Jack With Johnny Carson

[Mike]

I was listening to a TV commercial this week (not actually watching it since I was doing something else at the same time). I think they advertised it as a 3 DVD set of the 'Best Of The Tonight Show'. Does anyone know if any of Jack's appearances with Johnny are included on this new (?) DVD set? Jack was on the Tonight Show at least once or twice, wasn't he?
Mike

[Jack Benny]

Jack was on numerous times from what I have heard. Laura has audio from these apperances is available in the Tape Library on this site.

09/12/69 Tonight Show 30
11/18/69 Tonight Show 30
08/03/72 Tonight Show 60
01/23/74 Tonight Show - Jack Benny and Mel Blanc

I don't think any of these are featured on the Carson set that you refer to.

[Shemp]

3 DVD set of the 'Best Of The Tonight Show'. Does anyone know if any of Jack's appearances with Johnny are included on this new (?) DVD set? Jack was on the Tonight Show at least once or twice, wasn't he?
Mike

If you go to the Carson DVD website, there are several DVDs available, in addition to the "Ultimate Collection" set shown in the TV commercial. It's been awhile since I watched them, but I don't recall seeing any of Jack's appearances.

On all the discs, approx. 95% of the material is from 1980 - 1992, when Johnny owned the shows (Carson Productions) and leased them back to NBC. The other 5% is material from circa 1973 - 1980, with very little from pre-1973. (All pre-1980 material used on the DVDs was available to Carson Productions because rights were acquired for use in the post-1980 anniversary specials.)

Important to remember...
- TONIGHT SHOW b&w kinescope and video masters from pre-1966 were destroyed for warehouse storage space... Carson, Paar and Allen.
- Almost all the TONIGHT SHOW videotapes from 1966 - 1973 were erased and recycled for other shows.

If there is any TONIGHT SHOW material with Jack Benny that still exists, it's most likely because...
- The footage was used in a post-1973 anniversary show
- Carson, Benny, or someone else, acquired a dupe kinescope or video from NBC for their personal library
- Video tape machines weren't marketed for home use in those days, but if someone out there had a couple thousand $$$ to spend on that technology for home use during the '60s or early '70s, and one of those old reel-to-reel tapes is sitting in a box in closet or garage...

[Jack Benny]

I'm honestly not trying to sell this, it just has to do with this thread. On the popular auction site, in the last few weeks someone - not me - has been selling a DVD with the video of the 1972 or 1974 appearance of Jack Benny on the Tonight Show. This is the entire show I believe, but the seller says that the video quality is poor. This would be a cool addition to the IJBFC Video Library if anyone wanted to spring for it. I think bidding starts at about $15. I probably would have purchased it but I already have the audio of the show.