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

Singer Gisele MacKenzie, 1950s star with class

I often wonder if today's TV personalities will be remembered. Probably not when the Nostalgic Rambler can recall many very talented stars who once dominated entertainment but are now distant memory.

Take Gisele MacKenzie for example. She was a singing sensation for years as she guested on everyone's TV show, from Ed Sullivan to Tennessee Ernie Ford.

Comedian Jack Benny was in awe of Gisele, not only for her singing talents but her violin abilities. He showcased her on one of his shows which led to her long term gig on "Your Hit Parade." Several years later she headlined her own "Gisele MacKenzie Show." Click here or here. Here is a clip of her with pianist Roger Willams (see the recent blog I did on this great piano man). Oddly enough these shows are now on Youtube through a friend of Gisele's who said MacKenzie had her whole series on film, archived and in her garage getting ruined by the California heat!

After seeing her on a Jack Benny rerun several years ago, I found one of her RCA record lps (pic above--dontcha love those earrings?) in a thrift shop. Collector's Choice released a cd of her recordings which is about the only collection available and highly recommended.

Gisele was a Canadian but eventually obtained her American citizenship. She died in 2003 but apparently was still working theater and concerts in her later years.

As you can see from the pics, she was on the cover of TV Guide, kids used to play with her paper cutout dolls, and she was seen by millions every week. Nice to bring her back in the spotlight this time on the Nostalgic Rambler Blog.

Well! Jack Benny

One of my favorite comedians since my youth is Jack Benny. Recently our PBS station started running some of his 1960s tv shows and it was great seeing them in their pristine condition.

Benny had quite a career, spanning vaudeville, radio, film and television. He lived next door to Lucille Ball in Beverly Hills and they were good friends. Jack had a great sense of humor and once he wandered into Lucy's house while she was having dinner, played his signature violin and sauntered back out without saying a word.

I've read many bios of Jack through the years and am always in wonder of those innocent Hollywood years. Both Jack and Lucy's homes were right on Roxbury street, very easily accessible to the fans. Jack's daughter Joan once wrote that people would simply knock on the door and they would hand out autographs! Those days are gone forever.

Years ago I visited Beverly Hills and snapped a pic of Jack and Lucy's mansions. Across the street was Jimmy Stewart's place. The UPS man went up to Jimmy's front door and an elderly lady opened it. Perhaps it was Gloria Stewart?!

I was introduced to Jack Benny through his old 1940s/50s radio shows when I was a kid. Our local library offered cassette tapes of his programs. It was like visiting with family every week as his show ensemble had so many memorable characters, from his butler Rochester to his announcer Don Wilson.

There is a wealth of Benny info at www.jackbenny.org. Radio and tv programs are available there. You can find lots of show clips on Youtube as well. I even found a treasure trove of Benny material at Wal Mart not too long ago....a dvd collection of not only his comedy shows but appearances in dramas in the 1950s. Unfortunately I've never seen an official release of any of his television shows. I guess they just don't think there would be enough demand. Sad.

We will never see the likes of another Jack Benny. His comedy was unique and couldn't be copied by anyone else.

pics of Jack Benny above include a postcard of his home, one of his appearance on The Lawrence Welk Show, and with his neighbor the iconic Lucille Ball.