Musical Interludes

[krledu]

I was listening to a bunch of Jack Benny programs the other day and I was wondering about the musical interludes in the programs. I'm talking about the transitional music. Who wrote those? Did Phil Harris do this or was there someone else?

[Mister Kitzel]

Early on Phil may have led the band, but Mahlon Merrick was the musical director for the show for many years. He was also the person arranging the commercial spots with the Sportsmen Quartet.

[krledu]

I thought Phil picked out the songs and led the band. That was part of his duties. I remember an interview where he said he picked out songs and practiced with the band. So someone else did musical interludes and the singing commercial? I wonder if Phil had any say in what was chosen.

[Maxwell]

I also heard an interview with Phil this past February by Chuck Schaden in which Phil pretty much took credit for coming up with the Love in Bloon/Yankee Doodle Dandy theme of the Lucky Shows, and I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that it was Mahlon Merrick.

[ZEjackbennykid]

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[LLeff]

I thought Phil picked out the songs and led the band. That was part of his duties. I remember an interview where he said he picked out songs and practiced with the band. So someone else did musical interludes and the singing commercial? I wonder if Phil had any say in what was chosen.

Early on Phil did the bandleading, but that had pretty much ended by the late 30s (at least on the show...of course Phil led the band in in-person performance gigs). Phil would often mimic leading the band during the show itself, but it was Mahlon who did the heavy lifting most of the time.

[TheSportsmenQuartet]

When it to came to the Lucky Strikes commercials, the bulk of the arranging was done by Mahlon Merrick but some of them were "farmed out" to John Rarig (Principal Arranger of the Sportsmen Quartet). In fact, the arranging for "The Flight of the Bumblebee", which features the extraordinary whistling of Bob Garsen, was arranged by Mr. Rarig.

[krledu]

Early on Phil did the bandleading, but that had pretty much ended by the late 30s (at least on the show...of course Phil led the band in in-person performance gigs). Phil would often mimic leading the band during the show itself, but it was Mahlon who did the heavy lifting most of the time.

Wow, I didn't know that. I really thought that Phil led the band during the programs. Though, Phil did lead a band in real life didn't he?

I really love the arrangements for the Sportsman Quartet. The guy who arranged the lyrics for all the commercials, especially paradoies of popular song was a very good lyric writer. The Sportsman were great!

[Maxwell]

I just checked "39 Forever, Volume 1." On March 10, 1940, LL records Jack as saying, "Take it, Mr. Merrick" before a musical number. So that might indicate that Mahlon Merrick was leading the band by that date.

[TheSportsmenQuartet]

I really love the arrangements for the Sportsman Quartet. The guy who arranged the lyrics for all the commercials, especially paradoies of popular song was a very good lyric writer. The Sportsman were great!

Mahlon Merrick was quite simply a Musical Genius.

[krledu]

I just checked "39 Forever, Volume 1." On March 10, 1940, LL records Jack as saying, "Take it, Mr. Merrick" before a musical number. So that might indicate that Mahlon Merrick was leading the band by that date.

When did Phil start broadcasting his own program? I know that at some time during the JB program that Phil was only on during the beginning of the program and then he left to warm up his audience for his show. When did that start? And did Jack ever mention Mahlon Merrick on the program? I know sometimes he would thank the cast and crew but I don't remember him ever mentioning him.

[Yhtapmys]

I just checked "39 Forever, Volume 1." On March 10, 1940, LL records Jack as saying, "Take it, Mr. Merrick" before a musical number. So that might indicate that Mahlon Merrick was leading the band by that date.

When did Phil start broadcasting his own program? I know that at some time during the JB program that Phil was only on during the beginning of the program and then he left to warm up his audience for his show. When did that start? And did Jack ever mention Mahlon Merrick on the program? I know sometimes he would thank the cast and crew but I don't remember him ever mentioning him.

29 September 1946. He and Alice took over the Fitch Bandwagon.

I was listening to one show the other night, the season-ender for 1950 or '51, where Mahlon appears and Jack thanks him. Jack also introduces Blanche Stewart as the annoying singer on the radio and it seems Blanche did pinch-hit for Sara Berner in that role about that time.

Jack had a cute ad-lib on one show about Phil where he said "Last year, he wouldn't even BE here at this time." or words to that effect.

[Yhtapmys]

Mahlon Merrick was quite simply a Musical Genius.

http://www.emusic.com/samples/m3u/song/ ... 327703.m3u

Yhtapmys

[Maxwell]

Washington State University has a collection of many of Mahlon Merrick's papers, arrangements, etc. from 1953-1967. There is a description of this collection at http://nwda-db.wsulibs.wsu.edu/findaid/ark:/80444/xv35570