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1955 CBS Promotional Picture for "The Honeymooners"

From Marc A – Mr. Pop – Your site is tremendous and very appreciated. Can you please tell me – why Jackie Gleason stopped making the classic “Honeymooners” show during the 1955 season. It’s just not clear.

Mr. Pop History – “The Honeymooners” classic TV show from the 1955-1956 TV season only shot 39 episodes and your question is a valid one. Remember, “The Honeymooners” originally came from the Gleason variety show – so what Gleason did was to divide the hour up – one for just “The Honeymooners” as a stand-alone and the other was a half-hour variety program called “Stage Show.” The problem was – “The Honeymooners” got great ratings, but “Stage Show” (emceed not by Gleason, but the Dorsey Brothers) didn’t – due to its competition – The Perry Como Show. Sponsor Buick was going to pick-up another year of “The Honeymooners” but Gleason opted to put everything back in his original variety show format for the 1956 season. He didn’t like a loser. 

Jackie Gleason was as sharp a business person as he was a producer and actor. The whole idea of making the Honeymooners a stand-alone – was to syndicate it – and his model there was “I Love Lucy” – which was partly in re-runs on the CBS schedule. Even with 39 episodes – he sold the show to syndication in 1957 for $1.5 million.