November 29, 1953 - Jack Buys a Turkey. References include Phil Harris, Bing Crosby and his Minute Maid Orange Juice sponsorship, Mel Blanc the voice of Bugs Bunny and Woody Woodpecker, Dinah Shore, Jimmy Wallington, Harry Von Zell and Lydia Pinkham's Vegetable Compound.
November 18, 1945 - Broadcasting From Birmingham hospital in Van Nuys, California. Prize fighter Joe Louis returns. References include Phil Spitalny and his all girl orchestra, Dr. Kildair and Dr. Gilespie, dancing the jitterbug, point rationing on butter and clothing made from milk wool.
November 11, 1934 - In this early episode Jack Benny plays the Chinese detective Charlie Chan from the film series of the same name. References include the record breaking streamline train, California Governor Frank Merriam, Popeye the sailor, Babe Ruth visiting Japan (ballplayers Dizzy Dean, Daffy Dean, Hack Wilson and Frankie French), Senator Huey Long getting a black eye, boxers Max Baer and Jack Dempsey, comedian Lou Holtz, the Marx brothers (Harpo in particular), the song "Carioca", orchest...
November 2, 1947 - Jack Benny and the gang do their version of the Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall movie Dark Passage where an escaped convict gets plastic surgery to change his face. References include Tom Breneman's Breakfast in Hollywood radio show, comedians Bob Hope and Fred Allen, Orson Welles, playwright Norman Krasna, and the new style in skirts (they're wearing them long again)....
October 28, 1945 - $85,000 Bet. After dreaming of an eighty-five thousand dollar bet last week, Jack gets held-up in this episode. References include news commentators Erskine Johnson, Gabriel Heater and H.V. Kaltenborn, child star Margret O'Brien, actress Ingrid Bergmen, soap opera Stella Dallas, the song "My Dream Are Getting Batter All The Time", WWI General Pershing, Diamond Jim Brady, Julius Caesar....
October 21, 1945 - Jack Dreams of the Race Horse 'Texas Sandman'. References include, Charles Boyer, Gypsy Rose Lee, Fred Allen, Claudette Colbert, Lana Turner and Turhan Bey, movies "The House on 92nd Street", "Mildred Pearce" and "Double Indemnity", WAACs, Admiral Halsey, and Tokyo Rose.
October 26, 1952 - Louella Parsons is back to write a gossip article on Jack Benny. This is a recycled script from April 2, 1944. References include Johnny Ray singer of "The Little White Cloud That Cried", Florence Chadwick who swam the English Channel, movies like "Francis Goes to West Point", exiled King Farouck of Egypt, and the presidential campaign with Ike Eisenhower and Richard Nixon vs Adlai Stevenson....
October 19, 1952 - Jack Buys 20th Century Fox. Producer Darryl F. Zanuck of 20th Century Fox is the guest star and Jack dream he is the head of a movie studio himself. References include Campbell's Soup, Jack Warner of Warner Brothers, Howard Hughes of RKO, Errol Flynn, Ronald Colman, Lassie Come Home, and the song "Feet Up (Pat Him on the Po Po)".
October 15, 1952 - Jack Catches His Nose in a Gopher Trap. Mel Blanc does the chattering of the gopher. Then Jack goes shopping for a new television set. References include the song "Wish You Were Here" by Eddie Fisher, Spike Jones, Marion Davies, the Yankees World series win, Chlorophyll tablets that fight bad breath, Vigero plant food, and Bugs Bunny's catchphrase "What's Up Doc?"....
October 5, 1952 - Jack Benny plays a newspaperman. References include game 5 of the World Series with ballplayers like Phill Rezzuto and Jackie Robinson, Albert Einstein, Milton Berle, Rocky Marciano, Ty Cobb, The New Follies at the Burbank Theater, and the songs "Cry" by Johnny Ray, "Kiss of Fire" by Georgia Gibbs, and "Feet Up (Pat Him on the Po Po)" by Guy Mitchell....
October 25, 1942 - In this episode Jack Benny and the gang do their version on the movie "Tales of Manhattan" starring Charles Boyer, Charles Laughton and Edward G Robinson. References include the Fred Allen radio show, the Kate Smith radio show, gasoline rationing and Berma-Shave.
October 4, 1942 - Jack Takes Two Cadets To Barbara Stanwyck. Don still calls the new sponsor "Grapes Nuts Flakes", they again listen to their favorite soap opera "The Heartaches of Sally Sutton" Jack is getting ready to give the Maxwell away for scrap in support of the war effort. References include Bromo-Seltzer in the blue glass bottles, coal minor's union man John L Lewis, Red Cross blood donation, bandleader Paul Whitman, and the song "Jingle Jangle Jingle"....
October 4, 1942 - Jack Rounds up the Gang in the Maxwell. It's the first show for Grape Nuts and Grape Nuts Flakes . In this episode they mention the "Share Your Car" campaign. Jack's toupee is compared to the iconic hair of Veronica Lake. Jack sings ("I Got Spurs That) Jingle Jangle Jingle" plus Fibber McGee, the Aldrich Family, Bing Crosby and soap operas....
January 6, 1935 - Jack Talks with Don and Mary about their New Year's Eve celebration then do their version of "The Count of Monte Cristo". References include Mickey Mouse, Popeye the Sailor, playwright George Bernard Shaw, boxer Gene Tunney, and Gimbel's department store.
February 27, 1949 - Jack Has a Music Lesson. Guest star Claude Rains comes to try and get out of appearing on The Ford Theater with Jack. References include "Rope and Sand", The Life of Riley , Abbot and Costello, Milton Berle, Monty Woolly, Pyramid Club, Bill Spitalny and his all-girl orchestra and more.
February 20, 1949 - Jack Benny is planning to do his movie "The Horn Blows at Midnight" on The Ford Theater radio program. Jack Warner of the Warner Brothers Studio calls to try and talk him out if it. References include Al Jolson, Sam Goldwyn, William Paley, Clark Gable, Jane Russell, movies "The Adventures of Don Juan", "Life with Father", "Key Largo", "John Loves Mary", "Johnny Belinda", and "The Treasure of Sierra Madre" and the song "The Dance of the Hours"....
February 13, 1949 - It's Jack Benny's birthday and everyone sings Happy Birthday except one guy in the audience. References include, Eddie Cantor, Errol Flynn, King Midas, Honest John's used cars, Pyramid Clubs, the songs "Buttons and Bows" and "Columbia, Gem of the Ocean".
February 6, 1949 - Don Wilson signs his contract, Claudette Colbert and Vincent Price guest star in a re-working of the October 20, 1940 episode. References include a pyramid club.
January 30, 1949 - Don Wilson still won't sign his contract. Meanwhile Phil Harris is in Washington DC to entertain at the president's inaugural ball. References include the southern California snowfall, Operation Haylift, the radio show Your Hit Parade , Dennis Day's record "Tarra-Ta-Larra Ta-Lar", Tyrone Power's wedding, Artie Shaw, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Milton Berle, and Amos n Andy....
January 23, 1949 - Don Won't Sign His Contract. References include the southern Californian snowfall, President Truman's inauguration, Jasha Heifetz, Barbra Stanwick, Don Ameche, movies "Johnny Belinda" and "Mother Wore Tights" and disk jockeys.
October 18, 1942 - Jack Benny donates his old car The Maxwell for the scrap metal drive in support of the war effort. References include Colonel Jimmy Doolittle, ship builder Henry Kaiser and revolutionary war hero Paul Revere.
March 12, 1950 - Jack Benny's daughter Joan makes a guest appearance in this episode where Jack Benny enters a radio contest. Phil Harris talks about his upcoming movie "Wabash Avenue" starring Betty Grable They mention Lever Brothers company, Bob Hope, Lena Horne, Aly Kahn and Rita Hayworth. Songs "Time on My Hands", I Can Dream Can't I", "The Cry of the Wild Goose", "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts", "M-O-T-H-E-R" and crooner Vic Demone. Plus Blondie and Dagwood, Tanforan racetrack, and th...
Podcast host John Henderson and his wife Stephanie talk about the podcast and the recent passing of Jack Benny's daughter Joan Benny. October 15, 1950 – In real life Jack Benny is married to Mary Livingstone, in this episode Jack Benny dreams he is married to Mary. the special guest is their real life daughter Joan Benny. In the episode they mention True Story Magazine, The American Legion Convention, Dick Tracy, Claudette Colbert, Gary Cooper and Danny Kaye....
May 29, 1949 - Jack Benny introduces all of the members of his cast and writers. Dennis sings his new song "Three Wishes" and guest Margret Whiting sings "Baby, It's Cold Outside (for a Lucky Strike)" with the Sportsmen Quartet. Jack compliments Mel Blanc on his new record "Big Bear Lake". References include ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale and her dummy Judy Splinters, Simonize car wax, the movie "Take me out to the Ball Game", the song "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" and Jack Benny's s...
November 5, 1950 - On the train to Los Angeles Jack benny and the gang are playing 20 questions. References include the midterm elections, Irene Dunn, Gary Cooper, Jimmy Stewart, movies "The Glass Menagerie", "The Miniver Story", "the Horn Blows at Midnight" and "I'll Get By", and the song "Good Night Irene".
May 27, 1945 - It's the last show of the season before Jack Benny goes on his USO tour in Europe with harmonica player Larry Adler and singer Martha Tilton. Plus bonus portion of June 28, 1945 broadcast of that USO show. References include Winston Churchill's "blood, toil, tears and sweat" speech, Charles Boyer, Fred Allen returning to radio, radio soap operas and the summer replacement Wayne King and his Orchestra....
May 18, 1934 - Jack Benny takes a taxi to the studio where Frank Parker invited him to dinner with his very musical family. References include General Pershing, boxer Primo Carnera, Harry Lauder, "The Rise of the Goldbergs" radio show, Gretta Garbo, William Powell, Clark Gable, Boris karloff, Frank Buck's "Wild Cargo", the song "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No 2, the opera "Lucia Di Lammermoor", and the singer Enrico Coruso....
May 10, 1953 - Broadcasting From San Francisco Jack Benny and the gang (including writer George Balzer) talk about the sights of the city and meet California Lieutenant Governor Goodwin Knight. References include "Your Mother and Mine" from Walt Disney's Peter Pan, Souther Pacific Railway's trains "Daylight Limited" and "The Lark", President Eisenhower, Bing and Bob Crosby and Anson Weeks and his orchestra....
May 9, 1937 - Mother's Day Program. Just after the the Kentucky Derby Jack benny and the gang discuss the winning horse War Admiral. References include Donald Duck, the wrestler Man Mountain Dean, burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee, comedy team Stupnaigle and Budd, Fred Allen, actresses Jean Arthur and Jean Harlow, bandleader George Olsen and singer Ethel Sutta.
April 27, 1952 - Jack Benny becomes his cowboy alter ego Buck Benny, to do his version of the new western movie "Bend in the River". The star of that movie, Jimmy Stewart, shows up to play his part. References include the violinist Isaac Stern, Johnny Ray who sings "The Little White Cloud That Cried", exotic animal hunter Frank Buck and Gillette razor blades.
