This Day in Jack Benny

December 1, 1940 - This is a great follow-up to the previous episode! Jack Benny had suggested to Don that he call his wife before inviting company over, so Don leaves jack in the bushes in front of his house. While waiting to be let in Jack gets rained on and mugged. In this episode they mention the Vapour Rub, a cigar humidor and a number of singing movie stars: Anne Sheridan, Dorothy Lamour, Ma...

November 24, 1940 - Don Wilson has just gotten married and invited the whole gang to meet his new wife Peggy. In the episode they mention the coal miners of Scranton PA, movie producer Darryl F Zanuck, movie star Hedy Lamar and the songs "Now I Lay Me Down To Dream (Of You)", "Dream Valley", "Two Dreams Met", and "I'll Never Smile Again". 

November 3, 1935 - Before Dennis Day there was Kenny Baker. This is a fun early episode of the Jack Benny program where Jack goes to the barber, meets Kenny and spoofs a movie studio. In the episode they mention the Joe Louis vs Max Baer boxing match, college football, playwright George Bernard Shaw's beard, gowns by Adrian, and the song "50 Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong". Plus Ricardo Cortez,...

January 18, 1953 - Jack Benny goes with Mary to an auction and Dennis Day's brother, James McNulty, made plans to marry actress Ann Blyth. Plus references to Lady Godiva, the song Mademoiselle from Armentieres , Roy Rogers, and Bob Hope.

February 22, 1953 - Kids of the Beverly Hill Beavers do their version of The Jack Benny Show! This is a re-used script from April 23, 1950. In this episode they mention hula dancer Hilo Hattie.

January 11, 1953 - Jack Benny does a spoof of "Road to Bali", the new movie starring Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. The surprise guest star is Bob Hope. In the episode they also mention Jerry Colonna, and president elect Eisenhower just a couple of weeks before his inauguration.

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...

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 Benn...

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...

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, L...

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.