I'm sure there are a lot of TV fans out there who really don't know Gleason or his work, or if they do know it, it's from his work on The Honeymooners. They don't remember the other TV shows he had (which aren't usually shown anymore) or his work in films like The Hustler, Gigot, and Requiem For A Heavyweight (OK, maybe they're familiar with Smokey and the Bandit). Nor are they aware of his innovative sitcom filming techniques, using multiple cameras to film the show for videotape.

Today is Jackie Gleason's birthday (he was born in 1916), and there's a new official web site up at JackieGleason.com, and it's quite good. Not only do you get pictures and an in-depth career timeline and forums, there are also various video clips to watch, including Gleason as characters such as Joe The Bartender, The Poor Soul, Rum Dum, and, of course, Ralph Kramden.

YouTube also has some classic Gleason clips. After the jump, Ed Norton trying to teach Ralph how to play golf.