Some musings on the Harris-Faye show

[Moose Hatrack]

Isn't that the Sportsmen with Phil in an all out version of "Jingle Bells" in the 12-19-48 Christmas episode where Jack plays Santa? I clipped that tune out, sweetened it and included it in my Christmas light display. Musicians were truly talented back then.

[krledu]

I love the Phil and Alice show! I have to say that some of the funniest shows were right after they switched from Fitch Shampoo to Rexall. They were crisp, funny and had the right amount of witty banter and jokes. Not to say that there weren't funny episodes later too. But I have to agree with who ever mentioned it earlier, the last few years of the show were not as good and the humor became lame. Though, my favorite show has to be when Phil and Alice went to sign the contract with Rexal and when Remley borrowed Phil's new Enlgish car.

What are some of your favorite episodes?

[TheSportsmenQuartet]

Yes indeed, The Sportsmen w/ Phil Harris an AWESOME version of Jingle Bells.

[Moose Hatrack]

AH! TSQ! Of course you would confirm The Sportsmen in that version of Jingle Bells. From animating the lights to enjoying the results, I must have heard it 1000 times by now. Like the Bing version with the Andrews sisters, I just never get tired of it (during the Christmas season).
And to think those people cranked out those gems in one take. I hereby admit that, within the Benny show, I never thought of the Sportsmen as anything more than clever musical novelty props. For example: when Jack locked them in the closet as punishment for missing a cue, or when they emulated a music box winding down. There's something about that performance with Phil that moved them into the upper bracket for me. Jack really did surround himself with the best, and I will atone for my previous ambivalence by concentrating on Sportsmen appearances as I go through the Benny shows again.

[TheSportsmenQuartet]

FYI, The song that they interpolate into Jingle Bells is called The Sleigh which The Sportsmen recorded for Capitol Records. They also did a version of it on the December 21, 1946 Judy Canova Show and in the beginning they do a gag based on their Jack Benny appearances.

[Jack Benny]

We have Phil Friday every week over at my podcast page. I try and play the episodes that are exactly 60 years old to the day! Every Saturday is Dennis Day! Check them out if you wish at http://www.jack_benny@podomatic.com.

[friggle]

I bought a CD with numerous episodes. I thought the REXALL shows were the best. The writing and timing was there and the show worked. The sponsorship changed (I don't know which came first), but the NON-REXALL shows were a little hard to deal with. The comedy was forced and did not flow.

Two episodes did have a nice Easter Egg. There was a transcription of Phil going out and warming up the audience for 15-20 minutes and then introducing the cast. Low volume, but good to hear.

I would have really enjoyed Phil doing TV. I think he would have been great

[bboswell]

I love the show too. I think it's interesting that it has some pretty darkly comic aspects that precede the watershed dark comedy films of the era that weren't well received like Monsieur Verdoux.

For instance, I'm thinking of all of the times they tried out things on Walter Tetley's character to see if it would kill him. (Closing him up in a Murphy bed sticks in my mind in particular.)

They seem to use dark comedy in a style that has now become extremely popular.

Speaking of Walter Tetley... This is the only show I can tolerate him in. I think he is finally given a vehicle where he gets some respect as an actor. (I'm not a big fan of the Great Gildersleeve.)

[Moose Hatrack]

Returning to the topic of Sportsmen appearing on Phil's show... Did the shows share any other personnel? Maybe Mahlon? Some or all of the band members? Did a mob gallop down the hall to Phil's studio after Jack's show ended?

[TheSportsmenQuartet]

I'm not sure if they shared other personnel.

Bill Days told me that some Sundays it was an interesting run to get from CBS to NBC. Things calmed down when shows were transcribed and the need to literally run down the street was eliminated.