We are so blessed to have the first episode of the wonderful (Jack) Benny (Kubelsky) television show. This guy was, and still is, absolutely tops. After eighteen fantastic years on radio, most episodes of which still exist, the Benny gang made a triumphant transition to the little screen, in a live production, which is a sheer delight. Announcer Don Wilson, butler Rochester, wife Mary Livingston, and many others, made the trip to New York to do this show, beginning a 15-year reign on TV. Dinah Shore was the guest, too. He continued his radio show for another six yearsEnjoy--you probably won't be able to help it.
2 Reviews
Mel Blanc bugs Benny...
AlsExGal17 September 2023
...when the famous voice artist appears onstage dressed as an electrician while Jack is doing his monologue and instructs the technicians as to how to move the lights because Benny's profile is just awful, or so he says.
This is the very first TV show Jack Benny ever made, and there were only four episodes made in the 1950-1951 TV season. Since Benny and company are getting their moorings at this point, I couldn't help but notice that this episode bears some resemblance to the popular Milton Berle TV show of that time, with singing quartets doing commercials and a cardboard bus that looks like something from a high school play.
There is one big skit in which Benny is at home talking about his efforts to put his first TV show together. There is a visit from Mr. Kitzel (Artie Auerbach), a character from Jack's radio show, and a phone call to Dinah Shore about her appearance on Jack's TV show. When she asks for 5000 dollars for her appearance, Rochester appears with a glass of water to revive Benny. Let me just say that Rochester had his persona down and adapted for TV from the start. He even does something he didn't do much of on TV - He sings "Blue Heaven" with his trademark gravelly voice.
The show is definitely under construction at this point, and there are still lots of sound versus sight gags since radio is the medium Jack Benny and company have become accustomed to over the past 19 years, but even this very first episode is entertaining.
This is the very first TV show Jack Benny ever made, and there were only four episodes made in the 1950-1951 TV season. Since Benny and company are getting their moorings at this point, I couldn't help but notice that this episode bears some resemblance to the popular Milton Berle TV show of that time, with singing quartets doing commercials and a cardboard bus that looks like something from a high school play.
There is one big skit in which Benny is at home talking about his efforts to put his first TV show together. There is a visit from Mr. Kitzel (Artie Auerbach), a character from Jack's radio show, and a phone call to Dinah Shore about her appearance on Jack's TV show. When she asks for 5000 dollars for her appearance, Rochester appears with a glass of water to revive Benny. Let me just say that Rochester had his persona down and adapted for TV from the start. He even does something he didn't do much of on TV - He sings "Blue Heaven" with his trademark gravelly voice.
The show is definitely under construction at this point, and there are still lots of sound versus sight gags since radio is the medium Jack Benny and company have become accustomed to over the past 19 years, but even this very first episode is entertaining.
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