Recognized as a leading american entertainer of the 20th century, benny portrayed his character as a miser, playing his violin badly. In all, there were 258 halfhour editions, plus 15 specials. Watch full episodes of the jack benny program and get the latest breaking news, exclusive videos and pictures, episode recaps and much more at. His work spans the 20th century, from vaudeville to radio and movies to tv. The son of a saloon keeper, jack benny born benny kubelsky began to study the violin at the age six, and his ineptness at it, would later become his trademark in reality, he was a very accomplished player. Download a sample list of available titles and additional research resources at. The jack benny program, which starred no less than jack benny himself, was a comedy series than went onair for more than 30 years in both radio and television. He brought the program, with his underplayed humor, to tv along with his radio regulars. Jack goes to a concert guests mr and mrs jimmy stewart by jenny li.
February 14, 1894 december 26, 1974 was an american entertainer, who transitioned from modest success playing violin on the vaudeville circuit to a highly popular comedic career in radio, television, and film. The main skit shows jack wearing hugeheeled boots, auditioning for a cowboy movie part as coopers twin brother. Does anyone know when the day will come that i can buy the complete run of the jack benny program on dvd. Back 10 1939 january 7, 1940 golden boy a great episode of jack benny with a guest star reprising her movie role. By 1965, the jack benny program was no longer in the top ten and its star then in his seventies decided to restrict himself to the occasional special, all of which were shown on n. February 14, 1894 december 26, 1974 was an american comedian, vaudevillian, radio, television, and film actor, and violinist. Follow ups post followup international jack benny fan club posted by andy f. The jack benny program was first broadcast on the blue network on 2nd may 1932. The jack benny program jack directs film tv episode 1963. There will be occasional flaws in the recordings but there are few flaws in the performances of jack benny and company, who were, by now, long enough established as masters of comic timing. With his capable cast of supporting players benny made his show into one of great radio comedy shows.
The complete surviving 1939 broadcasts, from original recordings of the program as it went on the air live, without modern remastering or reconditioning. Widely recognized as one of the leading american entertainers of the 20th century, benny played the role of the comic pennypinching miser, insisting on remaining 39 years old on stage. Its about time somebody put together a fabulous fivedvd pack that brings you the best of the jack benny show, with jack and his merry troupe, including mary. Jack benny radio show collection 143 episodes zoot radio, 766 free old time radio show downloads of the jack benny radio. When given the opportunity to play in live theatre professionally, benny quit school and joined vaudeville. In vaudeville, he delivered the snappy comebacks and one liners with intelligence and wit, but it was only with the continuing development of his personal trait comedy that he really became the jack benny we all know so well. Watch the jack benny program season 14, episode 6 jack directs a film. It premiered on nbc blue on may 2, 1932, and had its last episode on cbs radio on may 22, 1955, producing a total of 931 episodes. He then interviews don wilson, peggy king, rochester van jones and jack benny who pretend to be nineyearolds. Jack benny program article about jack benny program by the.
General foods switched the benny program from jello to grapenuts from 1942 to 1944, and it became, naturally, the grape nuts program starring jack benny. The jack benny program appeared infrequently during its first two years on cbstv. The suffix program instead of show was also a carryover from radio, where program rather than show was used frequently for presentations in the nonvisual medium. This offbeat episode of the jack benny program was first telecast in april of 1959. With jack benny, don wilson, eddie rochester anderson, james stewart. The jack benny program is a classic comedy that is truly one of the bestloved programs from the golden age of radio. Benny s longestrunning sponsor, however, was the american tobacco companys lucky strike cigarettes, from 1944 to 1955, when the show was usually announced as the lucky strike program. Jack benny was a regular on his own radio program since 1932. How he turned a miserable, selfabsorbed cheapskate into a beloved icon ranks among the great achievements in entertainment history. Jack benny program comedy old time radio downloads. From its beginnings as an immensely popular radio program to its heyday on television, the daily trials and tribulations of the beloved comedian kept millions of fans laughing for over 30 years. The jack benny program jack benny self benny the louse district attorney zeke benny alexander hamilton alfalfa bruce fink buck charles manningham charleston t.
Goodheart jose zeco koko the lord high executioner lem skinner mr. This collection of 18 rarelyseen installments of the jack benny program consist entirely of episodes restored from the original kinescope recordings made of them since their initial broadcast. Best of jack benny 39 episodes the jack benny program. He was one of the most famous names in show business for more than 50 years and was an eminent star of radio, the stage and screen.
Factory has remedied this somewhat with their release of the jack benny program. Meet the cast and learn more about the stars of of the jack benny program with exclusive news, photos, videos and more at. The jack benny program online full episodes of season 15 to. In jack bennys first film he starred along with conrad nagel as master of ceremonies in the hollywood revue of 1929, which was a big role for jack at the time. January 30, 1938 this early episode of the jack benny show is a parody of the movie the hurricane. The jack benny program s11e11 jack casting for television special. Jack benny, born benjamin kubelsky, was an american comedian, vaudevillian, radio, television, and film actor. Jack benny celebrity profile check out the latest jack benny photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. Jack benny 18941974, an enormously successful regular network radio personality in the 1930s, made a smooth transition to television. Jack benny born benjamin kubelsky february 14, 1894 december 26, 1974 was an american comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film. Download january 16, 1949 jacks scrapbook january 23, 1949 don wont sign his contract january 30, 1949.
It started life as the canada dry program in 1932 on the blue network and finished off as the lucky strike program on cbs in 1955. Coop flubs a line,and then does an elvislike turn with a guitar and the sportsmen quartet. Jack, who remained 39yearsold, kept his money in his basement and drove his old maxwell car just as he had done on the radio. What was so special about this goldenage classic is bennys ability to come across as a likeable guy despite being vain, argumentative, and a skinflint. Bennys longestrunning sponsor, however, was the american tobacco companys lucky strike cigarettes, from 1944 to 1955, when the show was usually announced as the lucky strike program. The jack benny program episodes tv series 1943 2019. This is a list of movies featuring comedian jack benny. The jack benny program harlow gets a date by charles bradley ii.
Because they were not saved on film, they never appeared in any syndicated packages of the classic comedy series. Irving fein, a producer and publicist who managed the careers of legendary comedians jack benny and george burns for a halfcentury, died aug. The jack benny program jack directs a film w guest star james. This category is for media pertaining to the radio and television programs the jack benny program. Christmas shopping show benny favorites mel blanc, frank nelson, and benny rubin guest star in this holiday episode, which finds jack in a department store, trying to get some christmas shopping done. Benny wouldnt start getting well known until his own radio program in 1934. The jack benny program, starring jack benny, is a radiotv comedy series that ran for more. Guests leo robin and ralph rainger jack forms bennymout films. Bennys radio program began in 1932 and ended in 1955. A massive collection of large pdf files each containing multiple scripts from jack bennys lucky strike broadcasts scripts from the late 1940s through mid 1950s, can be found on the industrydocumentslibrary. Season 7, episode 5 november 18, 1956 rochester calls jack in the middle of the show to inform his boss that the maxwell has been stolen.
Watch the jack benny program episodes, get episode information, recaps and more. Occasionally, in several live episodes, the title card read the jack benny show. As if that wasnt stressful enough, jack winds up in the middle of a robbery. The episodes that are included on this set are not a season or a best of, but rather just a collection of 18 episodes that were available to and cleaned up by the ucla film. The weekly tv show the jack benny program aired from 1950 to 1965 and its. The jack benny program and its legendary star are counted among the most dazzling jewels in the crown of american comedy. The lost episodes, a collection of 18 long lost episodes of the series. The monologue is followed by a comedic plot that stars mr.
The jack benny program ed sullivan by oldmovies official. Below are live links to each jack benny collection which i find most advisable to purchase found here on amazon although you may want an episode guide, i recommend the one on. Literally thousands of pages of scanned jack benny shows are available for download. Jack welcomes superstar and personal friend gary cooper, who makes his live actually videotaped television debut. Benny s career lasted from the early 1900s until his death in 1974. The weekly tv show the jack benny program aired from 1950 to 1965 and its comedy revolved around the benny persona, which.
What was so special about this goldenage classic is benny s ability to come across as a likeable guy despite being vain, argumentative, and a skinflint. Benny s radio program began in 1932 and ended in 1955. Jack then heads for the beverly hills police station to file a stolen car report but finds that they do things a little differently there. The lost episodes 18 episodes jack benny comedy pack 7 episodes. Jack benny, born as benjamin kubelsky, was an american comedian, vaudevillian, and actor. The jack benny program cast and characters tv guide.