This Day in Jack Benny

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.

January 30, 1947 - The Eddie Cantor Show with special guests Jack Benny. Plus a clip of Eddie on Dinah Shore's show and more!

January 26, 1947 - Jack Benny and Mary Livingstone are guests on the human interest radio program "We There People" talking about their 20th Wedding Anniversary (you can skip to Jack Benny's segment at around the 20min mark). Listen to an exert of the books "Sunday Nights at Seven" in which Jack tells the story of meeting Mary.

January 23, 1955 - Can you guess the Jack Benny cast member before the celebrity panel? Listen to the audio from the TV gameshow.

November 10, 1944 - Jack Benny and Rochester are guest stars on the long running radio series Amos & Andy. This episode is called "The Employment Agency".

August 9, 1944 - "Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge" was fun music quiz show. When they needed a guest host they called on Phil Harris. Play along and enjoy the music!

April 7, 1941 - This Bonus Episode features Jack as a guest on the Quiz Kids Program! Plus clips of Walt Disney and Fred Allen.

June 28, 1945 - Jack Benny, Larry Adler and Martha Tilton starting their USO tour in Paris. They mention the fall of Berlin, the Folies Bergère music hall, the Davis Cup tennis tournament, Bob Hope, Jasha Heifetz, Van Johnson and Duffy's Tavern. Enjoy the show!

May 29, 1945 - Jack Benny guest stars in the radio play "Babes in the Woods" from the program "This is My Best".

May 23, 1954 - Jack's trip to Las Vegas is disscussed as well as Jack's last television show of the season featuring Bob Hope, as well as Dennis Day's TV Show. References include the portable Crosley TV set, dialing information (1-1-3), "My Sin" perfume, The Good Humor man, Marylin Monroes and her husband Joe DiMaggio, Frank Sinatra's song "Young At Heart", Bing Crosby, Howard Hughes,

May 20, 1945 - In San Francisco Jack Benny is joined by actress Rita Hayworth, Governer Earl Warren and harmonica player Larry Adler. This is just after the German Surrender. References include Orson Welles, Bing Crosby in "Going My Way", and Jack Benny's movie "The Horn Blows at Midnight".