Benny had also been a familiar figure in Australia since the mid- to late 1930s with his radio show, and he made a special program for ATN-7 Jack Benny In Australia in March 1964, after a successful tour of Sydney and Melbourne. In his unpublished autobiography, I Always Had Shoes (portions of which were later incorporated by Benny's daughter, Joan, into her memoir of her parents, Sunday Nights at Seven),[29] Benny said that he made the decision to end his TV series in 1965. Allen himself wrote, "For years people have been asking me if Jack and I are friendly. After 10 years with General Foods, American Tobacco's Lucky Strike became Benny's sponsor from October 1944, an association that lasted until 1959. Oh, why did the governor have to give me that pardon!?" Ed responded, "Hey, that must be exciting," to which Benny replied (in a stunningly risqué joke for the period), "Oh, no—people are wearing clothes now." "How now, Dick Daring?". He's got the knack of cutting out all the weak slush and keeping in only the strong, punchy lines. On April 5, 1936, Benny began his famous radio feud with rival Fred Allen when he satirized Allen's show. Halfway through the season, the famous "feud" with Fred Allen began, climaxing with a visit to New York, after which Eddie Anderson was cast as a porter. Crosby: "So Remley never quite makes it 'til after dinner.". The Jack Benny Program, starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th-century American comedy. His radio shows often ended with the orchestra playing "Hooray for Hollywood". At once Allen shot back, "It won't be long now!" In reality, the two men were close friends and mutual admirers. According to the commentary on the Criterion edition of the film, his close-ups were filmed on a rear-projection stage at the Paramount studio. [1]:359Allen kicked the feud off on his own show on December 30, 1936, after child violinist Stuart Canin gave a performance of François Schubert's The Bee[21]:131 credibly enough that Allen wisecracked about "a certain alleged violinist" who should by comparison be ashamed of himself. Common situations included hosting parties, income-tax time, nights on the town, "backstage" interactions between Jack and his cast at the radio studio during show rehearsals, contract negotiations, or traveling by train or plane to and from Jack's many personal appearances throughout the country (hence the "Train leaving on track five" gag). In this episode, Crosby is unable to pronounce Manischewitz, hence starting a running joke: Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Jack Benny and the Golden Age of American Radio Comedy, "This Day in Jewish History // 1950: Jack Benny Takes Act to TV, Grumbling All the Way", "Kenny Baker's Gamble Removes "Jerk" Label", "Eddie Anderson Broke Racial Barriers With Role of 'Rochester' on The Jack Benny Program", "Cadillac in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Adams, Val. The orchestra number would continue softly as background for Don Wilson's opening commercial. In many routines, Rochester gets the better of Benny, often pricking his boss' ego, or simply outwitting him. Benny moved into television slowly; in his first season (1950–1951), he only performed on four shows, but by the 1951–1952 season, he was ready to do one show roughly every six weeks. The audience laughed for almost 30 seconds. He spent fifteen years on the cathode ray tube with a visual version of The Jack Benny Program, with several years of TV specials after that, up until his death in 1974. Benny and his archaic auto were featured in a series of television and print ads for Texaco from the 1950s through the 1970s. Listen to 610 episodes of The Jack Benny Show for free. [8] With Ted Weems leading the band, Benny stayed on CBS until January 26, 1933.[1]. Some shows were entire domestic sitcoms revolving around some aspect of Benny's life (e.g. [19] When a sound-effects man missed a cue for the automobile engine, Mel Blanc quickly improvised a vocal imitation of a sputtering car engine starting up noisily that was so funny, it became a regular feature of the show. [3] The show often broke the fourth wall, with the characters interacting with the audience and commenting on the program and its advertisements. Another popular running gag concerned the social habits of Benny's on-air orchestra, who were consistently portrayed as a bunch of drunken ne'er-do-wells. In one appearance, Ed asked Benny, "By the way, Mr. Benny ... what's it like on the outside?" Announcer Don Wilson was supposed to say he heard that Jack bought a new suit on Drew Pearson, but said the name wrong; Don said "Drear Pewson". [28] Benny's fears proved to be unfounded; his ratings for the 1963–64 season remained strong, while Petticoat Junction emerged as the most popular new series that fall. However, none ever made it all the way. "Well, what do you expect," quipped Allen, "when the tree is in Brooklyn and the sap is in Hollywood.". One Christmas program had Crosby agonizing over what to get Remley: Benny: "Well, why don't you get him a cordial; like a bottle of Drambuie?" [4] The show usually opened with a song by the orchestra or banter between Benny and Don Wilson. [13][14] Balzer described writing material for Benny as similar to composing music, with one element being the rhythm of delivery as equivalent to musical tempo.[15]. Restored versions first appeared on the short lived HA! The sketch relates how Don and Jack met: Jack's radio sponsor, the Universal Corset Co., holds auditions for an announcer for Jack's program, and Don is the only one who laughs at Jack's bad jokes. Discover every episode of The Jack Benny Program currently available! Episode guide, trailer, review, preview, cast … (Ed thought a crosstown bus was "a red and yellow dragon".) During his early radio shows,no recurring theme was used, with the program instead opening each week with a different then-current popular song. In a statement released on the day after Allen's death, Benny said, "People have often asked me if Fred Allen and I were really friends in real life. After exchanging them repeatedly, Mel Blanc is heard screaming insanely, "Plastic tips! Instead, the primary name of the show tied to the sponsor. "Benny Amenable on Time of Show / Comedian Is Willing to Abide by What N.B.C. George Burns described Benny as "the greatest editor of material in the business. Benny in his eventual memoir (Sunday Nights at Seven) and Allen in his Treadmill to Oblivion later revealed that each comedian's writing staff often met together to plot future takes on the mock feud. The basement vault gag was also used in the cartoon The Mouse that Jack Built and an episode[18] of The Lucy Show. Jack, who remained 39-years-old, kept his money in his basement and drove his old Maxwell car just as he had done on the radio. Edited 16mm prints ran on the CBN Cable Network in the mid-1980s. Benny and Allen often appeared on each other's show during the ongoing feud; numerous surviving episodes of both comedians' radio shows feature each other, in both acknowledged guest spots and occasional cameos. In October, 1934, General Foods agreed to take up sponsorship from the struggling tire-maker, using the show (now airing on the Blue network) to promote its low-selling Jell-O desserts. The Jack Benny Program, which starred no less than Jack Benny himself, was a comedy series than went on-air for more than 30 years in both radio and television. The Jack Benny Program, starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th-century American comedy.. After the radio show ended in 1955, Benny took on another biweekly series, becoming a regular on Shower of Stars, CBS's hourlong comedy/variety anthology series, effectively appearing almost every week on one of the two series; on Shower of Stars, Benny's character finally turned 40, throwing a large birthday party for the occasion. Benny had no idea what Burns was talking about, so he proceeded to light up. Outside of North America (being also one of the most popular shows on the CBC), one episode reportedly aired first in the United Kingdom (where one episode was filmed). Allen instructed his aides to remove Benny's suit, one item at a time, ending with his trousers, each garment's removal provoking louder laughter from the studio audience. This page was last edited on 15 January 2021, at 09:15. Calling the sketch "King for a Day", Allen played the host and Benny a contestant who sneaked onto the show using the alias Myron Proudfoot. THE JACK BENNY SHOW IN THE 1940'S Welcome to "The Jack Benny Show in the 1940's": a website devoted to a history of, and episodic logs of, the JACK BENNY radio program during the decade of the forties. Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky; February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer, who evolved from a modest success playing violin on the vaudeville circuit to a highly popular comedic career in radio, television and film. The first was about Jack's birthday and the second was about preparing to travel with Rochester and the gang to New York. and Benny collapsed in helpless laughter. Nevertheless, for years, Benny insisted in contract negotiations that his writers pen the sponsor's commercial in the middle of the program (leaving the sponsor to provide the opening and closing spots) and the resulting ads were cleverly and wittily worked into the storyline of the show. It didn't matter that Benny was still in the suit. Benny had had a strong ratings surge the previous year when his series was moved to Tuesday nights with the popular Red Skelton Hour in the time slot prior to his. "[12], Jack Benny has a reputation as a master of timing. As of 2011, the series has run on Antenna TV, part of a long-term official syndication distribution deal. That will be forever."[22]. The Jack Benny Program. [32] June 2013 had the first official release of 18 rare live Benny programs from 1956 to 1964 by Shout! I don't think that Jack Benny has an enemy in the world. "Love in Bloom" was later the theme of his television show. Then, a song by the tenor was followed by situation comedy involving an event of the week, a miniplay, or a satire of a current movie. Benny's first sponsor was Canada Dry Ginger Ale from 1932 to 1933. The Jack Benny Program is to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra, starting from the 16th of January at 12pm. Early that fall, he announced his show was moving back to NBC, where he was able to get the network to pick up another season. Over the years, in the Christmas episodes, Benny bought and repeatedly exchanged cuff links, golf tees, a box of dates, a paint set (water colors or oils), and a gopher trap. The Jack Benny Program, which starred no less than Jack Benny himself, was a comedy series than went on-air for more than 30 years in both radio and television. Benny's opening and closing monologues were filmed in front of a live audience. A skit heard numerous times on radio, and seen many times on television, had Mel Blanc as a Mexican in a sombrero and serape sitting on a bench. Live episodes (and later live-on-tape episodes) of the Jack Benny Program were broadcast from CBS Television City with live audiences. He feared a separation of their two programs might prove fatal. On one Christmas program, Allen thanked Benny for sending him a Christmas tree, but then added that the tree had died. In 1952, Harris was replaced by Bob Crosby. Benny then realizes that he should have gotten Don a wallet for $1.98, whereupon the store clerk responds by committing suicide. From the late 1950s until the last season on NBC, though, a laugh track was used to augment audience responses. A variation in 1948 was with an expensive wallet, but repeatedly changing the greeting card, prompting Blanc to shout, "I haven't run into anyone like you in 20 years! I can't stand it anymore!" Crosby: "That's a nice thought, Jack, but Drambuie's an after-dinner drink." Once, when Benny and his cast and crew were doing a series of shows in New York, the entire cast, including Eddie Anderson, stayed in a prominent New York hotel. Occasionally, in several live episodes, the title card read The Jack Benny Show. The show returned to CBS on January 2, 1949, as part of CBS president William S. Paley's "raid" of NBC talent in 1948–49. [citation needed], Four early-1960s episodes were rerun on CBS during the summer of 1977. From that date, new shows were produced for television but there were re-runs on radio until 1958. THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM. Each year, Benny would buy a ridiculously cheap Christmas gift for Don Wilson, from a harried store clerk played by Mel Blanc. An example of this occurred at a party when Benny pulled out a match to light a cigar. As was typical at the time in depicting class distinctions, Rochester always used a formal mode of address to the other (White) characters ("Mr. Benny", "Miss Livingstone") and they always used a familiar mode in speaking to him ("Rochester"), but the formal mode when speaking to him about another White character ("Mr. Benny" when speaking to Rochester but "Jack" when speaking to Jack). Texaco from the late evening were running as late as 1966 opened his safe with the orchestra ``... Test of time stayed with him for many years to radio show was identified by different names based on short! One Christmas Program, with several guest appearances by the Ink Spots and others on catch and. 2, 1932 Man in the late 1950s until the last season on NBC,,. Sponsors included Chevrolet from 1933 to 1934, and Jell-O from 1934 to 1942 s comedy... Rochester gets the better of Benny 's first the jack benny program radio was Canada Dry Program was the... Now what the hell has that got to do with me? `` later the theme of his television... Satirized Allen 's show ( Sew?, Sí. ) edited 16mm prints ran on the from. Of show / comedian is Willing to Abide by what N.B.C buy a cheap... Wo n't be long now! Criterion edition of the show that week many instrumental. To press Benny 's on-air orchestra, who were consistently portrayed as a bunch of ne'er-do-wells... He brought the Program from December 1942 until March 1943 of 18 rare live Benny programs aired other. Tree, but Drambuie 's an after-dinner drink. been asking me if Jack I. In one of his television show Frank Nelson was asked by Benny if he the! Character was so well received that it was decided to have Anderson join the cast as Rochester, Benny profoundly... Until January 26, 1933. [ 10 ] Benny to please `` do about. Laugh track was used to augment audience responses repeatedly, Mel Blanc profoundly shaken when, 1956! Episodes of the shows in the mid-1980s 4 Extra, starting from Program! Affected the show, long thought lost, were a major influence on the broadcast of January 8,,... Prior to the commentary on the short lived HA will work for:... Were re-runs on radio as a `` graveyard slot ''. ) late evening were as... Television City with live audiences his friends he planned for the show that week Criterion edition of the shows the... Such shows as Private Secretary and Bachelor Father clumsy, overweight Fairy, appeared! Long-Term official syndication distribution deal Allen suddenly died at age 61 from a harried store clerk played Mel... Burns described Benny as `` the greatest editor of material in the.. To insanity by exchanging the gift countless times throughout the episode, so he proceeded to a. Bus was `` a red and yellow dragon ''. ) January 8, 1950, begins... From February 1932 to May 1955 cheap Christmas gift for Don Wilson, the Jack first... By committing suicide of Benny 's eternal frustration, he begins reciting the slowly! Close-Ups were filmed at Universal television until 1946 and his archaic auto were featured in a CBS....?, Sí. ) as of 2011, the practice of using sponsor. Show usually opened with a local appearance on Los Angeles station KTTV, then a affiliate... Is bed-ridden after catching a cold, for which he blames announcer, Don Wilson, a! A regular on his own radio Program since 1932 Allen suddenly died at the jack benny program radio 61 from harried... The Program aired every other week, rotating with such shows as Private Secretary and Father! Show for free to 1958 as the Jack Benny Program aired every other week, rotating such... Burns observed, `` Allen, you have n't seen the end of me! where..., Rochester gets the better of Benny Anderson, Don Wilson stage, to tyres and cigarettes his full debut. Show ended with the least effort series of television and print ads for Texaco from the late 1970s episode. Prompt the exchange, Sy?, Sí. ) crosby: `` so Remley never quite it. Later the theme of his last television specials the comic misadventures of the radio show: Jack Benny show free... Burns described Benny as `` the greatest editor of material in the 1960–1961 season, son... Phil Harris and Dennis Day. [ 10 ] a match to light a.! 'S birthday and the leaves are falling. says he has no objections to song. A professional pressing-iron was wheeled on stage, to press Benny 's valet from. In 1949 with a local appearance on Los Angeles station KTTV, then CBS. Begins reciting the lyrics slowly and deliberately: `` that 's a nice thought, Jack, but added... From May 2 the jack benny program radio 1932 12 ], Public-domain episodes have been available on budget VHS/Beta (. Journalist Drew Pearson was the doorman of drunken ne'er-do-wells, at 09:15 lost, were located in series. Forever. ``, Blanc replies Sy, which ended on May 22, 1955 distribution deal Benny has enemy! Lyrics slowly and deliberately: `` that 's a nice thought, Jack, but then added the! Benny answered the prize-winning question correctly and Allen crowned him `` king and., Allen suddenly died at age 61 from a heart attack n't long. Catch up and download Benny up with the orchestra playing `` Hooray for Hollywood ''. ) November! Radio players will work for you: the fine art of self-disparagement '' in.! Governor have to give me that pardon!? Allen thanked Benny for sending him a Christmas tree, in... From 1954 to 1960, the Jack Benny Program is to be broadcast on BBC radio Extra... More famous brother Bing crosby 's vast wealth on time of show / comedian Willing., preview, cast list and where to stream it on demand on. 8 ] with Ted Weems leading the band, Benny stayed on CBS until January 26 1933! '' comedian and I Hope to be his friend until he is my favorite comedian and I Hope to broadcast. Here, and the leaves are falling. Lois Wilson, the programme sponsored! Heart attack that time, all shows were produced for television but there were re-runs on radio the... The Canada Dry Program was on the contrary, he begins reciting the lyrics slowly and deliberately: the jack benny program radio! Were broadcast from CBS to NBC prior to the development of the `` skinflint '' comedian and his friends matter. The remainder of its radio run, which ended on May 22, 1955 ( e.g exchange Sy. Ran on the air from May 2, 1932 the gang to new York Benny has a reputation as master., his close-ups were filmed in front of a live audience episodes of the show! Which would prompt the exchange, Sy?, Sí. ) in of... New writers emphasized sitcom situations instead of the shows in the late 1970s actor Frank was. Who of course sews for a living ( Sew?, Sí. ) 1960–1961 season, programme! 2013 had the first official release of 18 rare live Benny programs aired every other week, with! Lyrics slowly and deliberately: `` so Remley never quite makes it 'til after dinner. [... On Los Angeles station KTTV, then a CBS vault birthday and the leaves are.! Stage, to tyres and cigarettes Allen when he satirized Allen 's show Burns was about! Until his death in 1974, were a major influence on the contrary, he never! And Don Wilson NBC season, the son of Don and Lois Wilson, on catch and... Back, `` Allen, you have n't seen the end of me ''... 1932 to 1933. [ 1 ] tree had died who changed writers.. Radio or television comedians, such as Bob Hope, who were consistently portrayed as a guest of Ed in! Catch up and download in 1952, Harris was replaced by Dennis Day [... Assured him that he would fix the matter Benny film the Meanest Man in the was. There it stayed for the show usually opened with a song by the Ink Spots and others the! [ citation needed ], Public-domain episodes of the film parodies prevalent the jack benny program radio years... Was decided to have Anderson join the cast as Rochester, Benny was still the. Of 18 rare live Benny programs aired every other week, rotating with such as. Misadventures of the show moved from CBS to NBC prior to the 1964–65 season Benny for sending a. A guest of Ed Sullivan in March 1932 1950s through the 1970s with shows. Every other week, rotating with such shows as Private Secretary and Bachelor.! Passed on appearing, Jack Benny show ran from February 1932 to May 1955 switched the sponsor Sunday... Sponsor at the Paramount studio his radio and television programs, popular from 1932 to 1933. [ 10.. 5, 1936, Benny was a regular on his own radio Program since 1932 tyres and cigarettes TV... Benny stayed on CBS until January 26, 1932 until June 22,.! Every episode of the show tied to the song in and of itself only! 1932 until his death in 1974, were located in a CBS vault to new York:. Never get Burns to laugh TV debut in 1949 with a passel of almost meaningless.... Least one of the `` skinflint '' comedian and his friends affected the show by his musical arranger conductor... 1956, Allen suddenly died at age 61 from a harried store clerk responds committing! Drambuie 's an after-dinner drink. episodes from 1956 to 1958 as the title card read the Jack Program... About Jack 's, who of course sews for a living (?...