This Day in Jack Benny

December 18, 1938 - Returning to Hollywood by train. An unnamed announcer introduces the show even though Don Wilson appears in the episode. Jack Benny and the gang are coming home from New York. References include Red Cap Porters, the song "Ol' Man Mose", political figure Anthony Eden, fight announcer Clem McCarthy, comedian Fred Allen, Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Dracula, The Dead End Kids, and movies "You Can't Take It With You", "Snow White" and "Artists and Models Abroad".

December 12, 1948 - Jack Tries to Relax at Home, Eddie Cantor stops by briefly. References include the Pumpkin Papers, "White Christmas" and "Who Threw The Overalls In Mrs. Murphy's Chowder" by Bing Crosby, bandleader Spike Jones, and the books "City Boy" by Herman Wouk and "Wine, Women and Words" by Billy Rose.

December 5, 1948 - Professor LeBlanc give Jack a violin lesson, and Don is mad at Jack. References include the desert hot springs earthquake, Princess Elizabeth's new baby, actors Charles Boyer, Lionel Barrymore, Don Ameche, "Litte Lord Fauntleroy", and violinists Isaac Stern, Fritz Kreisler, and Jascha Heifetz.

November 27, 1938 - Football with coach Flash Benny. Jack has a cold Phill rips off his mustrd paster (along with his chest hair). Then they do a football play like the they did last year called "Hold That Line". References include the songs "Flat Fleet Floogie with a Floy Floy", and "Lambeth Walk", movies "The Devil is a Sissy" and "Angels with Dirty Faces", and PT Barnum was right, there's a sucker born every minute.

November 20, 1938 - Jack Benny does his version of the Clark Gable and Myrna Loy movie "Too Hot To Handle". Refrences include the song "Pocket Full Of Dreams", quiz programs, actor Robert Taylor and Frigidaire refrigerators.

November 15, 1953 - Jack repares for his TV show with Johnnie Ray. References inlude TWA airline, 1954 Cadillac, Old Crow Bourbon Whiskey, Thrifty's drug store, the "I Can't Stand Jack Benny" contest, and his guitar player Frank Remley.

November 7, 1948 - Jack Sees Psychiatrist About Echo and Mel Blanc does Bugy Bunny and Porky Pig. References include the election where Truman was re-elected after the polls predicted a Dewey win. Plus Bob Hope, Fred Allen, Derby hats, Maxc Factor, and "The Beer That Made Milwakee Famous".

October 31, 1948 - Jack goes trick or treating with the Beverly Hill Beavers. Plus clips from the Phil Harris Alice Faye Show. References include the Wolf-Man, the presidential election, the Olympics, boxer Gene Tunny, the movie "Johnny Belinda", and the Saturday Evening Post.

October 22, 1950 - Dennis Tries to Borrow Fifty Thousand Dollars. Jack is getting ready to fly to New York for his first ever TV episode. References include the song "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", Duz soap, Lifesavers mints, SMU, comedian Fred Allen and actor Gary Cooper.

October 17, 1943 - Jack Benny is back from his USO trip to Casablanca and recounts a story similar to the motion picture of the same name. Rochester sings "As Time Goes By". Plus Jack talks with his new writers. References include Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, Red Skelton, Burns and Allen, Fred Allen, and BVD brand of men's underwear.

October 10, 1943 - Jack Recalls His African Trip. Broadcasting from New York as Jack returns from his USO tour. Behind the scenes there is a new group of writers. References include Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Eleanore Roosevelt, wartime generals plus the old technology of carbon copying, and the spooky radio show "Inner Sancum Mysteries" with it's signature creaking door.

October 1, 1950 - The Maxwell is Stolen. Jack Benny and the gang have a meal at the drug store and Jack finds out his car has been stolen. References include ethyl Gasoline, the draft for the Korean war, Duncan Heins, Mad Man Muntz, gangsters Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd, the radio shows "People Are Funny" and "Hopalong Cassidy", the movie "Born To Be Bad", the song "Good Night Irene", the actor Ronald Colman, the costume designer Adrian, and Woody Woodpecker.

January 20, 1947 - Jack Benny's old tenor Kenny Baker had his own shown, with Don Wilson as the announcer and Jack Benny as special guest!

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!

May 12, 1950 - In 1950 they developed a radio spin-off of the Jack Benny show starring Eddie Anderson as Rochester Van Jones. The show would have been 15 minutes long, five days a week. Unfortunately, it was never picked up. These are the audition episodes.

December 18, 1940 - Jack Benny and Fred Allen star in the movie "Love Thy Neighbor". This is one of the rare movies where Jack Benny plays himself, set in the same world as his radio show. Here is a radio-style version of the movie.

This is a record for State Farm Insurance agents when the company started sponsoring the Jack Benny TV Show in 1960. "Jack Benny Music to Write Apps By".

September 27, 1936 - Starring Don Wilson with the wacky comedy team of Tim and Irene Ryan. You might know Irene Ryan as granny from the Beverly Hillbillies. This is the rare surviving episode of that show. Enjoy!

February 17, 1938 - After Robert Taylor was the guest on Jack Benny's show, now Jack Benny is the guest on Robert Taylor's show. With Frank Morgan, Baby Snooks and more!

November 13, 1950 - Phil Harris was in the movie musical "Wabash Avenue" starring Betty Grable and Victor Mature. Here is an original mix of the Lux Radio Theater presentation edited to include Phil Harris as Mike Stanley.