Jack Benny: Sunday Nights At Seven! - The best of '37 and 38

[Jack Benny]

I'm going to post a new Jack Benny episode or two each Sunday night at seven, for awhile. Just want to see if anyone is up to commenting on the episodes. I thought we would start with Eddie "Rochester" Anderson's first couple of episodes. Feel free to comment on anything Jack Benny, music, comedy, OTR or cast related, or even better talk about these specific episodes. Give them a listen, and they only get better from here.

1937-03-28 - A Train Trip to Los Angeles - First Appearance Eddie "Rochester" Anderson http://thesmallhousehalfwayupinthenextb ... ngeles.mp3

1937-05-02 - Buck Benny Party - Jack's 5th Anniversary of his Radio Show - Second Appearance Eddie "Rochester" Anderson http://thesmallhousehalfwayupinthenextblock.com/jackbenny/JACK%20BENNY%20-%201937-05-02%20-%20Buck%20Benny%20Party.mp3



P.S. Sorry this didn't get up 'til 7:30, would you believe we were preempted? Oh, come now!

[Jack Benny]

[QUOTE=thinkfist;3581165]It was nice hearing early episodes. I'm in the process of listening to the 1940s-1950s programs so I feel the absence of Mel Blanc, Frank Nelson, Dennis Day, and many of the other actors who would later become an important part of the show. Eddie Anderson hadn't yet developed his more raspy voice. But it's still worthwhile to hear the early shows.

The Indian and other ethnic jokes don't hold up so well today.

I did recognize the voice of Verna Felton who played the mother of the girl in the first episode, and later played Dennis Day's mother. She was quite a talent![/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Dr. Pepper;3581239]She always does a fine job! She was wonderful as Dennis' mother, especially her interactions with Jack.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Dr. Pepper;3581258]Great! Let us know what you think of them. There is something in the first one that feel's very risque for the time![/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=kevinsinnott;3581719]I listened to the train one last night. I does have a number of risque references. I thought it was great fun, although I noticed that Rochester is still not fully developed, especially his voice. I never heard this before and my OTR show collection is in the thousands.

Thanks again.[/QUOTE]

[Roman]

I had never heard these either. Thank you for posting them. You're right, it was strange to hear Eddie Anderson using this less gravelly voice. Mary sounded younger than I was used to hearing. Kenny's part was basically the same as that later written for Dennis but somehow it was funnier with Dennis, although Kenny wasn't bad. But Kenny was sure a fantastic singer. I found it interesting that the writers chose to barely use Phil in the story considering how central he became to the show later on. And Phil calling Jack "Jack," instead of "Jackson," was strange to hear.

Liked Jack's aside to the audience about the cleverness of inserting the song by having Kenny "practice" it on the train and then wondering where the orchestra came from. I guess that plot device wasn't common yet on radio shows. And Jack's cheapness jokes were clever and funny. All in all, I thought the shows were a lot of fun.

[Jack Benny]

I had never heard these either. Thank you for posting them. You're right, it was strange to hear Eddie Anderson using this less gravelly voice. Mary sounded younger than I was used to hearing. Kenny's part was basically the same as that later written for Dennis but somehow it was funnier with Dennis, although Kenny wasn't bad. But Kenny was sure a fantastic singer. I found it interesting that the writers chose to barely use Phil in the story considering how central he became to the show later on. And Phil calling Jack "Jack," instead of "Jackson," was strange to hear.

Liked Jack's aside to the audience about the cleverness of inserting the song by having Kenny "practice" it on the train and then wondering where the orchestra came from. I guess that plot device wasn't common yet on radio shows. And Jack's cheapness jokes were clever and funny. All in all, I thought the shows were a lot of fun.

Thanks for the response! I think you are right on the money here. It's kind of nice, by jumping to the sporadic episodes featuring "Rochester" it allows us to see the arc of his character's progression, and it also helps compress the long arc of Phil's character progression into more dramatic/obvious changes versus the slow organic change he undergoes if you listen to all of the episodes in chronological order. Did you know that Andy Devine is only in nine episodes in the entire series, if I were to guess I would have said 30 to 50 episodes. I guess a little Andy goes a long way!

[Jack Benny]

You may want to join me on my other forum where there have been 40 replies to this topic already! I'm trying to send some of those folks over here as well! Here is that forum thread - .http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?p=3594977&posted=1#post3594977

[Jack Benny]

This weeks Sunday night at Seven episodes are feature the third and fourth appearance of Rochester! Over here - http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=3597100&postcount=46

[Yhtapmys]

This weeks Sunday night at Seven episodes

You do realise there is a chat room attached to this web forum which is getting together for its monthly chat on Sunday night, as it has done for several years.

Yhtapmys

[Jack Benny]

This weeks Sunday night at Seven episodes

You do realise there is a chat room attached to this web forum which is getting together for its monthly chat on Sunday night, as it has done for several years.

Yhtapmys

Yes, but to me a chat is so "fast," little comment here little comment there-off topic, on topic, off again. It's just kind of disconcerting to follow for me. I love a forum where folks can ponder for days, listen at their leisure then post as detailed a comment as they like. I'm still posting episodes every week and would love your comments.

Forum Thread here:
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=153009

or Google ranked #1 Jack Benny podcast here:
http://jack_benny.podomatic.com/