Jackie Gleason Biography Christened “The Great One” by Orson Welles after a long and liquid night on the town, Jackie Gleason embraced all that the title implied. His penchant for fine food, generously poured scotch and beautiful women; his ability to dominate a room, a stage or the screen; his taste for custom-made suits, monogrammed shirts and the ubiquitous red carnation; his appetite.