"The Jack Benny Program" (1950) TV series 1950-1965

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15

Release Date:

28 October 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Jack Benny was a regular on his own radio program since 1932. He brought the program, with his underplayed humor...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Radio Show | Laugh Track | Vaudeville | Entertainment | Monologue

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 7 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Jack Benny	...	Jack Benny / ... (254 episodes, 1950-1965)
Don Wilson	...	Don Wilson / ... (236 episodes, 1950-1965)
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson	...	Rochester Van Jones / ... (175 episodes, 1950-1965)
Dennis Day	...	Dennis Day / ... (146 episodes, 1950-1965)

Series Directed by
Frederick De Cordova		(72 episodes, 1955-1964)
Ralph Levy		(56 episodes, 1951-1961)
Norman Abbott		(38 episodes, 1961-1965)
Seymour Berns		(18 episodes, 1957-1960)
Don Weis		(10 episodes, 1957-1960)
James V. Kern		(4 episodes, 1954-1961)
Dick Linkroum		(3 episodes, 1951)

Series Writing credits
George Balzer		(254 episodes, 1950-1965)
Sam Perrin		(254 episodes, 1950-1965)
Hal Goldman		(221 episodes, 1954-1965)
Al Gordon		(221 episodes, 1954-1965)
Milt Josefsberg		(37 episodes, 1951-1961)
John Tackaberry		(37 episodes, 1951-1961)
Hugh Wedlock Jr.		(26 episodes, 1953-1961)
Howard Snyder		(23 episodes, 1950-1961)

Series Produced by
Irving Fein	....	executive producer / producer (90 episodes, 1952-1965)
Frederick De Cordova	....	producer (59 episodes, 1955-1964)
Hilliard Marks	....	producer / associate producer (54 episodes, 1951-1961)
Ralph Levy	....	executive producer / producer (37 episodes, 1951-1961)
Hal Burke	....	associate producer (32 episodes, 1963-1965)
Norman Abbott	....	producer (22 episodes, 1961-1965)
Richard Fisher	....	associate producer (21 episodes, 1954-1961)
Al Simon	....	producer / producer: McCadden Corp. (6 episodes, 1954-1961)
James V. Kern	....	producer (3 episodes, 1957-1961)
Seymour Berns	....	producer (2 episodes, 1959-1960)

Series Original Music by
Mahlon Merrick		(83 episodes, 1954-1965)

Series Cinematography by
Nicholas Musuraca		(56 episodes, 1962-1965)
Henry Cronjager Jr.		(15 episodes, 1960-1962)
Robert De Grasse		(13 episodes, 1954-1961)
Philip Tannura		(9 episodes, 1953-1961)
John MacBurnie		(7 episodes, 1955-1957)
Stanley Pavey		(4 episodes, 1956-1957)
Mack Stengler		(4 episodes, 1958-1960)
John L. Russell		(3 episodes, 1957-1958)
Sidney Hickox		(3 episodes, 1959-1962)

Series Film Editing by
J.R. Whittredge		(66 episodes, 1961-1965)
Ralph Davis Jr.		(13 episodes, 1954-1961)
Daniel A. Nathan		(10 episodes, 1955-1958)
Stanley Rabjohn		(7 episodes, 1956-1959)
Richard C. Meyer		(6 episodes, 1953-1955)
John A. DeLong		(6 episodes, 1964-1965)
Stanley Frazen		(4 episodes, 1953-1959)
Michael R. McAdam		(4 episodes, 1958-1960)
Guy Scarpitta		(2 episodes, 1953-1961)

Series Casting by
Kerwin Coughlin		(32 episodes, 1954-1962)

Series Art Direction by
Pato Guzman		(31 episodes, 1954-1962)
Frank Arrigo		(24 episodes, 1962-1964)
Robert Tyler Lee		(23 episodes, 1953-1963)
Rolland M. Brooks		(18 episodes, 1961-1962)
Ralph Berger		(16 episodes, 1954-1961)
John J. Lloyd		(16 episodes, 1958-1965)
John Meehan		(10 episodes, 1957-1960)
Martin Obzina		(7 episodes, 1955-1957)
Alexander A. Mayer		(6 episodes, 1964-1965)
Norman G. Arnold		(4 episodes, 1956-1957)
Raymond Beal		(3 episodes, 1964)
William D. DeCinces		(2 episodes, 1964)

Series Set Decoration by
John McCarthy Jr.		(51 episodes, 1962-1965)
Julia Heron		(17 episodes, 1963-1964)
James Redd		(16 episodes, 1959-1965)
Ross Dowd		(16 episodes, 1959-1962)
Perry Murdock		(14 episodes, 1957-1965)
Robert C. Bradfield		(9 episodes, 1962-1965)
Gene Redd		(5 episodes, 1955-1957)
Buck Henshaw		(3 episodes, 1955-1958)
John Lamphear		(2 episodes, 1955)
Anthony Mondell		(2 episodes, 1959-1963)
Ralph Sylos		(2 episodes, 1964-1965)

Series Costume Design by
Bob Christenson		(2 episodes, 1957-1960)

Series Makeup Department
Florence Bush	....	hair stylist (45 episodes, 1957-1964)
Jack Barron	....	makeup artist (41 episodes, 1955-1964)
Norbert A. Myles	....	makeup artist (33 episodes, 1954-1962)
Lee Greenway	....	makeup artist (15 episodes, 1954-1962)
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist (15 episodes, 1964-1965)
Leo Lotito Jr.	....	makeup artist (13 episodes, 1954-1960)
Eva Kryger	....	hair stylist (12 episodes, 1954-1961)
Larry Germain	....	hair stylist (11 episodes, 1964-1965)
George Lane	....	makeup artist (4 episodes, 1961-1962)
Virginia Darcy	....	hair stylist (4 episodes, 1964-1965)
Dorrie Hamilton	....	makeup artist (3 episodes, 1957)
Gustaf Norin	....	makeup artist (3 episodes, 1961)
Gene Roemer	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1961-1962)
Jean Udko	....	hair stylist (2 episodes, 1961-1962)

Series Production Management
Argyle Nelson	....	production supervisor (34 episodes, 1954-1962)
James Paisley	....	production manager / post-production supervisor / ... (34 episodes, 1954-1962)
Herbert W. Browar	....	production manager / production by (7 episodes, 1954-1961)
Sam Perrin	....	production supervisor (2 episodes, 1955-1956)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ronald R. Rondell	....	assistant director (31 episodes, 1957-1965)
Ted Schilz	....	assistant director (12 episodes, 1954-1961)
Charles S. Gould	....	assistant director (11 episodes, 1962-1964)
Frank Fox	....	assistant director (10 episodes, 1962-1963)
Jack Aldworth	....	assistant director (9 episodes, 1961-1962)
Joseph Depew	....	assistant director (8 episodes, 1953-1961)
Jack Corrick	....	assistant director (7 episodes, 1955-1957)
Maury Thompson	....	assistant director (6 episodes, 1962)
Bud Grace	....	assistant director (5 episodes, 1961)
William Lang	....	assistant director (4 episodes, 1956-1957)
Abby Singer	....	assistant director (4 episodes, 1958-1960)
John F. Meyers	....	associate director (3 episodes, 1956-1958)
Read Killgore	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1962)
Jim Hogan	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1957-1958)
James Nicholson	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1958-1959)
Howard A. Quinn	....	associate director (2 episodes, 1958-1959)
Ray Taylor Jr.	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1964)

Series Art Department
Kenneth L. Westcott	....	property master (12 episodes, 1961-1962)
Ernest Graber	....	property master (11 episodes, 1954-1961)
Sandy Grace	....	set dresser (9 episodes, 1954-1961)
W.C. Hartman	....	property master (6 episodes, 1962)
Ross Dowd	....	set dresser (4 episodes, 1961)
Robert Tyler Lee	....	settings (3 episodes, 1952-1953)
Sam Harris	....	property master (2 episodes, 1961)
Robert Priestley	....	set dresser (2 episodes, 1961)

Series Sound Department
Arthur Piantadosi	....	sound (22 episodes, 1962-1964)
Jack A. Finlay	....	sound editor (21 episodes, 1960-1962)
Cam McCulloch	....	sound mixer / sound recordist (13 episodes, 1960-1962)
Charles David Forrest	....	sound recordist / sound (11 episodes, 1954-1961)
Robert Reeve	....	sound re-recording editor / sound re-recording mixer / ... (11 episodes, 1954-1961)
Richard J. Pietschmann Jr.	....	sound (10 episodes, 1963-1964)
Harry M. Leonard	....	sound (9 episodes, 1964-1965)
Roy Meadows	....	sound (8 episodes, 1954-1957)
John Stransky Jr.	....	sound (8 episodes, 1963-1964)
Eldon Campbell	....	sound mixer (6 episodes, 1962)
William H. Lynch	....	sound (4 episodes, 1957-1959)
George Foster	....	sound supervisor (3 episodes, 1954-1961)
Buster Ambler	....	sound (3 episodes, 1956-1957)
Stephen Bass	....	sound (3 episodes, 1958-1959)
Larry Heath	....	sound editor (2 episodes, 1954-1961)
Melvin M. Metcalfe Sr.	....	sound (2 episodes, 1957-1960)
Earl Crain Jr.	....	sound (2 episodes, 1958-1959)
Jack Lowry	....	re-recording editor (2 episodes, 1959-1960)
Frank Webster	....	sound mixer (2 episodes, 1961)
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (2 episodes, 1962-1963)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Hal Burke	....	camera coordinator (18 episodes, 1960-1962)
Maury Thompson	....	camera coordinator (13 episodes, 1955-1962)
James S. Rice	....	lighting director (5 episodes, 1956-1959)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Vincent Dee	....	costume supervisor / wardrobe supervisor (68 episodes, 1954-1965)
Bob Christenson	....	costumes / wardrobe (20 episodes, 1954-1962)
Paul McCardle	....	costumer (6 episodes, 1962)
W.T. Zacha	....	costumes (4 episodes, 1961-1962)
Felix Evans	....	wardrobe supervisor (3 episodes, 1957)
Burton Miller	....	costumes (2 episodes, 1963)

Series Editorial Department
David J. O'Connell	....	editorial department head (51 episodes, 1962-1965)
Bill Heath	....	editorial supervisor / supervising editor (34 episodes, 1954-1962)
Richard G. Wray	....	editorial supervisor (22 episodes, 1955-1960)
Stanley Frazen	....	editorial supervisor (6 episodes, 1954-1961)

Series Music Department
Mahlon Merrick	....	conductor / musical director (131 episodes, 1951-1965)
Stanley Wilson	....	music supervisor (51 episodes, 1962-1965)
Jack Hunsaker	....	music editor / music supervisor (21 episodes, 1960-1962)
Robert H. Raff	....	music editor (11 episodes, 1954-1961)

Series Other crew
Hal Burke	....	assistant to the producer (20 episodes, 1962-1963)
Frances Steens	....	script supervisor (13 episodes, 1961-1962)
Maggie Lawrence	....	script supervisor (12 episodes, 1954-1961)
Jim Brady	....	technical director (5 episodes, 1955-1960)
Lester Hoyle	....	script supervisor (4 episodes, 1961)
Ken Kaylor	....	technical director (3 episodes, 1956-1958)
Glen Turnbull	....	choreographer (3 episodes, 1962)

Production Companies

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1950-1964 and 1977)
• J&M Entertainment
• McCadden Productions
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
• Revue Studios
• Universal TV

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1950-1964) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Studios USA Television (1998) (USA) (TV) (syndication)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1964-1965) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• United American Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Laserlight Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Marathon Music & Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Delta Expedition (2000) (USA) (DVD) (Christmas episodes)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Echo Bridge Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• NBC Universal Television Distribution (2004) (worldwide) (TV) (syndication)
• Platinum Disc (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (VHS)
• Moviecraft (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Critics' Choice Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Timeless Media Group (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Passport Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Encore Home Video (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Shokus Video (????) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• American Tobacco Company  original sponsor (Lucky Strike cigarettes)
• Post Cereals of General Foods  original sponsor (Jell-O)
• State Farm Insurance  original sponsor
• Unilever Brands  original sponsor (Dove Soap, Wish Bone dressings)

Also Known As:

"The Jack Benny Show" - USA (informal title)
"The Lucky Strike Program" - USA (alternative title)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

CBS Studio Center - 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Trivia:

Several episodes were adaptations of plots used on his radio show. Examples of this are the "Christmas Shopping" episode and the "Horse Racing" episode.

Quotes:

Jack Benny:Where's that big glass star I told you to pack away last Christmas?
Rochester:You mean that shiny one with the three points on it?
Jack Benny:That star has five points.
Rochester:Well, it went down two points this last year.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The John Cleese Interview (1998) (V)

Soundtrack:

Love In Bloom

Character Comedy

Jack Benny was unique among the great comedians this country has produced. Only his comedy was not the product of gags or situations, though he used them. His comedy arose out of an indelible character he created, the lovable tightwad who came into our homes via radio and television for over 30 years.

In real life Jack Benny was not a tightwad, in fact he was a generous man whose charitable giving was known if not publicized. That of course would have ruined the image and the image was the linchpin of his comedy.

Because we knew his character so well, the cheap gags followed. They would mean nothing to anyone else, but because it was Benny we laughed at a burglar saying your money or your life and Benny stalling with a reply of I'm thinking. The sounds of his Maxwell car were second nature, they brought laughs because Benny was too cheap to buy a new car. And his Social Security number, 000-00-0001 in deference to his age.

The Jack Benny Show took us inside the pretend world of tightwad Jack Benny. His announcer Don Wilson, real life wife Mary Livingston, butler Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, and the perpetual adolescent with the piping tenor Dennis Day all were part of that world. On radio Phil Harris as the brash band-leader was there, but he didn't make it to television, deciding to strike out on his own. All of these people bounced gags off Benny's tightwad character and all got generous laughs at his expense. But the laughs were coming for Benny's character, not necessarily out of anything he said necessarily.

Some his shows were classics and allowed people to really enjoy themselves. One of my favorites had Raymond Burr as a guest star who did courtroom sketch and broke into a song and dance before the jury. Burr looked like he was having a great time. Another show I remember had long time show business friends Bing Crosby and George Burns as guests, reminiscing about back in the days when the three of them were a vaudeville trio act.

His shows were welcome in millions of American homes including mine. Would that another Jack Benny would come on the scene today.