John Herbert Gleason (February 26, 1916 – June 24, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, writer, and composer who Orson Welles tapped as "The Great One." He developed a style and characters from growing up in Brooklyn, New York and was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy, exemplified by his city bus driver character Ralph Kramden in the television series The Honeymooners. notable film roles were Minnesota Fats in 1961's The Hustler (co-starring with Paul Newman) and Buford T. Justice in the Smokey and the Bandit series from 1977 to 1983 (co-starring Burt Reynolds). Gleason enjoyed a prominent secondary music career during the 1950s and 1960s, producing a series of best-selling "mood music" albums. Al Stewart captured “The Great One” while he was recording his album at Capitol Records in New York Titled Jackie Gleason Plays the Most Beautiful Girl in the World in 1959. “I took this photograph during a break in the session, Jackie straddled a chair, leaned back a bit with a cigarette between his lips, and smiled approvingly as he listened to a playback of a new arrangement we had just recorded.” Signed on mat and under photo. Overall Size: 16 x 20 in. Sight Size: 10 1/2 x 12 1/2 in. #17 Location AF GALLERY