Frank Satenstein Movies
Thanks to his having directed the "classic 39" filmed episodes of The Honeymooners -- and their seemingly endless reruns on television for 50 years -- Frank Satenstein is one of the most familiar names in television directing. The irony is that those Honeymooners shows were only a two-year sliver out of a very busy career that carried Satenstein from theater to movies to the small-screen. Born in New York City to Louis and Harriet Satenstein, Frank P. Satenstein attended the Ethical Culture Schools and later studied at Cornell and Columbia universities. He served in the Army Air Forces during World War II and, after returning to civilian life, went into theater as a producer, in partnership at various times with Richard Krakaur and Edgar Luckenbach, Richard Kollmar, Eddie Dowling, and John Wilberg. He also founded a movie company, Marathon Productions, that made two very important topical films in 1948, Close-Up (co-starring Kollmar and filmed in New York City) and Open Secret, the former dealing with neo-Nazis in America and the latter attacking working class anti-Semitism, both distributed by Eagle Lion. He stuck with theatrical production into the early '50s, when television -- which was mostly based in New York in those days -- beckoned. It was there that Satenstein found his niche, helming such successful game shows as What's My Line and I've Got a Secret and the renowned comedy program Your Show of Shows. He also directed the first television appearances of Elvis Presley and Pat Boone, and worked with Connie Francis. His most important and visible work, thanks to reruns, however, was for The Honeymooners -- Satenstein's direction of the 39 filmed shows from 1955 to 1956 was seamless and made them work infinitely better than the live "lost" episodes that were rescued from oblivion in the '80s. His task was made even more daunting, working on film, by the fact that series star/producer Jackie Gleason hated to rehearse and almost never did. His pace of work slackened as the television industry left New York for California in the early '60s. Satenstein died of lung cancer in 1984 at age 59 -- the classic 39 Honeymooners episodes are his major legacy. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- 1957
Running ten minutes and 36 seconds, "Manager of the Baseball Team" is a slightly longer version of a sketch that first appeared on the May 9, 1953, edition of The Jackie Gleason Show. Additions to the script include a none too subtle plug for Gleason's sponsor, Old Gold Cigarettes. Otherwise, the sketch is the mixture as before, with Ralph Kramden falsely assuming that he's been given a promotion at the Gotham Bus Company, only to discover that he has merely been appointed manager of the company's ball club. Telecast June 1, 1957, the "new" version of "Manager of the Baseball Team" turned out to be the last Honeymooners sketch until Gleason briefly revived the property on his 1962 variety series Jackie Gleason's American Scene Magazine. Though both versions of the sketch are available on home video, only the 1953 version has been included in the syndicated Honeymooners TV package. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
Sick to death of his run-down apartment, Ralph decides to buy a duplex in Queens for himself and his wife Alice -- and, lacking the necessary funds, he invites Ed and Trixie Norton along as tenants. Unfortunately, the "dream house" is more of a nightmare, compelling Ralph and Ed to do some fixing up and decorating. Inevitably, a battle develops between "landlord" Ralph and "tenant" Ed, with paint as the principal weapon. At this point, the Nortons are all for leaving, but Ralph refuses to let them go, pointing out that they signed a 99-year-lease. The warfare resumes, with Ed and Trixie going to great and noisy lengths to break their lease, culminating in a truly explosive denouement. Originally telecast as a 36-minute sketch on the January 19, 1957, edition of The Jackie Gleason Show, "My Fair Landlord" was restaged on September 9, 1967, in color and with songs, as an episode of Gleason's Miami-based variety series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
After a year's worth of filmed, half-hour Honeymooners episodes, the property returned to its "sketch" status on the revived 60-minute version of The Jackie Gleason Show, which was unveiled in the fall of 1956. The first of the post-"Classic 39" Honeymooners was the 13-minute playlet "Double Anniversary Party." In this one, Alice conspires with the Nortons to plan a surprise anniversary celebration for Ralph. Simultaneously, Ralph intends to surprise Alice by taking her to the Kit-Kat Club. The anticipated misunderstandings snowball into a huge argument, segueing into a sentimental and affectionate finale. "Double Anniversary Party" originally aired on October 13, 1956. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Ralph jumps to the conclusion that he has won a new car in a raffle. Instantly, he begins fantasizing about all the wonderful places he and Alice will be able to visit. Ralph comes down to earth upon the realization that he only holds half of the winning ticket -- and the other half belongs to Ed Norton. As expected, Ralph and Ed argue over ownership of the car, then quibble over how much time each one of them is entitled to drive the new vehicle. Alas, the prize turns out not to be a car at all, but instead -- well, let's just say that Thanksgiving is only a few days away. "Two-Family Car" originally aired as an 18-minute sketch on the November 17, 1956, edition of The Jackie Gleason Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Alice finds a love letter in the cookbook that she has borrowed from her friend Trixie Norton. Upon examination, Trixie reveals that the letter was written by her husband Ed, just before the couple was married. Later on, while Alice is out of the apartment, Ralph also reads the letter -- and immediately assumes that Alice has a secret lover. Anxious to determine the identity of "the other man," Ralph and Ed head down to the office of handwriting analyst Adele Patterson (Anne Seymour). Inevitably, she concludes that Ed was the author of the romantic missive -- any further elaborations on the plot, and its outcome, are surely unnecessary. "Love Letter" was originally telecast as a 37-minute sketch on the November 24, 1956, edition of The Jackie Gleason Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Upon learning that the owner of the neighborhood candy store is selling out to a huge restaurant chain, Ralph and Ed decide to purchase the store themselves for $600, assuming that they're getting their hands on a veritable gold mine. But when Alice turns over her $300 bank account to her brother-in-law Harry so that he can buy a car-washing machine, Ralph is left without the necessary funds. Ruminating over this turn of events, Ralph and Ed listen to a radio program, whose announcer is staging a "find the money" contest. Using the clues provided by the announcer, the boys scour all of Manhattan in search of a "lucky" thousand-dollar bill. Little does Ralph realize that the bill in question is literally under his own nose -- not that this information does him the least bit of good! The 37-minute "Finders Keepers" originally aired on December 8, 1956, as a component of The Jackie Gleason Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Shooting off his mouth as usual, Ralph claims that he can line up a celebrity entertainer for the annual Raccoon Lodge dance. Going a step farther, he insists that he can talk his "good friend" Jackie Gleason into appearing -- and never mind that Ralph has never met Jackie in his life. When the Lodge sells a thousand tickets in anticipation of Gleason's appearance, a desperate Ralph and Ed head down to the hotel where the cast of The Jackie Gleason Show is rehearsing, hoping to persuade Jackie into performing gratis. The boys fail in their efforts, but Ralph's wife Alice saves the day in an unexpected fashion. Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows, and Joyce Randolph appear in dual roles in this hectic 37-minute sketch, as "themselves" and as their Honeymooners counterparts. Originally telecast as a component of The Jackie Gleason Show on December 15, 1956, "Catch a Star" was repeated on March 18, 1967, in color and with songs, as an episode of Gleason's Miami-based variety series (On this occasion, Gleason and Carney repeated their original roles, while Sheila MacRae and Jane Kean were seen as "themselves" -- and, respectively, as Alice Kramden and Trixie Norton). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
A doctor from the Gotham Bus Company shows up at the Kramden apartment, intending to give Ralph an examination prior to his promotion to assistant starter. Ralph isn't home, so Alice asks the doctor to come back later. A few minutes later, Alice and Trixie go shopping, leaving Ed behind to tell Ralph about the doctor's impending visit -- but failing to tell Ed about the promotion. When Ralph discovers that the doctor will be coming soon, he assumes that Alice has purchased more life insurance, something he feels she can't afford. As a result, Ralph and Ed conspire to scare off the doctor by pretending to be roaring drunk -- with the expected devastating results. "Check Up" originally aired October 20, 1956, as a ten-minute sketch on The Jackie Gleason Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Both Ralph and Ed are campaigning for the same candidate in an upcoming election. To ensure a victory for their man Penrose, the boys canvass the neighborhood, urging their pals to get out the vote. Things get a bit tense when Ralph learns that Ed doesn't intend to place a vote himself, but in the final analysis it isn't Ed who will tip the scales when the ballots are finally counted. Running 14 minutes, "Forgot to Register" was first telecast on October 27, 1956, as a component of The Jackie Gleason Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
To earn extra money for the Christmas season, Alice takes a part-time job at an obstetrician's office. Seeing Alice and Trixie enter the office, Ralph jumps to the conclusion that he is about to become a father. Meanwhile, Trixie's husband Ed assumes that he will soon be hearing the patter of little feet. As both Ralph and Ed draw up grandiose plans for their as-yet-unborn sons, Alice and Trixie return to the apartment -- whereupon the two husbands fall all over themselves pampering their "pregnant" spouses. Eventually, of course, the truth is revealed, and the sketch ends with a tender, loving monologue, courtesy of Ralph Kramden. "Expectant Father" originally aired November 3, 1956, as a 16-minute component of The Jackie Gleason Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Ralph is transferred to the night shift by Gotham Bus Company traffic manager Freddie Muller (George Petrie). Unfortunately, he is unable to adjust to his new hours, and spends several sleepless nights as a result -- and neither Alice nor Ed Norton are any help at all in lulling Ralph off to beddie-bye land. Just when it seems as if Ralph will be returned to his original shift, our hero manages to queer the deal by shooting off his big mouth. Originally telecast November 10, 1956, "Good Night Sweet Prince" was seen as a 16-minute sketch on The Jackie Gleason Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Ralph is convinced that he will get a promotion when Mr. Marshall, head of the Gotham Bus Company, invites Ralph to his home to give him a few lessons in pool. Expansively, Ralph brings his best pal Ed Norton along -- a decision he will live to regret, inasmuch as Marshall is so impressed by Norton's business savvy that he gives him the much-coveted job of supervisor. Upset by this turn of events, Ralph is even more "steamed" when his new boss, Norton, unintentionally begins to throw his weight around. The friendship is ultimately patched up when Norton experiences a sudden a startling realization regarding all those "brilliant" business ideas that he'd imparted to Marshall. First telecast on May 5, 1956, "Opportunity Knocks But" was written by Leonard Stern and Sydney Zelinka (The basic plot line would later resurface as an episode of the animated series The Flintstones -- which, of course, owed its very existence to The Honeymooners!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Bound for the annual Raccoon convention in Minneapolis, Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton board a westbound train, reluctantly bringing their wives Alice and Trixie along. Much to their delight, the girls seem to have decided to remain in New York, allowing the boys to "cut up" as much as they want during the trip to Minneapolis. Unfortunately, the fun and games come to an abrupt halt when Ralph and Ed manage to handcuff themselves together -- an uncomfortable situation in the best of times, but even more so when the two men are forced to share an upper berth. Jack Norton, who made a film career out of playing dapper drunks, was supposed to have portrayed twin brothers in this episode, but his health was in such a fragile condition that Jackie Gleason was forced to write Mr. Norton out of the action even while the final scenes were being filmed (though the actor received full payment for the performance he was unable to give). Written by Marvin Marx and Walter Stone, "Unconventional Behavior" first aired on May 12, 1956. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Ralph Kramden swells with pride when he wins an award as the safest bus driver in New York City. Alas, Ed Norton throws cold water on the proceedings by predicting that Ralph will be involved in an accident before the evening of the award's presentation. Making matters worse, Ralph and Ed's wives Alice and Trixie get involved in a pre-ceremony squabble when they discover that they're wearing identical dresses. As expected, a nervous Ralph does get involved in a minor fender-bender en route to the ceremony -- and the other party in the accident turns out to be Judge Hurdle, the man selected to present the award! First telecast on May 19, 1956, "The Safety Award" was written by Leonard Stern and Sydney Zelinka. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Ralph Kramden advises his sewer-worker pal Ed Norton to demand a promotion at his job, further telling him to threaten to quit if the promotion is not immediately forthcoming. Not surprisingly, Ed ends up getting fired -- and Ralph spends the next few days in mortal terror that his wife Alice and Ed's wife Trixie will find out that he, Ralph, is responsible for the whole messy situation. Landing a job as a door-to-door salesman for the Spiffy Iron Company, Ed exaggerates the size of his income so that Ralph and Alice will not worry about him. Unfortunately, Ed's exaggerations so impress Ralph that he decides to quit his job and go to work for Spiffy! (Trivia note: in the original script, the iron company was called "Jiffy," but was changed for legal reasons.) Written by Leonard Stern and Sydney Zelinka, Mind Your Own Business" originally aired on May 24, 1956. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Alice Kramden and Trixie Norton are "steamed" over the fact that their husbands Ralph and Ed never take them out anywhere. Hoping to make amends, Ralph invites Alice and the Nortons to join him in visiting his pal Bert Wedemeyer and Bert's sexy new wife Rita (wonderfully played by Freda Rosen, the wife of Arnie Rosen, one of Jackie Gleason's top writers). Since Bert is the new general manager of the Gotham Bus Company, Ralph hopes to curry favor by lavishing praise and compliments on Rita. Unfortunately, Alice, who has made a considerable effort to "glamorize" herself for the evening, angrily assumes that the glamorous but empty-headed Rita has swept Ralph off his feet. In a fascinating form of retaliation, the next evening Alice dresses as flashily as Rita and begins fawning all over Ralph, uttering such inanities as "I call you 'Killer' because you 'slay' me." A nonplussed Ralph is convinced that Alice has been "hittin' the rum candy again" -- but by episode's end, all misunderstandings are swept away, and a chastened Ralph reconfirms his opinion that Alice is "the greatest." Best ad lib: "Leave it there, the cat'll get it." Originally shown on June 2, 1956, "Alice and the Blonde" was written by Leonard Stern and Sydney Zelinka. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
After several weeks' worth of reruns, The Honeymooners closed out its first (and only) weekly season with three first-run episodes, beginning September 8, 1956, with "The Bensonhurst Bomber." While shooting a few balls at the local poolroom, Ralph and Ed manage to incur the wrath of a burly tough guy named Harvey (George Mathews). Ralph tries to avoid fisticuffs, but thanks to Ed's well-meaning "assistance," Harvey challenges Ralph to a fight at Kelsey's Gym. Realizing that he'll get creamed, Ralph works out a scheme whereby he will stage a phony fight in front of Harvey, in order to convince the bigger man that he, Ralph, can take care of himself. To this end, Ed arranges for one of his fellow sewer workers -- who is even more muscular than Harvey -- to "take a dive." Needless to say, things don't quite work out as planned. "The Bensonhurst Bomber" was written by Marvin Marx and Walter Stone. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
The Kramdens and the Nortons are fed up with the "incompetent" custodian in their apartment building, while the landlord blames the "impossible to please" Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton for the incredible turnover in janitors. Suddenly, Ralph gets a brilliant idea: He will take over the janitor's job, not only assuring excellent service, but also earning him an additional income. Ralph's wife Alice predicts that her husband's latest enterprise will end in disaster -- and she's absolutely right. Though the best scene finds Ralph becoming inextricably lodged in the main pipe system while trying to repair Ed's water pressure, some of the biggest laughs were not scripted -- notably the telephone that keeps ringing even after it has been answered. Written by A.J. Russell and Herbert Finn, "Dial J for Janitor" originally aired on September 15, 1956. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Ralph Kramden's ego takes a bruising when he runs into Bill Davis (Dick Bernie), the former boyfriend of Ralph's wife Alice. After listening to Bill's stories of his many successful business ventures, Ralph feels compelled to exaggerate his own importance, claiming to be the head of the Gotham Bus Company. This little deception snowballs into a major crisis when Bill and Millie Davis invite Ralph and Alice to dine out at the swanky, and expensive, Colonnade Room. Naturally, Ralph expects Bill to pick up the check -- only to discover that Bill expects the same thing of Ralph! Clearly, the time has come for Ralph to confesses that he's a lowly bus driver -- but as things turn out, he's not the only one harboring a secret. Written by Leonard Stern and Sydney Zelinka, "A Man's Pride" originally aired on September 22, 1956, as the last of the "Classic 39" half-hour Honeymooners episodes (though not the final Honeymooners effort, by any means!). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler of the Loyal Order of Raccoons prevails upon "Brother Ralph Kramden" to deliver a speech at the annual award dinner. Assuming that this honor will lead to his being named Raccoon of the Year, Ralph prepares a speech to end all speeches. Unfortunately, wife Alice is unimpressed by Ralph's efforts, especially his feeble attempts to spice up the speech with a few jokes ("You can't send a dog out on a night like this"). Even worse, the Raccoon of the Year honor goes to someone else. How will Ralph be able to extract a happy ending out of this sorry situation? First shown on April 21, 1956, "The Loudspeaker" was written by Marvin Marx and Walter Stone. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Ralph is coerced into essaying the leading role in a money-raising stage production put on by the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Raccoons. His ego expanding to the size of his waistline, Ralph is certain that he will score a hit and be whisked off to Broadway or even Hollywood -- until he learns that he will be acting opposite the redoubtable Ed Norton. Driven crazy by Norton's miscues and eccentric improvisations, Ralph nonetheless puts on a grand show -- only to discover that the true star of the proceedings is his wife Alice, who is offered a contract by celebrated Hollywood producer Herbert J. Whiteside (Alexander Clark). Best verbal bit: The "string of poloponies." Written by Leonard Stern and Sydney Zelinka, "On Stage" originally aired on April 28, 1956. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
When he is summoned to the local IRS office to explain an irregularity in his income tax form, Ralph panics? With the help of his pal Ed Norton, Ralph nervously re-examines his tax return, seeking out any and all example of unreported income -- including a ceramic horse with a clock in its stomach, which he won in a pinball contest. The next morning, Ralph and Ed present themselves before the IRS examiner, preparing to make a clean slate of things and to throw themselves on the mercy of the government. Without giving away the ending, suffice to say that our heroes are in for a bit of a surprise. As hilarious and timely today as it was when first telecast on April 7, 1956, "The Worry Wart was written by Marvin Marx and Walter Stone. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
After witnessing a holdup and murder, a terrified Ralph ("Hamana-hamana-hamana-hamana") hides out in his apartment, determined not to inform the police lest he be targeted by the perpetrators. Unfortunately, the two thugs trail Ralph to his apartment. Ralph tries to hold them off with a gun, which, alas, turns out to be a water pistol. Holding Ralph, Alice, and Ed hostage while they plan their escape, the two crooks reveal themselves to be just as frightened as Ralph -- and, ultimately, they prove to be no challenge for a bus driver who outweighs them both! Familiar Honeymooners supporting players George Petrie and Frank Marth don fedoras and phony facial scars to play the two outlaws, Danny and Bibbo. Despite its melodramatic tone, this episode is hilarious through and through, especially during the opening poolroom routine. Written by Leonard Stern and Sydney Zelinka, "Trapped" first aired on April 14, 1956. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
