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"
Twitter:
@thisdaybenny
Language:
English
Episodes
Jack Paar Show Guest Jack Benny (BONUS)
10/1/2025
August 17, 1947 - Jack Benny guest stars on his summer replacement show, Jack Paar.
References include Margaret Truman at the Hollywood Bowl, actor C. Aubrey Smith, singer Lilly Ponds, bandleader Andrew Kostelanetz, Evelyn and her Magic Violin, Arid Deoderant Creme, and radio shows "Myrt and Marge" and "Jack Armstrong, All-American Boy".
Duration:00:32:44
Stop or Go (BONUS)
9/24/2025
November 26, 1944 - Comedian Joe E. Brown hosts the program "Stop Or Go" with guest stars Orson Welles, Hedda Hopper, Rudy Vallee, Dorothy Lamour and Jack Benny.
Duration:00:32:19
Suspense: A Good and Faithful Servant (BONUS)
9/17/2025
June 2, 1952 - Jack Benny Stars in this episode of Suspense where he plays a faithful clerk who tries to steal $50,000.
Duration:00:27:30
Bing Crosby Show with Jack and Mary (BONUS)
9/10/2025
March 26, 1947 - The Bing Crosby program with guests Jack Benny and Mary Livingstone.
Refrences include frontiersman Daniel Boone, the painting "Spirit of '76", sci fi show Buck Rogers, comedy show writer Bill Morrow, singer Peggy Lee, and the singer (with a smile in his voice) Jack Smith.
Duration:00:33:28
The Halls of Ivy (BONUS)
8/27/2025
November 22, 1950 - Jack Benny guest stars on Ronald and Benita Colman's program "The Halls of Ivy". Ronnie and Benita are playing characters but Jack is playing himself. Reference includes silent film stars John Benny, Flora Finch and Billie Dove, they also mention violinist Heifetz, and the radio program People are Funny!
Duration:00:29:24
Paramount Silver Jubilee (Bonus)
8/20/2025
January 7, 1937 - Jack Benny hosts the 25th anniversary of Paramount Pictures in honor of studio head Adolph Zukor. A night of music, laughs and stars. Enjoy!
Duration:00:38:57
The Golden Touch (BONUS)
8/13/2025
May 23, 1951 - Jack Benny guest stars on the radio show Family Theater, introduced by Lucille Ball. They reference The Marshall Plan, Hedda Hopper and hats. Enjoy!
Duration:00:30:26
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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