When did they start pre-recording show?

[mackdaddyg]

Just curious...does anybody know when they started transcribing the radio show and stopped broadcasting it live?

[krledu]

If I remember correctly they never stopped doing live shows. They would do shows in front of a live audience and tape them. Then later they would put them on the airwaves. In one of the Benny biographies, the author says they never used canned laughter for the radio show but did for the tv show eventually.

[LLeff]

If I remember correctly they never stopped doing live shows. They would do shows in front of a live audience and tape them. Then later they would put them on the airwaves. In one of the Benny biographies, the author says they never used canned laughter for the radio show but did for the tv show eventually.

They always used a live audience for the show performances, but in 39 Forever, I outlined the dates that the shows were actually recorded when they differ from the air date. And then there's the date that they started recording the East Coast show for West Coast rebraodcast. And I think they recorded one camp show in advance, IIRC. So it sort of depends on what you're looking for.

As for the canned laughter, I discussed that at greater length in 39 Forever as well, but it sounds like there was at least one use of it during an inset bit in a rebroadcast that sounds like it was done without the audience.

[helloagain]

The 1955 Easter show sounds 'canned' to me. I have heard 2 versions of this show; one with Mary, and one with Joan Benny ( I think ) doing Mary's part. I have heard that Mary often pre-recorded her lines and they edited them into the show. I don't know how that could have been done with a live audience. The show with Mary sounds like it contains a laugh track, especially the bit with Professor LeBlanc. Hard to explain, but you can 'feel' a difference. Still a pretty funny show, though, with Mary's 'soup satin' fluff.