Frank Bunetta Movies
- 1967
Although this 60-minute, full-color Honeymooners episode takes place entirely in Brooklyn, it has been syndicated as part of the ten-episode The Honeymooners Trip to Europe package. Making fun of the fact that his pal Ed Norton is apparently henpecked by his wife, Ralph Kramden insists that he is the king of his castle, advising Ed to adopt the same attitude. As a result, Ed and wife Trixie (Jane Kean) have a terrible argument, which spills over into a domestic squabble between Ralph and his wife Alice (Sheila MacRae). The girls walk out on their husbands, leaving the boys to do their own cooking and cleaning. After a week of bad food and dirty laundry, Ed is all for apologizing, but stubborn Ralph stands firm -- for a few minutes anyway. A remake of the 1954 Honeymooners sketch "Battle of the Sexes," with new songs by Lyn Duddy and Jerry Bresler added to the mixture, "King of the Castle" first aired January 7, 1967, as an episode of Jackie Gleason's Miami-based variety series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In the fourth episode of the "Honeymooners Trip to Europe" story arc, the Kramdens and the Norton continue their vacation with a visit to Rome. While Ralph is otherwise occupied, Alice (here played by Sheila MacRae) is given a guided tour of the Eternal City by a preteen boy named Tony (Jomar Cidoni), who develops a crush on her. One thing leads to another, and before long Ralph jumps to the conclusion that Alice has a secret "Italian lover"! Lyn Duddy and Jerry Bresler provided the songs for this full-color, 60-minute laughfest. A remake of a Honeymooners sketch that originally aired live on February 23, 1957 (with Audrey Meadows as Alice and young Sandy Renda as Tony), "Confusion Italian Style" was telecast October 15, 1966, as an episode of The Jackie Gleason Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In the third episode of the "Honeymooners Trip to Europe" story arc, the Kramdens and the Nortons arrive in Paris, the first stop for the European vacation that Ralph has won from the Flakey-Wakey cereal company. Almost immediately, Ralph and Ed are hoodwinked by a "helpful" bellboy who offers to convert their American currency into French francs. As a result, the boys' wives Alice (Sheila MacRae) and Trixie (Jane Kean) are arrested for passing counterfeit money! Taped in color, this 60-minute extravaganza features several musical numbers by Lyn Duddy and Jerry Bresler. A remake of a Honeymooners sketch that originally aired live on February 9, 1957 (in which the vacationers got mixed up with black marketeers rather than counterfeiters), "The Poor People of Paris" was telecast October 8, 1966, as an episode of The Jackie Gleason Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In the sixth episode of the "Honeymooners Trip to Europe" story arc, the Kramdens and the Nortons arrive in London, the latest leg of the vacation that Ralph has won in a Flakey Wakey Cereal slogan contest. Invited to appear in a Flakey Wakey commercial on the British variety series The Gaylord Farquard Show, Ralph insists upon producing, writing, and directing the ad himself. He then casts himself and his wife Alice (Sheila MacRae) as "Lord and Lady Chumly Farthing-Gay," with his pal Ed Norton as the butler and Ed's wife Trixie (Jane Kean) as the maid. Not surprisingly, the appearance proves to be a disaster, thanks in no small part to Ralph's own ever-expanding ego and Ed's characteristic ineptitude. Louis Nye appears as Gaylord Farquard and Robert Coote plays TV executive Charles Lewis, while future Mr. Belvedere star Christopher Hewitt is seen briefly as a mealy-mouthed London pedestrian. This time around, Lyn Duddy and Jerry Bresler have contributed three songs, including the deathless "Everything Stops for Tea." A full-color remake of a Honeymooners sketch that originally aired live on March 9, 1957, "The Honeymooners in England" was telecast November 12, 1966, as an episode of The Jackie Gleason Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In the fifth episode of the "Honeymooners Trip to Europe," the vacationing Kramdens and Nortons have arrived in the little Irish village of Dunnelin, Ireland, at one time the home of Ralph's ancestor Patrick Kramden. Because of Patrick's long-ago indiscretions, a curse hangs heavily upon the village. The only way the curse can be broken is if Ralph spends the night in Kramden Castle, which is said to be haunted by the ghost of Patrick's great rival Shamus O'Toole. After several terrifying experiences, Ralph and his pal Ed Norton discover that the "ghost" is actually the head of a counterfeit sweepstakes-ticket ring! The songs, by Lyn Duddy and Jerry Bresler, include &A Brave and Courageous Man," "We'll Be Waiting Right Here," and "Hurrah for the Irish." Sheila MacRae and Jane Kean are seen as Alice and Trixie this time out. A full-color remake of a Honeymooners sketch that originally aired live on March 2, 1957, "The Curse of the Kramdens" was telecast October 29, 1966, as an episode of The Jackie Gleason Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In the second episode of the "Honeymooners Trip to Europe" story arc, the Kramdens and the Nortons board a luxury liner bound for Europe after Ralph wins an all-expense-paid vacation courtesy of Flakey Wakey cereals. But the trip is almost over before it begins when Ralph and Ed both fall overboard! The best moments include Art Carney's imitation of "Crazy Guggenham" (aka Frank Fontaine) and a "guess the actor" quiz in which the letters "J.B." somehow stand for "George Brent." Sheila MacRae and Jane Kean appear as Alice and Trixie respectively in this full-color romp, which features several sprightly songs by Lyn Duddy and Jerry Bresler. "Ship of Fools" originally aired as the October 1, 1966, edition of The Jackie Gleason Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
The Honeymooners returned to television full-force on September 17, 1966, with the first episode of the full-color "Honeymooners Trip to Europe" saga, which aired on Jackie Gleason's Miami-based variety series. Gleason and Art Carney were back as Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton, with Sheila MacRae and Jane Kean joining the cast as, respectively, Alice Kramden and Trixie Norton. "In Twenty-Five Words or Less" finds Ralph seething with jealousy when his brother-in-law (George O'Hanlon wins an all-expense-paid trip to Europe. Determined to top this, Ralph begins entering every contest imaginable, buying scores of grocery products and hoarding hundreds of box tops. Victory is his when he wins a slogan contest sponsored by Flakey-Wakey diet breakfast cereal -- but in the end, it proves to be something of a hollow triumph. Decked out in full color and with several songs by Lyn Duddy and Jerry Bresler, "In Twenty-Five Words or Less" is a remake of a Honeymooners sketch that aired live on February 2, 1957. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In the eighth episode of the "Honeymooners Trip to Europe" story arc, the Kramdens and the Nortons, still touring the continent, arrive in West Berlin. Tired of taking the usual guided tours, Ralph and Ed embark on their own little foray into the countryside -- and accidentally wander across the border into a Russian firing range, where they are promptly arrested. Our heroes attempt to escape by masquerading as a pair of Soviet commissars, but end up instead at a Russian banquet. Sheila MacRae and Jane Kean are seen as Alice and Trixie on this occasion, while TV director Edward Carney, the brother of series regular Art Carney, appears as one of the real commissars. Lyn Duddy and Jerry Bresler wrote the songs for this colorful 60-minute Cold War romp. A remake of a Honeymooners sketch that originally aired live on February 16, 1957, "We Spy" was telecast December 3, 1966, as an episode of The Jackie Gleason Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In the seventh episode of the "Honeymooners Trip to Europe" story arc, the Kramdens and the Nortons continue their vacation with a stopover in sunny Madrid. Duped into innocently posing for a compromising photograph, Ralph is subsequently blackmailed by a pair of shakedown artists, Rosita (Rita Gam) and Miguel (Marion Alcade). Certain that Alice (Sheila MacRae) will never listen to his side of the story, Ralph is faced with the daunting prospect of conning Alice out of the payoff money. This time around, it is Alice's turn to be jealous of Ralph -- until the truth is finally and hilariously revealed. The songs, by Lyn Duddy and Jerry Bresler, add extra spice to this full-color, 60-minute chucklefest. "You're In the Picture" (the title is an inside joke, referring to Jackie Gleason's disastrous attempt to launch a TV game show in 1961) first aired November 16, 1966, as an episode of The Jackie Gleason Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In the ninth and final episode of the "Honeymooners Trip to Europe" story arc, the Kramdens and the Nortons embark upon an African safari as the last leg of their vacation, even though wives Alice (Sheila MacRae) and Trixie (Jane Kean) would rather go to the Riviera. While the girls do all the cooking and cleaning, Ralph and Ed do the "great white hunter" routine, though Ed is only able to bag a rabbit. Ultimately, Ralph realizes that the safari was a big mistake, though he'll never admit this to Alice. The songs, by Lyn Duddy and Jerry Bresler, include "Boys Who Bring 'Em Back Alive," "We Must Be Out of Our Minds" and, inevitably, "It's Fun to Come Home." A full-color remake of a Honeymooners sketch that originally aired live on April 13, 1957, "Petticoat Jungle" was telecast December 10, 1966, as an episode of The Jackie Gleason Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
