“How Sweet It Is: The Jackie Gleason Story”
We have FOUR Books to Give Away this month!
“How Sweet It Is adds new luster, dimension and
depth to an American original”
– Paul Newman
It’s time for our next book giveaway contest! CMH will be giving away FOUR COPIES of How Sweet It Is by syndicated columnist James Bacon, courtesy of Doris Bacon, from now through Feb 27.
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In order to qualify to win one of these prizes via this contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, Feb 27 at 6PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chance you have of winning, because we will pick a winner on four different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below. So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over.
- Feb 6: One Winner
- Feb 13: One Winner
- Feb 20: One Winner
- Feb 27: One Winner
We will announce each week’s winner on Twitter @ClassicMovieHub, the day after each winner is picked around 10PM EST — for example, we will announce our first week’s winner on Sunday Feb 7 around 10PM EST on Twitter. And, please note that you don’t have to have a Twitter account to enter; just see below for the details.
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And now on to the contest!
ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, Feb 27, 2021 at 6PM EST — BUT remember, the sooner you enter, the more chances you have to win…
1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post
2) Then TWEET (not DM) the following message*:
Just entered to win the “How Sweet It Is: The Jackie Gleason Story” by James Bacon #BookGiveaway courtesy of @JBaconHollywood & CMH – #CMHContest You can #EnterToWin here: http://ow.ly/eObl50DtphB
THE QUESTION:
What do you love most about Jackie Gleason or his work?
*If you do not have a Twitter account, you can still enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.
NOTE: if for any reason you encounter a problem commenting here on this blog, please feel free to tweet or DM us, or send an email to clas…@gmail.com and we will be happy to create the entry for you.
ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…
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About the Author and Book: James Bacon was the ultimate insider of Hollywood’s Golden Era as a syndicated columnist for 41 years, first with the Associated Press and then with the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner. He sipped champagne with Sophia Loren, drank vodka with Joan Crawford and got a first-hand account of Marilyn Monroe’s affair with JFK. During his lifetime, Bacon compiled his memorable celebrity encounters in two books, “Hollywood is a Four-Letter Town,” (1976) and “Made in Hollywood” (1977), which the New York Times called “frank, spicy and entertaining.” He also wrote an acclaimed biography of Jackie Gleason, “How Sweet it Is” (1985) which was celebrated by notables like Paul Newman, Frank Sinatra and Laurence Olivier. His widow, Doris Bacon, has decided to reissue the books, long unavailable on Amazon, in Bacon’s spirit. They are entertaining reads, crammed with stories and inside scoop on Hollywood’s biggest names, from Monroe to Elizabeth Taylor to John Wayne to Bette Davis and more.
Click here for the full contest rules.
Please note that only United States (excluding the territory of Puerto Rico) AND Canada entrants are eligible. No P.O. Boxes please.
And — BlogHub members ARE eligible to win.
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Good Luck!
And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can purchase the on amazon by clicking here:
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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub
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Jackie Gleason was a master of comedy. Even when as Ralph Morton on “The Honeymooners” TV series when he acted as the bully there was always a vulnerability that came through. He was a consummate actor.
I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message. On suspension.
The best part about The Great One Jackie Gleason is his range…From the befuddles soda jerk in Larceny Inc, to The sad and sympathetic Minnesota Fats to the hilarious Buford T. Justice and finally his poignant role in Nothing in common…He was an accomplished composer, a television pioneer, a much larger than life figure. His portrait hung on the wall in Miami Beach’s Wolfie Cohens Rascal House for many years…ICONIC in television, movies and a LEGEND!!!!!!!
Jackie Gleason–what a talent and a pure original. He came to TV when the industry was still in its early years, and by watching what he did on these early shows on Dumont demonstrates to me his extraordinary talents. I grew up with his CBS series, now realizing how he had brought everything up a notch or two! His shows brought some of the best TV entertainment ever, and was big in our household.
I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.
Growing up, I watched The Honeymooners in reruns at night. I loved the way Jackie Gleason’s presence as Ralph was so strong on screen, even against his formidable wife Alice. I enjoyed his charismatic presence again as a kid watching him in the Smokey and the Bandit films. Back to TV,Gleason always knew what he wanted and surrounded himself with strong actors and comedians to make the best shows possible. When one of his shows “You’re in the Picture” went poorly, he spend the whole next episode apologizing for it.
I loved Gleason’s transition into films as well and willingness to show his serious side. Besides The Hustler, I loved his performance in Soldier in the Rain, a Steve McQueen film I’d never seen until TCM played it.
I love the Honeymooners! Jackie Gleason was so good at playing an average Joe, but always trying to make things better for Alice. He wasn’t the smartest and fell for a lot of scams, but he did it for her because she was his world, in spite of all the bickering. Most of the dialogue would be considered inappropriate today, but I don’t care. All I see is the love they had for each other and how both would do anything for the other. Also, for a larger man, he wasn’t afraid to do his own stunts even though some did not seem safe at all.
That he can be a very funny smart aleck, no matter what movie he is in, he can also sound serious but funny at the same time.
My whole family watched the Jackie Gleason show and the Honeymooners. In the Jackie Gleason show, I always liked Joe the bartender and we all loved him as Ralph, the bus driver.
I know he did several movies, the Hustler which he was fabulous in and Smokey and the Bandit with his dry comedic talent are both favorites.
What I love the most about Jackie Gleason is his work on The Honeymooners as Ralph Kramden. I love his over the top banter with Audrey Meadows as Alice Kramden. I always laughed whenever they argued and it brings a lot of good memories.
His perfect comedic timeing and then his ability to play it straight a fraction later true genius.
The range is fascinating.. so well known for the broad comedy, but capable of such finer detail, or to be utterly brusque and brutal; all unquestionably believable.
In addition to Jackie Gleason’s acting skills, and I consider him more an actor than comedian, he was also an excellent musician and conductor. He was the classic Pagliacci…the sad clown. His vulnerability was heart-breaking. Also consider his dancing skills. For a man his size, he was very light on his feet! What’s not to like about a consummate performer!
I remember watching Jackie in reruns of The Honeymooners on Channel 11, watched his show from Miami when I was a kid with Sheila McCrae taking over as Alice. I got to see Jackie as a dramatic actor in The Hustler with Paul Newman as Minnesota Fats. He was fabulous. I also saw him in later films such as The Tiy with Richard Pryor and his last film, Nothing in Common with Tom Hanks. As I once read, and why The Honeymooners remains timeless is Jackie never rehearsed. What you saw was a true performance. It was like a play. He was a perfectionist. He never thought the so called list episodes were as good as what we now call, The Classic 39. He always wanted to send Alice to the moon, but we fans Loved him to the Moon 🌙 and Back. He is so missed. I still watch the Honeymooners & know all the lines. “Baby, he was “The Greatest”!
Watching his show with the June Taylor Dancers, and his trademark line: How sweet it is!
Such a funny and versatile actor and comedian. I didn’t know that he also had a very large book collection that went to the University of Miami after he passed. Thanks for the chance to win a copy of this great tribute.
What do you love most about Jackie Gleason or his work? Jackie was indeed “The Great One.” He was one of the most talented performers on television and he could do virtually anything. It was always fun seeing him on camera, and his Buford T Justice is a comedy icon.
Did you know Jackie Gleason, or as Orson Welles dubbed him, The Great One, appeared on Broadway in the musical-comedy, Take Me Along! And he won a Tony Award for his remarkable performance.
Did you know because William Bendix was unavailable due to movie commitments, Jackie Gleason was the first Chester A. Riley on the Life of Riley television series for one season?
Did you know due to Jackie’s fascination with UFOs, Gleason built a home in Peekskill New York in the shape of a flying saucer? It is still there…
Did you know he agreed to appear in Smokey and the Bandit because Burt Reynolds allowed him to write all of his own comic dialogue?
Did you know Gleason’s outstanding dramatic abilities were recognized by the great Laurence Olivier who agreed to share the screen with him in an HBO feature entitled, Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson?
They did not call Jackie Gleason the Great One for nothing!