Jackie Gleason
(February 26, 1916 – June 24, 1987)

The Florida Comedy Guide proudly pays tribute to the "Great One". Born in 1916, no one could know at the time what an effect John Herbert Gleason would have on the comedic world. Best known for his classic character 'Ralph Kramden' on The Honeymooners, Jackie actually had a much more diverse career than many current audiences know.

Winning an amateur night contest at the Halsey Theater in Brooklyn at the ripe old age of 15, he quickly was hired as the emcee of the theater. Performing regularly in nightclubs, Jackie was "discovered" while performing at Club 18 in New York by Jack Warner himself. Mr. Warner (yes, of Warner Brothers) signed him to a contract that had him leave New York for Hollywood. He made nine films in 1941-1942 in his first stint in Hollywood, sometimes appearing as 'Jackie C. Gleason'.

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Returning to Broadway, he appeared in several plays including Artists and Models and Follow the Girls. He made his television debut on Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town. After that, he was Chester A. Riley on the short-lived series The Life of Riley.

Shortly after the death of The Life of Riley, Jackie hosted the Cavalcade of Stars, which was an immediate hit. While part of that show, the character of Ralph Kramden was created. In just a few years time history would be made with his CBS contract for The Honeymooners in 1955.

Together with Art Carney and Audrey Meadows, Jackie Gleason produced just one season of The Honeymooners under his CBS contract providing shows that still resound with audiences today. Even more remarkable is that the one season contained 39 episodes. That is far more than current series provide per season showing just how prolific the team was. The characters would continue to be revisited in the years following.

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Jackie began to receive critical acclaim as well. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on The Hustler, and won a Tony Award for Take Me Along.

In 1985, "Lost Episodes" of The Honeymooners were released exposing a new generation to "The Great One".

Jackie had strong ties to Florida, having moved to Miami in the 60's so that he could play golf daily. Florida still has strong ties to him, with one of the premier theaters in South Florida bearing his name.

On June 30, 1988, the Fifth Avenue Bus Depot in Brooklyn, New York was renamed "The Jackie Gleason Depot". After having played a bus driver for so many years as Ralph Kramden, now a whole bevy of bus drivers pay tribute to him daily when they go to work.

Though his characters were always funny, it was Jackie Gleason who always got us to laugh.

He was loved by millions and will not soon be forgotten.

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More information on the history of improv is available on the Improv Miami website and information on the history of stand-up is available on our History of Stand-Up page.