What may be the most successful one season wonder of all time, The Honeymooners, debuted 70 years ago today on Saturday, October 1st, 1955 on CBS. Jackie Gleason created the show, based on characters he first introduced in comedy sketches as part of DuMont’s variety show Cavalcade of Stars in October 1951. Gleason hosted Cavalcade of Stars from July 1950 until June 1952. He then launched The Jackie Gleason Show on CBS in September 1952 which also featured The Honeymooners sketches.
As a standalone sitcom, The Honeymooners ran for 39 episodes during the 1955-1956 season. These are lovingly referred to as the “Classic 39” episodes by fans. Joining Gleason were Audrey Meadows, Art Carney, and Joyce Randolph.
Here are the original CBS opening and closing credits plus a commercial for Buick, the show’s sponsor:
Despite only running for one season, The Honeymooners went into off-network syndication during the fall of 1957, airing on TV stations across the country. The “Classic 39” episodes were released on VHS at least as early as 1988. A 6-disc DVD set was released in 2003; a Blu-ray set in 2014.
While nothing about The Honeymooners can be considered obscure or forgotten, it is a one season wonder. And it may be the most popular and beloved one season wonder ever.
I remember when the lost episodes were released on video tapes.
yes but those lost Kinney tapes rarely hit the bullseye!!,,,from the free burial at Bismark north dakota to that midnight discovery of harvey in bed***** besides// there would NEVER have been the Flintstones without it all…..Alan Reeds career as voice of Fred was an uncanny fateful turn in this business
Sketches of the Honeymooners were aired on other shows before the Honeymooners show, similar to the way the Simpsons got started. Gleason redid many earlier sketches for the show. So it already had a history before the classic 39.