Jackie Gleason
“The Great One, whose bus-driver bluster hid a tender, unforgettable everyman.”
In 1955 Jackie Gleason brought blustering Brooklyn bus driver Ralph Kramden to television in 'The Honeymooners,' creating one of the most enduring sitcom characters in American history. Drawn from his own hardscrabble childhood, the role made 'The Great One' a national institution and inspired generations of comedies to come.
Brooklyn Beginnings
Born into poverty in Brooklyn, Gleason channeled his rough childhood into comedy. After scraping by in clubs and small films, television finally gave him the stage his outsized personality demanded.
The Honeymooners
As Ralph Kramden, Gleason created a working-class everyman whose schemes always collapsed but whose heart endeared him to millions. The 39 filmed 1955 episodes became timeless reruns.
More Than a Comic
Gleason proved his dramatic range with an Oscar-nominated turn in 'The Hustler' and conducted best-selling mood-music albums. From variety TV to 'Smokey and the Bandit,' he remained a beloved showman until his death in 1987.
Career Timeline
- 1916Born in Brooklyn, New York
- 1949TV breakthrough via DuMont Television Network
- 1952'The Jackie Gleason Show' becomes a CBS hit
- 1953'Music for Lovers Only' tops the album charts
- 1955Filmed 'Honeymooners' episodes air on CBS
- 1961Oscar-nominated as Minnesota Fats in 'The Hustler'
- 1962Returns to a weekly variety show
- 1977Plays Sheriff Buford T. Justice in 'Smokey and the Bandit'
- 1986Final film role in 'Nothing in Common'
- 1987Dies in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Biggest Hits
- His album 'Music for Lovers Only' still holds the record for the longest stay in the Billboard Top Ten, 153 weeks.
- Though he conducted lush 'mood music' albums, Gleason could not actually read sheet music.
The Moment You Remember
Ralph Kramden, cornered by another failed scheme, raises a fist and roars his hollow threat, then melts into sheepish affection for Alice. That swing from bluster to tenderness, played out in a bare Brooklyn kitchen, is how viewers still remember the Great One.
Portrait: General Amusement Corporation / James Koll, photographer · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons