Starter of this subject: J.Cooper
Last post in this subject: 4/3/2000
Messages in this subject: 6
| J.Cooper | 4/3/2000 6 replies |
| The more I listen to the old JACK BENNY-OTR Shows the more I enjoy and appreciate the format and his ensemble cast that "featured" Rochester, Phil Harris, etc. in...actually "featured" roles...there are so many wonderful shows that are favorites. When he finally went to TV, he was good, but not the greatness of Radio where we used our imagination along with the sound effects of the old car, the trip to the vault,etc...I have asked many OTR and early TV buffs, and they do not remember what I think was Benny's BEST show on Television..!!! It was the first show of a season..and had to be different! . All during the program, guest-stars were on a bus going through Hollywood.They criticized Benny badly, on and on they went... Each star got up & walked to the door and got off.. had been commenting on how cheap Jack is,etc all during the show..Up to that point, you have not seen Jack.....finally with just 30 seconds remaining... of the Show..from the back of the bus..only then is Jack seen and heard, as he gets up.. goes to the door and says.."I get off here, driver!" |
| Jim Hilliker | 4/4/2000 0 replies |
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I've heard about this show or read about it in one of the book's about Jack's life, but have never seen it myself...
My favorites from his TV years were one in which he gets up in the middle of the night to practice his violin when he can't sleep...The running gag in this show is that whenever Jack starts playing, the camera shows the darkened streets of Beverly Hills, and suddenly the lights go on, one by one in each house, as people are awakewned by Benny's noisy violin playing... Another one I thought was very funny was the Benny Show's writer's idea of what the Beverly Hills Police Department should look like...Inside, very elegant setting, crystal chandeliers, and lots of fancy looking furniture, office equipment...There was one scene where a Beverly Hills Sgt. on duty at the desk gets up to dance with a secretary, and they waltz around the office as Jack watches in amazement. The lady was played by Jack's daughter, Joan. I forget the plot of the show or why Jack was at the police department, but it was quite funny. |
| Philip Railsback | 4/5/2000 0 replies |
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I've heard about this show in the past. Oddly enough I was just reading about this episode in Milt Joseefberg's book on Jack Benny. Josefberg was a writer for Benny for around thirty years. He goes into great deatail in describing the show. It wasn't TV, but radio (in fact he says they thought about doing in on TV but didn't because it wouldn't work the same). It was a free tour bus filled with tourists, not stars, but as they passed the stars homes, they would "dissolve" into the homes so we could overhear their conversations about Jack. Finally the bus arrives at Jack Benny's house and at that point Jack Benny gets up says his first line "Stop the bus, driver, this is where I get off." Contrary to the popular myth that this was Benny's only line in the show (which is what I thought), he actually has a four minute scene with Rochester.
The show as broadcast on Septemeber 11, 1949. - Philip |
| George McGibbon | 4/8/2000 3 replies |
| The one I remember (because I've got the tape) is not his show but the episode of "SUSPENSE" he did in 'MURDER IN G FLAT". It was very entertaining and funny to a point but what I really remember about that show was the ending. While in the police station, he was reminded that he should call his wife to explain his absence and when asked where the phone was, he was told that it was out in the hall. "A pay phone, you can't miss it" said the police lietenant. "Pay phone?" "Hmmm"--. "Well, she's missed me this long, I guess she can wait til I get home". Ending with a twisted version of his violin playing his theme and then the theme of 'SUSPENSE". That was funny. |
| Philip Railsback | 4/18/2000 2 replies |
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I heard that Jack Benny Suspense epsisode not too far back. I don't remember it being funny, except for little tag at the end. Though it was fun to hear Benny playing a henpecked pipsqueak. One I heard even more recently was a Suspense episode with Bob Hope as a wife murderer. He doesn't kill her in the show, it's already been done. His character is a sleazy lawyer. There wasn't a joke in the script. Bob Hope did terrific job. It would have been interesting to see him do more stuff like this. Another bit of stunt casting on Suspense was Eddie Bracken as a serial killer. And one Suspense show I've never actually heard starred Fibber and Molly. I've read that Eliot Lewis, who was a regualar player on Jack Benny and Phil Harris, was the did these shows when he took over as producer for awhile.
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| Scott | 4/25/2000 1 replies |
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The Fibber and Molly Suspense episode is excellent. Fibber and Molly are force to drive a killer to their home. To say anymore would ruin the surprise. ------------------------------------------------------------
I always like when Mr and Mrs. Jimmy Stewart guest starred on the Jack's TV show. The Stewart's filled in the Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Coleman role from the radio series. Scott |
| Philip Railsback | 4/28/2000 0 replies |
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>I always like when Mr and Mrs. Jimmy Stewart guest starred. >on the Jack's TV show.
Yes, very funny. That look of distaste that Jimmy Stewart would get whenever he had to speak to Jack Benny was enough to put me on the floor. |