February 7, 1937 – After hearing 10-year-old Stuart Canin play Schubert’s “The Bee” on The Fred Allen Program, Jack Benny is Ready to play “The Bee” himself. Leading to The Stolen Violin.
They mention the movie The Good Earth, Jack’s movie College Holiday in which he plays “Love in Bloom”, and Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.
January 15, 1950 – Fred Allen is the guest star on The Jack Benny Program, but he is late. This was during the time when The Fred Program was not on the air.
They reference Phil Harris’ show on NBC and Don Wilson’s “Dreer Poosen” flub. They also mention Groucho Marx, Milton Berle, Mory Amsterdam, and Danny Kaye who was starring in “The Inspector General”. Plus, Los Angeles Golf Open with Ben Hogan and Sam Sneed, the New York water shortage, Beeman’s Pepsin chewing gum, the Miss America pageant and the song “Some Enchanted Evening”.
January 2, 1949 -Jack has the jitters for his first broadcast on CBS after moving from NBC. Jack runs into Amos and Andy looking for CBS president William S pailey.
They spoof the song “Slow Boat to China” (written by Frank Lesseer), and reference the song “Buttons and Bows”. With Jack moving to CBS he does guest appearances on programs like Suspense and Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch. They promote a number of other CBS shows: Lux, Sam Spade, Spike Jones, “My Friend Irma”, “Life with Luigi, and Your Hit Parade with Frank Sinatra. They also mention Hetty Lamarr, Jerry Colona, Al Pearce and Edger Bergen and Charlie McCarthy who was retiring from radio…until next year.
December 26, 1948 – The last show for NBC. Jack Benny will be switching to CBS next week. He was doing quite a bit of promotion including appearances on other radio shows like “Lux Radio Theater”.
In this episode they mention Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Guy Lombardo and the song “All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth”. They reference the ad agency Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osborn. They also mention the movie “Portrait of Jennie”, the swimming movie star Esther Williams, and boxers Maxie Rosenbloom and Max Baer.
December 19, 1948 – The classic Christmas shopping episode where Jack Benny goes to a department store to buy a wallet for Don Wilson.
References include the movie “Elephant Boy” starring Sabu, actor Ronald Colman, actress Heddy Lamarr, poets Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Nick Kenny, Bendix washer, Tabu by Dana perfume, and the novelty Christmas song “All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth”.
Jack Benny Episodes 