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”.
May 13, 1945 – Jack is going to San Francisco. It is Mother’s Day, the Sunday after V-E Day and Jack Benny is getting ready for a trip, so he gets some money from his vault.
References include Truman, Churchill, and Eisenhower, the Adjusted Service Rating (soldiers with 85 points could go home), J. Edger Hoover, actor Errol Flynn, songwriter Cole Porter, and singer Bing Crosby.
May 6, 1945 – Continuing a series of episodes about Jack Meeting his cast, this episode is about Jack hiring his announcer Don Wilson. Jack also gets ready to open his swimming pool for the summer.
References include the writer Mark Twain, the movie “Woman in the Window”, singer Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, announcers Harry Von Zell, Jimmy Wallington, and Bill Goodwin.
April 29, 1945 – First episode with Jack Benny’s violin teacher Professor LeBlanc, played by Mel Blanc.
References include Lena Horne, Ronald Colman, songs “rum and Coca-cola” and “My Dreams Are Getting better All The Time”, books “Forever Amber”, The Rover Boys series, the Elsie Dinsmore series, and Bob Hope’s book “I Never Left Home”.
April 22, 1945 – Broadcast from Twenty Nine Palms naval air station. The Jack Benny show is back after a week off due to the death of FDR.
Jack mentions the reviews of his new movie. Episode references include Dick Tracy and Gravel Gertie, Donald Duck, William Powell, Fitch hair tonic, songs “Apple Blossom Time” and “Surrey with the Fringe on Top”, and the sporting goods store Abercrombie and Fitch.
Jack Benny Episodes 