Joyce Randolph (1924–2024)

Joyce Randolph, aka Trixie Norton, the last Honeymooner, has died at the age of ninety-nine. The New York Times has an obituary (gift link).

Randolph was the subject of a Times article in 2007 (gift link), which described her gracious response to fans who spotted her in Sardi’s: “‘I talk to everyone,’ she said. ‘You can’t be hoity.’”

One error in the appreciative and otherwise well-informed Times obituary: in the Honeymooners episode “Better Living Through TV” (November 12, 1955), Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton do not invent the Handy Housewife Helper. The brother of one of Ralph’s fellow bus drivers has a Bronx warehouse in which someone left 2,000 of the gadgets. Ralph and Ed buy the lot for $200 and attempt — attempt — to sell them via a television commercial. It does not go well.

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July 19, 2024: The Times will not be correcting the error. Details here.

Related reading
All OCA Honeymooners posts (Pinboard)