It wasn't until "Smokey and the Bandit" rode into theaters that Gleason finally became a bankable movie star. Gleason found success on the big screen playing pool shark Minnesota Fats in "The Hustler." Yet despite earning an Oscar nomination for that dramatic supporting turn, he struggled with his subsequent film roles. Gleason earned five Emmy nominations for his various shows between 1953-1956, but sadly no wins. It was on the brand new medium of television that the comic found his greatest success, headlining "The Jackie Gleason Show" and the groundbreaking sitcom "The Honeymooners." Although it only ran for one season, the series about loudmouth bus driver Ralph Kramden (Gleason), his put-upon wife Alice (Audrey Meadows), and dimwitted neighbor Ed Norton (Art Carney) helped lay the groundwork for every situation comedy you've ever seen. Big Enos (Pat McCormick) tries to win his endorsement in his own bid for governor by delivering an elephant to the Republican National Convention in Dallas, with the help of the Bandit (Burt Reynolds) and the Snowman (Jerry Reed).īorn on February 26, 1916, Gleason worked his way up through comedy clubs before landing bit parts in movies.
On the big screen, Anderson had roles in such films as "Ride the High Country," "The Satan Bug," and "Eight Men Out." Fans of the "Smokey and the Bandit" franchise will remember his appearance as the outgoing Texas governor in the series' second installment. He's perhaps best remembered for playing " California Charlie," the used car salesman who sells Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) a new vehicle in Alfred Hitchcock's " Psycho." His lanky figure made him a favorite of TV westerns like "Gunsmoke," "Bonanza," and "The Rifleman," but he also made appearances on "M*A*S*H," "The Twilight Zone," and "Perry Mason," to name but a few. Born on October 20, 1922, Anderson got his start on Broadway with roles in such shows as "Paint Your Wagon" before moving into film and television.
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