This Day in Jack Benny

March 30, 1952 - Broadcasting from the Naval Training Centre in San Diego It's the Jack Benny Program. In this episode Jack recreates his time in the Navy. They mention the Navy's theme song "Anchors Aweigh" and the Essex aircraft carrier. Plus Hopalong Cassidy and the drug APC (Aspirin Phenacetin Caffeine) for headaches and colds.

May 25, 1941 - Phil Harris is back from his honeymoon with Alice Faye, so Don Wilson does a play called "The Life of Philbert Harris" loosely based on his life. Plus Regular Fellers, Lindy's restaurant, Abe Lyman, Meredith Wilson Kenny Baker and Hair Tonic. Thomas E Dewey comes for a promotional segment raising money for the USO.

Listen to my interview with Jack Benny's Grandson Mike right Now! As a thank you to those who support this podcast on Patreon I an releasing my interview early. Become a Patron February 14, 1954 - Happy Birthday Jack Benny! In this EPISODE Jack turns 40…or does he?

April 27, 1941 - Listen for the mention of the greatest bandleader of all time Glenn Miller. In the skit they go to the movie theater and "The Road to Zanzibar" is on the Marquee. This episode uses parts of an old script. The sound quality is also quite poor. You might want to listen to December 4, 1938 or May 2, 1948 instead.

March 30, 1941 - Jack benny works in his garden and has trouble with his writers. This episode mentions Frank Buck the animal collector, Luther Burbank the botanist, a "Mickey", Bromo-Seltzer and Don Wilson's western movie The Round Up.

February 8, 1941 - This is an episode of a fundraising broadcast called America Calling in support of Greek forces fighting the invading Axis forces. Bob Hope and Jack Benny host many celebrities including Shirley Temple and Mickey Rooney.

Summer Fun in '41 January 12, 1941 - In this episode Jack is late with no script. His writers are not worried. This is a very funny episode on a whole different level. References include Popeye cartoons, Jazzbo ties, Presidential candidate Wendell Wilkie, and the New York Rangers hockey team. Plus, listen for an interesting look at the phrase "Long time, no see". And a robot!

Podcast host John Henderson's wife Stephanie takes over the show to interview John about Jack Benny and making This Day in Jack Benny. BRAND NEW JACK BENNY WEBSITE! ThisDayBenny.com has been updated and re-designed to make it easier to find your favorite Jack Benny episode. You can help keep This Day in Jack Benny going by joining us on Patreon. If you enjoy listening, ask yourself: "Is it worth 25¢ an episode?" Donating $1 / month is like tossing a quarter per show. Plus you get bonus episodes!

June 5, 1938 - Its just after Decoration Day (Memorial Day). Jack Benny is making a movie for Paramount Pictures, but he's not happy with their plan to make him do his own stunt. They mention the movie "Her Jungle Love", Christmas Night (Nuit De Noel) perfume, The Camp Fire Girls, and the Ouija board. But most of the episode is spent finishing their play of Tom Sawyer.

May 29, 1938 - Jack Benny plays bothe the school teacher and Tom Sayer from Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". Rochester sings "Love, Your Magic Spell is Everywhere". They mention the movies "The Awful Truth", "In Old Chicago", and "Artists and Models Abraod". Andy Devine is Mayor of Nan Nuys, California. Finally, The Albany Night Boat was a riverboat from New York City to Albany. Couples would board for the overnight trip, leaving the night boat with a reputation.

May 22, 1938 - Jack Benny is on a diet. Andy Devine stops by having just been named Mayor of Van Nuys, California. They play kids in their version of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Plus references to George Arliss, Shirley Temple and Joan Bennette, and Myrna Loy.

May 22, 1955 - This is the very last episode of The Jack Benny Program on the radio. The Jack Benny television show would continue for 15 more years. This episode features Mel Blanc and Twombly the sound effects man. Plus they reference to Jackie Gleason in "The Honeymooners".

May 15, 1949 - Mary is sick. Phil asks Jack to borrow $2,000 and so he visits the vault. Jazz composer Hoagy Carmichael stops by. Then Jack is off to his violin lesson. References include the newly ended Soviet Blockade of West Berlin, NY Giants manager Leo Derocher, comedians Fred Allen and Milton Berle, Bank of America founder A.P. Giannini, and "The Horn Blows at Midnight".

May 9, 1954 (Rerun May 8, 1955) - Jack and the gang go to the beach on Mother's Day weekend. References to Vice President Nixon, "Riot in Cell Block 11", Johnny Weissmuller, Robert Taylor, Joe Dimaggio's marriage to Marilyn Monroe, Catalonia Swimwear, Papermate Leak-proof Pens and the hip saying "Dig that crazy kid".

May 2, 1937 - Was you there Charlie? Oh, You Nasty Man!, So-o-o-o This'll Kill Ya Graham, Tally-ho-o! what do these odd saying mean? Find out in this episode.

April 24, 1949 - In this episode they mention restaurant owner Mike Romanoff, Gypsy Rose Lee and the bubble dance. Jack Benny decides it's time to trade in his old Maxwell for a new car. Will he get the new Nash with the twin bed?

April 9, 1950 - This is a famously good episode (many collections label it "Jack gives 50 cents to a bum"). Frank Fontaine plays the homeless man as well as Winston Churchill, Cary Grant and Spencer Tracy.

April 11, 1954 - BONUS EPISODE - On the Jack Benny television program the guests are George Burns and Gracie Allen. But Gracie is late o Jack dresses up as Gracie and does her routine.

April 11, 1954 - A short history of the Jack Benny radio show before the episode starts. Jack hasn't received a new contract from the sponsor to renew the show for another year. In the episode they mention Bob Hope, Eddie Cantor, Abbot & Costello and the jingle for Papermate pens. Plus Amy Vanderbilt appears in the commercial, Lucky Strike cigarette in hand, to promote her new book on etiquette.

April 4, 1954 - Rochester is Spring cleaning, Dennis wants to join the Navy and Jack sits down to read a book. In the book Jack plays a psychiatrist and Mel Blanc thinks he is a refrigerator.

March 27, 1949 - Jack Benny and the gang are spring cleaning when they get a phone call from Ozzie Nelson and Harriet.

March 17, 1940 - Orson Welles is guest star in the prime of his career! He teaches Jack Benny how to act in dramatic roles in hopes of winning an Oscar. The first dramatic role Jack will perform is grunting as Quasimodo in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame".

March 10, 1940 - The skit in this episode is their version of Frank Capra's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" with Jack Benny in the role Jimmy Stewart played on the screen.

March 4, 1940 - Back from his ski trip, Jack Benny tries to do his show but keep getting interrupted. They talk about the Oscars, Andy Devine stops by, and Gracie Allen comes to campaign for her joke presidential run.

February 25, 1940 - The last part in the Yosemite series of the Jack Benny Show. Jack is laid up in bed after a skiing accident last week. Plus they reference the Pulp Magazine stories and the youth fiction book series "The Rover Boys".

February 18, 1940 - In the only serial of it's kind on the JELL-O Program, Jack Benny and the gang finally arrive in Yosemite to ski. Jack has been boasting about his skiing abilities, but now faced with the danger he tries to avoid the slopes.

February 11, 1940 - Jack and the gang are driving to Yosemite. Jack is compared to racer driver Barney Oldfield.

February 4, 1940 - This is part of a rare mini-series in the Jack benny Show. Jack and the gang have just finished a live show in Oakland, CA. Then they are on their way to Yosemite. They mention millionaire playboy Tommy Manville.

January 28, 1940 - Jack Benny and the gang are on location in Oakland, California in support of The March of Dimes raising money to fight Infantile Paralysis (Polio).

January 21, 1940 - Jack is trying to get his girlfriend, Gladys Zybysko on the phone. Z-Y-B-Y-S-K-O

January 14, 1940 - Jack Benny plays the violin so it's only natural that he would spoof the violin movie Intermezzo with Leslie Howard and Ingrid Bergman.

January 9, 1949 - It snowed in LA. Jack Benny and Mary Livingstone are having lunch at the restaurant for famous people "The Brown Derby". They run into Jimmy Stewart.

January 2, 1944 - Fun banter at the beginning of the episode as always. After Dennis Day's song they look back on 1943 with the allegory of The World Series: The Axis vs The Allies.

December 25, 1949 - This episode was broadcast live on Christmas day. They flash back to Christmas Eve where Jack Benny is putting lights on his Christmas tree. Stay tunes after the show for a portion if the Phil Harris show where Jack dresses up as Santa.

December 15, 1946 - Jack Benny tries to exchange the gift of shoelaces that he got Don Wilson for Christmas. Mary Livingstone is replaced last minute and Phil Harris and Dennis Day have their own shows. Plus the Silex Coffee Maker and the new 1947 Studebaker Starlight Coupe.

December 8, 1946 - The first of the classic Jack Benny Christmas shopping episode with Mel Blanc. They later took this basic concept and made it into a timeless Jack Benny television episode.

December 4, 1938 - Live from New York! They mention Mayor La Guardia, Grover Whelan, and Fred Allen. Jack Benny investigates a murder at the movie theater for the skit in this episode. Plus, ladies hats are in fashion.

November 25, 1951 - Dennis Day's movie "Golden Girl" is in theatres. It was a scary time for the movies. With the popularization of TV it seemed that movies were doomed. Why go out when you can watch a show at home? Jack Benny was on television, but not every week. Plus, references to stage comedians, popular magazines and hospital insurance.

November 17, 1946 - Guest Ronald and Benita Coleman live next door to Jack Benny in the show. This episode has another guest, Leo Durocher, loud-mouth manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

November 7, 1943 - Jack Benny and the gang dodge aircraft tests on location at the Marine Corps Air Station in Mojave, California.

November 1, 1953 - Jack benny gets a call from an all-night DJ. They mention 86 year old bodybuilder Barnarr MacFadden, Brew 102 Beer and Mary Livingstone does an impression of Marilyn Monroe. This episode was later done for TV.

October 30, 1938 - Jack Benny is broadcasting from a new NBC studio. Big Crosby's "Pocket Full of Dreams" is a hit song. Sally Rand dances with a bubble in the movie "The Sunset Strip Case". Meanwhile in Russia, Stalin rule of terror is at it's height.

October 20, 1940 - FDR has announced the first ever peace time draft. Jack Benny goes to trade in his old Maxwell for a new Packard Convertible.

October 17, 1948 - "Sorry Wrong Number" is the most acclaimed radio drama of all time! In this episode Barbra Stanwick guest stars to re-create the role she plays on the big screen. Then Jack Benny gets his own wrong number.

October 4, 1936 - It's the first show of the season and the first ever episode with Phil Harris. During the break the JELL-O program was taken over by Don Wilson! Plus references to Shirley Temple, Fred MacMurray and a record-breaking transatlantic flight.

September 27, 1953 - Listen as Mel Blanc does the jingle for Papermate Pens as Polly the parrot. With references to Liberace, Benny Goodman, Lady Esther Cosmetics, The Bob Crosby Television show and the Jack Benny Television Show. Plus a weighing machine, a phone booth and Los Angeles Smog.

September 23, 1951 - Jack Benny does his version of the Gregory Peck movie "Captain Horatio Hornblower". Plus they talk about popular music like Rosemary Clooney's "Come On-A My House" and Nat King Cole's "Too Young".

September 16, 1951 - Jack Benny is back from his tour entertaining the troops in Korea along with Errol Flynn and a host if others. Plus references to Dagmar's Canteen, and Disney's Alice in Wonderland.

September 14, 1952 - The first show of the season. Phil Harris has been replaced by Bob Crosby.

John Henderson talks with filmmaker, movie podcaster and Jack Benny fan Zach Eastman about the Jack Benny Movies from To Be or Not To Be (1942) to The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945).