Jack, Phil, CBS, and Television!

[Jack Benny]

I feel, I've got 100 posts under my belt and I can take on something laced with controversy. I have always felt like the one time Jack kind of dropped the ball was in supporting Phil in the move to CBS. I think if Jack stated that the only way that he was going to go was if Phil's show went as well and it kept the same timeslot right after his. I'm sure from interviews with Phil, that he would have gone. The timeslot issue with Phil was always the dealbreaker.

If this would have happened then, you never know, we might have seen Phil on all of Jackson's radio programs. We might have even seen Phil as a semi-regulare on the Benny TV show, ala Dennis. I just feel that it was an unfortunate mistake on Phil's, Jack's, and CBS' part to not bring Phil and Alice's show over to CBS.

[Gerry O.]

A very interesting topic....however, while the idea of Jack bringing Phil and Alice's show to CBS along with his sounds like a great idea, there were things to consider which would have made this move awkward if not impossible.....

First, "Amos N' Andy" was FIRMLY cemented into CBS' 7:30 - 8:00 PM Sunday slot. "A&A" was the first major NBC program to come over to CBS as part of William Paley's 1948 "talent raid", and that show's 7:30 timeslot was considered a great spot.

It was "Amos N' Andy"'s presence on CBS which made that network appear more appealing to Jack Benny. Only a couple of years earlier, CBS was considered a "second best" network, and Jack never would have seriously thought of moving his highly-rated show there....but the new CBS presence of "Amos N' Andy" gave the network more credibility and prestige.

CBS used "Amos N' Andy" to promote the arrival of Jack Benny's program to that network...."A&A" stars Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll made big announcements about Jack's arrival at the end of their program, and it was obvious that William Paley was planning to make a powerhouse "Sunday Comedy Hour" block, consisting of "The Jack Benny Program" and "Amos N' Andy".

While Phil and Alice's program was extremely funny and well-written, it simply was not the strong ratings "blockbuster" that the "Amos N' Andy" show was.

Yes, it would have been great to have Phil and Alice follow Jack on Sunday nights over at CBS. (Having Phil and Alice's show still on NBC while Don Wilson was announcing "Stay tuned for the AMOS N' ANDY show which follows immediately" at the finish of Jack's CBS programs HAD to be awkward and put something of a strain on the Benny-Harris relationship). Unfortunately, it was a case of "Amos N' Andy" being in that "cushy" timeslot first.

[LLeff]

A very interesting topic....however, while the idea of Jack bringing Phil and Alice's show to CBS along with his sounds like a great idea, there were things to consider which would have made this move awkward if not impossible.....

Excellent points, Gerry. Here's also some other business considerations on the move to CBS.

By gaining the Benny show, CBS was purchasing all the stock of Amusement Enterprises. In a nutshell, AE had been formed a couple years prior at the instruction of MCA's godfather Lew Wasserman, and AE owned the Benny show and was responsible for its continued creation. Previously, NBC had contracted directly with Jack for the creation of the show, and the costs were eating up a large portion of Jack's profits. In creating AE, NBC would then contract with AE for the show and separately with Jack for his talent.

AE had little or no control over The Phil Harris-Alice Faye show. It invested in some other properties (e.g., "The Lucky Stiff"), but as far as I know, had no interest (as in claim or share) in the Harris-Faye show. Further the purchase of AE was separate from the negotiations for Jack's program actually MOVING to CBS. Sure, it's unlikely that a production company owned by CBS would have a show on NBC...but it was a separate deal. So Jack couldn't say, "You can buy AE only if Harris-Faye moves to CBS," as there was no guarantee that he himself was moving to CBS.

Then, as others on the Forum can point out, NBC trotted out attorney John Cahill (scary that I know that name by heart now) for the negotiations--the same man who had verbally abused Jack during the smuggling case. After that, there was no chance that Jack would have stayed at NBC, per his comments to Milt Josefsberg. So at that point, Jack may not have wanted to make any demands on CBS that might have queered the deal.

[Gerry O.]

Then, as others on the Forum can point out, NBC trotted out attorney John Cahill (scary that I know that name by heart now) for the negotiations--the same man who had verbally abused Jack during the smuggling case. After that, there was no chance that Jack would have stayed at NBC, per his comments to Milt Josefsberg. So at that point, Jack may not have wanted to make any demands on CBS that might have queered the deal.

Good point, Laura! The network switch wasn't a case of Jack being perfectly happy at NBC and just getting a better financial deal at CBS....a BIG part of Jack's move was a highly emotional "knee jerk" reaction when he was angered and offended by John Cahill being a part of NBC's contract negotiations. While Jack had been seriously considering moving to CBS, the sight of Cahill was the final nail in the box that drove Jack from NBC....so it wasn't a matter of Jack saying, "Gee, it would be nice to go to CBS", but rather a matter of, "I can't stay at NBC after this...I HAVE to go to CBS!".

[Huxley]

Is it safe to say that Phil's show was competing with A&A in the same timeslot? And, if this was the case, how did Phil fare against A&A after Jack's move to CBS? Would this be pivotal in the demise of Phil's show?

Also, were there only two major broadcasting companies at the time? Had ABC not been created yet, and were there other networks that were later absorbed by CBS and NBC?

Can I spin off more questions to make it an even 20?


Apparently not, okay, I'm done.

[bboswell]

Also, were there only two major broadcasting companies at the time? Had ABC not been created yet, and were there other networks that were later absorbed by CBS and NBC?

NBC had the Red and Blue networks until 1942-43 when it was forced to give up its "Blue Network" because of a federal antitrust decision. The Blue Network became ABC at that time.
Also in those days there was the Mutual broadcasting network.

[shimp scrampi]

Is it safe to say that Phil's show was competing with A&A in the same timeslot? And, if this was the case, how did Phil fare against A&A after Jack's move to CBS? Would this be pivotal in the demise of Phil's show?

Phil's show coasted along nicely through '53-54, and was up against A&A until the last season when Phil & Alice switched to Fridays - they certainly lasted longer than most in the face of TV, so it's hard to say Jack's network switch led to its demise. I understand the ratings did suffer (I've got no numbers to quote here), though obviously not enough to cancel the show.

[LLeff]

Phil's show coasted along nicely through '53-54, and was up against A&A until the last season when Phil & Alice switched to Fridays - they certainly lasted longer than most in the face of TV, so it's hard to say Jack's network switch led to its demise. I understand the ratings did suffer (I've got no numbers to quote here), though obviously not enough to cancel the show.

I had to look this up on Radio Gold Index (a really invaluable tool for online OTR research), but I noticed something about A&A at this time. It seems that Rexall sponsored them through May 1954, then through the end of 1954 they were sustaining (i.e., not sponsored by any specific company), and in January 1955 moved to "Amos n Andy Music Hall" format (and ironically, their first record is by Phil Harris!). I've heard that the AnA Music Hall shows are really not very good, and nothing like what made AnA household names. So I'm wondering if AnA were on their way out as well, and not such a huge threat to Phil and Alice.

[Gerry O.]

I had to look this up on Radio Gold Index (a really invaluable tool for online OTR research), but I noticed something about A&A at this time. It seems that Rexall sponsored them through May 1954, then through the end of 1954 they were sustaining (i.e., not sponsored by any specific company), and in January 1955 moved to "Amos n Andy Music Hall" format (and ironically, their first record is by Phil Harris!). I've heard that the AnA Music Hall shows are really not very good, and nothing like what made AnA household names. So I'm wondering if AnA were on their way out as well, and not such a huge threat to Phil and Alice.

With the advent of television, just about EVERY network radio comedy program was on its way out by 1955.

We've been discussing Phil & Alice being on opposite Amos N' Andy, but there's one part of that competition that we haven't mentioned....

In 1951, Phil and Alice's radio sponsor Rexall (who had been sponsoring the Harris program for the past few years), suddenly withdrew their sponsorship from the Harris show and decided to sponsor CBS' "Amos N' Andy" (Phil and Alice's DIRECT competition) instead! What a humiliating slap in the face that must have been for Phil and Alice!

[Huxley]

Ah, Phil was probably tired of hearing those ponderous Rexall bits anyway.
"Good health to all, from Rexall!" starts to grate on you after a bit, doesn't it? I find that I automatically fast-forward through the Rexall plugs whereas I don't mind the Jello commercials from Jack's show.

I guess ABC never became much of a force in radio before TV came along.

[Gerry O.]

Ah, Phil was probably tired of hearing those ponderous Rexall bits anyway.
"Good health to all, from Rexall!" starts to grate on you after a bit, doesn't it? I find that I automatically fast-forward through the Rexall plugs whereas I don't mind the Jello commercials from Jack's show.

Well, there IS a big difference.....When Don Wilson did a Jell-O commercial, he really got into it! You really believed that Don LOVED the stuff, and he made YOU hungry for it too! However, that old "Rexall Family Druggist" droning on and on about Plenimans and other Rexall products can really put you to sleep!

Just for the record, the Rexall Family Druggist moved over to the Amos N' Andy show when Rexall switched sponsorship....and the old guy wasn't any better on THAT show!

[Maxwell]

Phil's show coasted along nicely through '53-54, and was up against A&A until the last season when Phil & Alice switched to Fridays - they certainly lasted longer than most in the face of TV, so it's hard to say Jack's network switch led to its demise. I understand the ratings did suffer (I've got no numbers to quote here), though obviously not enough to cancel the show.

I had to look this up on Radio Gold Index (a really invaluable tool for online OTR research), but I noticed something about A&A at this time. It seems that Rexall sponsored them through May 1954, then through the end of 1954 they were sustaining (i.e., not sponsored by any specific company), and in January 1955 moved to "Amos n Andy Music Hall" format (and ironically, their first record is by Phil Harris!). I've heard that the AnA Music Hall shows are really not very good, and nothing like what made AnA household names. So I'm wondering if AnA were on their way out as well, and not such a huge threat to Phil and Alice.

I remember hearing some of the A&A Music Hall programs when I was a kid (on WBBM in Chicago). Basically it was Correll and Gosden in character spinning records. Not very good.

[shimp scrampi]

Anyone know offhand what NBC put in Jack's old timeslot when he left for CBS?

[bboswell]

Anyone know offhand what NBC put in Jack's old timeslot when he left for CBS?

Well, it's not offhand, but here is (in blue) in a great Time Magazine article from Dec 27, 1948 that mentions several interesting things, including "New comics Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis," a revealing quote from Al Jolson, and NBC raiding talent from its "ex-stepchild," ABC.

--------------------
"In all its 22 years, NBC had never seen anything like it. First Amos 'n' Andy and Jack Benny went over to rival CBS. Then Fred Allen said flatly that he was through with radio after next June.

Last week, the casualty list continued to grow. Edgar Bergen announced that he was leaving NBC and radio after Dec. 26, and taking Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd with him.

In Hollywood, NBC's Al Jolson said he was getting out in May, complained: "I don't like going on the air and doing the show direct. Frankly, I don't know music and I can go flat. I'd like to do radio just like pictures—leave the imperfect stuff on the cutting-room floor."

Even in television, monolithic NBC seemed to be having trouble keeping its balance. Last week the Lanny Ross show announced a TV ice show which would feature raspberry-colored ice to eliminate glare from the screen. But a compressor unit failed to do its job and by program time the footing was closer to raspberry sherbet. As a replacement, NBC hustled up some film shorts. Two hours later the ice show finally went on the air.

Accumulated disasters had NBC groggy but game. Said NBC Vice President Sid Eiges: "Nobody's sitting around worrying. We have new programs in the works—shows of all kinds, including comedy." Meanwhile, NBC is playing musical chairs with its disordered Sunday night schedule. Horace Heidt and his orchestra will be moved from 10:30 p.m. to Jack Benny's 7 p.m. slot; two new comics, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, will replace Heidt. Fred Allen switches from 8:30 to 8 p.m. But that still leaves holes to be plugged.

Having suffered two setbacks in its struggle with CBS, NBC now hopes to recoup by making a talent raid on its ex-stepchild, ABC. Said Eiges: "NBC is negotiating with 'the greatest name in the entertainment world, an international figure.' " At week's end, the "name" was revealed—Bing Crosby.

[Gerry O.]

Anyone know offhand what NBC put in Jack's old timeslot when he left for CBS?

At first NBC ran "Horace Heidt's Youth Opportunity Program", a youth-oriented amateur talent program hosted by bandleader Horace Heidt and sponsored by Philip Morris cigarettes....not exactly a strong lead-in for poor Phil and Alice!

After a couple of seasons of the Heidt program, NBC began Tallulah Bankhead's "THE BIG SHOW", which started at 6:30 PM on Sundays. Since the show ran 90 minutes, the last half-hour of "THE BIG SHOW" ran opposite the Benny program. At least "THE BIG SHOW" was a stronger lead-in for the Harris-Faye program than Heidt's show had been.