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PRESENTING THE HONEYMOONERS COMPLETE VINTAGE CAST SIGNED PHOTO SET C. 1949-1958 Collected from 1978-2018

Hi All,

It all started with my dear old dad purchasing a Spears secretarial in a mall antique show about 1978-1980. I started buying these on my own in about 1998. My dad and I would watch The Honeymooners on Channel 11 at 11:30 pm in WPIX in NY, every night back in the 1970's.

I wish I could tell him about meeting Trixie Norton in 2009/10, and talking at length about making the old shows and her signing for me and kissing me. How Ms. Randolph said everyone, including the girl with the stopwatch for the DuMont Electronicam system, was dead, except for her. And how she said "...Mr. Gleason never signed anything...".

I have spent three years identifying the secretarials, now shown on this site by name, style and date. This set of true originals is now finished, quite recently, with this newly discovered and identified/authenticated (by me) C. 1950 Jackie Gleason ballpoint matte finish 5" x 7" SP (this very early pen and paper finish combination explain every occasional oddity). That is his hand - bold and strong.

It is the only Gleason SP I have ever seen of this pose/shot, vintage signed or otherwise, in over 20 years. Much care went into this - matching ink, size and all as best I could (all 3.5" x 5" with Gleason 5" x 7"). Most with salutations etc. Two are used postcards (Trix 1958 and Alice 1955 or '56) and were addressed by them on the Reverse, in one case actually trying to look like a secretary!

I now present, for your pleasure, The Honeymooners Compete Cast Autograph Set of vintage signed photographs C. 1950-1958, followed by just a few original unpublished images from my collection — from Gleason's personal collection. ;)

NOTE: Re Gleason sigs. I do NOT think this is a new signing style, but rather a variant C. 1950 created by the use of a "new" ballpoint pen on a "new" matte finish photo, for perhaps the first time.

If anyone has a vintage set, or has a scan of a vintage set, please post it. I have never seen one...until now.

Tags: alice kramden, art carney, audrey meadows, ed norton, jackie gleason, joyce randolf, ralph kramden, the honeymooners autographed photos, trixie norton

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on November 16, 2018 at 7:05pm

I love this piece! Well done.

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Permalink Reply by Joe W. on November 16, 2018 at 7:31pm

Wow! Superb, Eric!!

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on November 16, 2018 at 8:07pm

Thanks guys :) I am so happy with this set! I really did not think it could be done.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Shepherd on November 17, 2018 at 4:40am

Beautiful. The original unpublished photographs are priceless.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on November 17, 2018 at 7:25am

Thanks Mike - I have two more sheets of those 1953 photos! :) I like how Norton/Carney is stooped down to be the kids height. Gleason looks superb, and I love seeing the non-ceiling in that kitchen we all know so well. Those are CBS cameras.

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on November 17, 2018 at 4:53am

Eric, this is awesome!!!

Beautiful presentation.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on November 17, 2018 at 7:28am

Much appreciated Christopher! It may be one of the most popular sets that is seldom in ever actually genuine (the Gleason most often). I have seen it accomplished with cuts maybe 3-4 times, but never photos. Very happy to share it with you all.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on November 17, 2018 at 7:43am

I agree with everyone else's comments that this a magnificent collection of period autographs and photographs. I have known many people who have the complete set but not a complete set of vintage photographs signed during that time period. With the on set photographs this makes a very rare combination. I remember watching the Jackie Gleason Show and the Color episodes with my family when they were aired prime time in the 1960s. Of course we only had a 19 inch black and white so I never saw them in color until I bought my first television in 1984. I was amazed as an adult to see the Wizard of Oz and realize it was not ALL in black and white! Congratulations on getting this set Eric!

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on November 17, 2018 at 10:00am

Thank you, Scott. I know you love this show as much as I do. You have been very helpful and supportive with this Gleason work over the years. I am really thrilled you like the finished product!