Jack Benny Books? Opinions?

[Moose Hatrack]

First turkey dream episode I found was 11/21/43. Nelson wasn't in it. (I don't think, didn't double check with 39F) It was during meat rationing and contained a tour of the butcher's meat locker. It had healthy doses of yocks and boffs from the audience. Maybe the success of this script made them think a later one would be bombproof?
(I agree with the "stupid audience" assessment. But when I finally get to the turkey dream show that bombed I'll be listening to see if the wall of funny sounds maybe just came at them so fast they were struck dumb.)
Did I see a recipe for Turkey Dream in Southern Living. Or maybe it was Popular Mechanics?

[Stallone]

Just wrapping up Fein's book. I've liked it a lot, probably more so than Joan's book. I should be receiving The Radio and Television Work book any day now.

I thought Josefberg's book wasn't supposed to be very good? I've seen many reviews basically call it a fluff piece.

[Jack Benny]

I thought Josefberg's book wasn't supposed to be very good? I've seen many reviews basically call it a fluff piece.

I loved it, and I waited to read it because of the two bad reviews on Amazon. They were wrong it's my favorite next to Jack's autobiography!

[Mister Kitzel]

All the books are entertaining, but they contradict each other on some details. The Milt Josefsberg book is definitely worth reading.

[jbmfc]

I have read all the listed books and have found them all to be entertaining. The Radio and Television Work is good for episode info and an interesting read. I like Sunday Nights at Seven simply because it has Jack in his own words. I voted for Milt Josefsberg's book because it looks at what was going on around Jack as well as examining the man himself. If nothing else it's worth reading for chapter 33 alone. Very funny!

[speedy]

Like most of the IJBFC, I have all of the books listed, and have read them all. I like Milt's book the best. It was a good behind the scenes look at the show, was fairly in depth, and is somewhat "dishy". Next, I like the Irving Fein book, very detailed and a look at the business side as well as the show and personalities. Third is "Sunday Nights at Seven". Sadly Jack just didn't write much of his autobiography , really more like an outline. So Joan had pretty thin bones that needed a lot of fleshing out to create a true bio. There's not much there that I didn't already know. A close relative is never a good choice to do a bio, but after all these years no one has stepped forward to do a real in depth book about Jack's life. Some have speculated that Jack was just too nice, so there's no dirt that would spice up his biography. Maybe so. I just think it too bad that one of the true giants of twentieth century show business still lacks a legitimate biography. Back to the books we do have, next I like the Museum of Broadcasting book, but it really is different than the others. It features an entire script, tons of photos, synopses of many shows, and many other features. It's more of a reference book, but still fun. Finally, we have Well!, which someone gave me for Christmas. This extremely thin volume, with a list price of $20 is a rip off. It is a lazy slapping together of short pieces about Jack and the show, You will not find anything new there. One other book I want to mention is "On the Air", subtitled the Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio, by John Dunning. As the name indicates, this book covers all of OTR, but the major shows get extensive treatment. There are 8 pages on the Jack Benny Program. This book is constant source of delight and at over 800 pages, it's loaded with information. If you don't have it, get it.

[epeterd]

I just looked on Amazon and there is a book by John Dunning called Tune in Yesterday: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, 1925-1976. Is that just an older version of his book? Anyone know?

peter

[speedy]

Here's the write up for "On the Air" from Google books:

Now long out of print, John Dunning's Tune in Yesterday was the definitive one-volume reference on old-time radio broadcasting. Now, in On the Air, Dunning has completely rethought this classic work, reorganizing the material and doubling its coverage, to provide a richer and more informative account of radio's golden age.
Here are some 1,500 radio shows presented in alphabetical order. The great programs of the '30s, '40s, and '50s are all here--Amos 'n' Andy, Fibber McGee and Molly, The Lone Ranger, Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour, and The March of Time, to name only a few. For each, Dunning provides a complete broadcast history, with the timeslot, the network, and the name of the show's advertisers. He also lists major cast members, announcers, producers, directors, writers, and sound effects people--even the show's theme song. There are also umbrella entries, such as "News Broadcasts," which features an engaging essay on radio news, with capsule biographies of major broadcasters, such as Lowell Thomas and Edward R. Murrow. Equally important, Dunning provides a fascinating account of each program, taking us behind the scenes to capture the feel of the performance, such as the ghastly sounds of Lights Out (a horror drama where heads rolled and bones crunched), and providing engrossing biographies of the main people involved in the show.
A wonderful read for everyone who loves old-time radio, On the Air is a must purchase for all radio hobbyists and anyone interested in 20th-century American history. It is an essential reference work for libraries and radio stations.


So OTA is an updating of the previously published "Tune in Yesterday". Google says that OTA doubles the coverage of TIY. I'm not sure how that was done with only around a hundred more pages. If you read the Amazon comments for OTA, you'll see nearly universal raves. I know it's a bit expensive, but you will return to it again and again. I checked eBay, and there is one copy of "on the Air" for sale. The "buy it now" price is $64.95, so the Amazon prices aren't bad. Personally, I would go for the sure bet, OTA. TIY is a bit of a pig in a poke.

[epeterd]

Thanks. I figured that's what it was. Unfortunately that'll have to wait for the funds to get better. Someday.

peter

[Stallone]

Almost finished with Milt's book... I'm glad I picked it up! I love it.

BTW -- after reading about it in the book, I went and listened to the turkey episode. I didn't think the dream sequence was all that funny either but the stuff before it was. I seems like a lot of the Beloin/Morrow stuff falls flat with the audience, you just don't hear the big laughs like you did after they left. The humor is off-beat but it's hilarious to me. I think one problem is the humor is pretty fast-paced and maybe the audience doesn't have time to "get it".

[krledu]

I am not such a fan of the fantasy episodes like the one where Jack dreams he's a turkey. I think they are interesting to a point but not really comedy. I think that there is not of laugh out loud humor in them. In the end, I don't find them very funny. But thats just me. I prefer the humor over the fantasy.

[Yhtapmys]

I went and listened to the turkey episode. I didn't think the dream sequence was all that funny either but the stuff before it was. I seems like a lot of the Beloin/Morrow stuff falls flat with the audience, you just don't hear the big laughs like you did after they left.

I'm familiar with the turkey one from November 1947. Morrow and Beloin were long gone by then. The turkey dream in it, with Frank Nelson, Mel Blanc, Artie Auerbach, Bea Benedaret and the Sportsmen doing "The Turkey From 29 Palms" is one of my favourite routines in the whole series.

Yhtapmys