"The Jack Benny Program" Liberace Show (1954)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Ralph Levy

Writers:

Sam Perrin (written for television by) &
George Balzer (written for television by) ...

TV Series:

"The Jack Benny Program" (1950)

Original Air Date:

17 January 1954 (Season 4, Episode 7)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Jack visits the home of Liberace, but even he isn't ready for the outrageous extravagance he sees there.

Plot Keywords:

Concert | Tuxedo | Violin | Butler | Gardener

Cast

Jack Benny	...	Jack Benny
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson	...	Rochester Van Jones
Don Wilson	...	Don Wilson
Liberace	...	Himself
Bea Benaderet	...	Gertrude, switchboard operator
Shirley Mitchell	...	Mabel, switchboard operator
Rex Evans	...	Geoffrey, the butler
Rolfe Sedan	...	Pierre, the chef

Series Cast

These people are regular cast members. Were they in this episode?

Gurney Bell		(as The Sportsmen Quartet)
Bill Days		(as The Sportsmen Quartet)
Robert Garsen		(as The Sportsmen Quartet)
Jay Meyer		(as The Sportsmen Quartet)
Martin Sperzel		(as The Sportsmen Quartet)

Runtime:

30 min

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Quotes:

[first lines]
Rochester Van Jones: [speaking on phone] Hello, Mr. Benny's dressing room - star of stage, screen and radio and right now in front of the cameras trying to convince television.

Soundtrack:

September Song

Bittersweet nostalgia

I remember asking someone, at the time, if Liberace was the greatest piano player in the world. He was very popular; and, it seemed to me, very skillful (I played the piano a bit in those days too). He plays very well here, but it is sad to think what he became and how he ended. Anyway, here he is on top of his form, and Jack uses him to fullest advantage. There are very funny allusions to Liberace's famous, extravagant lifestyle. Also impressive are the clever set pieces and wonderful sight gags, typical of the Jack Benny Show production department but not so typical for television of the day. Someone put a lot of thought, and a lot of work, in to transitioning Jack Benny from radio to television.