Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson (1983) Jackie Gleason & Laurence Olivier

This 1983 HBO short film stars an unlikely pair: Jackie Gleason and Laurence Olivier.
Digitized from an HBO 3/4" U-Matic studio tape, including HBO intro and some commercials that ran immediately afterwards.

[@garyowen766]

wow I was one of the background artists and spent a week in the studio as a customer - it was all filmed in HTV studios in Bristol. I was up at around 6am every morning to get to the studio you can see me walk past a few times (13.45 and 35.55 in a dark suit) very sleep deprived ha ha. Larry was quite ill at the time, he had a bed in his dressing room. He had terrible trouble remembering his lines, and at one point all the extras were told to leave the studio as he was getting embarrassed I think they used idiot boards at that point. At 6.39 Larry's line "You look like you will go on for a long while yet" Gleeson's reply was "you make me sound like the human equivalent of a Volvo. Larry didn't get that line right the first time - he mistakenly said "You look like you will have a good innings". Gleeson replied "You make me sound like he human equivalent of a Volvo." Larry threw his hands up in evident despair and said "I've just made you sound like a batsman in the MCC". Despite his terrible problem remembering his lines He was wonderful to watch - I can always remember the bit where he pushes Jackie Gleeson out of the way using his dinner plate - just that little touch mesmerised me. I can remember Jackie saying to him, between takes, "This business has been tough... I don't know if I would do it again... would you?" To which Larry replied - "But I really can' do anything else - I can't even use a hammer properly" - and he mimed knocking in a nail. By total and absolute contrast Gleeson was not a very sympathetic man to watch, he had a servant called Mel. Gleeson chain smoked and before shooting would literally throw his cigarette across the studio for Mel to scurry over and pick up. You would hear him shout at the top of his voice "Mel get me a pizza". He really was very loud and arrogant and treated Mel like his slave. Having said that I never realised what a great performance he was putting in, but he didn't strike me as a very nice man to be honest. But Larry was of course wonderful! He went on to do King Lear after this production and I think that may have been his last film as he has some serious health issues at this point. Thank you so much for posting this its the first time I have ever had a chance to watch it - it was a very memorable experience spending a week in the studio with Laurence Olivier watching his every move. and its great to see it for the first time :)

[@katharinamkiiy7913]

Fascinating post! Telling too 😉🎬

[@alwssofy7748]

you are part of history we want to learn and watch from. thank you for the wandaful story .

[@garyowen766]

@@alwssofy7748 Thank you for that! :)

[@ppuh6tfrz646]

@@garyowen766 Do you know where the cemetery scene was filmed? It looks as though the headstones and cemetery entrance might be props.

[@garyowen766]

@@ppuh6tfrz646 Unfortunately no - I would imagine it was in the Bristol area - but I was only in the studio so was not involved in the outside filming

[@LPJack02]

RIP Sir Laurence Olivier (May 22, 1907 - July 11, 1989), aged 82 And RIP Jackie Gleason (February 26, 1916 - June 24, 1987), aged 71 You both will be remembered as legends

[@THEMCCARTNEYCHANNEL]

Two legends, an acting masterclass. I remembered this from when it was aired in the UK I was 16 thank you for uploading

[@gregconner1968]

I have spoken about this movie since I first saw it in 1983. It's incredible, with such a wonderful life lesson of love.

[@stephaniegazell5631]

I'm so happy to have been able to see this movie again. I loved it when I saw it on TV and have always wanted to see it again. Thank you!

[@FrankNotaro]

Jackie Gleason was an extraordinary actor!

[@andrelinares1198]

I had been searching for this for decades....I found the link and watched it immediately...even remembered the old HBO part at the beginning....I too, since the early 80s...telling friends about this movie...about seeing these 2 giants acting one on one in this setting...about how mesmerizing the two were acting against each other...

[@TheVetusMores]

I will never forget watching this made-for-HBO movie on its first presentation in August 1983. Utterly fascinating (and rather amusing!) to see these two disparate characters thrown together. And you, sir, have done such a wonderful job with the transfer, I simply cannot thank you enough.

[@supertrouper2550]

So many of us looking for this amazing film. Thank you so much for posting!

[@alwssofy7748]

i just learn english and life lessons from this movie more in whol life of studying in schools . so so high caliber of discussion. thank you for posting

[@carmenmccauley585]

I saw this for the first time decades ago. Shortly after, I saw an interview with Gleason who said he and Olivier decided on their own to reverse the roles they were cast for and the producers agreed. I can't find that interview on the net anywhere but I recall it vividly because it explains sooooo much about this "play".

[@katyalacrua6793]

Brilliant two actors.

[@bernardoschmidt]

WOW... saw this originally on a VHS copy in Brazil, in the early nineties. Never managed to see it again. Olivier was battling his cancer, taking jobs solely for the money... his accent is all over the place... southern, aussie, brit... but how wonderful were those guys? Thanx so much for sharing.

[@liampowell5222]

Enjoyed this last night and I’m so grateful for you having it here as it’s available nowhere else. Two geniuses at work make this a wonderful film.

[@judgedredd3568]

I remember watching this at my aunt's house in Ireland....I thought it was 81 ...guess I remembered wrong

[@michaelcrouch8783]

Love it!

[@martintolovski]

masters of the craft

[@bobclark7366]

My Goodness fine movie

[@robertd.carver6240]

Fascinating. Gleason and Olivier manage to wring every drop of drama out of a very thin, repetitive script.

[@thecharliemccormick]

Holy crap, what a movie! I (Gleason) was your wife's friend becomes equal to I (Olivier) cheated on my wife! Excellent example of the minimal requirements (tea-cup drama) for a narrative, similar to My Dinner With Andre and Tape

[@tylerdurden6208]

I saw this back in the day on broadcast tv. I mis-remembered it as two men sharing a park bench. I have been wondering of it ever since. I'm also looking for another title "Woman of the Wind". Of a widow having an affair with her husband's ex-con cellmate.

[@davidjessup7744]

"My Dinner With Andre" in feel, right?

[@fee.parasdas5225]

Both incredible acting was this Larry's last movie? Just love it mucho.

[@garyowen766]

No he did King Lear soon afterwards - I think that was his last

[@annastinehammersdottir1290]

Too bad the recording is out of sinc - it seems as though it has been dubbed.

[@KevinDotDay]

I preserved it exactly how it was on the studio tape I had. I was tempted to try to correct it, but from other people's notes this is apparently how it actually aired. I kinda get the impression that they weren't putting a lot of effort into this film after it was completed.

[@richradka]

well that is just about as odd as one could expect from those two x hbo x 1983. interesting time capsule, but definitely not how i choose remember either olivier or gleason

[@mrhat50]

Wow, I just wonder how they were able to memorize all those lines?

[@garyowen766]

Larry couldn't - it got quite embarrassing and all extras were ordered off the set and idiot boards were used

[@sgabig]

I suppose today people 's spouses can go online & argue with random people about politics on social media & it's not considered akin to an adulterous affair

[@JamesChatting]

It's not a short film

[@jjmboston9526]

Not as short as Ann and Debbie the 30 minute film with Kerr/Bloom, by the same author. But only an hour is short.

[@hellokitty777able]

SLO accent is terrible. "My fair lady". Yikes!

[@judgedredd3568]

It's Lord Olivier...and he was Awesome

[@carriegaye3403]

I agree about the ridiculous accent. It was so exaggerated and inconsistent, and the voice was so shrill. There were plenty of Jewish actors who could have played the part with a more authentic intonation. But we're supposed to think 'Sir Laurence' did everything perfectly. Reply

[@annastinehammersdottir1290]

I am always underwhelmed by Sir Larry. In "That Hamilton Woman" his wife, Vivian Leigh, easily outacted his stiff self.

[@charlesw322]

the next time I kids get in trouble I'm going to make the❤m sit here and watch two 80 year old men talk for an hour and one minute 😅😅😅😅