Podcast Update 2025
This Day in Jack Benny
John Henderson's wife Stephanie joins him for a chat about the state of the podcast.
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Lost Watch
This Day in Jack Benny
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".
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Death At Midnight
This Day in Jack Benny
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,
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Without Jack Benny
This Day in Jack Benny
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.
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Ah, Wilderness!
This Day in Jack Benny
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.
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The Egg and I (Magic Eye)
This Day in Jack Benny
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.
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Sunset Boulevard (Easter)
This Day in Jack Benny
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".
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Mary's Sister Babe
This Day in Jack Benny
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.
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How Jack Found Mary
This Day in Jack Benny
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.
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1960 Cleveland Symphony Concert (BONUS)
This Day in Jack Benny
November 4, 1960 - Jack Benny is the violin soloist at the Cleveland Symphony Benefit Gala.
info_outlineDecember 12, 1948 - Jack Tries to Relax at Home, Eddie Cantor stops by briefly.
References include the Pumpkin Papers, "White Christmas" and "Who Threw The Overalls In Mrs. Murphy's Chowder" by Bing Crosby, bandleader Spike Jones, and the books "City Boy" by Herman Wouk and "Wine, Women and Words" by Billy Rose.