"A Calendar of Desserts"

[Drear Grassreek]

Could anyone have withstood Don's importunate and slathering praise for this 1940 offering? (10 cents & the most gorgeously illustrated volume in the history of Western civilization was yours.)

Well, I couldn't. It came today (another copy is available at http://www.biblio.com/books/1155672.html - but act fast!)

Now I can look forward to Norwegian Prune Tapioca (December 27), or Bagdad Cream on April 3 ("see page 12 for the tested recipe").

There are some clunkers, to be sure: Cantaloupe (August 6) - big deal; or Toasted Crackers and Cheese (January 7, "for applause from the men-folks"). But, after all, there ARE 365 days to fill.

Biggest disappointment was no Jack. Even Jell-O had to stand in line with Baker's Coconut & Calumet Baking Powder.

I can only hope that "Calendar of Desserts" incorporates the best of "Jack & Mary's Jell-O Recipe Book" - which I'm sure you all have. I don't. But here are some nifty images:

http://i11.ebayimg.com/04/i/05/43/86/d3_3.JPG
http://i23.ebayimg.com/02/i/05/4a/d7/a4_3.JPG
http://i1.ebayimg.com/01/i/05/44/f3/68_3.JPG
http://i1.ebayimg.com/01/i/05/44/f3/80_3.JPG

Also noticed these ads, and I'm wondering how many different ones there may have been:

"JACK BENNY BREAKS A 20-YEAR SILENCE"
http://www.ridley-place2.com/1017MARY72.jpg

"JACK BENNY & THE DUKE"
http://www.ridley-place2.com/1017MARY15.jpg

Finally, I notice that in '43, Kate Smith is the new pitchperson ("Now Kate's on the Air for Jell-O" - see http://i24.ebayimg.com/01/i/05/4e/bd/b2_1_b.JPG)

Anyone know why they didn't go back to Jack? Were Grape Nuts flying off the shelves?

[LLeff]

Finally, I notice that in '43, Kate Smith is the new pitchperson ("Now Kate's on the Air for Jell-O" - see http://i24.ebayimg.com/01/i/05/4e/bd/b2_1_b.JPG)

Anyone know why they didn't go back to Jack? Were Grape Nuts flying off the shelves?

No, there was sugar rationing in place by then, and they couldn't keep up with the Jell-O demand. On at least one of the final Jell-O shows, Don says something in the closing commercial about "If your grocer is out of your favorite flavor, try another!"

As Don frequently observed "Grape Nuts are NOT rationed" (or ray-shunned, as he put it). So General Foods could sell as many Grape Nuts as they could lift.

But while we're on the subject of Jell-O promotions, I have not yet figured out why the Jack and Mary Jell-O Cookbook (1937) was never mentioned on the show. And the ads for this Calendar of Desserts sound like it's the first Jell-O promotion of its kind, when of course the J&M cookbook predated it by a good two to three years. The cookbook was obviously popular, probably even more so than the Calendar of Desserts considering how often it comes up on Ebay. Curious thing, that.

[Drear Grassreek]

What puzzles me is why General Foods, when it WAS ready to promote Jell-O again by 1943, went to Kate, since - out of sheer sentiment, if for no other, more commercial reason - they might have let Don bark out anew those 6 deelicious flavors of that GRAND dessert (gay, glistening, radiant with jewel-like colors!)

Don in fact tells us (12/15/40) why the program didn't mention the earlier J&M Cookbook: "Frankly, we wanted to wait until we really had something outstanding." Don't you believe him? I'd guess that the '37 booklet sold itself through on-the-box mentions & the '40 cross-brand promotion needed an on-air boost.

At Mr. Mortimer's insistence, no doubt.

Speaking of whom, the May 26 '40 Dinner Party for Mr. M is, to my mind, the single best instance of product-program integration in all of radio. The premise points to a genuine harmony of talents (writing/acting/marketing), and JB's building hysteria was never funnier. In fact the whole episode was, was... SWELL!

[LLeff]

What puzzles me is why General Foods, when it WAS ready to promote Jell-O again by 1943, went to Kate, since - out of sheer sentiment, if for no other, more commercial reason - they might have let Don bark out anew those 6 deelicious flavors of that GRAND dessert (gay, glistening, radiant with jewel-like colors!)

A little clarification...they didn't want Jell-O to lose its market placement, so didn't want to stop promoting it altogether. However, they didn't want it to sell SO well that they couldn't make enough due to sugar rationing. And by the time rationing was over, Jack was selling smokes.