Gale Gordon

[Yhtapmys]

I was always curious why Gale Gordon, who seemed to be a fairly busy character actor in the late 40s, was never used on Jack's show, but I was listening to the episode from October 1, 1950 and there is Gale's unmistakeable voice as the officer in charge of the Beverly Hills police department.

I think this is the only show where I've heard him.

Any guesses? Was he just too busy to do Jack's show or did his character range not quite in?

Yhtapmys

[epeterd]

The only thing I can think of is that his usual blustery characters were similar to Frank Nelson's characters. Other than that I don't know why. I really enjoy him as an actor.

peter

[Jack Benny]

He was definitely in that broadcast and Laura identifies the actor as "Gordon?" in her book, so that was probably in the script. I was listening to an episode with what was obviously Walter Tetley identified as "Tetley?" by Laura. My guess is that these are the kind of things that Laura will change with future printings of her books. She is one of the few authors I know of that has asked for input on these sort of items. I am amazed at how accurate and in depth her books are, she has achieved and amazing feat and done a wonderful service for the Jack Benny lovers everywhere.

[Yhtapmys]

The only thing I can think of is that his usual blustery characters were similar to Frank Nelson's characters. Other than that I don't know why. I really enjoy him as an actor.

Of course he could play more than arrogant sourpusses .. Foggy on Fibber McGee comes to mind .. but maybe Jack was comfortable with his cast of semi-regulars.

Incidentally, Gale Gordon had to give up his roles on Phil's show, Gildersleeve and Ronald Colman's show because he signed an exclusive deal with CBS by 1952 to do 'Our Miss Brooks.' But Billboardrevealed CBS signed a deal with NBC to loan him for 'Fibber McGee and Molly' (as Mayor La Trivia).

Yhtapmys

[Yhtapmys]

He was definitely in that broadcast and Laura identifies the actor as "Gordon?" in her book, so that was probably in the script. I was listening to an episode with what was obviously Walter Tetley identified as "Tetley?" by Laura. My guess is that these are the kind of things that Laura will change with future printings of her books. She is one of the few authors I know of that has asked for input on these sort of items. I am amazed at how accurate and in depth her books are, she has achieved and amazing feat and done a wonderful service for the Jack Benny lovers everywhere.

Laura's done a real service to fans compiling this information, especially for the shows that likely have been lost forever.

I didn't think of checking Laura's book on this one. I know there's at least one case where she's missing Jackson Beck in one of the New York shows (Beck's voice is another one that anyone who has watched cartoons for years can pick out). Jack seems to have liked using Fred Allen's people and Beck when he did shows from NYC. And there's a dog barking in one New York show that's got to be Brad Barker, one of the two biggest animal voice imitators in New York radio at the time.

Yhtapmys

[Mister Kitzel]

Perhaps Gale Gordon was appearing on another show within the same time slot as the Benny show.

[shimp scrampi]

Perhaps Gale Gordon was appearing on another show within the same time slot as the Benny show

OUR MISS BROOKS was the lead-in to the Benny show on CBS for quite some time.

I don't know if there can really be a substantive answer to this question - there were hundreds and thousands of actors who didn't appear on the Benny show but could have. Everyone can't be on, and I don't know that Gordon was actively looking for another employment gig what with having major roles in FIBBER AND MOLLY, OUR MISS BROOKS, GRANBY'S GREEN ACRES, MY FAVORITE HUSBAND, etc. etc. on into the sunset. He probably needed to step away from the mike and get a snack now and then.

[scottp]

[quote="shimp scrampi He probably needed to step away from the mike and get a snack now and then.[/quote]

Funny you should say that-- the KRLA early 1970s OTR replay-and-documentary series "Same Time Same Station" had a Gale Gordon interview (focusing on Fibber McGee and Molly, I believe) which seemed to have been recorded in the world's noisiest cafeteria (or commissary.)

[shimp scrampi]

Sheesh, and how could I forget he was also on the Phil Harris - Alice Faye Show for a good run too, following Jack. There's such a thing as overexposure!

[Yhtapmys]

Sheesh, and how could I forget he was also on the Phil Harris - Alice Faye Show for a good run too, following Jack. There's such a thing as overexposure!

It's not really over-exposure if you're playing different people on different shows.

Despite the fact actors were always trying to fit in as many shows as possible to make as much money as they could, I guess there are only so many hours and they reached a limit. And Jack seems to have settled on who his B-company players were and didn't use too many others very often (like Lou Merrill or Hans Conried).

Yhtapmys

[shimp scrampi]

It's not really over-exposure if you're playing different people on different shows.

Yhtapmys

Though in Gordon's case, by the 1940s he was usually, though not exclusively, pigeonholed into the blustery flustered grouch character that he'd be playing only minor variants on until the end of his career. I'd say it's a testament to his skill that audiences didn't get sick of it - I can't imagine say, Jerry Lewis being a recurring character doing the same schtick on four or five popular shows more or less concurrently.

[Moose Hatrack]

Maybe that's another reason why GG was not a regular on Jack's show. Jack is always the blustery flustered character doing the slow burn on his show. Would there be room for another?

[Jhammes]

>> I can't imagine say, Jerry Lewis being a recurring character doing the same schtick
>> on four or five popular shows more or less concurrently.

I can't imagine Jerry Lewis being a recurring character doing the same schtick on four or five popular shows PERIOD!

[Moose Hatrack]

Ahem, Amen (unless we're talking about broadcasting in France)