Jackie Gleason
Biography
Jackie Gleason was an American comedian and actor who drew on his Brooklyn upbringing for the brash visual and verbal humor that made him a television fixture as bus driver Ralph Kramden on The Honeymooners. He began as a nightclub performer in New York, moved into films in the 1940s, and had his break on the DuMont variety show Cavalcade of Stars, which he turned into The Jackie Gleason Show. Alongside his television work he recorded bestselling mood music albums, starting with Music for Lovers Only, and took a Tony Award for the Broadway musical Take Me Along. He earned an Academy Award nomination as pool shark Minnesota Fats in The Hustler (1961) and played Buford T. Justice in three Smokey and the Bandit movies between 1977 and 1983. Other films included All Through the Night (1942), Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962) and Soldier in the Rain (1963). His awards included three Golden Globes and five Primetime Emmys.
71years old at death
- Born Brooklyn
- Died Fort Lauderdale
- Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20
- Also credited as John Herbert Gleason
Movie Career
- Films
- 15
- Career span
- 44 years1942 to 1986
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A first
Gleason's debut album, Music for Lovers Only, spent 153 weeks on the Billboard Top Ten Charts, a record that still stands. Each of his first ten albums sold more than a million copies.
A change of course
Gleason was unable to read or write music. It was said that he thought up melodies in his head and then sang or spoke them to helpers, who wrote them down as musical notes.
Big break
Gleason's breakthrough came in 1949, when his nightclub work drew notice from New York City's inner circle and led to jobs with the young DuMont Television Network. His first DuMont part was Chester A. Riley, a blunt but softhearted aircraft worker, in the radio comedy The Life of Riley's first TV adaptation.
A role that slipped away
In 1969 William Friedkin wanted Gleason for the role of "Popeye" Doyle in The French Connection, and Gleason wanted it, but the studio said no after Gigot and Skidoo were poorly received.
Jackie Gleason movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- Smokey and the Bandit II1980 Action, Comedyas Sheriff Buford T. Justice / Gaylord Justice / Reginald Van Justice
IMDb rating 5.319K votes
Most often with
Hal Needham directed two of these films, Ralph Nelson two. Six actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Burt Reynolds's page
Michael Constantine's page
Paul Williams's page
Mike Henry's page
Jerry Reed's page
Pat McCormick's page
All films by Hal Needham
All films by Ralph Nelson
Box office
What Jackie Gleason's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$295 million
8 of the 15 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 15 films: 8 worldwide figure; 2 us gross only; 5 figure not found.
- 8Worldwide figure
- 2US gross only
- 5Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$127M42.9% of the total
- 2$66M22.4% of the total
- 3$47M16.0% of the total
- 4$32M11.0% of the total
- 5$7.6M2.6% of the total
- 6$7.0M2.4% of the total
- 7$6.3M2.2% of the total
- 8$2.0M0.7% of the total
Awards
Four awards and honors from 1960 to 1967, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Awards | |||
| 1960 | Best Actor in a Musical | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| 1967 | Amateur Cartoonist Extraordinary Award | Won | |
| Peabody Awards | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.