This Day in Jack Benny
A podcast of the greatest Old Time Radio ever, The Jack Benny Program! Starring Jack Benny with Mary Livingstone, Phil Harris, Rochester, Dennis Day, and Don Wilson. The Jack Benny Show AKA The Jello Program AKA The Lucky Strike Program aired from the 1930's right through to the 1950's. Each week your host, John Henderson, brings an episode from that week 60-80 years ago. It's old, yet still as funny as ever. An OTR podcast.
Episodes
October 6, 1946 - Jack Benny guest stars on ventriloquist Edgar Bergan's radio program. It's a fun episode with Jack trying to get some publicity from the dummy.
Summer of 1942 Jack Benny and Jascha Heifetz appear on Command Performance along with Ethel Waters, Richard Haydn and Edward Arnold.
May 23, 1943 - From Gardner Field, near Taft, California.
References include pin-up girl Betty Grable, the movie "Hello Frisco, Hello", Beeman's pepsin chewing gum, and rumble seats.
May 17 and 24, 1936 - Everybody's not so hot. Jack leaves New York for California with a visit from the travel agent. Jack and the gang visit the automat. These are two partial episodes edited together for a better listening expirence.
References include Greta Garbo, James Cagney, Clark Gable, Fred MacMurray, Fred Atair, Ginger Rogers, Shirley Temple, Mae West, W.C. Fields, Fanny Brice, Walter Houston, George M. Cohen, Guy Lo...
May 16, 1943 - From the Marine training station at Camp Pendleton, California Jack Benny talks about being a lumberjack and the cast does a Mexican theme sketch.
References include Dennis Day's new movie "The Powers Girls" and Rochester's new movie "Cabin in the Sky".
May 11, 1952 - Jack takes the Beavers to the zoo while Roy and Rochester clean on Mother's Day.
References include Johnny Ray, Ike Eisenhower and Senator Estes Kefauver, Tarzan, and animal trainer Clyde Beatty.
May 4, 1952 - Jack Fixes the Phonograph. Jack and Mary go to a Los Angeles vs Seattle baseball game.
References include president Truman's televised tour of the white house, Jimmy Durante, Bing Crosby, songs "Slow Poke", "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles", "Dardanella", "The Sheik of Araby", "Keep the Home Fires Burning", "K-k-k-Katy", and "After the Ball id Over".
April 18, 1943 - Jack Opens Swimming Pool for the Season. Loretta Young comes for a quick PSA for War Bonds.
References include Eddie Cantor, Ronald Colman, Fred Allen, Barbara Stanwick, Ann Southern, Claudette Colbert, the Tom Colins cocktail, victory gardens, and bloomers.
April 25, 1954 - Seance at Jack's home after lunch at the diner.
References include the song "Sombody Bad Stole de Wedding Bell" by Ertha Kitt, the movie "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", Edward R. Murrow confronting Senator Joseph McCarthy, British sportscars called MGs, the "fat, fat lady in the sideshow", and the rule that you can only eat oysters in a month containing the letter R.
April 10, 1938 - Jack Benny talks about building a house in Beverly Hills.
References include British foreign secretary Anthony Eden, comedian Fred Allen, the song "A Cup of Coffee a Sandwich and You", and the movie A Yank at Oxford with Robert Taylor.
April 25, 1937 - Texaco Town with Eddie Cantor. Eddie's announcer Jimmy Wallington wants to quit the show and Don Wilson pops in as a surprise guest. Plus Mr. Kitzel as part of his short time on the program.
References include the book "Gone with the Wind", movie stars Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Robert Taylor and Carol Lombard, and cartoon characters Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.
April 17, 1949 - A Walk Through The Easter Parade Jack and Mary meet their friends and neighbors from Mr. Kitzel to Frank Nelson. References include Fred Astaire and Judy Garland in the musical "Easter Parade" and the Lunar Eclipse.
March 25, 1945 - Murder Mystery with guest star Alan Ladd. Mary Livingstone was named best dressed woman in radio. References include Humphrey Bogart and Fred Allen.
March 11, 1945 - Jack and the gand practice archery, then a reporter comes and asks about Rochester, featuring guests Amos 'n Andy.
References include the songs "Hot Time in the Town of Berlin" and "In My Merry Oldsmobile", the movie "The Last of the Mohicans", the Mr. Anthony advise program, and Hedda Hopper.
March 11 & 18, 1934 - Jack sleeps in a haunted house and the cast does an Arizona western play.
March 1, 1942 - Jack Benny is upset that his movie "Charlie's Aunt" didn't win him an Academy Award, he falls asleep and dreams of what might have happened.
References include Oscar winner Gary Cooper and Joan Fontaine, Fred Allen, Frank Buck, and the old French motto "Honi soit qui mal y pense" or "Evil to him who evil thinks".
February 26, 1950 - Jack Benny talks about his trip to Washington DC, then they do a parody of the mystery radio show "The Whistler". They did this same parody on the episode from October 20, 1946.
References include President Truman, the Gallup Poll, breakfast cereals, and the songs "Dear Hearts and Gentle People" by Bring Crosby and "Scarlet Ribbons" by Dinah Shore.
February 22, 1948 - Jack Benny and the gang are in Palm Springs and they visit the site where his new house is being built. There is also a cameo by Frank Sinatra.
References include "The Lady of 29 Palms" by the Andrews Sisters, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Jerry Colonna, AFRA (American Federation of Radio Artists) and Winthrop Rockefeller's wedding.
February 15, 1948 - Jack Turns 39 and for his birthday everyone plans to throw him a surprise party.
References include Bob Hope, Al Jolson, Jasha Hiefetz, the Academy Awards, the Oranges of Riverside Californiaand Townsend clubs.
May 11, 1941 - NBC Tribute 10th Anniversary. Jack and the gang talk about the testimonial dinner that took place this weekend in Jack Benny's honor. Then the episode is taken over by the NBC players' telling the life story of Jack in song.
References include Jack Oakie, Fred Allen, the Marx brothers and Eva Tanguay.
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