Jack Benny

May 22nd 1955 brought the finale of one of the longest running and most successful comedies in the history of radio - The Jack Benny Program - and I wanted to share with you what one of our lovely friends, D L Ray, wrote about the series on RUSC.

"Without a doubt, Jack Benny and Company were among the most gifted entertainers of all time. The cast may have changed over the years, but quality never suffered. 

The longest running combination, with Jack, Mary, Rochester, Dennis, Phil and Don had such chemistry--they were a study in comedy perfection. The supporting cast including Mel Blanc, Frank Nelson, and Sheldon Leonard were incredible in their own right. His long running "feud" with Fred Allen was brilliantly played. Add to that a galaxy of Hollywood's greatest stars as guests and the show must have been something to behold in first run.

I particularly love the shows from the War years with their touching, heart-felt New Years' allegories. The Christmas programs were true gems. Whatever the season, I have a tiny MP3 player loaded with The Jack Benny Program to listen to as I go about my chores--I can listen to about three episodes as I mow my lawn, and lots more as I tackle painting jobs around the house. 

I have been an RUSC supporter for several years, first for the novelty of listening to shows that my parents and grandparents knew and loved. Now, I love shows like the Jack Benny Program, too, and continue to support RUSC because I believe Ned is performing a great service by helping to preserve these pieces of American history, and making these shows available for anyone to enjoy. Jack Benny was there through radio's true Golden Age, and no Old Time Radio collection would be complete without a visit to Jack's house."

With nearly 600 shows available on RUSC - it will take you a while to listen to them all!

Happy listening my friends,