Contest winners announced/show production logistics question

[kovacsian]

I was listening to "Buck Benny'"'s podcast (which have got me into Jack's orbit in earnest-thanks, "Buck")with the "I can't stand Jack Benny because" winners announced, and it had me wondering some things about the production of the show (forgive me if these are old hat to most of you--I really did try to find out on my own but no dice):

-Were the show's announcers for Lucky Strike reading those ads live on the NBC stage, during the regular running time of the show>? Were the singers were all there, live, singing the jingle twice an episode? Surely the two guys name-dropped as the tobacco auctioneers weren't there, but were recorded and dropped in or played back on a record during the commercials?

-When Fred Allen ("take it away, New York!") reads the grand prize winner, was he really live doing those lines? Was that the only way they had to do it? or was it-as it sounds-a pre-recorded piece that was played at that moment in the show?

Lastly, generally about the show-how many people were in the audience, and how did they gain entrance? Was it done the same way such shows were in my lifetime--you mailed in asking for the (free) tickets, and received a couple for a particular week's broadcast in the mail? or could you go to the NBC studios and ask for tickets? Was it even public, or was it an invitation-only audience(for years at such places as Grauman's Chinese, there'd always be people from CBS or MTM asking tourists if they'd like some free tickets for the taping of TV series-sitcoms and game shows)?

Thanks for any info. And thanks for the ongoing Benny & other podcasts, Buck.

[mackdaddyg]

Good questions! I never thought about Fred's part being prerecorded, but that does make sense. Was Jack's show still being done live at this point, or were they transcribing?

One other question I'd like to add...every place I've heard this show uses the same source (unfortunately), meaning that there's obviously a huge gash in the vinyl they're playing, since a good chunk of Fred's part consists of skips. Is there a better copy in existence?

Thanks.

[Jack Benny]

Thanks for the kind words about my podcasts! I too wish there was an episode without the dreadful skipping that encompasses the last half of this show. I'm just so thankful that the banter at the beginning and the wonderful performance of Phil Harris and his "daughter" doing "onesy, twosy, I love yousy" are unmarred by the skips.

[Yhtapmys]

-Were the show's announcers for Lucky Strike reading those ads live on the NBC stage, during the regular running time of the show>?

They certainly were. There's one where the announcer (Basil Ruysdael?) screws up. There's another that sounds like a cue was missed. The network didn't permit recorded commercials.

Yhtapmys

[Moose Hatrack]

Basil, Speedy and F. E. Boone did cut in live from a New York studio, didn't they? It's indicated in the scripts, and I remember a show where one of the auctioneers speaks during the show (outside the commercial) and Jack comments, "Gee, and all the way from New York". Was it the show where Speedy talks to his mother? That was a brilliant bit.
Earlier in broadcast history it took several seconds to "switch" from one Network source to another. I believe that's where the classic "Take it away Chicago (or wherever)" intro came from. That intro let the listeners know they should expect a delay.
In early episodes of Jack's show they even fake that intro when (for example) Don sends it out to Jack's house. The pitch "Take it away Beverly Hills..." is followed by a tortured oscillator sound effect. Naturally we willingly suspend disbelief and magically find ourselves "eavesdropping" (through really good microphones!) on Jack's home.
Later the technology improved (no longer had to use the same wires for both directions) and Basil could cut in without delay. All this is based on stuff I learned on the internet... so please correct me if I've got a hold of some bad liquor!

[Yhtapmys]

Basil, Speedy and F. E. Boone did cut in live from a New York studio, didn't they?

I don't think the auctioneers were there all the time, but they were some of the time. He's Boone's obit from 1954:

Tobacco Auctioneer F. E. Boone Sr. Dies
ROBERSONVILLE, N. C., July 3 (AP)—F. E. Boone Sr., the man who made familiar to America the chant of the tobacco auctioneer, died at his home Thursday.
The 61-year-old Winchester, Ky., native had spent 40 years as a tobacco auctioneer and gentleman farmer. He died of heart disease.
Boone appeared in live broadcasts of a national network from 1937 to 1951 performing the auctioneer’s chant. He moved here with his wife about four years ago when he went into semi-retirement because of failing health.

And since you wanted to know this, his full name was Forest Elmo Boone, Sr.

Yhtapmys

[epeterd]

If that were my name I think I'd go by F.E. also. Think the heart disease had anything to do with smoking?

peter