November 17, 1940 - Jack Benny is co-starring in the movie "Love Thy Neighbor" with Fred Allen and Mary Martin. Jack goes to the studio to see the director and convince him to have the premiere in his home town of Waukegan, Ill.
November 10, 1940 - It's the week of the elections and in Beverly Hills jack benny had been elected dog catcher. Meanwhile, Jack and Fred Allen are making a movie and can't decide where to have the premier. The play this week is called "Murder at the Soda Fountain".
January 6, 1946 - At the Rose Bowl game Jack Benny made a bet with Phil Harris, but will he pay it? This is the end of the "I Can't Stand Jack Benny Because..." contest and the first episode with the hot dog man who we later come to know as Mr. Kitzel. Plus references to "Mutany on the Bounty", Abbott and Costello, Stokowski, Tarzan, Rinse-O and Coca-Cola.
October 27, 1940 - Mary is out sick, but Jack and the cast carry on with a football skit. They mention a number of historical facts, the self proclaimed wizard of credit Smiling Frankie Gordon, Mickey Mouse, Pinocchio's Blue Fairy and the Tom Collins cocktail.
October 13, 1940 - Phil Harris tries to collect on a World Series bet. Jack Benny, Don Wilson and Mary Livingstone read reviews of their first show including Ed Sullivan's review. And Rochester was elected honorary Mayor of Central Avenue. Plus references to conscription day, Helen Hayes, Oscar Levant, Gone With The Wind , Boomtown , The Grapes of Wrath, and Gulliver's Travels....
October 6, 1940 - Mary Kelley returns as The Blue Fairy (a spoof on Disney's Pinocchio). Plus they mention William Shakespeare's a "Midsummer Night's Dream" and the tap-dancing Bill "Bojangles" Robinson.
June 21, 1936 - Don Wilson talks about how he will be the host of the JELL-O Summer Show starring Tim and Irene. The episode is a little bit short because of the way it was recorded on transcription disc. So to fill the time listen for two recordings of Phil Harris from the same time.
June 7 & 14, 1936 - Worried about his place at Paramount, Jack Benny decides to start his own studio called Bennymount. The guest stars are Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin, the writers of Jack's signature song "Love in Bloom". These recordings have pretty low sound quality and are missing portions of the episodes. Plus unusual references like smoked glasses and an alligator pear....
June 3, 1951 - We all know Jack Benny with Mary Livingstone, Rochester, Phil Harris, Dennis Day and Don Wilson. But do you know the rest of the people behind the scenes? Artie Auerbach - Mr.Kitzel Bea Benaderet - Operator Gertrude Sara Berner - Operator Mabel Mel Blanc - Polly the parrot / Professor LeBlanc / Railroad Announcer / the Maxwell Joseph Kearns - IRS agent / Ed the vault guard Sheldon Leonard - Racetrack Tout Frank Nelson - Yeeeessss! Mahlon Merrick- Musical Arranger Gene Twombley and...
May 27, 1951 - Jack goes for a doctor's check and runs into that Lucky Strike auctioneer Speedy Riggs. Plus writer Milt Josefsberg's story of the joke that was cut from the episode.
May 20, 1951 - This episode is a re-used script from May 2, 1948 with a few updates. In this episode they mention the broadway musical Guys and Dolls, Guy Lombardo, Spike Jones, musician's union president James Petrol and gust star Bob Crosby.
February 13, 1938 - Just before his birthday Jack Benny was named as one of the top ten best dressed men in America along with movie star Clark Gable. Then actor Robert Taylor stops by and helps Jack with a love scene and ends up kissing Mary. Then they play a duet with Jack on violin and Robert on Cello.
May 8, 1938 - It's Mother's Day and Jack Benny considers himself the mother hen of the cast. This is a day after the Kentucky Derby. Manuel Talcott, the mayor of Jack Benny's home town of Waukegan, plays a character in the play. In the episode they mention the WPA (Works Progress Administration), The Jones Family series of movies, Clark Gable, Loretta Young, and a cartoon short featuring Jack Benny called "The Big Birdcast"....
May 1, 1938 - This week Jack Benny's Maxwell was in a race for old cars, the Fresno State College Hack Race. He lost to Fred Allen's entry. In this episode they debate wether or not Jack Benny is considered a movie star. They mention Leo the MGM lion, movie producers Darrel F Zanuck and Adolf Zukor, the comedy team The Ritz Brothers, Screen gangster George Raft, Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies and Mickey, Donald and Pluto. Plus the 1927 boxing match known as "The Long Count". And the great silent...
April 24, 1938 - Walt Disney's first feature film has just come out and Jack Benny is going to do his version of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" mixing in a bit of Edward G Robinson and his gangster movies. Plus they mention the Lone Ranger's catchphrase "Hi Oh Silver!" and the opera singer Lawrence Tibbett.
April 23, 1950 - Jack Benny's troop of kids The Beverly Hills Beavers do the show. Plus they mention Phil Harris' movie Wabash Avenue , and the wedding of then vice president Alben W Barkley.
April 16, 1950 - It's spring so Jack Benny decides to get his house painted. Last week he gave 50 cents away to a fellow that was down on his luck. This week he runs into the fellow again and we learn his name is John L. C. Savoni. In this episode they mention the song "Rag Mop" by the Ames Brothers. They also mention Senitor Joseph McCarthy and his loyalty oath against communism. Plus Bob Hope, Lana Turner, Gregory Peck, Ray Maland, and Humphrey Bogart....
April 12, 1953 - Jack Benny gets out of the shower and realizes he's been washing with a peeled potato instead of soap. Later a man comes looking for a missing heir to $5,000! In the episode they mention the radio show Suspense , Gracie Allen, the opening song to the musical Oklahoma! "O What a Beautiful Morning" and the deodorant Stopette . Poof! There goes perspiration...
April 1, 1934 - This is an early episode in which Easter Sunday landed on April fool's Day. The guest star is Eddie Cantor. March 29, 1942 - This episode is an unfortunate recycled script from the 1930s that was "updated" for the 1940s. The cast re-created a blackface minstrel show.
March 23, 1947 - After weeks without a proper quartet to sing the commercial Jack Benny is ready to swallow his pride and hire the Sportsmen Quartet back...if they can work out the contract details. In this episode they mention ladies sun suits, they typewriter, operatic singer John Charles Thomas, old time singer Al Jolson, violinist Jasha Heifetz, The Army Air Corps Song (Wild Blue Yonder) , and they quote a line from the song Ol' Man River "Tote that barge, lift that bale". Plus Jack Benny wo...
March 16, 1947 - After hosting the 19th Academy Awards Jack Benny talks about his experience. Having fired the Sportsmen he still needs a new quartet. He has found a replacement quartet. Dennis Day, Dick Haymes, Andy Russell and Bing Crosby.
March 13, 1947 - This is not a regular episode of Jack Benny. This is the 19th Academy Awards Ceremony hosted by Jack Benny. I have cut down the very long night into a fun highlight show with all of Jack Benny's segments in tact. If you have a bunch of extra time and would like to hear the full three hour ceremony you can listen for free here. Patreon.com/ThisDayBenny...
March 9, 1947 - The third episode in a story arc where Jack Benny fires the Sportsman Quartet. Now he has to try to find a replacement. In this episode they mention movie actors Lena Horne, Margery Main, Steppin Fetchit, Bob Hope and Gary Cooper. They mention wacky bandleader Spike Jones, singer John Charles Thomas, guitarist Tony Romano and radio personalities Harry Von Zell and Al Pearce. Plus the movies "Nora Prentiss" and "The Beast With Five Fingers"!...
March 2, 1947 - Part of a fun story arc! Jack Benny has fired the Sportsman quartet, but the sponsor is not happy. In this episode they mention the story of George Washington and the cherry tree, The Jolson Story, The Hal Johnson choir, Bob Hope, the movie "Duel in the Sun", Mel Blanc and his many regular radio roles, and silent film star Francis X Bushman.
February 23, 1947 - Jack Benny mentions this episode specifically in this memoirs. He says the he was particularly proud of his timing in the phone call with the sponsor at the end of the episode. In this episode they mention Edger Bergan & Charlie McCarthy, DownBeat magazine, the Esquire girl, Bugs Bunny, Disney's The Song of the South , The Yearling , Lassie , and Nora Prentiss....
February 16, 1941 - Surprise! It's Jack Benny's Birthday and Herbert Marshall show up to celebrate. In the episode they mention gossip columnist Louella Parsons, and "Dish Night" where you got a free piece of china with your movie ticket.
February 2, 1947 - Frank Capra, the director of "It's a Wonderful Life" is the guest in this episode. Jack Benny thinks the movie's premise is silly until he meets his own angel that shows him where the Mary, Dennis, Don and Phil would be if Jack had never been born. Plus references to "The Bride and Groom Program" where real couples tell their love story, Fred Allen Program and two men who both claim to be the governor of Georgia....
January 30, 1938 - In this episode they mention the broadway play "Hurray For What!", the song "It's Delivery" and Benny Goodman. They also mention actors Robert Taylor and Fred MacMurray. But the main portion of the show is a parody of the movie "The Hurricane".
January 25, 1953 rerun January 23, 1955 - In this episode Jack Benny goes to his vault, past the alligator moat, to get money to bet on a horse at the track. At one point Mary quotes the Patti Page song "I Went To Your Wedding".
January 12, 1947 - Gracie wants to listen to Jack benny on the radio. George Burn and Gracie Allen come over. They mention singers Dick Haymes, Andy Russell, and Bing Crosby. Pianist Jose Iturpi, and opera singer Lilly Pons. Plus the books "Strange Fruit" and " The Razor's Edge". And finally, the radio soap opera Dr. Christian.
