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This Day in Jack Benny

Comedy

The Jack Benny Show AKA The Jello Program AKA The Lucky Strike Program aired from the 1930's right through to the 1950's. Each week your host, John Henderson, brings an episode from that week 60-80 years ago. It's old, yet still as funny as ever. "The Jack Benny program, starring Jack Benny with Mary Livingstone, Phil Harris, Rochester, Dennis Day, and yours truly Don Wilson"

Location:

Waukegan, IL

Description:

The Jack Benny Show AKA The Jello Program AKA The Lucky Strike Program aired from the 1930's right through to the 1950's. Each week your host, John Henderson, brings an episode from that week 60-80 years ago. It's old, yet still as funny as ever. "The Jack Benny program, starring Jack Benny with Mary Livingstone, Phil Harris, Rochester, Dennis Day, and yours truly Don Wilson"

Language:

English


Episodes
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Rehearsal with Kids (BONUS)

8/6/2025
Recorded February 15, 1953 - This is the rehearsal for the episode aired February 22, 1953 where the kids impersonate the Jack Benny show.

Duration:00:24:46

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What's My Line? Mystery Guest Jack Benny (BONUS)

7/31/2025
John Charles Daly hosts What's My Line? on TV with Jack Benny as the mystery guest. February 8, 1953 - Panel: Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen, Arlene Francis, and Hal Block June 21, 1959 - Panel: Arlene Francis, Steve Allen and wife Jayne Meadows, and Bennett Cerf June 5, 1966 - Phyllis Newman, Tony Randall, Arlene Francis, and Bennett Cerf

Duration:00:34:15

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Phil Harris fills in for Kay Kyser (BONUS)

7/23/2025
August 23, 1944 - "Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge" was fun music quiz show. Phil Harris guest hosted all summer. Play along and enjoy the music!

Duration:00:32:06

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Benny Wrong Number (BONUS)

7/17/2025
January 31, 1946 - Command Performance USA hosted by Robert Young with special guests Chico Marx, Lina Romay and Jack Benny in his version of the Suspense play "Sorry Wrong Number".

Duration:00:34:57

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King For A Day (BONUS)

7/9/2025
May 26, 1946 - The Fred Allen Show with special guest star Jack Benny. In this episode they spoof the radio program "Queen for a Day". Other references include The Lone Ranger, Ralph Edwards, Mary Margaret McBride, The Street Singer, Duncan Phyfe, Marconi, Sidney Greenstreet, "The Postman Always Rings Twice", President Truman, Camels cigarettes, and the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe.

Duration:00:35:23

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George Burns Goes to College

7/2/2025
November 29, 1945 - In order to get and inheritance, George Burns has to go to college. Gracie Allen gets George's friend, Jack Benny, to join him.

Duration:00:30:43

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Phil Harris and Jack Benny Interviewed 1946 (BONUS)

6/25/2025
In the spring of 1946, Phil Harris and his wife Alice Faye were interviewed on the Chicago radio show of columnist Nate Gross. A week later, Jack Benny was the guest on the program. Here are both 15 minute episodes!

Duration:00:33:41

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Dennis Day Reads Snow White (BONUS)

6/18/2025
Dennis Day narrates Read-Along Records: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1949) Snow White and Sneezy (1952) Snow White and Dopey (1952)

Duration:00:31:10

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Podcast Update 2025

6/4/2025
John Henderson's wife Stephanie joins him for a chat about the state of the podcast. https://thisdaybenny.com/

Duration:00:20:55

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Lost Watch

5/28/2025
June 6, 1937 - Death at Midnight Part 2. Jack Benny has lost his watch, a Christmas present from Phil Harris. Eddie (Rochester) Anderson is in the episode. This is his last appearence before becoming Jack's butler. References include the movies "Death Takes a Holiday and "This Way Please".

Duration:00:31:35

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Death At Midnight

5/21/2025
May 30, 1937 - Jack Benny is back after being sick and does a mystery play called "Death at Midnight" or "The Bang Bang Scream Murder Case" References include Bing Crosby, Mae West, Laural and Hardy, Dracula, Bullocks Wilshire department store, and the book "Live Alone and Like It" by Marjorie Hillis,

Duration:00:32:00

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Without Jack Benny

5/14/2025
May 23, 1937 - Jacvk is sick and does not appear on the program. Don Wilson, Phil Harri and Kenny Baker fill in with guest singer Trudy Wood.

Duration:00:28:35

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Ah, Wilderness!

5/7/2025
May 16, 1937 - Jack Benny and the gang do the Eugene O'Neill play "Ah, Wilderness!". References include the tradition of throwing rice and old shoes at weddings, the coronation of King George and Queen Elizabeth, Portland Hoffa, Ripley's Believe it or Not, and the racehorse Pompoon.

Duration:00:31:28

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The Egg and I (Magic Eye)

4/30/2025
April 20, 1947 - Jack Benny and Mary Livingstone play Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert in their version of "The Egg and I". References include a radio component called the magic eye, singer Nelson Eddie, Sen-Sen licorice breath freshener, and Murine eye drops.

Duration:00:33:09

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Sunset Boulevard (Easter)

4/21/2025
March 25, 1951 - It's Easter day and Jack Benny and the gand (joined by Mar'ys sister Babe) do a parody of the movie "Sunset Boulevard". References include the Senate crime investigating committee, billiard champ Willie Hoppe, Telula Bankhead, Hopalong Cassidy, movies "Harvey", "Broken Arrow", "Tomahawk", "Lassie", "Banzo", "Wabash Avenue", and "I'll Get By".

Duration:00:33:16

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Mary's Sister Babe

4/9/2025
April 1, 1951 - Leaving New York to do his TV show, Jack takes Babe Livingstone to the train station. References include The Kefauver Committee, Dick Tracy, the song "The Tennessee Waltz", the radio show Suspense, and Claudette Colbert, Basil Rathbone and Robert Motgomery who would be on his TV show.

Duration:00:32:52

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How Jack Found Mary

4/2/2025
March 18, 1945 - Jack tells a reporter the story of how he discovered Mary back in 1932. They made this episode for TV which aired October 31, 1954. Refrences include the Oscars where Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman were winners. They mention the radio shows "Your Hit Parade", "Duffy's Tavern", and "Fibber McGee and Molly", the silent film actress Theda Barra, the bandleader Spike Jones, the old song "Just a Gigolo", the watch company Gruen. Plus the true story of Mary meeting Jack.

Duration:00:34:06

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1960 Cleveland Symphony Concert (BONUS)

3/20/2025
November 4, 1960 - Jack Benny is the violin soloist at the Cleveland Symphony Benefit Gala.

Duration:00:53:38

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Courtroom Drama

3/12/2025
March 13, 1938 - Death in the Night Club. Jack and the gand talk about the Academy awards and do a play about a murder trial. References inlcude Kenny Baker in the movie "Goldwyn Follies", Fred Allen in "Sally, Irene, and Mary", Edward G Robinson, Spensor Tracy, Shirley Temple and Robin Hood and his band.

Duration:00:31:33

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Date with Giselle MacKenzie

3/5/2025
March 7, 1954 - Jack's big date at the Acme Plaza Hotel with Giselle Mackenzie broadcast from New York, New York with guest Frank Fontaine. References include the play "Tea and Sympathy", movies "Beat the Devil", "It Should Happen To You", and "Riot in Cell Block 11".

Duration:00:32:12