October 23, 1949 – Mel Blanc sings does his Al Jolson impression “Neyyyaa” singing along with the Sportsmen quartette. He also just made a record imitating Jolson singing “Toot-Toot-Tootsie Goodbye”. Meanwhile Jack is recoverying from nose surgery and accidentally impersonates the Fisk Tire boy.
December 23, 1945 – Newsreel of Christmas shopping for dolls and hobby horses in 1945. The US is working on withdrawing troops from Europe after WWII. In this episode Ronald Coleman has a touching speech about Christmas after wartime.
December 17, 1939 – The Jack Benny Program was broadcast live each week, so they did it twice. Once for the east coast time zone, once for the west coast time zone. There are two versions of this episode, listen to what changed from one to another.
December 24, 1939 – It’s Christmas Eve and Jack invites the gang over. This is in 1939 at the end of the Great Depression. They mention Kraft processed cheese spread in reusable glass. Greta Garbo, Esquire, and The Saturday Evening Post. Listen after the show for a Christmas clip from The Aldrich Family.
Plus the painting “Venus”
“Whistler’s Mother”
December 28, 1947 – This is a sort of year in review for 1947. Princess Elizabeth gets married. The new look in fashion is a style that includes longer shirts. Perry Como’s “Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba” is a hit as well as Phil Harris’ “That’s What I Like About The South”. In This episode of the Jack Benny Show they do a fantasy skit personifying the year 1947 as an old mat at the end of his year. The New Tenant is a young 1948. Listen after the show for a selection from Phil Harris’ other Show “The Fitch Bandwagon.”
Jack Benny Episodes 