Admit it, things you just don't like in the show

[Moose Hatrack]

Wasn't When You Say I Beg Your Pardon axed from a Palm Springs show because the Guadalajara Trio made the song sound unacceptably decent?

[helloagain]

Maybe they sung it in spanish. That might have improved it. I'm really sorry I brought this up now. I can't get that ##**!! song out of my head!

[Jack Benny]

1. Kenny Baker. It is almost painful to hear him after how great the Dennis Day years were. He probably paved the way for Dennis but most of it is lame.

Love Kenny! To me he is an interesting hybrid of the Dennis and Phil characters, he got girls like Phil. He was dumb, but not as innocent as Dennis.

2. Andy Devine. Can't hack his voice to hear through to the funny.

To me Andy was Devine! After listening to hundreds of Jack Benny shows, the episodes with Andy seem like a breath of fresh air!

3. Jokes about Jack's toupee. It's not just that they joked about it almost once an episode, it was the same damn joke angle everytime.

I'm ok with these jokes, they just bring out more of Jack's character.

4. Jack doing the hillbilly character with the hee hee. I hate that accent when he does it. Think it's the same voice he uses during a lot of New Years Eve shows.

Some of my very favorite episodes. I share with Laura, her love of the New Year's Fantasy episodes. I'll take Jack doing a "voice" of any kind any day!

5. His publicity agent.

Not my cup of tea either.

6. Phil's voice on the earlier shows. Lol, it's just creepy and slow. Hard to believe it's the same man in the middle to late episodes.

Yes, it took him and the writers awhile to nail the character!

7. Bob Hope guest appearances. Five thousands jokes and maybe one lands. Talks all over everything. On the other hand, Fred Allen guest spots are always some of the funniest segments on the show.

Love visits from Bob, but you are right that the visits form Fred are sublime!

8. Dennis is probably the funniest person on the show but I wish I could cut out his songs from each episode. Don't get me wrong I love music from that era, it just seemed like Dennis was singing the same song every episode. Great voice, just would rather hear another number from Phil and his band.

I used to hate the songs and always skipped them, but I love them more and more each year! My favorite song by Dennis is the one he sings 11 minutes into the 12-15-1940 show - isn't it funny, I remember all that info about the song, but I'm drawing a blank on it's name - no wait, I've got it - it's "Here I go" or "There I Go" - Sinatra recorded a version of it in the mid 50s.

9. This one is 50/50, but Mary's extended laugh before telling a story or joke about Jack.

I love Mary's character perhaps more than any other, I wouldn't change a thing. Mary was to the Jack Benny Show, what Elaine was to Seinfeld!

10. There is no number ten because everything else on the show in funny to this day.

My number 10 is the contract negotiation episodes, I can't stand them. It just sticks in my craw that they are talking abut Dennis not being satisfied with his mythical $35 a week, when many Americans would have been thrilled beyond belief to make $35 a week. Also everyone knew that Dennis and Don were making thousands of dollars month and not hundreds. In 1955. my father made a good wage as a carpenter at $1.75 and hour.


BTW, Oh goody - my 300th post!

[Gerry O.]

I don't particularly care for episodes that feature The Beverly Hills Beavers....especially when they would do a long scene with just the boys trading quips in their clubhouse.

[helloagain]

I think it was pretty funny when the Beavers did their version of Jack's radio show.

[mackdaddyg]

There are a few things, like Mary's laugh or Dennis' songs, that I didn't use to like, but over time my opinion has changed. I've grown to appreciate both of their comedic abilities very much, and hearing Dennis sing in the middle of the show just seems to fit.

I am kind of indifferent to Kenny Baker, although I feel that he is funnier on Fred Allen's show. Kinda ironic he ended up there, dontcha think?

[LLeff]

I am kind of indifferent to Kenny Baker, although I feel that he is funnier on Fred Allen's show. Kinda ironic he ended up there, dontcha think?

As did Jack's writer, Bill Morrow. Coincidence? You be the judge.

[helloagain]

Bill Morrow also wrote for Bing Crosby.

[scottp]

Last night I heard a Fred Allen show where he was looking for Bing, who was supposedly incognito in New York City. I remember there was a very plain name mentioned as a hotel alias-- was it "I had heard he was staying under the name William Morrow..." ?

If all else fails I can check it out on the When Radio Was site when that show becomes "current" (KSL seems to play four shows on Sunday in the wee hours, a little before any of the shows are "current.")

[Jack Benny]

I am kind of indifferent to Kenny Baker, although I feel that he is funnier on Fred Allen's show. Kinda ironic he ended up there, dontcha think?

As did Jack's writer, Bill Morrow. Coincidence? You be the judge.

When did Morrow leave Jack's show? When did he start Fred's? I've found a nice fairly complete set of Fred's shows that featured Kenny Baker, and I will be starting to run them on my podcast every Friday next fall, exactly 70 years after they were first aired.

[LLeff]

I am kind of indifferent to Kenny Baker, although I feel that he is funnier on Fred Allen's show. Kinda ironic he ended up there, dontcha think?

As did Jack's writer, Bill Morrow. Coincidence? You be the judge.

When did Morrow leave Jack's show? When did he start Fred's?

Morrow left in the summer of 1943 because he had been drafted. I'd have to search around a little bit to see when he got back and picked up Allen, but that gives you a start.

[grittys457]

One I really gotta add now is his bird Polly. Funny a few times but they used him way too often and it got annoying.

[Chasitykins]

*looks around shiftily*

*whispers*

Mabel and Gertrude

*backs away*

[JohnM]

Agree on Polly.

Disagree on the telephone operators. One of my faves.

[shimp scrampi]

Dennis' song, usually. Occasionally he'd have a great performance and piece of material - but so many of them are moldy, overwrought, unpleasant-to-my-ear numbers that were dated even at the time. I tend to have a liberal use of the fast-forward finger during the songs.

Compare the sprightly numbers chosen on Phil and Alice's show. Even though both kind of stop up the comedy rhythm, more upbeat contemporary stuff doesn't sabotage it quite as much in my book. Sorry Dennis!