"The Honeymooners" began as a sketch on the television show "Cavalcade of Stars", which Gleason hosted. The sketches were so popular Gleason reworked the concept into a half-hour series.

What is now known as the "classic 39" episodes of "The Honeymooners" are the ones that originally aired as a weekly half-hour sitcom on CBS from October 1955 to September 1956. Different versions of "The Honeymooners", sometimes with different actresses playing Alice and Trixie, came and went until 1978.

Bus driver Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason) and his best friend sewer worker Ed Norton (Art Carney) were two of the three hundred members of the fictitious lodge International Order of Friendly Sons of the Raccoons. Monthly dues were $2.

"The Honeymooners" was one of the first shows on television depicting real working class people living in a rather "broken down" apartment building.

More Info: freemasonry.bcy.ca