This Day in Jack Benny

March 23, 1947 - After weeks without a proper quartet to sing the commercial Jack Benny is ready to swallow his pride and hire the Sportsmen Quartet back...if they can work out the contract details. In this episode they mention ladies sun suits, they typewriter, operatic singer John Charles Thomas, old time singer Al Jolson, violinist Jasha Heifetz, The Army Air Corps Song (Wild Blue Yonder) , and...

March 16, 1947 - After hosting the 19th Academy Awards Jack Benny talks about his experience. Having fired the Sportsmen he still needs a new quartet. He has found a replacement quartet. Dennis Day, Dick Haymes, Andy Russell and Bing Crosby.

March 13, 1947 - This is not a regular episode of Jack Benny. This is the 19th Academy Awards Ceremony hosted by Jack Benny. I have cut down the very long night into a fun highlight show with all of Jack Benny's segments in tact. If you have a bunch of extra time and would like to hear the full three hour ceremony you can listen for free here. Patreon.com/ThisDayBenny

March 9, 1947 - The third episode in a story arc where Jack Benny fires the Sportsman Quartet. Now he has to try to find a replacement. In this episode they mention movie actors Lena Horne, Margery Main, Steppin Fetchit, Bob Hope and Gary Cooper. They mention wacky bandleader Spike Jones, singer John Charles Thomas, guitarist Tony Romano and radio personalities Harry Von Zell and Al Pearce. Plus t...

March 2, 1947 - Part of a fun story arc! Jack Benny has fired the Sportsman quartet, but the sponsor is not happy. In this episode they mention the story of George Washington and the cherry tree, The Jolson Story, The Hal Johnson choir, Bob Hope, the movie "Duel in the Sun", Mel Blanc and his many regular radio roles, and silent film star Francis X Bushman.

February 23, 1947 - Jack Benny mentions this episode specifically in this memoirs. He says the he was particularly proud of his timing in the phone call with the sponsor at the end of the episode. In this episode they mention Edger Bergan & Charlie McCarthy,  DownBeat magazine, the Esquire girl, Bugs Bunny, Disney's The Song of the South , The Yearling , Lassie , and Nora Prentiss.

February 16, 1941 - Surprise! It's Jack Benny's Birthday and Herbert Marshall show up to celebrate. In the episode they mention gossip columnist Louella Parsons, and "Dish Night" where you got a free piece of china with your movie ticket.

February 2, 1947 - Frank Capra, the director of "It's a Wonderful Life" is the guest in this episode. Jack Benny thinks the movie's premise is silly until he meets his own angel that shows him where the Mary, Dennis, Don and Phil would be if Jack had never been born. Plus references to "The Bride and Groom Program" where real couples tell their love story, Fred Allen Program and two men who both c...

January 30, 1938 - In this episode they mention the broadway play "Hurray For What!", the song "It's Delivery" and Benny Goodman. They also mention actors Robert Taylor and Fred MacMurray. But the main portion of the show is a parody of the movie "The Hurricane".

January 25, 1953 rerun January 23, 1955 - In this episode Jack Benny goes to his vault, past the alligator moat, to get money to bet on a horse at the track. At one point Mary quotes the Patti Page song "I Went To Your Wedding". 

January 12, 1947 - Gracie wants to listen to Jack benny on the radio. George Burn and Gracie Allen come over. They mention singers Dick Haymes, Andy Russell, and Bing Crosby. Pianist Jose Iturpi, and opera singer Lilly Pons. Plus the books "Strange Fruit" and " The Razor's Edge". And finally, the radio soap opera Dr. Christian.

January 13, 1952 - In this episode of the Jack Benny program Jack is trying to get someone to make a record of the song that he wrote. He calls Dinah Shore and her husband George Montgomery.

January 5, 1947 - It's the Sunday after New Years Day and Jack Benny talks with Don Wilson about the Rose Bowl. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall are the guests in a recreation of the movie "To Have and Have Not" where she says the often quoted line "You know how to whistle don't you...You just put your lips together and blow.".

December 30, 1945 - It's the end of the "Why I Can't Stand Jack Benny" contest and the letters have been pouring in. Plus Don wilson sings his version of the song "It's Been a Long, Long Time" only about Lucky Strike Cigarettes.

December 18, 1949 - An unusual Christmas shopping episode. They mention the songs Mule Train and Dear Hearts and Gentle People.  They also mention "Mr. Television" Milton Berle, Dancer Arthur Murray and the Hollywood Park Goose Girl.

December 7, 1941 - The day of the Pearl Harbor attack that would lead to the United States' entry into WWII. This is a continuation of the previous episode in which Jack Benny plays Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. They also mention socialite friends Brenda Frazier and Cobina Wright Jr.

November 30, 1941 - Jack Benny plays both Jekyll and Hyde in this episode's spoof of the Spencer Tracy movie. They mention the song "Why don't we do this more often?". They also mention the movie Jack is filming the movie "To Be or Not to Be".

November 15, 1942 - From the Naval Air Station at Terminal Island Jack Benny and the gang perform for the men stationed there. Dennis Day brings his new girlfriend...movie star Dottie Lamour! Plus Popeye the sailor, WWI flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker, Phil Harris' song "I'm a Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas", Veronica Lake, Hedda Hopper's hats and more.  

November 8, 1942 - This episode has a bit of sound issues at the end. The beginning is pretty funny, so its worth a listen. Jack Benny is the newly elected sidewalk inspector for Beverly Hills. They mention  "Kalamazoo" by Glenn Miller, "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby, campaign manager Jim Farley, and the fuller brush girl at the door. Plus Jack Benny was on Take it Or Leave It and a guest from L...

October 14, 1945 - After returning from a USO tour entertaining the groups with Ingrid Berman, Jack Benny invites her on his show to reprise her Oscar-winning role in "Gaslight". It was recorded for a live audience of newly liberated WWII prisoners of War. 

November 5, 1944 - This episode of the Jack Benny Show features guests Amos and Andy, Mrs. Nussbaum, and Mentalist Jack Dunninger. This is the first episode with Larry Stevens. Plus references to Charles Boyer in Gaslight, Peter Lorre, Van Johnson and mens sock garters.

October 31, 1937 - Jack Benny and the gang go to the Andy Devine Farm for a Halloween party. They mention Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy and they talk about the speech Jack Benny gave at the testimonial dinner for Eddie Cantor's 25th anniversary in show business. 

October 26, 1941 - Jack Benny wants to play the most dramatic role in "Dive Bomber", the movie starring Errol Flynn, Fred MacMurray and Ralph Bellamy. Plus they mention "Arsenic and Old Lace" a dark comedy on the broadway stage.

October 16, 1938 - The JELL-O Program starring Jack Benny is moving to the new NBC studio. This is the last episode in the old studio. In it they mention the old age pension plan that they hoped would get the US out of the depression called the Townsend Plan.

October 8, 1944 - Frank Sinatra is a guest on this episode. His hit at the time was "Sunday, Monday or Always". They mention the teenage girls who were fans of music like Sinatra known as Bobby Soxers. We also talk about spanking, and war time rationing with stamps and tokens. Plus "Sympathy spelled backwards is Yhtapmys. Yip, Yip, Yatapamiss!" a parody of Serutan.