Meet the TV host who pulled Miami Beach back from the dead

Jackie Gleason’s $550,000 Deal That Saved Miami Beach

Miami Beach got its big break over a glass of champagne. In 1964, Mayor Melvin Richard flew to New York and struck a deal with Jackie Gleason in just four hours.

The city put up $250,000 to fix the Miami Beach Auditorium, while Gleason added $300,000 more. Soon after, his CBS variety show moved south, beaming color images of Miami to millions each week.

For six years, viewers watched boats speed toward shore at the start of each episode as Gleason dubbed Miami the “sun and fun capital of the world.”

His pitch worked.

Tourists poured in, saving a struggling resort town and changing Florida forever. The story lives on at what’s now called The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater.

Golf Year-Round Lured Gleason to Florida

Jackie Gleason first visited Lantana, Florida in the early 1960s when his golf buddies invited him down. The comedian fell in love with the idea of playing golf every day in sunny South Florida.

He filmed his CBS show “American Scene Magazine” from New York, but those freezing winters made him dream of palm trees and golf courses.

Miami Beach publicist Hank Meyer spotted a chance and pitched Gleason an idea: move the entire show to Miami Beach.

With his program in the top 17 shows nationally, Gleason could make big demands.

Mayor Sealed the Deal Over Champagne

Miami Beach Mayor Melvin Richard flew to New York in 1964 because Gleason wouldn’t talk business with anyone else.

They met at a famous restaurant where Gleason first asked about Richard’s drink choice and golf skills. The two clicked right away. Just four hours and several champagne bottles later, they finished the whole deal.

The city agreed to spend $250,000 fixing the Miami Beach Auditorium while Gleason added another $300,000 from his own pocket.

The star also promised to promote Miami Beach during each show.

The Great Gleason Express Rolled South

Gleason’s final New York show aired on May 23, 1964. After that, he hired an entire 14-car train called “The Great Gleason Express” to move his whole operation to Florida.

The train carried 113 people including performer Steve Lawrence, the June Taylor Dancers, musicians, writers, crew members, their families, and even their furniture.

Gleason hired a special Dixieland band to play throughout the two-day trip south. The move wasn’t just a move but a big media event that grabbed headlines across America.

Party Train Consumed 2,614 Liquor Bottles

The Great Gleason Express turned into a non-stop party that went through more than 500 pounds of meat and exactly 2,614 one-shot liquor bottles during the trip.

Passengers used 40 boxes of aspirin and countless Bloody Marys the morning after their all-night parties.

The train stopped at planned spots where photographers took pictures of Gleason at race tracks, pool halls, and golf courses.

Famous gossip writer Hedda Hopper joined the trip, writing about every colorful moment for newspapers across the country.

Thousands Greeted the Star’s Arrival

The train pulled into Miami on August 3, 1964, where thousands of fans lined the tracks. People waited for hours in the Florida heat just to see Gleason and his famous crew get off the train.

The arrival became a major news event, with local CBS station WTVJ filming a special program about it. All the buzz and media coverage showed that Miami Beach was about to become a major television production center.

The city had never hosted such a high-profile entertainment operation before.

Color TV Showcased Miami’s Beauty

After summer break, the first Miami Beach show aired on September 26, 1964, from the newly fixed-up Miami Beach Auditorium.

Announcer Johnny Olson started each episode calling Miami Beach the “sun and fun capital of the world.”

The show now broadcast in bright color on videotape, a big step up from the New York production that showed off Miami’s blue waters and sunny skies.

Johnny Olson had to balance a busy travel schedule, often flying between New York and Miami for his other announcing jobs.

Speedboat Opening Shots Captivated America

Every episode began with a camera on a speedboat racing toward Miami Beach.

This opening gave millions of viewers amazing views of Miami Beach hotels, sparkling waters, bridges, and clean beaches.

Gleason did his monologue, joked with bandleader Sammy Spear, and played his beloved characters like Ralph Kramden and Joe the Bartender.

Shows ended with Gleason shouting his famous closing line about Miami Beach crowds being the greatest in the world. These weekly images of paradise reached living rooms across America during cold northern winters.

Free Tickets Created Block-Long Lines

The theater gave out 2,000 free tickets for each taping, creating lines that stretched around Jackie Gleason Drive and west to 17th Street.

Though his contract only needed him to mention Miami Beach once per show, Gleason promoted the city often and with gusto.

Millions of Americans watched weekly as he showed off the resort town, leading waves of vacationers to book trips to South Florida.

Tourism dollars flowed into hotels, restaurants, and attractions throughout the region. Many visitors said seeing the city on Gleason’s show made them want to visit.

Honeymooners Revival Pushed Ratings Higher

The show dropped the “American Scene Magazine” format in 1966 and became simply “The Jackie Gleason Show.” The series featured new color episodes of The Honeymooners with Art Carney, Sheila MacRae, and Jane Kean.

Ratings jumped to number 5 in Nielsen ratings during the 1966-1967 season and stayed strong at number 9 in 1967-1968.

The musical Honeymooners episodes and variety format with celebrity guests kept audiences coming back week after week.

Gleason had moved his New York hit show to Florida without losing viewers.

CBS Wanted Younger Viewers

By the 1968-1969 season, the show still held good ratings at number 25, and CBS renewed it for an eighth season.

Network bosses, however, started pushing for shows that would attract younger audiences with more urban content.

CBS began canceling expensive variety shows with older viewers, including longtime stars Red Skelton and Ed Sullivan.

Gleason went on a diet in 1969 and lost 60 pounds, shocking viewers when the show returned that September.

Six Years of National Spotlight Ended

CBS announced the show’s cancellation on February 16, 1970, after disagreements about its direction. The network wanted Gleason to focus exclusively on new Honeymooners episodes, but he refused and walked away.

The final original episode aired on February 28, 1970, featuring a Honeymooners sketch called “Operation Protest” about 1960s youth demonstrations.

The show gave Miami Beach six years of weekly national exposure from 1964 to 1970, completely transforming the city’s image.

What began with a champagne-fueled negotiation ended as one of the most successful city marketing campaigns in American television history.

Visiting Miami Beach, Florida

You can visit the Jackie Gleason Theater at 1700 Washington Ave to see where the comedian’s variety show put Miami Beach on the map in 1964.

There’s a historical marker outside about Gleason and his show that made the city famous as the “sun and fun capital.”

The theater only opens for ticketed events like concerts and comedy shows. Check their box office on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11am-6pm or call 305-938-2509 for showtimes.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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