I've never finished the radio series

[grittys457]

And I'm having trouble getting through the last few years now because I'm running in to stretches of shows where they are completely copied from older episodes, joke for joke, skit for skit. I haven't posted on this board in a long time so maybe I mentioned it before. When I get into the 1950's I tend to just say screw it and start back in the 30's.

I don't mind hearing the same episodes over and over but it's different when you hear a later show doing the exact same thing as an earlier one. Did the writers just give up by the final years of the series or something? I swear the only part that let's me know it's not a repeat is Bob Crosby being introduced in the beginning instead of Phil.

Oh, and it's great that the Old Time Radio app for the Droid(I'm sure on IPHone too) has broken up the Jack Benny show into 4 blocks of years. Makes it much easier to go through them now.

[LLeff]

You're very right. Hal Goldman and Al Gordon were essentially cutting up previous scripts and re-stitching the gags together into "new" material because the team was focusing more on the television series. I noticed that it seemed to vary on alternate weeks with an original show vs. a recycled show. Check out 39 Forever Volume 2 for more details on which is which.

[Moose Hatrack]

I confess that I just stick with the "Phil years" now because they fit neatly on my mp3 player

[scottp]

But it was kinda neat to hear a 1952 show last night (on When Radio Was) where Bob Crosby and The Sportsmen sing the Perry Como hit, "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes"...
And later, Jack threatens Dennis with being replaced by Morton Downey. Dennis replies, "Oy vey!" (Was that funny simply because the topic was one Irish-American vs. another?)
When Rochester comes in, Jack says, "Is that you, oy vey?

[Yhtapmys]

It doesn't really bother me. I'll pull out a 1947 show and listen to it several times. There's no difference between hearing that more than once than hearing the same show from 1947 in 1954, albeit with changes in gags where needed.

The thing about the later shows is the complete detachment Mary has from the rest of the broadcast. You can hear it in her voice. She's proof of the real difference between performing in front of an audience and some guy at home with a reel-to-reel machine.

Yhtapmys

[Moose Hatrack]

Maybe another example of preventing a real "reel to reel" difference... When Mel sufered his near fatal car crash, the cast of The Flinstones recorded at Mel's house. Legend has it they recorded around the bed where Mel was recuperating at home. I figured if they hadn't done that Barney Rubble (and Dino I suppose) would have sounded "out there" like Mary.
Quite a difference from current techniques where voiceover performers may never meet each other.

[Mister Kitzel]

The 50's shows are not "prime" Jack Benny shows, but they are still entertaining. Hearing Bob Crosby instead of Phil Harris feels like something is missing, but then Phil Harris' character was so larger-than-life that his departure left a void no matter who would replace him.