Amazon has reduced price pre-order of The Jack Benny Program: The Lost Episodes out in June / July.

These titles aren’t in the extensive Benny Fan Club archives nor are they in the Antenna TV rotation.

On 3 or 4 discs, you get 18 new episodes

These titles
63 10/7/1956 Guests: George Burns, Spike Jones
64 10/21/1956 Guests: George Gobel, Red Skelton
65 11/4/1956 "Jack Invited to the Colmans" Guests: Ronald and Benita Colman
94 9/21/1958 Guest: Gary Cooper
109 10/4/1959 "Jack Switches Sponsors" Benny Show 30 Years in Future (1989!)
110 10/18/1959 Guest: President Harry S. Truman
113 11/29/1959 Guest: Jack Paar
120 3/6/1960 Guests: Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood
122 4/17/1960 "The Easter Show"
123 5/1/1960 Final show of season. Jack discusses his trip to the Far East,
124 10/16/1960 Nightbeat parody. Guests: George Burns, Tony Curtis, Robert Wagner, Mike Wallace
126 10/30/1960 Guest: Milton Berle
128 11/20/1960 Guests: Jaye P. Morgan, John Wayne
159 12/24/1961 "Christmas Show"
167 2/18/1962 Guests: Hugh Downs, Rock Hudson
? THIS WASN’T EVEN ON EPISODE LIST 1/29/1963 "The Murder of Clayton Worthington" Guest: Dick Van Dyke
203 9/24/1963 "Reverend Billy Graham" Guest: Billy Graham
244 12/25/1964 One Man Show Guest: Gisele MacKenzie

Is anyone else excited?

I have a DVD set of Benny,mostly from the earlier '50-'54 years.The ones included on the set you recommend here from the later years are generally a little bit better,as evidenced by the fact the the show won the Best Comedy Emmy during this later period.Thanks for the recommend.I'll keep an eye out.

They say it's a 3-disc set with a bonus disc.
Why don't they just say it's a 4-disc set?

3-DVD Box Set Features Genuine Rarities
Unseen for More Than 50 Years

The Jack Benny Program:
The Lost Episodes

Exclusive Edition with Bonus DVD
Available June 18, 2013
only from ShoutFactory.com

Available Nationwide
July 23rd, 2013 from Shout! Factory



From its beginnings as an immensely popular radio program to its heyday as the premiere situation comedy on television, The Jack Benny Program and its eponymous star are counted among the most gifted influences in the history of American comedy. One of the leading entertainers of the 20th century, the trials and tribulations of Jack Benny's "Everyman" character kept millions of fans laughing for over 30 years.

On July 23rd, 2013, Shout! Factory and NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products will release The Jack Benny Program: The Lost Episodes, a three-DVD collection that celebrates the enduring heart, soul and wit of this American icon. Lovingly restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive, this first of its kind set features 18 episodes of the beloved program - unseen since their original broadcast - plus all-new bonus features including excerpts from the Jack Benny color television specials, an new interview with Harry Shearer, director Norman Abbott and Benny's secretary Dorothy Ohman; newsreels featuring rare footage from the 1930s and '40s, a 16-page booklet and much more.

Starting June 18th, 2013, fans and collectors who order their copy directly from ShoutFactory.com will receive a bonus DVD of "Omnibus: The Horn Blows at Midnight." Unseen since its broadcast 60 years ago, "Omnibus: The Horn Blows At Midnight" stars Benny as Athanael the trumpeting angel, a role which he originated in the 1945 feature film The Horn Blows At Midnight. This genuinely rare live production of the celebrated TV series Omnibus was adapted from The Ford Theater's 1949 radio broadcast of The Horn Blows At Midnight. Fans can pre-order their copies at ShoutFactory.com.

In addition to the recurring character lineup of Jack, Don, Mary and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson; The Jack Benny Program: The Lost Episodes also features a superb lineup of guest stars including Natalie Wood, Red Skelton, Gary Cooper, George Burns, John Wayne, Dick Van Dyke, Billy Graham, Milton Berle, Tony Curtis and President Harry Truman.

Jack Benny Program: The Lost Episodes 3-DVD Box Set
DISC 1
10/7/1956; Guests: George Burns, Spike Jones - Jack is extremely nervous about his debut at Carnegie Hall. George Burns appears as the devil and makes a Faustian pact with Jack to make him the greatest concert artist.
10/21/1956; Guests: George Gobel, Red Skelton - Jack and George Gobel vie to be elected President of the Beverly Hills Beavers, a Boy Scout-type organization of neighborhood youths.
11/4/1956 "Jack Invited to the Colmans"; Guests: Ronald and Benita Colman - Jack mistakenly receives an invitation to a dinner at the home of Ronald and Benita Colman. Arriving in his tuxedo, he tries in vain to pretentiously fit in with the upper-crust British crowd.
9/21/1958; Guest: Gary Cooper - Gary Cooper discusses his latest movie, Man of the West, and Jack tries to get himself cast in Coop's next picture. The part is for Cooper's twin brother, and Jack attempts to man up and measure up.
10/4/1959 "Jack Switches Sponsors" - Jack is found sleeping because his show has moved from 7:30 P.M. to 10:00 P.M., and contemplates how his show will be 30 years from now.
10/18/1959; Guest: President Harry S. Truman - Jack recalls visiting the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri. The former President gives Jack a personal tour of the facility, and they share their mutual love of music.
Bonus Feature
Conversation With Actor And Satirist Harry Shearer, Director Norman Abbott And Dorothy Ohman - As a child actor, Harry Shearer built his acting chops as a periodic performer on Jack's radio and television programs, including appearances on Jack's last weekly radio show. Norman Abbott served as Jack's television director for two programs in 1961, then took up the mantle consistently starting on December 31, 1963, through the end of Jack's weekly television series on April 16, 1965. Dorothy Ohman served as Jack's personal secretary and assistant from 1957 through the remainder of his life.

DISC 2
11/29/1959; Guest: Jack Paar - Jack Paar asks if Jack would replace him as a host on The Tonight Show while Paar is on vacation.
3/6/1960; Guests: Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood - Jack tells CBS executives that he wants to "broaden out" and direct a Playhouse 90 TV episode. He rehearses a dramatic scene with Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood, and chaos ensues.
4/17/1960 "The Easter Show" - Jack and his girlfriend, Mildred Meyerhauser, dress up to walk in the Easter Parade on Wilshire Boulevard. They encounter many of the usual gang of eccentrics, including Jack's long-suffering violin teacher, Professor LeBlanc.
5/1/1960 - Jack discusses his trip to the Far East, including "Japan's #1 announcer" doing the middle commercial. The sponsors have a plan for cutting costs on the program, which leaves Jack extremely wired.
10/16/1960; Guests: George Burns, Tony Curtis, Robert Wagner, Mike Wallace - Everyone is talking about Jack's show going weekly, and wondering if he is up to the challenge.
10/30/1960; Guest: Milton Berle - Milton Berle coaches Jack on what it takes to do a weekly comedy show.
Bonus Features
Jack Benny's New Look; December 3, 1969 - Featuring guest star George Burns
Jack Benny's 20th Anniversary Special; February 17, 1969 - Featuring guest stars Dinah Shore and Frank Sinatra
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Jack Benny But Were Afraid to Ask; March 10, 1971 - Featuring guest stars Lucille Ball and John Wayne.
Jack Benny's Second Farewell Special; January 24, 1974 - Featuring guest stars Dinah Shore, Don Rickles and George Burns.

DISC 3
11/20/1960; Guests: Jaye P. Morgan, John Wayne - Jack introduces celebrities in the audience, including John Wayne. When guest singer Jaye P. Morgan appears, Wayne whispers to Jack that he wants a date with her - and gets it.
12/24/1961 "Christmas Show" - CBS is throwing a Christmas party, and Jack and Rochester give gifts to all the cast members. Mel Blanc makes his first TV appearance since his near-fatal auto accident eleven months earlier on January 24, 1961 (his wheelchair elicits no comment).
2/18/1962; Guests: Hugh Downs, Rock Hudson - Jack debates the psychology of sex appeal with Rock Hudson. Jack wants to do a show like Jack Paar's The Tonight Show, and illustrates the concept with the help of Hudson and Hugh Downs.
1/29/1963 "The Murder of Clayton Worthington"; Guest: Dick Van Dyke - Dick Van Dyke says that he has been warned that Jack "works his guests to death." In the skit, Jack plays an inspector investigating a murder who questions everyone in the house - all played by Van Dyke.
9/24/1963 "Reverend Billy Graham"; Guest: Billy Graham - Jack, Don and Dennis imitate Peter, Paul, and Mary in response to the folk-singing craze. Billy Graham asks Jack why comedians insult each other to get laughs, and the gang demonstrates what would happen if they didn't.
12/25/1964; Guest: Gisele MacKenzie - Jack states that he let the members of his cast have the night off, so he goes into the audience to chat with the folks. There he finds Gisele MacKenzie, and they perform their classic violin duet.
Bonus Features
Hearst Newsreel, unedited footage May 1935 - Jack delivers a ridiculous and difficult monologue about Daylight Saving Time.
Hearst Newsreel, unedited footage May 1941 - In rehearsals for Jack's May 9th celebration of his 10th anniversary in radio, Rochester delivers a joke for the dinner.
Hearst News Of The Day, Volume 12, Number 279; June 16, 1941 - Child star Carolyn Lee tells Jack about a program to save defense stamps to redeem for defense bonds.
Hearst Newsreel, unedited footage December 1945 - Jack and a staff of secretaries review a deluge of entries for the "I Can't Stand Jack Benny Because..." contest.


Taken from: http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Jack-Benny-Program-The-Lost-Episodes/18323#ixzz2QjaYbteu

From Shout Factory website
For this rare, live television adaptation of the 1945 feature film The Horn Blows At Midnight, Jack Benny reprised his comic role as Athanael, the trumpeting angel sent to destroy Earth. Broadcast live from 1952 to 1961, the landmark and award-winning television series Omnibus presented a stunning variety of programs about the arts, sciences and humanities with an eye to creating what its visionary producer Robert Saudek called “educational entertainment.”

The critical failure of the 1945 feature film version became a running gag on The Jack Benny Program, but the Omnibus presentation is considered a genuine treasure, buried until now.

Additionally, we're shipping a month early from the official July 23 release date!

Apparently the lost episodes of Jack Benny were found last summer in a vault. The vault was guarded by an alligator and an old guy named Ed....

...who asked if the war was over.

....."The Horn Blows At Midnight" [November 29, 1953] was a live adaptation of the 1949 radio version of the movie {by Hugh Wedlock Jr. & Howard Snyder} originally presented on CBS' "FORD THEATER" (March 4, 1949), and was seen during the first hour of the 90 minute telecast- the rest of the show included a brief "Introduction to William Shakespeare" talk by Dr. Frank Baxter, and an excerpt from a current theatrical documentary, "Song of the Land", concerning California condors....

:tv:


p.s.

"Yes, the war is over."
"Oh, good. Who won- the North or the South?"

:tv:

Did anyone here purchase this or plan to? Just curious.

I first got it at Amazon because it was cheaper. But it only had 3 disc. So I sent it back and paid more from Shout because I wanted the bonus disc too. I think the bonus disc was worth the extra cost.