Jackie Gleason

[paul secor]

Over the weekend I watched a PBS documentary on Jackie Gleason which featured clips from his mid fifies TV show. I remember watching Jackie Gleason when I was a kid, but I'd forgotten how wonderful the characters he created were. The Poor Soul, the simple Fenwick Babbitt -"You're a nice man", Reginald Van Gleason III, loudmouthed Charlie Bratton, and the anarchically destructive Rudy the Repairman all made me laugh out loud once again. Then there was Jackie Gleason's crazed yet somehow graceful dancing and the way he threw his body around seemingly without regard for his own safety.

If you only know Jackie Gleason as "The Great One" or through the persona of Ralph Kramden, you're missing a lot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vHVzuCSMZg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrVykGwnKIg

[sonnymax]

I was a big fan of Gleason as well, but let's give credit where credit is due. Comedy writer Coleman Jacoby, along with his partner Arnie Rosen, was responsible for creating most of the characters you mention. Jacoby also wrote many episodes for TV's Sgt. Bilko, aka You'll Never Get Rich and later, The Phil Silvers Show, another childhood favorite of mine. Previously he had worked as a gag writer for the likes of Fred Allen and Bob Hope on radio. Mr. Jacoby died at age 95 this past November. In praising Gleason and other comedy giants like him, we should also honor the talented people who wrote the humor that they performed.

[Dave James]

Loved Gleason. Let's not forget he could act a bit as well as play the fool. His performace in The Hustler as Minnesota Fats is not to be missed.

[medjuck]

Or that he loved musicians. Gave Milt Hilton his first studio work, used Bobby Hackett on his music to neck by records and produced the Dorsey Brothers tv show which brought us Elvis and which Bird was watching when he died.

[Chuck Nessa]

Hosted the Timex show with lots of jazz.

[JSngry]

Somewhere there's footage of the Gleason entourage taking the train trip to Miami, accompanied by some balls-out New Orleans-style band.

Here's the trip w/o the soundtrack of the band playing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otN66-Mt6HM

[Jazzmoose]

...and produced the Dorsey Brothers tv show which brought us Elvis and which Bird was watching when he died.

Wow. I mean, I never cared for Elvis either, but that's a hell of a reaction.

[Harold_Z]

Somewhere there's footage of the Gleason entourage taking the train trip to Miami, accompanied by some balls-out New Orleans-style band.

Here's the trip w/o the soundtrack of the band playing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otN66-Mt6HM

IIRC that band had Max Kaminsky, Cutty Cutshall and Bob Wilber in it.

[sonnymax]

Loved Gleason. Let's not forget he could act a bit as well as play the fool. His performace in The Hustler as Minnesota Fats is not to be missed.

Yes, you're quite right. "The Great One" also gave memorable performances in films like Soldier In The Rain (as Master Sergeant Max Slaughter), Requiem For A Heavyweight (as fight manager Maish Rennick), and Gigot (as a homeless French mute). Interestingly, Gleason not only starred in this last movie, but he also wrote the original story and music for the film! A very talented man, indeed.

[Teasing the Korean]

Plus he had two of the greatest album covers in history, "Lonesome Echo" and "Oooooo."

[skeith]

Loved Gleason. Let's not forget he could act a bit as well as play the fool. His performace in The Hustler as Minnesota Fats is not to be missed.