Where is the forum for Jack Benny Program? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Smilings · 02-11-2013, 04:01 AM

I'm relatively new.
Where is the forum for the Jack Benny Program?
Thanks.

visaman666 · 02-22-2013, 10:57 PM

Good question! I don't think there is one actually. It's considered more of a variety show that aired every 6 weeks in the early 50's. The 1960's episodes are few and far between, DVD wise.

Smilings · 02-22-2013, 11:08 PM

I think there still would be an interest. But I may be prejudiced becase I love tge Jack Benny program. It still airs 10 times a week on Antenna TV. Benny did 250 episodes from 1950 to 1965. They regularly show about 150 public domain episodes. And Benny also has about 800 radio episodes in essentially the same format. Jack Benny was popular from 1932 in radio to his specials in the 1970s. And Benny influenced later comics like Johnny Carson. And still influences comics today. Letterman loves Benny.

Benny has his own fan club but the best TV forum anywhere is Sitcomsonline.

I suppose if I have a comment for Jack Benny, if he can't have his own forum, the best place would be that of his best friend George Burns.

And you're right about the lack of a definitive Jack Benny DVD.

I think that's due to legal issues. CBS a few years ago found 25 lost public domain episodes but won't release them and also won't let the Benny estate of the Jack Benny Fan Club release them.

I'm making my own DVDs from the Antenna TV shows. But they only show about 150 episodes. And they don't even show them in a regular order.

treky · 03-02-2013, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smilings

I'm relatively new.
Where is the forum for the Jack Benny Program?
Thanks.

sadly, there isn't one. I've requested one and a few others also have but to no avail.

You can try requesting one again. Go into the SITE FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS forum.

TV Knowledge Fan · 03-07-2013, 09:37 PM

...'THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM" wasn't a sitcom. It was a variety show, with sketches and occasional "sitcom" elements (including "flashback" sequences, and those incidences that happened "inbetween shows")....sometimes mixing them together, depending on the idea and/or guest star.

The filmed episodes (about a hundred of them) are what appear on "ANTENNA TV". Jack did more live and videotaped episodes in his earlier TV seasons- he initially filmed between four to six episodes a season during the '50s, to allow himself more time for other appearances, or "time off"- but the filmed ones [mentioning very little topical material, which he liked to do] took precedence in the early '60s because he was told by his manager, Irving Fein, that doing more filmed episodes would bring in more revenue in future syndication; by the last season [1964-'65], only 2 of 28 episodes were taped, and the rest on film {and out of those, only 10 are circulated}.

treky · 03-08-2013, 12:22 AM

once again; you've AMAZED me with your TV knowledge. I mean, I know a lot about TV but I don't know 90% of all the stuff you do!

For example, I've thought for years that the reason he didn't do many episodes of his TV show at first was because he was doing his radio show at the same time. And I didn't know that some of his shows were taped rather than filmed. (I knew that he did his shows live at first though. In fact I have 3 of them on VHS. I no longer have a way to play them though

)

(and I call the show a "sitcom/variety show")

Smilings · 03-08-2013, 12:38 AM

I always wondered why the mix of film and live TV Jack Bennys.

I have 773 Jack Benny radio shows from 1932 to 1955. They are often even funnier than his TV show.

After the first year or so (when Jack did fake news like SNL Weekend Update), the sitcom elements creep in, as Jack finds the right cast members.

Kenny Baker, Dennis Day, Larry Stevens (who filled in while Dennis was in Navy in WWII) were all great tenor singers. Dennis Day was the only one really funny.

But I agree Jack Benny wasn't really a situation comedy. I'd call it more a character comedy.

treky · 03-08-2013, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smilings

I always wondered why the mix of film and live TV Jack Bennys.

I have 773 Jack Benny radio shows from 1932 to 1955. They are often even funnier than his TV show.

After the first year or so (when Jack did fake news like SNL Weekend Update), the sitcom elements creep in, as Jack finds the right cast members.

Kenny Baker, Dennis Day, Larry Stevens (who filled in while Dennis was in Navy in WWII) were all great tenor singers. Dennis Day was the only one really funny.

But I agree Jack Benny wasn't really a situation comedy. I'd call it more a character comedy.

I have a lot of his radio shows too on cassette. (for all you youngsters reading this, those were little tapes that us old-timers would record stuff on)

Back in the 80s; when radio stations would play some of the old radio shows (which I wis they still did) a local station used to play them on weeknites and I used to record a lot of the shows. I also used to be suscribed to a mail-order placeat the time that used to sell a lot of the shows on cassette.

Smilings · 03-08-2013, 01:02 AM

Now you can get Jack Benny shows as downloads of mp3. At a price Jack Benny would love.
There's Jack Benny podcasts too on iTunes.
But I like my Bennys plain without the 5 minute introduction.

Zoneboy · 03-08-2013, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treky

once again; you've AMAZED me with your TV knowledge. I mean, I know a lot about TV but I don't know 90% of all the stuff you do!

Anyone can google something or look it up in a book they have sitting on their shelf.

TV Knowledge Fan · 03-12-2013, 11:25 PM

...if you have access to the radio and TV episodes themselves. For example, I've seen and heard three of the four versions of "The Fiddler" sketch Jack did on radio and television between 1946 and '64 [I haven't seen the first 1957 TV version yet, but I know the 1964 filmed version was adapted from it].

Smilings · 03-13-2013, 12:20 AM

Great news from International Jack Benny fan club.
Shout Factory Jack Benny Lost Episodes DVD set will be released on July 23rd!

Benno123 · 03-13-2013, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smilings

Great news from International Jack Benny fan club.
Shout Factory Jack Benny Lost Episodes DVD set will be released on July 23rd!

Even better news ... according to the International Jack Benny Fan Club's Facebook page and an email from the club's president, Shout Factory will have this available via their website June 18th, 5 weeks before anywhere else!

Smilings · 03-16-2013, 01:02 AM

The Lost Episodes of Jack Benny were made with the help of the International Jack Benny fan club.

Smilings · 03-17-2013, 11:36 AM

Why within each decade forum isn't there a catch-all "Other" forum?

Then if there's enough interest shown by posts, a show could get its own forum?

02-11-2013, 04:01 AM	#1
Smilings Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 09, 2012 Location: California Posts: 417	Where is the forum for Jack Benny Program? I'm relatively new. Where is the forum for the Jack Benny Program? Thanks.

02-22-2013, 10:57 PM	#2
visaman666 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 06, 2007 Posts: 818	Good question! I don't think there is one actually. It's considered more of a variety show that aired every 6 weeks in the early 50's. The 1960's episodes are few and far between, DVD wise.
	Last edited by visaman666; 02-22-2013 at 10:58 PM. Reason: Spelling

03-07-2013, 09:37 PM	#5
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	Technically... ...'THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM" wasn't a sitcom. It was a variety show, with sketches and occasional "sitcom" elements (including "flashback" sequences, and those incidences that happened "inbetween shows")....sometimes mixing them together, depending on the idea and/or guest star. The filmed episodes (about a hundred of them) are what appear on "ANTENNA TV". Jack did more live and videotaped episodes in his earlier TV seasons- he initially filmed between four to six episodes a season during the '50s, to allow himself more time for other appearances, or "time off"- but the filmed ones [mentioning very little topical material, which he liked to do] took precedence in the early '60s because he was told by his manager, Irving Fein, that doing more filmed episodes would bring in more revenue in future syndication; by the last season [1964-'65], only 2 of 28 episodes were taped, and the rest on film {and out of those, only 10 are circulated}.

03-08-2013, 12:38 AM	#7
Smilings Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 09, 2012 Location: California Posts: 417	thanks I always wondered why the mix of film and live TV Jack Bennys. I have 773 Jack Benny radio shows from 1932 to 1955. They are often even funnier than his TV show. After the first year or so (when Jack did fake news like SNL Weekend Update), the sitcom elements creep in, as Jack finds the right cast members. Kenny Baker, Dennis Day, Larry Stevens (who filled in while Dennis was in Navy in WWII) were all great tenor singers. Dennis Day was the only one really funny. But I agree Jack Benny wasn't really a situation comedy. I'd call it more a character comedy.

03-12-2013, 11:25 PM	#11
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	It also helps... ...if you have access to the radio and TV episodes themselves. For example, I've seen and heard three of the four versions of "The Fiddler" sketch Jack did on radio and television between 1946 and '64 [I haven't seen the first 1957 TV version yet, but I know the 1964 filmed version was adapted from it].

02-22-2013, 11:08 PM	#3
Smilings Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 09, 2012 Location: California Posts: 417	I think there still would be an interest. But I may be prejudiced becase I love tge Jack Benny program. It still airs 10 times a week on Antenna TV. Benny did 250 episodes from 1950 to 1965. They regularly show about 150 public domain episodes. And Benny also has about 800 radio episodes in essentially the same format. Jack Benny was popular from 1932 in radio to his specials in the 1970s. And Benny influenced later comics like Johnny Carson. And still influences comics today. Letterman loves Benny. Benny has his own fan club but the best TV forum anywhere is Sitcomsonline. I suppose if I have a comment for Jack Benny, if he can't have his own forum, the best place would be that of his best friend George Burns. And you're right about the lack of a definitive Jack Benny DVD. I think that's due to legal issues. CBS a few years ago found 25 lost public domain episodes but won't release them and also won't let the Benny estate of the Jack Benny Fan Club release them. I'm making my own DVDs from the Antenna TV shows. But they only show about 150 episodes. And they don't even show them in a regular order.

03-08-2013, 12:22 AM	#6
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	once again; you've AMAZED me with your TV knowledge. I mean, I know a lot about TV but I don't know 90% of all the stuff you do! For example, I've thought for years that the reason he didn't do many episodes of his TV show at first was because he was doing his radio show at the same time. And I didn't know that some of his shows were taped rather than filmed. (I knew that he did his shows live at first though. In fact I have 3 of them on VHS. I no longer have a way to play them though ) (and I call the show a "sitcom/variety show")

03-08-2013, 01:02 AM	#9
Smilings Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 09, 2012 Location: California Posts: 417	Now you can get Jack Benny shows as downloads of mp3. At a price Jack Benny would love. There's Jack Benny podcasts too on iTunes. But I like my Bennys plain without the 5 minute introduction.

03-13-2013, 12:20 AM	#12
Smilings Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 09, 2012 Location: California Posts: 417	Shout releasing Lost Jack Benny July 23 Great news from International Jack Benny fan club. Shout Factory Jack Benny Lost Episodes DVD set will be released on July 23rd!

03-16-2013, 01:02 AM	#14
Smilings Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 09, 2012 Location: California Posts: 417	The Lost Episodes of Jack Benny were made with the help of the International Jack Benny fan club.

03-17-2013, 11:36 AM	#15
Smilings Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 09, 2012 Location: California Posts: 417	why isn't there at at least an Other forum Why within each decade forum isn't there a catch-all "Other" forum? Then if there's enough interest shown by posts, a show could get its own forum?