This Day in Jack Benny

February 12, 1950 - Jack Benny and the gang are in New York so the Ink Spots fill in for the Sportsmen quartet. Fred Allen has been off the air for a year and Jack gets the original cast to come and reprise their roles from Allen's Alley.

February 8, 1942 - Jack is upset because Fred Allen has moved to Sundays.  Clip from the song "I'm In Love With The Sound Effects Man" by the Kingsmen from and episode of Fibber McGee and Molly (later recorded by Spike Jones). They mention Gene Autry, Edger Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Abbott and Costello, Phil Baker, and The Great Gildersleeve.

February 14, 1937 - Jack Benny celebrates his birthday. Radio bandleader Ben Bernie shows up and offers to lend Jack his violin so that he can play "The Bee" and settle the feud with Fred Allen. They mention The Townsend Plan, the movie "Wake up and live", Prudence Penny cooking school, Little Orphan Annie, the songs "Thanks a Million" and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Aint Got That Swing)".

February 2, 1937 - After hearing 10-year-old Stuart Canin play Schubert's "The Bee" on The Fred Allen Program, Jack Benny is Ready to play "The Bee" himself. Leading to The Stolen Violin. They mention the movie The Good Earth , Jack's movie College Holiday in which he plays "Love in Bloom", and Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.

January 31, 1937 - Phil Harris's sister Lucy Belle visits the studio. Nightmares of Fred Allen. Jack Benny will play 'The Bee' next Sunday. References include the Red Cross disaster work in great Ohio river flood. Actors Fred MacMurray, Fred Stone, George Burns, Fred Astair, child actor Jackie Cooper and Robert Taylor who was starring in the movie "Camille".

January 24, 1937 - Jack Practices The Bee. The feud between Jack Benny and Fred Allen is ramping up. Then the gang heads over to Phil Harris' house to meet Phil's southern mother and sister.

January 15, 1950 - Fred Allen is the guest star on The Jack Benny Program, but he is late. This was during the time when The Fred Program was not on the air. They reference Phil Harris' show on NBC and Don Wilson's "Dreer Poosen" flub. They also mention Groucho Marx, Milton Berle, Mory Amsterdam, and Danny Kaye who was starring in "The Inspector General". Plus, Los Angeles Golf Open with Ben Hogan...

January 2, 1949 -Jack has the jitters for his first broadcast on CBS after moving from NBC. Jack runs into Amos and Andy looking for CBS president William S pailey. They spoof the song "Slow Boat to China" (written by Frank Lesseer), and reference the song "Buttons and Bows". With Jack moving to CBS he does guest appearances on programs like Suspense and Gene Autry's Melody Ranch. They promote a n...

December 26, 1948 - The last show for NBC. Jack Benny will be switching to CBS next week. He was doing quite a bit of promotion including appearances on other radio shows like "Lux Radio Theater". In this episode they mention Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Guy Lombardo and the song "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth". They reference the ad agency Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osborn. They...

December 19, 1948 - The classic Christmas shopping episode where Jack Benny goes to a department store to buy a wallet for Don Wilson. References include the movie "Elephant Boy" starring Sabu, actor Ronald Colman, actress Heddy Lamarr, poets Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Nick Kenny, Bendix washer, and the novelty Christmas song "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth".

December 25, 1948 - Command Performance featuring Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore, Herbert Marshall, Jimmy Durante and more!

December 5, 1943 - Jack Benny has a new car after getting rid of the Maxwell and has to go in for a driver's test. They mention radio stars Dinah Shore, Red Skelton and Fred Allen. Plus, Esquire magazine and a FHA loan.

November 3, 1946 - Jack Benny tries to break his contract with the Sportsmen quartet. They mention the movies "The Killer", "Margie" and "Breakfast in Hollywood" starring Tom Breneman. They also sing the song "Shine on Harvest Moon". Plus the Lord Calvert Whiskey ads featuring The Men of Distinction . 

October 24, 1948 - Jack Benny invites Ronald and Benita Colman over for dinner and they try to think of an excuse to get out of it. They mention the residence of the English Prime Minister at number 10 Downing Street, Toni home perm, the song "It's Magic" and the movies "My Son, My Son", "Oliver Twist", and Lassie in "Hills of Home".

October 11, 1948 - Rochester reads Jack Benn's diary where he talks about his recent trip to Europe. He still hears the Swiss Alps echo. Then they listen to the 1948 World Series. References include Dr. Scholl's foot eazers, Toni home permanent, Emily Post, Gary Cooper, William Powell, Artie Shaw, Spike Jones, Bob Hope, pitcher Satchel Paige.

October 3, 1948 -  Jack Benny, Mary Livingstone, Phil Harris and Alice Faye are back from their summer trip to Europe. They mention Edger Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Danny Kaye, Barbra Stanwyck in "Sorry Wrong Number", and presidential candidates Harry S Truman and Thomas E Dewey. Also listen for a gag about the Elks Lodge elk's tooth.

November 9, 1952 - In this episode Jack Benny goes to the doctor (Frank Nelson) to get a vitamin shot and runs into Bugs Bunny. In the episode they mention 92-year-old "Grandma Moses".

October 18, 1936 - Jack Benny has a new movie out called "The Big Broadcast of 1937". Then they continue with a comedy version of the drama "Anthony Adverse".  In the episode they mention animal trapper Frank Buck, movie stars Robert Taylor, Clark Gable and Gretta Garbo, bandleader Paul Whiteman, and songs "Jingle Bells" and "Madamoiselle from Armentiers (Hinky Dinky Parlez Vous)".

November 20, 1955 - Johnny Carson guest stars on the Jack Benny Television Program. Plus Don Wilson, Rochester and Dennis Day. Intro featuring John Henderson, Buck Benny, Kathy Fuller-Seeley, and Terry Phillips. Watch here: https://youtu.be/l9xAAa9fL4g

October 11, 1936 - Jack Benny and the gang spoof the major motion picture "Anthony Adverse". At least the first half of the movie. In the episode they mention The NY Giants World Series loss, radio programs Little Orphan Annie, Manhattan Merry Go Round, Phil Baker, Eddie Cantor, Amos 'n Andy, plus movie stars Carole Lombard, Robert Taylor, Joan Bennett, and Claudette Colbert.

October 13, 1946 - Jack Benny and Mary Livingstone walk to the studio and run into Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy.  References include post-war meat and soap shortages, the honorable discharge lapel button (AKA Raptured Duck), news commentator Gabriel Heatter, Game 6 in the World Series, Hedy Lamar's baby, Bing Crosby, and Fred Allen.

October 6, 1946 - Jack Benny is celebrating 15 years on the radio! Like last year, he is tuning in to the Word Series. In this episode they mention Russian diplomats Gromyko and Molotov, the song "Thy Gypsy", actresses Ingrid Bergman and Betty Grable, bandleader Harry James, radio programs "The Charlie McCarthy Show", and Fred Allen.

October 3, 1954 - A special presentation of the master tape recording of this episode plus selected portions of the rehearsal. In this episode they play a jingle written by Jack's arranger Mahlon Merrick. It was the theme song to the Gillette Cavalcade of Sports called "Look Shark / Be Sharp March". They mention Irving Berlin's song "No Business Like Show Business". They also mention a couple of n...

September 30, 1945 - It's daylight savings and Jack Benny is back from his USO tour and ready for a new season.  Jack mentions his summer replacment, Wayne King, Phil Harris' song "That's what I Like About The South", radio programs like The Great Gildersleeve , Cass Daley, Kay Kyser, Edger Bergan and Charlie McCarthy, Fred Allen, The Lone Ranger (Al Jennings Lawsuit), John's Other Wife and Porche...

February 21, 1937 - Jack Benny and Mary Livingstone had starred in this week's episode of the Lux Radio Theater in a play called "Brewster's Millions".  References include Irene Dunn in "Theadora Goes Wild", Cathrine Hepburn, Sarah Burnhardt, Goody Ace, Jack Pearl, Phil Baker, Walter Winchel and Ed Sullivan.