THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM Vol. 1

Born in Chicago, February 14, 1894, Benjamin Kubelsky would later become known as Jack Benny. As a boy, he was encouraged by his Jewish immigrant parents from Poland to become a concert violinist. He learned to play quite well and hit the vaudeville stage, where he played popular songs and honed a suave-but-fragile personality, telling self-deprecating jokes. Benny guested on Ed Sullivan’s radio show March 19, 1932 and was an instant success. Canada Dry signed him to a contract that same year and soon Jack Benny was broadcasting each week on CBS. His career included several seasons on NBC and then a return to CBS through his final radio days. His all-star supporting cast included his wife Mary Livingstone, Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Mel Blanc, Frank Nelson, and announcer Don Wilson. As Jerry Seinfeld would emulate years later on Seinfeld, Benny’s cast received the best jokes—many pointed at the show’s star. Expertly-crafted scripts constantly reminded listeners of Benny’s portrayal of himself as a lovable, vain, miser, concerned about his receding hairline and insistence that he was no older than thirty-nine. His sponsors over the years included Canada Dry, General Tire, General Foods, and the American Tobacco Company. The Jack Benny Program made a successful transition to television with his entire supporting cast in tow. Benny’s radio and television shows entertained audiences for more than three decades and is generally regarded as the high-water mark in twentieth century American comedy.

2/20/49 - “The Horn Blows at Midnight w/ Fletcher Markle and Jack Warner”9/11/49 - “Bus Tour Introduces the Cast”9/18/49 - “Edward My Son”10/16/49 - “Recovering from a Cold”10/23/49 - “Jack is Recovering from Nose Surgery”11/20/49 - “Jack Goes to Rehearsal w/ Ed Wynn”12/11/49 - “Texas Benefit w/ Frank Leahy”1/8/50 - “Drear Pooson Fluff w/ Rosalind Russell, Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly”3/5/50 - “Buck Benny Rides Again w/ Sarah Churchill”3/19/50 - “The Champion”3/26/50 - “From Palm Springs w/ Bob Hope”4/2/50 - “From Palm Springs w/ Al Jolson”4/16/50 - “Jack Gets the House Pained w/ Frank Fontaine”5/7/50 - “Jack Buys a New Suit”11/26/50 - “Tries to Buy Tickets to the USC-UCLA Game”12/10/50 - “Murder at the Racket Club”