OT: Happy Anniversary to The Jack Benny Show

[Barb Herholzer]

THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM (first known as THE CANADA DRY PROGRAM) first went on the air on this date in 1932, 75 years ago. Thanks for the laughs, Jack (and Rochester, Don, Dennis, Mary, Mel, Phil, and everyone else)!

[Cartoon King]

Thanks for the reminder! I knew about this at the first of the year, but life has a tendancy of getting away from me. To me, this is the best OTR show out there. Happy Anniversary to Jack and the Gang!

[ohmahaaha]

What a great show ... and what a great cast including our beloved Mel Blanc. I sure would like to see a quality DVD release of his TV shows - is there anything out there that is any good in the way of DVDs?

[Leviathan]

Benny Hill was SO much better..... (Ha, Ha, Ha!)

But seriously, I'll pay my respects to the occasion as well

[J Lee]

I heard the first show earlier this year, when XM Radio broadcast Jack's inaugural show, as well as his final radio broadcast. It was interesting to see how much closer to an Ed Sullivan-type program they gave Jack in 1932 (though at least he was allowed to joke a little bit more than Ed did), and how the show developed over the next 5-10 years.

[mmtper]

Here's 2 nice bits with Jack and our man Mel Blanc:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIa7GYstYOQ&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldy08CMyl9w&mode=related&search=

[Tim Lones]

Deep Discount DVD has some Benny DVD's, including a 24-episode set..Mostly Public Domain material though. Laura Leff, who may be Benny's number one fan, helps the Jack Benny Heirs with legal issues about film clip usage on TV, etc. She has been working on trying to get a good DVD set out for years..

http://search.deepdiscount.com/search?w=Jack+Benny&af=&x=8&y=5

[Eugene the Jeep]

Here's something he did with Walt Disney: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERtZGH8Gn54

[janiepooh34]

I have a few copies of some of his Radio Shows from the 40's, they are still great to listen to today! Love that Rochester.

One is a story taking place around Christmas. One of the advertisements he does is everyone is getting a carton of Lucky Strikes for Christmas in their special Christmas packaging-yee haw!

Anyone have good links to old timey radio shows, please PM me!

[Barb Herholzer]

Here's a link to the Jack Benny Radio Archives.

http://benny.crispy.com/ (http://benny.crispy.com/)

They've got quite a few episodes in MP3 format, including East and West coast versions of a single show. Plus an episode guide, and other links.

[Cartoon King]

Also good:

http://154.ca/otr/list.cgi?id=15

They have about the most complete set. And of course a good Benny site:

http://www.jackbenny.org/ :)

[Stanislav]

Thanks for the laughs, Jack (and Rochester, Don, Dennis, Mary, Mel, Phil, and everyone else)!

And don't forget Frank (Nelson).

EEEEEYYYEEESSSSS???

The "Si-Sy-Sue" thing with Jack and Mel is a classic. It's the quintessential example of a routine that on paper looks absolutely ridiculous -- what's so funny about this? -- but Mel's hangdog deadpan delivery and Jack's reactions (and attempts to stifle laughter -- seems that was one routine that almost always caused him to start to lose his composure)....well, comedy gold.

My 79 year old mother has one very weak, almost non-functional vocal cord and, as a result, has a very raspy voice. She gets a kick out of my teasing her when I want to get her attention by calling, "Oh, Rochester?" in my best Benny voice.

(Note: to those who think that cruel given my mother's age, rest assured she and I have spent a lifetime playfully insulting each other, and as frail as she is now, she can still dish it out as well as she takes it...) ;)

[rp-j]

I used to love watching the TV version of the Jack Benny Programme when BBC2 here used to have a 90-minute slot of 50's US TV once a week: Jack Benny, followed by The Nat King Cole show, followed by Burns & Allen - great stuff!:cool:

[Treadwell]

I've been listening to Jack Benny MP3s for a couple of years now. There are missing eps here and there but I'm up to 1942 now. It's been fun to experience the progression of the show, and the comings and goings of players. I've heard Mel over the last 2 or 3 years worth of shows but he has yet to do the Maxwell! Actually right "now" the Maxwell has been gone for some time, as Jack turned it in for scrap for the war effort. I'm curious to see how they resurrect it later.

So far the show has never been called "The Jack Benny Show/Program". First it was the Canada Dry Program, then it was Firestone Tire, then something else I forget, then Jell-o for a long time, and "now" it's another General Foods product, the Grape Nuts Flakes Program. I understand it goes back to Jell-O later.

And don't forget Frank (Nelson).

EEEEEYYYEEESSSSS???

Yeah, but he was only on for a short period very early on and never did the EEYYYESSS bit. I guess he came up with that later.

[Cartoon King]

It doesn't go back to Jell-o. After Grape Nuts begins Jack's long tenure with Lucky Strikes!

[Treadwell]

Interesting. My mom claims to remember the Jell-o jingle from the Benny show but she was born during the Grape Nuts tenure.

[Fibber Fox]

So far the show has never been called "The Jack Benny Show/Program". First it was the Canada Dry Program, then it was Firestone Tire, then something else I forget, then Jell-o for a long time,

Chevrolet. References to the cars were even included in sketches. I've heard a couple of shows where they were giving away cars, which must have been quite the thing in the Depression.

FF

[Treadwell]

Ah, yes.. It was fun in those early years where Jack would pretend to be annoyed at one of the Franks working in their commercials. By the time Don came on board his reactions were more of bemused resignation.

[sumnernor]

In the 50's I recorded Jack Benny RADIO programs with a wire recorder. I never did get a show when he went to his safe to get money out. For old time radio programs, there exists a site - might be of interest:

www.radiospirits.com (http://www.radiospirits.com)

It includes not only Jack Benny many other radio show of that period such as The Green Hornet, Amos and Andy etc. (Does anyone know the background at station WXYZ Detroit for the Lone Ranger and Green Hornet programs how the (classical) was selected?

A few years ago I bought a number of DVDs of Jack Benny TV programs in NYC. He also has a cameo role in "Mad, Mad World"

[Fibber Fox]

Ah, yes.. It was fun in those early years where Jack would pretend to be annoyed at one of the Franks working in their commercials. By the time Don came on board his reactions were more of bemused resignation.

Hmm. I was thinking of Howard Claney, actually, but Frank Black did the same thing.

It's a shame a lot of the earliest shows were never saved on transcriptions. :(

The Benny show was really several shows. There's a noticeable difference between the Jell-O shows and the later Lucky Strike ones. And the Canada Dry show in question is completely different altogether. It sounds odd with Jack being very casual and no studio audience.

FF

[Treadwell]

Technically from a legal standpoint, yes, they were all separate shows owned by different sponsors. But the same people were finding a new sponsor each time for what they considered "their" show.

Recently came across something very curious: there were a number of shows with guest hosts when Jack was sick or unavailable. However, there was a particular series of shows on the road (I think it was early 1942), the last of which was broadcast from Chicago. The next road show was to be from St. Joe, subject of Jack's oft-repeated "St. Joe, they love me there". (Source of Bugs' line in HOT CROSS BUNNY, no doubt.)

Anyway, the next show was not from St. Joe because Jack had fallen ill in Chicago. (In fact, he didn't get back on the air for weeks.) George Burns and Gracie filled in. Usually when an emergency guest host came on it was still obviously produced by the same staff, writers, cast, etc.

But this time it was quite apparent that this wasn't just a case of George and Gracie being guests of the regular Grape Nuts Flakes production. Rather, this was obviously written and produced by the same folks who did George's show. The structure, music, writing, etc, was nothing like the usual Benny program of the time. Don, Dennis and Rochester appeared but that was the extent of the similarities. (That and the story was all about George trying to convince Gracie to help him guest host Jack's show.)

So we had a rare case of not just a fill-in host but a fill-in PRODUCTION. All I can figure is that Jack's illness was such a surprise they couldn't get everyone back to California in time, many perhaps already in St. Joe, and maybe some CA crew who didn't go on the road with them had already gone off on vacations or whatever since CA production hadn't been scheduled.

Dunno why this kind of nuts and bolts stuff fascinates me. ;)

BTW, in this episode, and I assume regularly on their own show, Gracie has a pet duck with a very Donald-like quack. Was that Clarence Nash moonlighting?

[guy incognito]

BTW, in this episode, and I assume regularly on their own show, Gracie has a pet duck with a very Donald-like quack. Was that Clarence Nash moonlighting?

Yes, it was! I believe the duck in question was named Herman.

Fellow cartoon VAs Mel Blanc, Bea Benadaret, Sara Berner, and Hans Conreid were also "Burns and Allen" regulars.

[Fibber Fox]

Technically from a legal standpoint, yes, they were all separate shows owned by different sponsors. But the same people were finding a new sponsor each time for what they considered "their" show.
Tread, what I was trying to say was the content is quite different. The Jell-O shows sound quite a bit different than the Lucky Strike shows. They both have different feels to them. It's the same with Burns and Allen. The 1940 shows don't sound at all like the 1947 shows.

BTW, in this episode, and I assume regularly on their own show, Gracie has a pet duck with a very Donald-like quack. Was that Clarence Nash moonlighting?
Yes.

FF

[rominato12]

I know it's a cartoon forum, but the classic cartoons often have such interesting parallels with radio programs of the time, that this topic does seem to fit well.

That said, I LOVE the Jack Benny Program. I got a big collection of mp3's from someone on ebay, and have them playing as I go to sleep almost every night. When you take a little time to get to know the characters, you realize how great this show really was, because it still holds up SO well. The writing is sharp, and Jack's timing is fantastic. The violin lessons he has with Mel Blanc as his teacher are always a hit.

Although I'm only 33, I grew up on these old time radio programs, and recommend them to anyone with a sense of history. Fortunately, this forum seems to have a lot of those kinds of individuals.

For those that haven't heard them, I STRONGLY recommend listening to Fibber McGee and Molly as well.

Simply put, those shows are still fantastic entertainment and a great link back to a simpler, and in some ways, nicer time.

[janiepooh34]

Just a quick note to all that have put up links...thank you very much!:)

[guy incognito]

IAlthough I'm only 33,

Whaddaya mean, "only" 33? Why, you're only six years younger than Mr. Benny himself!! ;)

[Tim Lones]

I know it's a cartoon forum, but the classic cartoons often have such interesting parallels with radio programs of the time, that this topic does seem to fit well.

That said, I LOVE the Jack Benny Program. I got a big collection of mp3's from someone on ebay, and have them playing as I go to sleep almost every night. When you take a little time to get to know the characters, you realize how great this show really was, because it still holds up SO well. The writing is sharp, and Jack's timing is fantastic. The violin lessons he has with Mel Blanc as his teacher are always a hit.

Although I'm only 33, I grew up on these old time radio programs, and recommend them to anyone with a sense of history. Fortunately, this forum seems to have a lot of those kinds of individuals.

For those that haven't heard them, I STRONGLY recommend listening to Fibber McGee and Molly as well.

Simply put, those shows are still fantastic entertainment and a great link back to a simpler, and in some ways, nicer time.

I definitely second the Fibber McGee and Molly recommendation. ..When that show hit it's stride from about 1939-early 1950's, the writing and characterization was second to none. When NBC tried to do a TV version without Jim and Marian Jordan in 1959, It just fell flat..Didnt even last a full season..

[AndrewGilmore]

I remembered a few weeks ago that the anniversary was coming, but now I'm ashamed of myself for having forgotten the 75th anniversary of arguably the greatest American radio comedy show of all time. Happy belated anniversary to Jack, Mary, Phil Don, Dennis, Rochester, and of course Mel! (to say nothing of early regulars Kenny Baker and Andy "Hiya, Buck!" Devine)

[Fibber Fox]

I know it's a cartoon forum, but the classic cartoons often have such interesting parallels with radio programs of the time, that this topic does seem to fit well.

Quite true, considering all the catch-phrases and characters borrowed from radio to make people laugh at Warners cartoons. That, and, as mentioned, Mel Blanc, Bea Benederet, Sara Berner, and so on were voice *actors*, so they showed up wherever voice acting was required - radio and cartoons being primary media (along with records later).

While I wasn't around when network radio or the cartoons were new, I had listened to enough Old Time Radio shows when I was a kid to get many of the radio references in the cartoons.

While Fred Allen is my favourite radio comedian, the Benny show is my favourite programme.

FF