Podcast appearances and mentions of The Jack Benny Program

Comedy: Judy Canova Show 12/6/47 NBC, Jack Benny Program 3/20/55 CBS.

Comedy: Fibber McGee and Molly 1/26/43 NBC, Jack Benny Program 2/27/55 CBS.

Join us for a bonus Christmas SHORT! This episode from The Jack Benny Program is condensed, but otherwise the actual dialogue from the original broadcast circa 1941. Madison steps into the shoes of Jack Benny on a deeply frustrating Christmas shopping spree.  Enjoy our little tribute to Jack Benny, and Merry Holidays! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a bonus Christmas SHORT! This episode from The Jack Benny Program is condensed, but otherwise the actual dialogue from the original broadcast circa 1941. Madison steps into the shoes of Jack Benny on a deeply frustrating Christmas shopping spree.  Enjoy our little tribute to Jack Benny, and Merry Holidays! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jack Benny Program 33-01-22 (076) Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl

Today as part of our February tribute to actor Jimmy Stewart on radio, we're presenting a funny episode of The Jack Benny Program. Stewart appeared several times on The Benny Show, both his radio and TV program. This is his first appearance on the show. Jack corners him at The Brown Derby restaurant in an attempt to get him to appear in one of his films. Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/ Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297 Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD

Comedy Classics Old Time Radio | #152 | Amos n Andy | A Bad ValentineNEW BOOK: Navigating Faith: Following Jesus in a Modern WorldMystery Theater Webpage Our Other Podcast:Cowboy Classics Old Time Radio WesternsMystery Theater Old Time RadioClassic Comedy Old Time Radio  Amazon Books:Understanding the Bible Made EasyChristian Devotional and Prayer Journal for WomenFinding Freedom: Overcoming Addiction - A Bible CenteredRecoverySocial Media:Friend us on FacebookFriend us onTikTokFriend us on YoutubeStep back in time with Comedy Classics Old Time Radio! Relive the golden age of radio comedy with timeless shows like The Jack Benny Program, Abbott and Costello, and Fibber McGee and Molly. Listen to your favorite comedians from yesteryear and enjoy a laugh-filled journey into the past. Tune into Comedy Classics Old Time Radio for nostalgia, laughter, and timeless entertainment!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/old-time-radio-classic-comedy/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Comedy: Burns and Allen 4/4/46 NBC, Jack Benny Program 2/13/55 CBS.

Your Money or your life episode

With Frank Sinatra

Comedy: Milton Berle Show 9/16/47 NBC, Jack Benny Program 12/12/54 CBS.

Zach welcomes back podcaster and Cary Grant aficionado Ryan Frost (Reel Nerds Podcast) for a trip to the port of Barranca to explore the lives and perils of its daring air mail pilots as they dig deep into Howard Hawks' 1939 spectacular, ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS.   Buckle up for quite a wild flight as the two unpack the intriguing production history, learn how Hawks was able to bounce back after the debacle of 'Bringing Up Baby', talk through the star studded cast and the ups and downs they had working with Hawks, marvel at the stunning visual effects from real flight footage on down to miniatures, and then finally come in for a landing ready to summarize how the film has managed to keep entertaining audiences for generations.   PLUS: Two Bonus Radio Shows! Lux Radio Theater: 'Only Angels Have Wings', Broadcast May 29th, 1939 & The Jack Benny Program: 'Mr. Benny Goes to Washington', Broadcast March 10th, 1940 Listen to Ryan each and every week on REEL NERDS PODCAST Website: https://reelnerdspodcast.com/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reel-nerds-podcast/id442184939 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NMZkh3WRDuIgIGuFRraEV and Follow the Reel Nerds on Social Twitter: https://twitter.com/reelnerds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReelNerdsPodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reelnerds/?hl=en

Comedy: Milton Berle Show “Salute to Radio” 9/16/47 NBC, Jack Benny Program 12/12/54 CBS.

Just in time for Christmas, here's a king-sized holiday special - a stocking stuffed with old time radio comedy, drama, and westerns to get you in the spirit of the season. Enjoy Christmas comedies from Fibber McGee and Molly (originally aired on NBC on December 19, 1944); The Mel Blanc Show (originally aired on NBC on December 10, 1946); The Jack Benny Program (originally aired on NBC on December 21, 1947); and The Jimmy Durante Show (originally aired on NBC on December 24, 1948). Jane Wyman and Ronald Reagan star in a radio recreation of the big screen classic "Christmas in Connecticut" presented by The Screen Guild Theatre (originally aired on CBS on August 5, 1946). Plus - a powerful Christmas tale from Quiet Please - "Berlin 1945" (originally aired on ABC on December 26, 1948); a western retelling of a holiday classic from Jimmy Stewart as The Six Shooter ("Britt Ponset's Christmas Carol," originally aired on NBC on December 20, 1953); and the story of one of the most enduring, beloved Christmas carols in "All is Bright" from The CBS Radio Workshop (originally aired on CBS on December 26, 1953).

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers On the Sunday, December 31st, 1944 episode of The Jack Benny Program, it's New Year's Eve and Jack resolves to be friends with Fred Allen in 1945. For more information on Jack Benny in 1944, including how and why he changed sponsors, please tune into Breaking Walls Episode 151 which covers Benny's 1944 in great detail.

Christmas: Life of Riley 12/24/44 NBC, Jack Benny Program 12/22/46 NBC.

Christmas: Milton Berle Show 12/23/47 NBC, Jack Benny Program 12/24/44 NBC Red.

The Adventures of Phillip Marlowe: Where There's a Will followed by The Jack Benny Program: Moonlighting as Santa.

Long before Ted Sarandos’s company turned “binge watching” into a national pastime, the co-C.E.O. of Netflix stayed up long past his bedtime in order to catch The Jack Benny Program and I Love Lucy, developing a passion for film and television that has guided him ever since. After spending his early career rising through the ranks of the video distribution industry, Sarandos’s acumen caught the attention of Netflix founder Reed Hastings, who pitched Sarandos on his company: what if renting movies and television shows could be done from the couch? Over the following decades, Netflix evolved into the streaming service we know today. And all the while, Sarandos’s keen eye for potential smash-hits such as House of Cards continues to help deliver unforgettable plotlines to homes around the world. On this week’s episode of Table for Two, Sarandos joins host Bruce Bozzi to discuss his early life in Arizona, meeting his wife, Nicole Avant, and the process of writing the prologue to a new edition of her book, Think You’ll Be Happy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Project Audion is back with the Jack Benny Program, returning with a delightful all-new radio episode penned by former Bob Hope staff writer Robert L. Mills just for Project Audion. (and as someone noted, "maybe there's some Corn in there too!") In this terrific recreation of a typical late-1940s Lucky Strike episode, Jack and his regular gang - Mary Livingston, Phil Harris, Dennis Day and Rochester - send up the movie classic "Casablanca" with guest-starring help from some of the movie's original cast. Jack takes the Humphrey Bogart part, inevitably. Join Audion's transcontinental cast as they perform - in real time - this new episode of the Jack Benny Program. They had a great time and you will too:  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Project Audion is back with the Jack Benny Program, returning with a delightful all-new radio episode penned by former Bob Hope staff writer Robert L. Mills just for Project Audion. (and as someone noted, "maybe there's some Corn in there too!") In this terrific recreation of a typical late-1940s Lucky Strike episode, Jack and his regular gang - Mary Livingston, Phil Harris, Dennis Day and Rochester - send up the movie classic "Casablanca" with guest-starring help from some of the movie's original cast. Jack takes the Humphrey Bogart part, inevitably. Join Audion's transcontinental cast as they perform - in real time - this new episode of the Jack Benny Program. They had a great time and you will too:  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers On the Sunday, December 24th, 1944 episode of The Jack Benny Program, it's Christmas Eve and Jack Benny is trimming the Christmas tree with Mary Livingstone and Rochester's help. The gang drops by to exchange gifts too. For more information on Jack Benny in 1944, including how and why he changed sponsors, please tune into Breaking Walls Episode 151 which covers Benny's 1944 in great detail.

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers On the Sunday, December 17th, 1944 episode of The Jack Benny Program, Jack meets Frank Sinatra in a pharmacy. For more information on Jack Benny in 1944, including how and why he changed sponsors, please tune into Breaking Walls Episode 151 which covers Benny's 1944 in great detail. For more information on the life and career of Frank Sinatra, please tune into Breaking Walls Episode 85.

The Jack Benny Program returns with a delightful all-new radio episode penned by former Bob Hope staff writer Robert L. Mills just for Project Audion. Jack and his regular gang - Mary Livingston, Phil Harris, Dennis Day, and Rochester - send up the movie classic "Casablanca" with  some of the movie's original cast in guest starring roles.  Jack takes the Humphrey Bogart part, inevitably. Join project Audion's talented transcontinental voice actors as they perform together in real time (like the old radio-drama days) this brand-new episode of the Jack Benny Program that sounds like it came from the 1940s! Our cast:   John Bell in Alabama Paul Patterson in Georgia Julie Hoverson in Washington Mel Rose in Pennsylvania Pete Lutz in Texas Scott McKinley in New Jersey Bob Beaumont in California Ken Jeffries in California Written and directed by Robert L. Mills in California Produced by Larry Groebe in Texas  

The Jack Benny Program returns with a delightful all-new radio episode penned by former Bob Hope staff writer Robert L. Mills just for Project Audion. Jack and his regular gang - Mary Livingston, Phil Harris, Dennis Day, and Rochester - send up the movie classic "Casablanca" with  some of the movie's original cast in guest starring roles.  Jack takes the Humphrey Bogart part, inevitably. Join project Audion's talented transcontinental voice actors as they perform together in real time (like the old radio-drama days) this brand-new episode of the Jack Benny Program that sounds like it came from the 1940s! Our cast:   John Bell in Alabama Paul Patterson in Georgia Julie Hoverson in Washington Mel Rose in Pennsylvania Pete Lutz in Texas Scott McKinley in New Jersey Bob Beaumont in California Ken Jeffries in California Written and directed by Robert L. Mills in California Produced by Larry Groebe in Texas  

On this episode of A Legacy Of Laughs, we join The Jack Benny Program for Hold That Line, his broadcast from October 27, 1940. Listen to more from The Jack Benny Program https://www.archive.org/download/rr12024/LOL263.mp3 Download LOL263 | Subscribe | Support Relic Radio

This is the Thanksgiving 1947 episode of The Jack Benny Program, which originally aired Sunday, November 23rd, 1947.

Comedy: Kiss and Make Up with Milton Berle 3/4/46 CBS, Jack Benny Program 3/2/52 CBS.

Jack Benny Program 37-11-28 (273) Jack Cooked the Turkey

In 1948, Jack Benny was at the height of his radio career, hosting The Jack Benny Program which had been on the air since 1932. Known for his comedic timing and self-deprecating humor, Benny often incorporated sports figures into his show. Bob Feller, on the other hand, was in his prime as a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians. 1948 was a significant year for Feller, as he helped lead the Indians to a World Series championship, their most recent title to date.This radio interview brings together two icons from different fields at pivotal moments in their careers. Feller, at 29 years old, was coming off a season where he led the American League in strikeouts and complete games. Benny, at 54, was successfully transitioning his radio show to television, with the first televised episode airing in 1950. The interaction between the comedic prowess of Benny and the athletic expertise of Feller likely provides an entertaining blend of humor and baseball insight, capturing a moment when radio was still the dominant medium for both entertainment and sports coverage.#JackBenny #BobFeller #1948WorldSeries #GoldenAgeOfRadio #BaseballHumor

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers On the Sunday, November 26th, 1944 episode of The Jack Benny Program, Jack and the gang discuss how they spent Thanksgiving. For more information on Jack Benny in 1944, including how and why he changed sponsors, please tune into Breaking Walls Episode 151 which covers Benny's 1944 in great detail

Harry Shearer has been delivering groundbreaking comedy that's the stuff of legend for decades, starting off strong as a child actor on The Jack Benny Program, then cutting off every edge in The Credibility Gap, pioneering the mockumentary with This Is Spinal Tap, bringing us over 20 voices in the most culturally relevant animated series of all time, The Simpsons and continuing to revolutionize radio since 1983 with Le Show.Harry joins us to delve into the magnificent lore which permeates his storied career. We dive deep on Burns, Smithers, Skinner, Flanders, Spinal Tap, SNL and Nixon. Plus, today's cutting edge motion capture technology is bringing us, from Trump Anti-Social, A Message For Kamboola, with Harry as Trump, now on Youtube.Harry shares Spinal Tap 2 updates, details about the night he, Christopher Guest and Michael McKean opened for themselves as The Folksmen to the din of the angry chant, “TAP! TAP! TAP!” along with news about Derek's solo masterwork,  Smalls Change. We hear about what makes voiceover work for The Simpsons unique within the animation world, the audio breakthroughs which led to his stunning series which reenacts the actual Nixon tapes, Nixon's The One, and his unpleasant experiences with Lorne Michaels on SNL. Harry also tells us about the recent digital archiving of his extensive Le Show catalogue which is now all publicly accessable, dating back to 1983. All this, and a round of IMDB Roulette. With almost 200 credits in play, where will the big wheel stop!?Plus, Weezy tells us about her personal and professional connection to The Comeback on Netflix and Fritz gives us his passionate take on Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen And The E-Street Band on Hulu.Path Points of Interest:Harry ShearerTrump Anti-Social Presents A Message For KamboolaHarry Shearer on WikipediaHarry Shearer on IMDBHarry Shearer on Simpson WikiHarry Shearer on FacebookHarry Shearer on TwitterHarry Shearer on InstagramSpinal Tap IILe ShowThe Comeback - NetflixRoad Diary: Bruce Springsteen And The E-Street Band - HuluNixon's The One on YoutubeMark Felt and Roy Cohn on Firing LineGift of DemocracyMedia Path Podcast

Comedy: Bob Hope Show “On the Battleship South Dakota” 11/16/45 NBC, Jack Benny Program 1/2/38 NBC.

Avalon Time is an American old-time radio comedy/variety program that ran from 1938 to 1940 on NBC's Red Network. The program was named after its sponsor, Avalon cigarettes. Over the course of its run, Avalon Time was also sponsored by Sir Walter Raleigh Pipe Tobacco and the Bulova Watch Company. The program is often regarded as comedian Red Skelton's first big break in show business and on radio. Show history Tobacco company Brown & Williamson, former makers of Kool cigarettes, began producing Avalon in 1932. Avalon was Brown & Williamson's 'economy' brand, while never actually mentioning that term. Instead, they were promoted as either the cigarettes that "cost you less" or the cigarettes that "give you change back". Avalon Time was the first Avalon-sponsored radio program with Show Boat premiering in 1939. The 'Reds' 'Red' was an ongoing theme and joke on Avalon Time. Coincidentally, all four hosts of the program had "red" hair. Two of the four hosts went by the name "Red". Also, the program was produced and broadcast over NBC's "Red" Network. Red Foley Avalon Time premiered as The Avalon Variety Show on October 1, 1938 with host Red Foley (1910–1968). Foley began his career in broadcasting in 1930 while still attending school at Georgetown College to perform with the house band on WLS-AM's National Barn Dance. In 1937, Foley, with producer John Lair, created the radio program Renfro Valley Barn Dance for WHAS in Louisville, Kentucky. With the premiere of The Avalon Variety Show in 1938, Foley became the first country artist to host a network radio program. Foley was the longest serving host of the program with frequent co-star Kitty O'Neill. Foley left Avalon in July 1939 and was replaced as host by up-and-coming comedian Red Skelton. Foley's replacement as singer was Curt Massey.[6] After Avalon Time, Foley returned to National Barn Dance and also became a lifelong member of the Grand Ole Opry. He also hosted Ozark Jubilee, the first popular country music television series, in the 1950s. Red Skelton Red Skelton (1913–1997) was the second host of Avalon Time. Skelton became well known for his "Doughnut Dunkers" routine[3] which led to Skelton's first appearance on Rudy Vallée's The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour on August 12, 1937. Vallée's program had a talent show segment and those who were searching for stardom were eager to be heard on it. Vallée also booked veteran comic Joe Cook to appear as a guest with Skelton. The two proceeded to trade jokes about their home towns, with Skelton contending to Cook, an Evansville native, that the city was a suburb of Vincennes, Skelton's hometown. The show received enough fan mail after the performance to invite both comedians back two weeks after Skelton's initial appearance and again in November of that year. On October 1, 1938, Skelton replaced Red Foley as the host of Avalon Time. Skelton's first wife Edna also joined the show's cast, under her maiden name of Stillwell. The Skeltons worked on Avalon Time until late 1939. Skelton went on to do his own radio show, The Raleigh Cigarette Program, on October 7, 1941. The bandleader for the show was Ozzie Nelson; his wife, Harriet, who worked under her maiden name of Hilliard, was the show's vocalist and also worked with Skelton in skits. Skelton went on to have his own successful television series named after him that ran on CBS and NBC for 20 years. Cliff Arquette Comedian Cliff Arquette (1905–1974) replaced Skelton as host of Red Skelton Time in January 1940. Arquette made a guest appearance on the show just a week earlier in December 1939. The title of the program was officially changed to Avalon Time when Arquette came aboard as host. Arquette began his career as a pianist in the early 1920s soon joining the Henry Halstead orchestra in 1923. Arquette had made a few appearances on radio including an appearance on The Jack Benny Program in 1938. Arquette left Avalon Time in May 1940 and went on to establish his most memorable --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dwight-allen0/support

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers On the October 29th, 1944 episode of The Jack Benny Program, an Allen's Alley spoof rekindles Benny's love/hate relationship with Fred Allen. This episode had a rating of 19.8. Roughly sixteen million people tuned in.

In this special October series, we are going to be presenting comedy programs with a spooky twist. We start by featuring the Jack Benny Program from October 31st, 1948—just before the iconic show moved to CBS during the network talent raids. This is one of Jack's best Halloween themed shows, as he goes trick-or-treating with the "Beavers." Join us for nostalgic comedy and Halloween fun! Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/ Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297 Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD

Jack Benny | Hold that Line || Dog Catcher of Beverly Hills | Broadcast: October 27, 1940; November 10, 1940The cast does a football skit called, "Hold That Line." Mary is out sick and does not appear. "The Blue Fairy Appears To Help Out," or "One Moment Please." The Jack Benny Program was first broadcast on the Blue Network on 2nd May 1932. With his capable cast of supporting players Benny made his show into one of great radio comedy shows. What was so special about this golden-age classic is Benny's ability to come across as a likeable guy despite being vain, argumentative, and a skinflint. People related to Benny and his willingness to often give the best comedy lines in the show to his supporting cast made him popular with listeners, guests and colleagues. This is classic comedy that is still funny sixty years later.Jack argues with the director of "Love Thy Neighbor" about where the premier of the film is to be held. Jack has just been elected the dog catcher of Beverly Hills! The system cue has been deleted. The Jack Benny Program was first broadcast on the Blue Network on 2nd May 1932. With his capable cast of supporting players Benny made his show into one of great radio comedy shows. What was so special about this golden-age classic is Benny's ability to come across as a likeable guy despite being vain, argumentative, and a skinflint. People related to Benny and his willingness to often give the best comedy lines in the show to his supporting cast made him popular with listeners, guests and colleagues. This is classic comedy that is still funny sixty years later.: : : : :My other podcast channels include: DRAMA X THEATER -- SCI FI x HORROR -- MYSTERY X SUSPENSE -- VARIETY X ARMED FORCES -- THE COMPLETE ORSON WELLESEnjoy my podcast? You can subscribe to receive new post notices. Also, if you have a moment, please give a 4-5 star rating and/or write a 1-2 sentence positive review on your preferred service -- that would help me a lot.Thank you for your support.https://otr.duane.media | Instagram @duane.otr

December 27, 1950 - One of the often forgotten recurring characters on the Jack Benny Program is Mr. Kitzel. His funny voice is an over-the-top jewish dialect. Artie Auerbach was playing Mr. Kitzel on other radio programs like Al Pearce and Abbot & Costello before bringing it to the Jack Benny show. But it was the Jack Benny show that made it most popular. In this BONUS episode you'll hear clips of Mr. Kitzel from other programs, his signature tune "Pickle in the Middle and the Mustard on Top" and the one and only episode his own show "Here Comes Mr. Kitzel". Enjoy!

Comedy: Kiss and Make Up with Milton Berle 3/4/46 CBS, Jack Benny Program 3/2/52 CBS.

PROJECT AUDION EPISODE 56 - The Jack Benny Program w/guest star James Stewart (orig. rel. 6/14/24) Project Audion once again brings you laughs, with an all-new original episode of the Jack Benny Program sponsored by Lucky Strike cigarettes. This Audion Original was written for us by former Bob Hope staff writer Robert L. Mills. Jack Benny was his childhood comedy inspiration, and once again Mr. Mills has recreated that classic Benny style and humor so faithfully, it's like discovering a lost episode! This week, Jack has snagged Jimmy Stewart as his guest star, so the Benny gang (Mary Livingston, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Mel Blanc, and the rest) can stage their send-up of the Alfred Hitchcock film "The Man Who Knew Too Much." Also, after a trying violin lesson with Professor LeBlanc, Jack faces a tax audit which requires a trip to the IRS to explain some of his more mysterious deductions. Performing live in our virtual Zoom studio, our coast-to-coast cast and crew once again capture the sound of the Benny show right down to the studio audience. Tune in and join in the laughter!   JOHN BELL (as Jack) In Alabama SCOTT MCKINLEY (as James Stewart) in New Jersey ANGELA YOUNG (as Mary) in Florida PAUL PATTERSON (as Rochester) in Georgia PETE LUTZ (as Mel Blanc/Phil Harris) in Texas  BOB BEAUMONT (as Dennis Day/Frank Nelson) in California  RACHEL PULLIAM (as child) in Missouri  KEN JEFFRIES (as Don Wilson) in California LARRY GROEBE produced and directed from Texas

PROJECT AUDION EPISODE 56 - The Jack Benny Program w/guest star James Stewart (orig. rel. 6/14/24) Project Audion once again brings you laughs, with an all-new original episode of the Jack Benny Program sponsored by Lucky Strike cigarettes. This Audion Original was written for us by former Bob Hope staff writer Robert L. Mills. Jack Benny was his childhood comedy inspiration, and once again Mr. Mills has recreated that classic Benny style and humor so faithfully, it's like discovering a lost episode! This week, Jack has snagged Jimmy Stewart as his guest star, so the Benny gang (Mary Livingston, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Mel Blanc, and the rest) can stage their send-up of the Alfred Hitchcock film "The Man Who Knew Too Much." Also, after a trying violin lesson with Professor LeBlanc, Jack faces a tax audit which requires a trip to the IRS to explain some of his more mysterious deductions. Performing live in our virtual Zoom studio, our coast-to-coast cast and crew once again capture the sound of the Benny show right down to the studio audience. Tune in and join in the laughter!   JOHN BELL (as Jack) In Alabama SCOTT MCKINLEY (as James Stewart) in New Jersey ANGELA YOUNG (as Mary) in Florida PAUL PATTERSON (as Rochester) in Georgia PETE LUTZ (as Mel Blanc/Phil Harris) in Texas  BOB BEAUMONT (as Dennis Day/Frank Nelson) in California  RACHEL PULLIAM (as child) in Missouri  KEN JEFFRIES (as Don Wilson) in California LARRY GROEBE produced and directed from Texas

Door to Suspense #8 featuring Jack Benny in: Jack Benny Program 4/1/51 CBS, Suspense “Murder in G Flat” 4/5/51 CBS.

Project Audion once again brings you laughs, with an all-new original episode of the Jack Benny Program sponsored by Lucky Strike cigarettes. This Audion Original was written for us by former Bob Hope staff writer Robert L. Mills. Jack Benny was his childhood comedy inspiration, and once again Mr. Mills has recreated that classic Benny style and humor so faithfully it's like discovering a lost episode! This week, Jack has snagged Jimmy Stewart as his guest star, so the Benny gang (Mary Livingston, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Mel Blanc, and the rest) can stage their send-up of the Alfred Hitchcock film "The Man Who Knew Too Much." Also, after a trying violin lesson with Professor LeBlanc, Jack faces a tax audit which requires a trip to the IRS to explain some of his more mysterious deductions. Performing live in our virtual Zoom studio, our coast-to-coast cast and crew once again capture the sound of the Benny show right down to the studio audience. Tune in and join in the laughter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

June 4th, 1944 was the last Grape Nuts Flakes sponsored Jack Benny Program. Jack took out a full page ad in Variety thanking General Foods and their agency Young and Rubicam for ten years of partnership. Six days later, the American Cigarette and Cigar Company deposited two hundred thousand dollars in a special exploitation account for the program. On June 23rd they wrote to Jack stipulating some terms of the agreement. The program would be broadcast live coast-to-coast 7:00PM eastern war time, with a transcribed rebroadcast by transcription between 12:30 and 1:00AM New York time for West Coast stations. In August, Benny left on a three-week USO tour of Australia and the South Pacific. On August 28th, American Tobacco announced that Pall Mall's product scarcity didn't justify a twenty-five thousand dollar per week expenditure. Lucky Strike would sponsor the show. The following week they announced a comprehensive, multimedia ad campaign. It was estimated to cost over a quarter million dollars. This changed the company with which Jack was signed from the American Cigarette & Cigar Company to the American Tobacco Company, and was made official on September 26th, 1944.

By the Spring of 1944 Jack Benny's cast had become its most familiar incarnation. Frank Nelson had begun to develop into Benny's nemesis, as he remembered in this interview clip. Phil Harris was a lovable and vain drunk. Mel Blanc could play any character imaginable. Others like Bea Benaderet, John Brown, and Sarah Berner rounded out the cast. Most importantly Jack was known to be the exact opposite of his character. On May 14th, 1944 The Jack Benny Program was broadcast live at Camp Adair, Oregon.

By the spring of 1944, Benny's ratings had continued slipping. That season, his 23.7 rating meant he'd lost roughly four million weekly listeners in just three years. At the end of this season, his contract with General Foods was up. Here's Jack Benny talking about that time. There was tension between the two parties because Benny had helped save Jell-O from going out of business. Jack was also upset with what he felt were second-rate accommodations provided by General Foods during the cast's ongoing army base trips. Since Benny had full control of his show as NBC guaranteed him the Sunday time slot over any sponsor Benny could sell his program to the highest bidder. Benny's management team quietly held a sealed auction for sponsorship on February 24th. George W. Hill, the President of American Tobacco, wanted Benny's show. His chief account executive was thirty-six-year-old Pat Weaver, the future president of NBC. A surprise winner was announced: Ruthrauff & Ryan, agency for American Tobacco's Pall Mall cigarettes, bid twenty-five thousand dollars per-week for three thirty-five week seasons. That's roughly Four-Hundred-Forty Thousand Dollars today. The weekly money was payable to Benny for all payroll and production costs. They also included an additional two-hundred-thousand dollars, or three-point-five million today, over the three years for marketing and promotion. American Tobacco also agreed to pay for any network and carrier line charges. The advertising community was stunned. General Foods considered retaliating against Jack by moving The Fanny Brice Show to CBS opposite the Benny program. They also publicized the fact that they were now sponsoring three programs, The Aldrich Family, The Meredith Wilson Show, and Mr. Ace and Jane, for the same cost as just the Benny program. On April 10th, 1944, Jack officially signed a three-year contract with the American Cigarette & Cigar Company to advertise Pall Mall cigarettes for twenty-two thousand dollars per broadcast, including a West Coast rebroadcast. The three-year contract would begin on July 1st, 1944, and run through June 30th, 1947. American Tobacco also had a three year option to renew. Benny was the executive producer. He funded the entire production cost out of his pay. In the case that any cast member, or Jack himself, missed a program, Jack was to furnish a substitute actor for ten thousand dollars, at his own expense. If Jack was absent for six consecutive broadcasts, American had the right to terminate the current season, but not the entire contract. Jack also had to make up for any of his absences by adding additional programs at the end of the season. In the midst of this, on April 30th, 1944 The Jack Benny Program signed on from the Puget Sound Navy Yard in Seattle, Washington. With Dennis Day gone to war, Dick Haymes substituted as the program's singer.

On April 23rd, 1944 The Jack Benny Program took to the air, broadcasting from Vancouver, British Columbia. It would be Dennis Day's last show until March 17th, 1946. He'd be departing for the Navy. In April of 1944 Dennis Day was twenty-seven years old. He'd been starring on Jack Benny's show since 1939, rounding into a very talented performer. Day had great comic timing and the ability to mimic voices well. That year, he'd appear on film in Music in Manhattan opposite Anne Shirley.

Comedy: Bob Hope Show “On the Battleship South Dakota” 11/16/45 NBC, Jack Benny Program 1/2/38 NBC.

Mel Blanc joined the show on February 19th, 1939. Benny was adding a new touch to the miser theme: a polar bear, who would live in his basement and help protect his money. The bear was christened Carmichael, and in 1941, according to Rochester, he ate the gas man. On Sunday December 7th, 1941 Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and Manila, thrusting the United States into World War II. That evening, The Jell-O Program signed on at 7PM eastern time. This is audio from that night. Benny's show peaked in 1941 with an average rating of 30.8. By 1942 Jack was beginning to get into disagreements with General Foods. Variety reported as early as 1939 that the sponsor wanted to change Jack's sponsorship to Grape Nuts Flakes. Jack resisted the move. The Jell-O brand had become uniquely associated with Benny. However, by 1942 with wartime sugar rationing, General Foods pushed the product change through. Variety reported on March 4th, 1942 that Benny would take Grape Nuts Flakes, while Kate Smith would now be sponsored by Jell-O. General Foods claimed the output of Jell-O would be so limited by the fall that they couldn't justify the cost of Benny's show. The Jack Benny Program cost General Foods twenty-two-thousand dollars per week. Kate Smith's show only cost ten thousand. With the October 4th, 1942 season premiere the show became The Grape-Nuts Flakes Program Starring Jack Benny. Benny wasn't thrilled, also feeling General Foods hadn't done enough to promote his show. After back-to-back seasons with a rating over thirty points, Benny 1942-43 rating slipped to 26.3, losing roughly two million listeners. Jack had a unique contract. Thanks to a verbal agreement with NBC's President Niles Trammel, Jack controlled his Sunday timeslot. At the end of Jack's next contract he was free to approach any sponsor, pending NBC's approval. It meant that General Foods could lose their top star and their top time slot.

At 7PM eastern time over Mutual Broadcasting's flagship WOR, The Mysterious Traveler went on the air. Written and directed by Robert Arthur and David Kogan, The Mysterious Traveler debuted on Mutual December 5th, 1943. Maurice Tarplin played the title role with a good-natured malevolence. The traveler mostly narrated from an omniscient perch. He rode a phantom train by night. The opening signature was the distant wail of a locomotive whistle, fading in gradually until the rumble of the train could be heard. David Kogan and Robert Arthur had met in Greenwich Village, New York, partnering on Mutual's Dark Destiny. After it was canceled, they came up with the Mysterious Traveler concept and prepared three sample scripts. Norman Livingston bought it for WOR. As independent producers, they were paid a flat rate for the whole package. Any money they saved by using the same actor in multiple roles went into their own pockets, so they used the best character actors in New York. Kogan also directed the series. On Easter Sunday, episode 19, “Beware of Tomorrow,” aired just as a gloomy dusk descended upon New York. Opposite The Mysterious Traveler, The Jack Benny Program signed on live, coast-to-coast at 7PM from WEAF in New York and at 4PM from KFI in Los Angeles. By April of 1944, Benny's writing team consisted of Sam Perrin, Milt Josefsberg, John Tackaberry, and this man, George Balzer. By the spring of 1944, General Foods had been sponsoring the program for ten years, first with Jell-O and then Grape Nuts Flakes. Benny's ratings had quietly been slipping since 1941. At the end of this season, his contract with General Foods was up. There was tension between the two parties because Benny had helped save Jell-O from going out of business. Benny had full control of his show. NBC also guaranteed his Sunday time slot for as long as he wanted it. This position allowed Benny to sell his program to the highest bidder. George W. Hill, the President of American Tobacco, wanted Benny's show. His chief account executive was thirty-six-year-old Pat Weaver, the future president of NBC. Benny's management team quietly held a sealed auction for sponsorship on February 24th. A surprise winner was announced: Ruthrauff & Ryan, agency for American Tobacco's Pall Mall cigarettes, bid twenty-five thousand dollars per-week for three thirty-five week seasons. The weekly money was payable to Benny for all payroll and production costs. They also included an additional two-hundred-thousand dollars over the three years for marketing and promotion. American Tobacco also agreed to pay for any network and carrier line charges. The advertising community was stunned. The Easter Sunday program was Pall Mall's audition. In the end, this would be the only Jack Benny episode to have a Pall Mall commercial. Pat Weaver and George W. Hill knew no one would take Ruthrauff & Ryan's bid for Pall Mall seriously. Had Foote, Cone & Belding, American Tobacco's agency for its top cigarette, Lucky Strike, entered the fray, the attention would have driven up the price. The last Benny show sponsored by General Foods was June 4th, 1944. Benny took out a full page ad in Variety thanking General Foods for ten years of sponsorship. In August, he left on a three-week USO tour of Australia and the South Pacific. On August 28th, American Tobacco announced that Pall Mall's sales didn't justify a twenty-five thousand dollar per week expenditure. Lucky Strike would sponsor the show. The following week they announced a comprehensive, multimedia ad campaign. It was estimated to cost over a quarter million dollars. Lucky Strike would sponsor The Jack Benny Program beginning October 1st, 1944.