Phil Harris/Dennis Day/Bob Crosby on Jack's TV Show

[Stallone]

It just seems a shame and kinda weird that the whole "classic" cast (yes, some of you may prefer Baker but Dennis makes up MY "classic" Benny cast) didn't transfer over to the TV show.

Don Wilson: Appeared on every episode (if only at the beginning or end), correct?
Rochester: Was there throughout the entire run in the majority of the episodes
Mary: Her absence is well-documented

But here's where I have some questions...

Dennis Day: Appeared in a little over half the episodes throughout the show's run. Was this because of his availability (I assume he performed at clubs and theaters just as Jack did) or was this Jack's choice not to use him so much?
Bob Crosby: Was there for the end of the radio show. I know he was in the Beverly HIlls Police Station episode, was he used anywhere else?
Phil Harris: What was his relationship with Jack like during the TV show era? Did he ever make an appearance? Would he have been a welcomed addition to the cast or had he moved on to other projects?

What got me thinking about all of this is when I was watching the New Year's Eve episode last night when Jack was invited to go hang out with Don, Dennis and the band (Remley, etc.) and turned them down because of his date. It's just so weird to me not seeing or hearing any mention of Mary or Phil (though I understand the reasons WHY) for an event such as New Year's Eve. It seems like where you see one, you should see them all! They did such a great job of making them seem like a real, close-knit gang on the radio show, it's hard to imagine them living their lives without each other!

[krledu]

I believe Dennis Day didn't appear on the TV shows due to availablity. He was used every so often. If you want to see a funny episode check out the episode with Jonny Carson and Dennis Day. Jack gets followed home and threatened by a stranger. Very funny stuff. As far as Bob Crosby goes, he was on the television shows in the early 50's. I'm not sure why that changed later. But he played the band leader and kinda took Phil Harris' place. Phil Harris had a great relationship with Jack Benny. They had to cut Phil's role on the radio due to budget cuts. He did do some guest appearances on the Benny tv show but not remembering the dates off hand.

I miss the classic cast during the last part of the radio show and the tv show. I think they were part of what made the Benny show even funnier.

[Yhtapmys]

It just seems a shame and kinda weird that the whole "classic" cast (yes, some of you may prefer Baker but Dennis makes up MY "classic" Benny cast) didn't transfer over to the TV show.

I was going through a bunch of interviews Jack did in 1950-1. He explained he didn't plan to use the gang in every show when he went to television, mainly because he was worried about audience burn-out. He thought there was a difference between just hearing them (every week) and seeing them.

Of course, as Klr mentions, television takes up far more time to prepare than radio and people like Dennis and Phil were busy with other things (newspaper stories at the time explained Phil left Jack's radio show because of lack of time to do television).

Yhtapmys

[Stallone]

Cool. Thanks for the info, guys!

[Yhtapmys]

Let me add a couple of more newspaper stories to give you a bit of Jack's thinking.
It seems another factor in not having his gang together on TV was cost. The way Jack talks in these stories, it sounds like the expense of television made the idea impractical.

These are both from 1950.

Jack Benny Sets Fall Video Show
By SYD KRONISH
NEW YORK, Aug. 19 (AP)—The guy with the fiddle, the Maxwell, and the safety vault in the cellar is all set to hit the TV screens this fall.
Jack Benny, one of America’s greatest comedians, will be seen over CBS-TV once every eight weeks starting the end of October—probably Oct. 29. His radio show will continue as usual every Sunday night over CBS resuming Sept. 10.
Having just returned from a two-month stay in Europe with his wife, Mary Livingstone, Jack was glad to be home. Sitting in his suite at the Sherry-Netherlands, he spoke enthusiastically about his upcoming video program.
VARIETY-TYPE SHOW
“My new TV program will be a one-hour variety type show with top-notch guest stars,” said Jack. “I’ll be the MC and do a few skits. It wouldn’t be possible to bring in my entire radio cast, but I’ll bring them on as guests from time to time. For example, one show I’ll have Rochester with me, the next Phil Harris, then Mary, etc.
“I don’t see why my new TV show shouldn’t go over well with the public,” declared Benny.
Jack ought to know. He has been on the top rung of the radio popularity ladder for over 15 years. And prior to that was a big name in vaudeville.
PERHAPS MORE OFTEN
When asked about his future TV plans, Jack figured that maybe next year his video program might be once every four weeks.
“Maybe,” smiled Jack, “I’ll quit radio in a few years and do only TV programs once every two weeks.”
Benny will have the same sponsor for TV as he does on radio. “They’re wonderful people to work for, believe me,” said Jack. “I have complete run of the show and the TV commercials will be worked into the show just as in radio.”

This next story is from a couple of weeks later.

JACK BENNY ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR TELEVISION
Makes Regular Debut on Oct. 29—Will Do Only Three Video Shows This Season
By BOB THOMAS
HOLLYWOOD, Sept. 7 (AP)—Jack Benny announced today he is going to take the big jump into television.
The fiddle-murdering comedian will make his regular television debut on Oct 29. The show will be for his radio sponsor and he will do three others this season, at intervals of eight weeks. I asked him how he picked his timing.
“I have to go to New York for the television shows,” he explained. “That means I will have to tape-record my airshow a week in advance so I can get away. If I tried to do this every four weeks it would be too much. So my sponsor and I agreed on every eight weeks.”
Last year Benny made his TV debut on a program to dedicate the local station KTTV. He views his new program with this philosophy:
“I don't say that I’m going to be any better than anyone else on television. But on the other hand, I see no reason why I should be worse, either.”
Hour-Long Show
What about the format?
“I’ll do an hour-long show, it will be variety entertainment with perhaps a scene from my radio program. The first show might picture Rochester and me at home. We could show some of the things that we talk about on the radio—the cigarette machine, the pay telephone, and so forth. On other shows I might have a scene with Dennis Day or Phil Harris or Mary.
“People tell me that television is a completely new medium. I don’t think so. I’m going to give them the same kind of entertainment I do on stage appearances. It’s the same type of show I used to do at the Orpheum in vaudeville days.”
His Future
I asked Benny about his future in television. He admitted that he foresees the day when he will give up radio entirely.
“It would be hard to do both radio and TV and make both of them good,” he said. “And perhaps radio will not be able to afford a show like mine. After all, the others on my show are stars in their own right and have their own shows.”
He admitted he would have to live in New York when he starts doing television exclusively. “I wouldn’t mind living in New York for a year,” he said. But he indicated he would return westward as soon as cross-country video becomes a fact.
When I asked how often he would want to do TV, he said:
“I think I would do something like a half-hour every two weeks,” he said. “I wonder if it isn’t a mistake to be on television every week. The matter of coming into people’s homes and being seen is a lot different from just being heard on radio.
“Even if you could be good every week—and that is doubtful—I wonder if that isn’t too much of an intrusion. Pretty soon people might become so used to seeing you that they no longer can judge whether you are good or not.”
Benny said he didn’t know whether he will be using one of his noted props on TV. “We’ll have to take tests to see whether I should wear the toupee,” he said.

transcribed by Yhtapmys