Extremely rare authentic-- not one of those through-the-mail, secretarially-signed examples from later in his life so many people falsely believe are real!-- vintage 8x10-inch black and white portrait from Mr. Billion (1977), boldly signed and inscribed in black ballpoint pen in-person for a Los Angeles, California-based collector around the time of the film. Accompanied by a letter from the third-party authenticator J.S.A. and in fine condition, with some wear and chipping around the edges, from previous framing, and the "T" in "To" grazing the left edge. Legendary Jackie Gleason, known affectionately as "The Great One," made his bones in assorted supporting roles in films and on DuMont Television's "Calvalcade of Stars" (1949-1952). It was on the latter that he first appeared as Ralph Kramden, opposite Pert Kelton as Alice and Art Carney as "denizen of the deep" Ed Norton, in the earliest "Honeymooners" skits. The program would later be renamed "The Jackie Gleason Show" (1952-1955), and, three years after that, with Kelton replaced by Audrey Meadows, the inimitable star would portray loud-mouthed, overweight, pipe-dreaming bus driver Ralph Kramden on T.V.'s "The Honeymooners" (1955-1956) in the incarnation we all know and love.

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