Product Details

• Actors: Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows, Joyce Randolph, George Petrie
• Format: Black & White, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Mpi Home Video
• DVD Release Date: November 7, 2000
• Run Time: 135 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305957878
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #17,720 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #3 in

  Movies & TV > Television > Classic TV > The Honeymooners

• For more information about "The Very Best of the Honeymooners" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A busload of material featuring Ralph Kramden, the hefty bus driver from Brooklyn immortalized by Jackie Gleason in The Honeymooners, appears on this DVD, though the title is somewhat misleading. This production is more of a tribute to Gleason himself and his fellow performers, especially perennial sidekick Art Carney. A constant theme throughout is Gleason's remarkable ability to ad-lib when things went wrong on live television. Short clips of bloopers and improvisations involving characters such as the drunken playboy "Reginald Van Gleason" or the eternal sad sack "Poor Soul" appear frequently, along with monologue bits from Gleason's hour-long variety shows. In fact, the material featuring characters from The Honeymooners that appears is taken from sketches performed as part of the variety show, and include such classic bits as Ralph and Alice Kramden preparing to be contestants on Beat the Clock, Ralph trying to help his wife's sister to elope, and a full-length sketch in which Ralph thinks he's been fired and writes an ill-conceived letter to his boss. Art Carney takes a starring role in a bonus program entitled The Wit and Wisdom of Ed Norton. --Robert J. McNamara

Product Description

Studio: Mpi Home Video Release Date: 11/07/2000 Run time: 135 minutes Rating: Nr

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Start For A Classic To Come To DVD, May 31, 2001

By	Benjamin Okuly (Ohio) - See all my reviews

When I first got my DVD, I knew I just had to have this! I've been a fan of "The Honeymooners" for as long as I can remember (I'm currently 22) and I knew I would enjoy this DVD very much! And I really do. It's something that a fan of Jackie Gleason and "The Honeymooners" should have in their collection. My problem with the DVD lies in the fact that two of the programs on here, "Funniest Moments Vol. 1 and Vol. 2" have already been released on video, and infact are in my video collection. These are nice programs to see if you're interested in not just "Honeymooners" clips, but also clips of Reggie Van Gleason, Joe the Bartender, and other classic Jackie Gleason characters. The third program is one that I had not seen before, "The Wit and Wisdom of Ed Norton," which is a salute to our favorite sewer worker. Again, a very nice program with some pretty good clips. The final program is "Letter To The Boss," which is an entire "Honeymooners" skit from November 14, 1953. This is one of the first "long" skits featuring these characters, and while this is a nice one to feature, there probably are better skits to use. However, the quality is nice and clear (for a kinescope) but why just present the skit? Would it have hurt MPI to release the entire "Jackie Gleason Show" from that week with the June Taylor Dancers and Gleason's monologue included, as well as credits and commercials? That would have made this an automatic 5 stars! I think this is worth having, but like my title says, a good start to introducing a classic to the digital age.

Before I close, I would just like to mention that there are several "still lost" episodes in the vaults. These include the original "Honeymooners Trip To Europe" shows performed live in 1957, and the performed again in 1966 from Miami. These 1957 shows feature Audrey Meadows and Joyce Randolph (while the laters would have Sheila MacRae and Jane Kean) and these have not been seen since their original airing in 1957. If MPI wants to release a really great, valuable DVD set, then let's suggest releasing these lost gems!

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars GOOD, NOT "THE VERY BEST OF...", December 15, 2004

By	James Helberg "Actor for Hire" (Detroit, MI United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was disapointed with this DVD collection! Included are 3 clip collection segments, "Funniest Moments Vol. 1 & 2", "The Wit & Wisdom Of Ed Norton", and the full length episode "Letter To The Boss" Now, as a fan of the show,these characters, and actors who portray them I was entertained viewing this DVD. However, this does not represent the very best of the Honeymooners as the title states! A major part of the Funniest Moments bits include bloopers which in most cases they are not at their very best! I would suggest that anyone who is viewing "The Honeymooners" for the first time watch the "Original 39" episodes which are available on another collection. "The Very Best Of The Honeymooners" is best viewed by fans who have a knowledge of the history of the show and Jackie Gleason.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great bit of Nostagia, December 18, 2000

By	forrie (Nashua, NH United States) - See all my reviews

The "Very Best of" is a only a snapshot. I wish there were more completed episodes included. ( ie. top 10 shows ). There was one weak episode. If you are a "Honeymooners" buff this will only wet your appetite for more. There is almost 2 hours of entertainment.