Remembering Jackie Gleason
- The late Jackie Gleason was one of the biggest stars in the ’50s and ’60s. The actor and musicianbest known for playing Ralph Kramden on The Honeymooners died 34 years ago of cancer at 71 years old.
- Gleason’s death certificate stated that he died two months after a liver cancer diagnosis, but did not state details of his colon cancer, according to the AP’s report at the time.
- The comedian was known for an excessive lifestyle and was a notorious drinker. Experts agree that moderation is key, and the healthier your lifestyle, the lower your risk.
Gleason’s death certificate stated that he died two months after a liver cancer diagnosis, but did not state details of his colon cancer, according to the AP’s report at the time.
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Gleason’s 1954-1955 variety show The Jackie Gleason Show was a great success and gave him the opportunity to showcase much of his diverse comedic talent. The late legend also performed live theater here and there for nearly four decades. He won a Tony Award for his performance in the 1959 Broadway musical Take Me Along. He nabbed an Oscar nomination for his performance in the 1961 film The Hustler, which starred Paul Newman.
Gleason was also a composer and recorded over 35 albums and sold millions of records. Apparently, the “roly poly” larger than life personality was “on” at all times, and adored the public eye. This was potentially because his father left when he was young, he lost his older brother when he was three years old, and his mother died young in 1932.
After such a tragic upbringing, the New Yorker set out to have a family of his own and had two daughters, Geraldine and Linda, with his first wife, Genevieve Halford, who was a dancer. They married in 1936. The couple lasted until 1971 and then Gleason married his former secretary, Beverly McKittrick. This marriage was short-lived and finally he gave marriage a go one final time and settled with longtime friend Marilyn Taylor Horwich until his death.
Gleason’s Health Issues
Gleason always had a larger frame and was known for a gluttonous, excessive lifestyle. His weight was borderline obese at times. He was a notorious drinker and had no problem with overindulging. Although the timeline of his cancer journey and health details are unclear, it is generally not a good idea to overdo it with any vices in life. Moderation is key, and experts say that there is a correlation between an unhealthy lifestyle and cancer.
Even healthy people get cancer, and sometimes it can be due to a family history or even environmental factors, but alcohol and a poor diet can increase your risk.
Related: There's a Proven Link Between Alcohol and Breast Cancer Risk So Why Don't We Hear About It?
In between proactive check-ups at the doctor, keeping a healthy lifestyle is key in cancer prevention.
Dr. Ken Miller, director of outpatient oncology at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview what he thinks are the top lifestyle tips for a cancer survivor. "One is exercise, I want you to do be doing at least two hours a week of exercise, and walking counts. I personally recommend a low-fat diet. I recommend a colorful diet. And the fourth, is I recommend being close to an ideal body weight."
When it comes to alcohol's influence on cancer risk, the data is mixed. Colorectal surgeon Dr. Heather Yeo says that she does believe high levels of alcohol can predispose people to certain types of cancerincluding pancreatic, liver and colon.
But Dr. Yeo says the key with alcohol is moderation. Her view is "for women, anything over a half a glass or a glass a day is probably not helping your overall health. For men, they can probably go one to two glasses before they start seeing health effects."
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