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Honeymooners Vintage Set C. 1952-1958 w Unpublished REHEARSAL PHOTOS (!) Confirmed Early Gleason Secretarial

**Updated 11.29.15 Gleason noted as early secretarial**

Hello All,

Here is my Honeymooners cast set - mid 50's - I saw that Gleason secretarial thing/thread - I believe this is genuine or some sort of early secretarial. You? All in matching ink - some sent and dated others not - Meadows and Randolph addressed the Reverses trying to look like another hand (secretaries) - but it is them surely. Took a long time to assemble - Trixie especially, Alice and even Norton tough in vintage form. The CBS publicity photo of Gleason is date-stamped 1955 for release and marked well for publication to advertise this "new" series. Nice to have him in character. The last images - just NOT common. Gleason claimed he never rehearsed. Of course, that is nonsense - he went through as least one blocking - but he did not do more. This shows him quite involved. Holding a script? Heh. He said never - yet here he is holding one.** If you know these characters - you essentially know what they are saying here from body language alone. I had three other sheets I sold - all but this - many 35 mm contact prints but this was the best. In one sheet Meadows was extremely angry, seemingly about smoking (?) on set, or maybe lines/blocking. This was in a hotel -a fake kitchen set mind you) and Gleason calmed here with a sweet kiss ALA "Baby, you're the greatest". which you can see here - such tenderness in that embrace. This is a gem. These images show the very last b/w episode-in 1965/66, and the last appearance of Meadows as Alice Kramden until about 1977. These pictographs were taken the day before New Years, 1965 as I recall. Do you like these?

Had the pleasure of discussing the creation and production of this show with Joyce Randolph at a private performance of Billy Elliot - she told me "...even the girl who held the stopwatch, you know, because we actually had 15 minute reels, and broke, has died. I am all there is now..." She still called Gleason "Mr. Gleason", and had jewelry he gave her on even now. She signed for me as well. Older, not as ordered, but same elements remain of course.

You can find her in Sardi's many nights - not as many as before of course as she is like 90 now- she likes White Cadillac's though, and will talk and sign and tell the old stories. Sweet lady. Class act. Lady. TV legend. NEVER did I think I woulds get to chat with her about making this show which I watched with my dear old Dad on channel 11 WPIX in NY in the 70's at 11:30. Right before Star Trek and The Twilight Zone.

As an aside, I met the first Trixie Norton as well - Elaine Stritch, but had nothing for her to sign and she did not seem to...quite recall creating the role.

So, secretarial Gleason? I say clearly maybe not, "Jocky" aside. That "j"...I see much in common re structure/formation/creation with the What's My Line signature, although 2 feet tall ;). Really interested in opinions.

As usual, any and all opinions welcome and appreciated.

Best wishes,

Eric

** Sorry, my mistake - that is in other 35mm frames of this sheet but you can see he has his glasses from reading the script.

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Permalink Reply by Mike P on November 11, 2015 at 9:22pm

I like all the signatures, except I am unsure of the Gleason as his signature is a tough one for me, but is likely real I would say. Great set from a great show

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on November 11, 2015 at 9:30pm

Thank you Mike. Appreciated. Glad you like the set. On "My Page" there is Star Trek vintage set you might enjoy The Honeymooners took time as they are all blue ink and several are just so tough very vintage, and there were many trade-ups.

I remember an earlier more crazy looking Meadows for example.

Best wishes,

Eric

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on November 12, 2015 at 5:33am

Hello,

Sorry I did not mean to reply to myself. Does anyone know if this Gleason is an older secretarial? That article made me reconsider strongly. I've used period exemplars, but they are now cast into question. I have been told more then once that these earlier 3.5 x 5 PC's in fountain are essentially the only genuine apart from other forms and some photos, and that he signed nothing else - now I read he signed almost nothing. Obviously, all those 70's were "the" secretarial. I truly appreciate any help!

Thanks,

Eric

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on November 12, 2015 at 7:02am

I wonder if I should move this Gleason to the "Authenticity Opinions" thread? Not sure what to do here - newbie to this site.

Thanks,

Eric

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on November 18, 2015 at 2:09am

Hello,

The Gleason shown at the start of this thread indeed a secretarial - just not the usual 70''s secretarial. I have not seen a genuine 1950's 3.5 x 5 at this point. For Carney, Meadows and Randolph - yes. The ladies can even be seen to be trying to look like they had secretaries on the reverse messages but it is their own hand - those two were mailed back in 1955 and 1958. Will post more soon.

This set is radically being redesigned to early 1950's album pages from Gleason and the first Alice, Pert Kelton. At the start in 1951, there was no Norton! I have met both Trixie's - Elaine Stritch and Joyce Randolph. Stritch did not sign or remember playing Trixie (she did it first, just once in '51) - Miss Randolph did sign a sweet note to me and we discussed the old Honeymooners show. She sill called The Great One "Mr. Gleason". She told me that even the girl who held the stopwatch - they shot 15 minute segments for the 39 and had to change reels - was dead. She said she was "the last". I will always remember talking about this show with her as I watched this religiously on channel 11 in the 70's and 80's. This was at a private performance of Billy Elliot and I remember almost being crushed to death by a warm hug from Brian Stokes Mitchell. Another time I will tell of wine with Audrey Hepburn.

Eric