This Day in Jack Benny

January 17, 1937 - The Jack Benny / Fred Allen feud continues with Fred claiming that Jack's violin only had two strings. Plus Jack and the cast continue the Buck Benny saga with a special guest star - Universal Pictures western star Buck Jones. Plus Andy Devine. and references to William S Hart, Harry Cooper the golfer, and movies "The Good Earth", Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, and "After The Thin Man"...

January 10, 1937 - After Jack Benny's little comment last week, Fred Allen really ramps up the feud on his show by asking each of his amateur guests about Jack's violin playing.  Jack Benny also hosted the Paramount Silver Jubilee for Adolph Zukor. They mention Carole Lombard, Clark Gable, Fred MacMurray and Mary Boland. Plus some older terms - "fright wig" and "setting-up exercises".

January 3, 1937 - The first episode of the Jack benny-Fred Allen feud begins with a simple comment tagged on to the end of this episode. Plus the first episode with The Knocking Man played by Harry Baldwin and references to Clark Gable, radio character comedian Bob Burns and Jack's movie "College Holiday".

December 27, 1936 - Before another instalment of the western serial Buck Benny Rides Again , Jack Benny talks about the scarves he got for Christmas and Mary Livingstone reads a letter from her mother. References include Fred Allen, Phil Baker, Stoopnagle and Budd, Jessica Dragonette, Rubinoff, Jack Pearl, The Easy Aces, Benny Rubin, The Hall Johnson Choir, Ed Wynn, Bing Crosby, plus Jack's movie...

Jack Benny stars in this (shortened) film from 1940.

December 13, 1936 - This is the first episode of Jack Benny with Andy Devine the western movie sidekick. References include the book Pollyanna , actress Carole Lombard, character actor Charles Laughton, comedic actor Edward Everett Horton and western silent film actor William S Hart.

December 6, 1936 - In this episode Jack Benny takes a break from his Buck Benny western serial (or does he) to present a drama called Money Ain't Everything. References include the upcoming technology of television, bandleader Paul Whiteman, actress Loretta Young and wrestler Ed "Strangler" Lewis.

November 29, 1936 - Phil Harris has been getting phone calls from movie stars like Carole Lombard and Jack is jealous. Then part three of the western drama Buck Benny Rides Again. References include Mae West, Gretta Garbo, George Arliss and the fictional character count Dracula.

November 22, 1936 - Jack Benny talks about his recent trip to Palm Springs and Don Wilson, Mary Livingstone and Kenny Baker talk about their plans for Thanksgiving. Then they do part two in the "Buck Benny Rides Again" saga. They mention actresses Carole Lombard and Ginger Rogers, adventurer Frank Buck, movie theater "bank nights", and the book "Gone With The Wind".

November 15, 1936 - In this early episode it's singer Kenny Baker's first anniversary as part of the J-E-L-L-O cast. We head out west for the first in the Buck Benny cowboy saga. In this episode they mention the comedy team Burns and Allen, the song "I'm an Old Cowhand", and Abraham Lincoln.

John Henderson's wife Stephanie joins him for a chat about Jack Benny and the future of the podcast. https://thisdaybenny.com/

June 27, 1937 - The last show of the season and the bandleader Johnny Green returns to the Jack Benny Program to visit. He is a noteworthy piano player and shows off as he plays a duet with Jack on the violin. References include Kenny Baker's movie "Mr. Dodd Takes the Air", Bing Crosby, Carol Lombard and Clark Gable, Ripley's Believe it or Not, Charlie McCarthy the dummy, The Queen Mary ocean line...

June 6, 1954 - It's the last show of the season and Jack Benny is getting ready for a personal appearance in Dallas. They mention the Irwin Allen documentary "The Sea Around Us", the book and movie "The Cain Mutiny", silent film stars Lon Chaney and Charlie Chaplin, the game show "What's My Line?, and Bing Crosby singing "Come On-A My House".

June 4, 1944 - The last episode sponsored by Grape Nuts Flakes. Dennis Day is gone to Naval training and Phil Harris sings "G.I. Jive". Plus songs "A Slip of the Lip Can Sink a Ship", "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning", and Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye. They mention a number of radio comedies and the soap opera John's Other Wife. And the actor C. Aubrey Smith.

June 1, 1941 - Jack Benny is in his old WWI Navy uniform as he broadcasts from the San Diego Naval Training Center.  They mention Jack's upcoming movie directed by Archie Mayo, actress Ann Sheridan, the Civil War battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack, and a Lavalier necklace.

May 26, 1946 - Ed Sullivan stops by the broadcast while Jack Benny is in New York to give him an award. They mention the women's clothing storew S. Klein, actress Joan Crawford, the railroad and coal strikes, newspaper comic Dick Tracy, communist Russia, comedian Fred Allen, and Dave Rose, the composter of a song dedicated to Jack Benny called The Waukegan Concerto.

May 19, 1946 - Jack Benny and his cast are in New York, the home of Fred Allen. In a flashback, Fred asks Jack onto his own program for next week. This week Fred's guest will be Phil Harris, In this episode they reference mayor O'Dwyer, President Truman, the coal and railroad strikes, singer John Charles Thomas, comedian Jerry Colona, and Danny Kaye's running joke "Oh really? No, O'Riley".

May 5, 1946 - Jack Benny is visiting Chicago on Mother's Day. It was the middle of a coal strike lead by John L Lewis. They mention Marshal Field's Department store, Charles Boyer, Georgie Jessel, the song "Keep the Home Fires Burning", and The Quiz Kids. 

May 5, 1946 - All aboard the Super Chief train to Chicago! In this episode they mention Listerene toothpaste, Esquire magazine, Pablum. Fred Allen, the Queen for a Day radio show,  the trolley strike and more.  

April 28, 1946 - Jack Benny, Mary Livingstone, Dennis Day and Phil Harris go to see Danny Kaye's new movie "The Kid From Brooklyn".  References include the zany bandleader Spike Jones, violinists Fritz Kreisler and Jasha Heifitz, teen actors Freddie Bartholomew and Shirley Temple, gossip columnist Hedda Hopper, Crosby and Hope, Diamond Jim Brady more!

April 22, 1951 - Jack Benny and the gang go to the circus including the side show and the tunnel of love (after visit from the I.R.S. part 3).  They mention Dennis Day's upcoming movie and the radio show My Friend Irma .

April 8, 1951 - The IRS agents that visited Jack Benny in last week's episode return, and then visit Ronald and Benita Colman.  They mention penny loafers, The Aurthur Murray Dance Studio, and the vitamin enriched drink Hadacol.

April 8, 1951 - In this episode Jack Benny is worried because the I.R.S. called to say they are coming over to talk to him about his tax return. They mention Dennis Day's records ( Mister and Mississippi was his next single), the game show 20 Questions , and handsome Hollywood actors of they day.

April 6, 1947 - It's Easter Day! Jack Benny and the gang talk about their Easter activities. Meanwhile, comedian Bob Hope was giving away cars with a contest on his radio show. Also on the radio you could hear Phil Harris' show, Dennis Day's show, and To Brennaman's Breakfast in Hollywood. From the movies; Van Johnson, Gary Cooper, Frederick March, Ray Maland, Shirley Temple, Carmen Miranda, and 1...

March 23, 1941 - In this episode Jack Benny and the gang spoof the hillbilly movie "Tobacco Road", but Don Wilson is upset because Jack forgot his radio anniversary. Plus the return of the Guadalajara Trio.