Franklin Dean
The Honeymooners, which aired in the 1950s, has become a cultural icon. The series followed Ralph and Alice Kramden, a bus driver and his long-suffering wife, as they navigated life together in their somewhat depressing Brooklyn apartment. The Kramdens' address was very much real and still stands today, but it's not in the neighbourhood the Kramdens were said to live in. So, where did the Honeymooners live?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the show | The Honeymooners |
| Number of seasons | 1 |
| Year(s) aired | 1955-56 |
| Number of episodes | 39 |
| Main characters | Ralph Kramden, Alice Kramden, Ed Norton, Trixie |
| Address of the Kramdens' home | 328 Chauncey Street, apartment 3-A |
| Neighborhood of the Kramdens' home | Bensonhurst, Brooklyn |
| Actual neighborhood of the address | Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn |
| Filming location | Adelphi Theatre, 152 West 54th Street, Manhattan |
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What You'll Learn
The Kramdens' apartment was modelled on Jackie Gleason's boyhood home
The Kramdens' apartment in "The Honeymooners" was modelled on Jackie Gleason's boyhood home. The actor, who played Ralph Kramden, insisted that the set designers recreate the apartment he lived in with his mother as a boy. The address of the apartment, 328 Chauncey Street, Apartment 3-A, was even used as Ralph Kramden's address on the show.
Gleason described his childhood home as "dull", with bare surroundings and dim lighting. This tenement apartment in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn inspired the Kramdens' dingy apartment in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. The show's writers also included other real-life spots in Brooklyn and Manhattan, giving viewers a flavour of life in 1950s New York City.
While the Kramdens' address is real, it is not in the neighbourhood depicted in the show. The address is actually in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighbourhood of Brooklyn, but Gleason and the crew behind the show thought that Bensonhurst sounded more recognisable as a New York neighbourhood.
The set design of the Kramdens' apartment was so influential that it inspired the Ralph Kramden statue at the Port Authority Bus Terminal. The statue depicts Gleason's character in his bus driver's uniform, carrying his lunch pail.
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The Kramdens' address was real
The Kramdens' address was very much real, and the building still stands today. However, it is not in the neighbourhood the Kramdens were said to live in. Ralph and Alice Kramden were said to live in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, at 328 Chauncey Street. However, this address is actually in the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighbourhood of Brooklyn.
The reason for this discrepancy is that Gleason and the crew behind the show thought Bensonhurst sounded more recognisable as a New York neighbourhood. Gleason's upbringing in Brooklyn inspired The Honeymooners, and he insisted that the Kramden apartment be modelled after one of his boyhood homes in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn: 328 Chauncey Street, apartment 3-A. Gleason described the apartment as "dull", with bare surroundings and not-very-bright bulbs.
Gleason wanted the apartment to reflect the kind of home he was raised in, and because he was proud of his mother for raising him alone, he always wanted Alice to win the battles in the show. Chauncey Street is near a subway stop, and while it isn't filled with hipsters, they are circling. The building still stands, but it is now an office tower with the address of 1325 Avenue of the Americas.
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The show was filmed in Manhattan
The Honeymooners was filmed in Manhattan, New York City. All 39 episodes of the show were filmed at the Adelphi Theatre, 152 West 54th Street. The Adelphi was owned by the Dumont Television Network, which used its Electronicam cameras to film the show. The Electronicam cameras shot film and television through a single lens, giving the show its high-quality images.
The Adelphi Theatre was later renamed the 54th Street Theatre. It was razed in 1970, and an office tower now stands in its place, using the address 1325 Avenue of the Americas.
The show was filmed before a live audience in the theatre, and all the exteriors were stage sets. The sets were designed to reflect the kind of home that star and producer Jackie Gleason was raised in. Gleason established Jackie Gleason Enterprises and moved into the Park Sheraton Hotel in Manhattan. The 7-room 23rd-floor penthouse suite served as both Gleason's apartment and the writers' offices.
The show is set in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, with the Kramden apartment modelled after one of Gleason's boyhood homes in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn: 328 Chauncey Street, apartment 3-A. The Bensonhurst address was chosen because Gleason and the crew thought it sounded more recognisable as a New York neighbourhood.
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The Kramdens' upstairs neighbours were their best friends
Gleason, who played Ralph Kramden, insisted on this address, despite it not being located in Bensonhurst, as he felt it sounded more like a recognisable New York neighbourhood. The apartment was described as dull, with bare surroundings and dim lighting. This set design was intentional, as Gleason wanted to reflect the kind of home he was raised in. Growing up in a working-class family, he wanted to showcase the reality of blue-collar life in New York City.
The show, which ran for one season from 1955-1956, is considered a pivotal sitcom in television history. It provided a glimpse into the lives of working-class New Yorkers in the 1950s. The Kramdens' upstairs neighbours, the Nortons, added a layer of comedy to the show with their wacky personalities. Ed Norton, played by Art Carney, provided a perfect foil to his on-screen wife Trixie, played by Joyce Randolph.
The characters of Ralph and Alice Kramden navigated life in their somewhat depressing apartment, with Ralph often tormenting his long-suffering wife with get-rich-quick schemes that never succeeded. Despite the humble setting, the show and its characters left a lasting impact on viewers, with many still enjoying re-runs of the classic 39 episodes today.
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The show featured real-life spots in Brooklyn and Manhattan
The Honeymooners, which aired in the 1950s, has become a cultural icon. The series followed Ralph Kramden, a bus driver, and his wife, Alice Kramden, as they navigated life together in their somewhat depressing Brooklyn apartment. The Kramdens' address was very much real and still stands today, but it is not in the neighbourhood the Kramdens were said to live in. Ralph and Alice were said to live in Bensonhurst, but the actual address is in the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighbourhood of Brooklyn. The show's creator, Jackie Gleason, and the crew behind it thought that Bensonhurst sounded more recognisable as a New York neighbourhood. Gleason also wanted the apartment to reflect the kind of home he was raised in, so he insisted that the Kramden apartment be modelled after one of his boyhood homes in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn: 328 Chauncey Street, apartment 3-A.
The show featured many real addresses in Brooklyn and Manhattan, giving viewers a flavour of life in 1950s New York City. For example, in one episode, Alice gets a babysitting job at 383 Himrod Street in Brooklyn, which is two miles away from the Kramdens. However, it is important to note that the show was entirely filmed before an audience at a theatre in midtown Manhattan, and all the exteriors were stage sets.
The Adelphi Theatre, located at 152 West 54th Street in Manhattan, served as the filming location for all 39 episodes of The Honeymooners. The theatre was owned by the Dumont Television Network, which used its innovative Electronicam cameras to film the show. These cameras were able to shoot film and television through a single lens, contributing to the high-quality images of the show. After The Honeymooners wrapped, the playhouse was renamed the 54th Street Theater and was eventually razed in 1970. Today, an office tower stands on the site, using the address 1325 Avenue of the Americas.
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Frequently asked questions
Ralph and Alice Kramden lived in a dingy apartment in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. Their address was 328 Chauncey Street, which is in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. The Kramdens' best friends, Ed Norton and his wife Trixie, lived upstairs.
While the show mentioned many real addresses in Brooklyn and Manhattan, it was entirely filmed in a theater in midtown Manhattan, and all the exteriors were stage sets.
Yes, Jackie Gleason insisted that the Kramden apartment be modeled after one of his boyhood homes in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn: 328 Chauncey Street, apartment 3-A.
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