isn't well remembered -- well one day even Mr. Gleason (like the rest of us) will be forgotten too. Good that some of us in the here and now CAN remember Mr. Hackett and still be able to tune into his fine sound. 11/2018
As long as you're crediting Cosmo, how about Bill Clifton the piano player? One of the greatest all-around pianists of the 20th century and an important influence on the great Bill Evans. Bill Evans fanatics listen closely - this is the piano playing that rocked Bill Evans harmonic conception and altered the course of jazz piano history.
"Have a booze"
When was this made?
Hello Charles. This originally aired in 1953.
NAHW-TON!
Even the commercials were interesting during the early days of tv. Not like the crap (shows & commercials) of today! Gleason & Carney were GREAT! And, why is there no weekly Westinghouse Studio One (and all the others) of new and great drama, comedy, sci-fi, and murder mystery? Could it be that all the great actors, producers, stage hands and sponsors are dead?!!!
Commercials were pure garbage til Stan Freberg turned them on their ear. The anthology format doesn't hold an audience anymore, but people are always trying to revive it with results ranging from awful to awesome -- the latest is the freakish but funny "Misfits and Monsters", written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait of all people! More up your alley, I suspect, are series like rik mayall presents and george burns comedy week, both of which have episodes to watch here on TH-cam...
Ken Lieck I agree with some of what you say, esp. concerning “today’s world” and younger generations. But for the older baby boomer gen, the OTR style of radio is what they grew up with just as the past 20 years is what the younger folk have grown up with and what they find “nostalgic”. As the older baby boomer gen dies off, OTR will become at most a smithsonian curiosity. I guess the first 2 gen’s after the invention of ANYTHING is very creative...learning how to exploit the new technology. After that it’s mostly crap. Thanks for the thoughts.
A more modern ending would have been the insurance salesmen coming back at the end and shooting the comedian.
Or a film version of it in '53 when this was produced. Noir.
Too bad he had to do The Toy. Otherwise he was a genius.
Throwing a Karen at The Great One?
Yikes, bro.
I thought it was lousy
NOOO!! Why commercial free? Betty Furness was brilliant. She made me not mind the commercials. Compared to today that's outstanding!
Loved Betty