JACK BENNY PROGRAM Vol. 1

Born in Chicago, February 14, 1894, Benjamin Kubelsky would later become known as Jack Benny. As a boy, he was encouraged by his Jewish immigrant parents from Poland to become a concert violinist. He learned to play quite well and hit the vaudeville stage, where he played popular songs and honed a suave-but-fragile personality, telling self-deprecating jokes. Benny guested on Ed Sullivan's radio show March 19, 1932 and was an instant success. Canada Dry signed him to a contract that same year and soon Jack Benny was broadcasting each week on CBS. His career included several seasons on NBC and then a return to CBS through his final radio days. His all-star supporting cast included his wife Mary Livingstone, Eddie "e;Rochester"e; Anderson, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Mel Blanc, Frank Nelson, and announcer Don Wilson. As Jerry Seinfeld would emulate years later on Seinfeld, Benny's cast received the best jokes-many pointed at the show's star. Expertly-crafted scripts constantly reminded listeners of Benny's portrayal of himself as a lovable, vain, miser, concerned about his receding hairline and insistence that he was no older than thirty-nine. His sponsors over the years included Canada Dry, General Tire, General Foods, and the American Tobacco Company. The Jack Benny Program made a successful transition to television with his entire supporting cast in tow. Benny's radio and television shows entertained audiences for more than three decades and is generally regarded as the high-water mark in twentieth century American comedy.2/20/49 - "e;The Horn Blows at Midnight w/ Fletcher Markle and Jack Warner"e;9/11/49 - "e;Bus Tour Introduces the Cast"e;9/18/49 - "e;Edward My Son"e;10/16/49 - "e;Recovering from a Cold"e;10/23/49 - "e;Jack is Recovering from Nose Surgery"e;11/20/49 - "e;Jack Goes to Rehearsal w/ Ed Wynn"e;12/11/49 - "e;Texas Benefit w/ Frank Leahy"e;1/8/50 - "e;Drear Pooson Fluff w/ Rosalind Russell, Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly"e;3/5/50 - "e;Buck Benny Rides Again w/ Sarah Churchill"e;3/19/50 - "e;The Champion"e;3/26/50 - "e;From Palm Springs w/ Bob Hope"e;4/2/50 - "e;From Palm Springs w/ Al Jolson"e;4/16/50 - "e;Jack Gets the House Pained w/ Frank Fontaine"e;5/7/50 - "e;Jack Buys a New Suit"e;11/26/50 - "e;Tries to Buy Tickets to the USC-UCLA Game"e;12/10/50 - "e;Murder at the Racket Club"e;