Jack Benny's Lost Episodes

 One of my favorite TV shows (and old time radio shows) is The Jack Benny Program. Jack's comedy was sweet, gentle, and hilarious. Although he was on TV for years, his regular series is rarely seen on the air anymore. A year or so ago I caught several selected episodes on our local PBS station. The prints were pristine and the comedy was still excellent.

Oddly enough his television series never merited a dvd release in the eyes of whomever holds the rights to his show. These crystal clear filmed shows (probably from the late 50s/early 60s) would be prime in my book for public release.

Well, we won't see that anytime soon, but there will be some "new" Jack Benny material soon. CBS apparently rummaged through their vaults and found some material that hasn't been seen since its original airing. Wow.

 I've already put in my order for Jack's "lost episodes." I suggest you do the same and enjoy the funniest forever 39-year-old you've ever seen.

Here's the official press release from Shout Factory.
And here is a listing of the shows on the dvd!

The Lost Episodes

3-DVD Box Set

DISC 1

10/7/1956 Guests: George Burns, Spike Jones

Jack is extremely nervous about his debut at

Carnegie Hall. George Burns appears as the

devil and makes a Faustian pact with Jack

to make him the greatest concert artist. 

 

10/21/1956 Guests: George Gobel, Red Skelton

Jack and George Gobel vie to be

elected President of the Beverly Hills Beavers, a Boy Scout-

type organization of neighborhood youths. 

 

11/4/1956 “Jack Invited to the Colmans”

Guests: Ronald and Benita Colman

Jack mistakenly receives an invitation to a dinner at the home of Ronald and Benita Colman.

Arriving in his tuxedo, he tries in vain to pretentiously fit in with the upper-crust British

crowd. 

 

9/21/1958 Guest: Gary Cooper

Gary Cooper discusses his latest movie,

Man of the West, and Jack tries to get himself cast in

Coop’s next picture. The part is

for Cooper’s twin brother, and Jack attempts to man up and

measure up. 

 

10/4/1959 “Jack Switches Sponsors”

Jack is found sleeping because his show has

moved from 7:30 P.M. to 10:00 P.M., and

contemplates how his show will be 30 years from now. 

 

10/18/1959

Guest: President

Harry S. Truman

Jack recalls visiting the Truman

Library in Independence, Missouri. The former President

gives Jack a personal tour of

the facility, and they share their mutual love of music. 

 

Bonus Feature

Conversation With Actor And Satirist Harry

Shearer, Director Norman Abbott And Dorothy

Ohman

As a child actor, Harry Shearer built his acting

chops as a periodic performer on Jack’s radio

and television programs, including appearances

on Jack’s last weekly radio show. Norman

Abbott served as Jack’s television director

for two programs in 1961, then took up the mantle

consistently starting on December 31, 1963, through the end of Jack’s weekly television

series on April 16, 1965. Dorothy Ohman served

as Jack’s personal secretary and assistant

from 1957 through the remainder of his life. 

 

DISC 2

 

11/29/1959 Guest: Jack Paar

Jack Paar asks if Jack would replace him as a host on

The Tonight Show while Paar is on

vacation. 

 

3/6/1960 Guests: Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood

Jack tells CBS executives that he wants to “broaden out” and direct a

Playhouse 90 TV episode. He rehearses a dramatic scene with Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood, and chaos

ensues. 

 

4/17/1960 “The Easter Show”

Jack and his girlfriend, Mildred Meyerhauser,

dress up to walk in the Easter Parade on

Wilshire Boulevard. They encounter many of the usual gang of eccentrics, including Jack’s

long-suffering violin teacher, Professor LeBlanc. 

 

5/1/1960

Jack discusses his trip to the Far East,

including “Japan’s #1

announcer” doing the middle

commercial. The sponsors have a plan for cutting costs on the program, which leaves Jack

extremely wired. 

 

10/16/1960 Guests: George Burns, Tony Curtis, Robert Wagner, Mike Wallace

Everyone is talking about Jack’s show going weekly, and wondering if he is

up to the

challenge. 

 

10/30/1960

Guest: Milton Berle

Milton Berle coaches Jack on what it

takes to do a weekly comedy show. 

 

Bonus Features

Jack Benny’s New Look

December 3, 1969

Featuring guest star George Burns 

 

Jack Benny’s 20th Anniversary Special

February 17, 1969

Featuring guest stars Dinah Shore and Frank Sinatra 

 

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Jack Benny

March 10, 1971

Featuring guest stars Lucille Ball and John Wayne. 

 

Jack Benny’s Second Farewell Special

January 24, 1974

Featuring guest stars Dinah Shore,

Don Rickles and George Burns. 

 

DISC 3

 

11/20/1960 Guests: Jaye P. Morgan, John Wayne

Jack introduces celebrities in

the audience, including John Wayne

. When guest singer Jaye P.

Morgan appears, Wayne whispers to Jack that

he wants a date with her – and gets it. 

 

12/24/1961 “Christmas Show”CBS is throwing a Christmas party, and Jack and Rochester give gifts to all the cast members.

2/18/1962 Guests: Hugh Downs, Rock Hudson

Jack debates the psychology of sex appeal with

Rock Hudson. Jack wants to do a show like

Jack Paar’sThe Tonight Show

, and illustrates the concept with the help of Hudson and Hugh

Downs. 

 

1/29/1963 “The Murder of ClaytonWorthington” 

 Guest: Dick Van Dyke

Dick Van Dyke says that he has been warned

that Jack “works his guests to death.” In the

skit, Jack plays an inspector investigating a murder who questions

 everyone in the house – all

played by Van Dyke. 

 

9/24/1963 “Reverend Billy Graham”

 Guest: Billy Graham

Jack, Don and Dennis imitate Peter, Paul, and Mary in response to the folk-singing craze.

Billy Graham asks Jack why comedians insult each other to get laughs, and the gang

demonstrates what would happen if they didn’t. 

 

12/25/1964

Guest: Gisele MacKenzie

Jack states that he let the members of his cast have the night off, so he

goes into the audience

to chat with the folks. There he finds Gisele

MacKenzie, and they perform their classic violin

duet. 

 

Bonus Features 

 

Hearst Newsreel, unedited footage May 1935

Jack delivers a ridiculous and difficult monologue about Daylight Saving Time. 

 

Hearst Newsreel, unedited footage May 1941

Revisiting Miss Suzy's Treehouse: Thanks Ma!

 

Once in a while some fond childhood memories come back. Since today is Mother's Day, I recalled growing up when my mom would read to me.  One of my favorite childhood books was "Miss Suzy"  by Miriam Young. Somewhere in a box of junk I still have the tattered book from the 1960s.

I looked up the book and this simple tale of a little gray squirrel who is chased out of her home by mean red squirrels is apparently in lots of baby boomer memories.  It was released in 1964 by Parents' Magazine Press. 

 You can read some of those fond baby boomer memories of Miss Suzie at several websites including here and here.  Miriam Young wrote a lot of other books but they don't look like they are in print anymore. Miss Suzie was re-issued after many requests from nostalgic readers. 

Hopefully a new generation will enjoy this heartwarming tale. Thanks Ma to reading it to me so long ago...along with the story of the Gingerbread man and Morris the Moose!

Do The Mambo!

 

 One of the biggest music/dance crazes of the 1950s was the mambo. One of my favorite mambo records is by Perez Prado. This is it:

 The mambo sound is a very happy sound. It was everywhere in its heyday and even sung about it popular music by such stars as Perry Como.

Perez was from Cuba but became famous after he moved to Mexico. Eventually he was "discovered" for the US and by 1951 was recording for RCA Victor.

Recently I heard his famous "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" arrangement on the ABC show "Dancing With The Stars." It wasn't played with as much pep as Perez used, but then as my wife says "they probably slowed it down a bit so they could dance easier to it!" The song was #1 in 1955. A few years ago someone released a version of his "Mambo #5". Of course the young whippersnappers think all of this is new material, but in reality it is all rehash of the mambo king himself, Perez Prado!

Here's another mambo artist, Edmundo Ros with Mambo Jambo. My grandpa had this record in his collection. 



Everybody do the mambo!

Vintage TV is back -- on the Roku -- We dumped Dish network

 It's not too often that The Nostalgic Rambler embraces modern technology.  Sometimes people push us into it and recently it paid off big time. We have had Dish Network for years. Their price went up recently and we thought to ourselves "who needs this same old same old programming anymore at fees that don't justify what we watch?"

Enter the Roku. What is the Roku you might ask? I never heard of it until a few weeks ago when JaCk, (yes "JaCk" NOT "Jack") Copeland told me about it.  It's the latest thingie you hook up to your TV. Using a wireless internet connection it allows you to watch practically anything imaginable on TV and much of it is FREE.

Do you know what a Pub D Hub is? I didn't. It is the Public Domain Hub on the Roku. It is one of several channels allowing me to live in the past. Who knew the 1950s tv show "I Married Joan" could still be seen in 2013? It's here on Roku! I always get a kick out of hearing the announcer proclaim "America's Favorite Comedy Show with America's Queen of Comedy Joan Davis." Joan who? Lucy doesn't have anything to worry about, but it's fun to watch Joan try to be another Lucy.  Jim Backus aka Mr. Howell aka Mr. Magoo is also this series. 

 The Desilu Production of Our Miss Brooks starring Eve Arden is another great ancient find. Lots of Lucy alumni on the show and behind the scenes including Gale Gordon and Mary Jane Croft. It's on the Roku!

 I have watched some Best of Groucho on the Roku, The Lucy Show, The Jack Benny Program, and Our Gang comedies. Lots of old movies are on the Roku as well from Bob Hope/Bing Crosby to Shirley Temple. There are lots of obscurities I never saw on my Dish Network package.I even watched "Rescue from Gilligan's Island."  Hokey but lots of fun.

The Roku allows us to watch several of my church's channels, German news and movies, cool programming from The Smithsonian Channel and (as they used to say in the commercials) much much more. The Roku is available on line or at stores like Walmart or Best Buy. There is so much to watch I better cut this blog short to get back to the TV!

In Search of Andy Williams' Sweater

The Nostalgic Rambler is always in fashion wearing Perry Como-esque cardigan sweaters.  Although recently they have been easier to find, they were almost non existent in the stores until I set the fashion trend once again. 

Recently I've been watching the 1960s series "The Andy Williams Show." Andy wore these great V pattern sweaters, which I found out were made by a company called Parker of Vienna. They are the ultimate in cool! 

Donnie Osmond even had one

He wore all different colors on various shows, from yellow to blue to red, all with the similar V pattern design. This was probably to showcase the brand new NBC shows "in living color."

I wanted one of those sweaters to augment my Perry Como type cardigans. Now the problem. Since this was about 50 years ago, there is no more Parker of Vienna. Everyone that had those sweaters probably had them eaten by moths long ago. I can't ask Andy for one as he isn't around anymore. My wife to the rescue........she got out her knitting needles and made me one. Thanks Sweetie! 

And..........Here it is! Moon River anyone?

                    (From the show featuring guest star Henry Mancini --see him on the left?!)

Great American Songbook: Mitch Miller

 

Recently I read the biography of Tony Bennett called "Life is a Gift: The Zen Of Bennett." It was an interesting read but frustrating at times. Like many other singers of the 1950s, Tony didn't like working under Columbia Records A&R genius Mitch Miller. I use the word "genius" on purpose as Miller sure had the pulse of the public right as far as music in the 1950s is concerned. He shaped the careers of Johnny Mathis, Doris Day, Guy Mitchell and Rosemary Clooney to name a few. He picked a lot of the songs they recorded, including novelty tunes the public ate up as fast as he could release them.

 Even though this meant best selling records for many artists, many of the singers didn't like recording what they thought was drivel. Tony Bennett wanted to record jazz, not songs like "In the Middle of an Island".  It was one of 1957's top sellers. Tony made a lot of people happy with his recordings of that era, but after reading his book it seems like he forgot what Columbia and Mitch did for his career. Would he have been as popular without those songs?

Other Columbia artists like Rosemary Clooney also complained bitterly for years about having to record those songs. She wanted to do jazz as well and later did so very successfully. That's great, but why always put down the popular music they sang earlier?

Jo Stafford (my favorite singer) was teamed with Frankie Laine by Mitch Miller. They recorded a lot of fun songs and some stinkers like Chow Willy.  Well, it is catchy but as Jo herself once said "Chow Willy?!"

 

The Mitch Miller legend went on for years, reaching its height in the 1960s with his very TV show "Sing Along With Mitch."  On that show the music was mostly of the early Tin Pan Alley or folk song days.

 

Tony Bennett wants to sing "The Great American Songbook." But what exactly is that? Everyone seems to have their own opinion and the collective amnesia about what popular music was in the 1940s and 50s seems to be brushed aside. I sometimes think I'm fighting a losing battle about all of this. In my mind "The Great American Songbook" includes popular music of the 1920s through 1950s and includes songs the public loved during those years.  Despite what Tony thinks, the public never embraced jazz as popular music. "In The Middle Of An Island" isn't jazz and Tony might not want to sing it anymore, but it IS a part of that great musical heritage of American Popular Music and The Nostalgic Rambler's version of the Great American Songbook (hey if everyone else seems to define it, so can I!).....

I have the first Johnny Mathis album before he was molded by Mitch and the Columbia folks. It isn't noteworthy.  Under Mitch Johnny Mathis recorded some great albums for Columbia...his best in my opinion.  After those successes he decided to pick his own stuff.  His success never matched those iconic years.

Doris Day had that great sound of the the happy 1950s. Mitch Miller once again.  

The first Nostalgic Rambler blog several years back was on Mitch Miller. I'm revisiting him today as I induct him into the Nostalgic Rambler Great American Songbook Hall Of Fame, despite what Rosemary, Tony, Jo and Johnny might have said about him.  Congrats Mitch! And we forgive you for Chow Willy....

Vic Damone: Singing Was The Easy Part

 As you probably know by now I'm a sucker for biographies on famous singers and just when I thought I probably read them all, here comes another one! Vic Damone is a pretty underrated singer today. In his heyday he was starring in his own television show and guesting on everyone else's. It looks like he has long since retired, although he does have a web presence. I think he even lives in Florida, like me --and his old buddy Perry Como did. (Can I come over for a visit Mr. Damone?!)

 The company he hung out with makes for a very fascinating read in his bio entitled "Singing Was The Easy Part." He stopped on elevator and auditioned for Perry Como (he named his son Perry after Como) . Frank Sinatra saved his life. He dated Jack Benny's daughter Joan. From his many marriages to his embracing of the Baha'i religion, the book is full of twists and turns and interesting anecdotes. The famed interviewer Larry King calls Vic a National Treasure. Larry says he wishes he could be Vic Damone...and as a crooner wannabe myself, I wish I could belt it out like he does!

 The Nostalgic Rambler recommends this book as well as the above CD for a good representation of his work.

Here are a few great Vic Damone clips for you. "On The Street Where You Live" and "Gigi" are signature tunes. Here are a few tv appearances: with Andy Williams and Bobby Darin (can you watch it without a smile on your face? Wow!) or here with Judy Garland and songs from West Side Story.