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JACK BENNY PROGRAM, THE – San Diego Naval Training Center Show

Air Date/Released Sunday, December 26, 1954
Station/Studio CBS / J&M Productions
Featuring Joe Besser (Solo)

Jack Benny adapted his long-running 1930s - 1950s radio show to television in 1950, with the characters and characterizations that made his show a Sunday night favorite for decades. As the TV show progressed thru the 1950s, some of the regular cast retired, e.g., Jack's real-life wife Mary 'Livingstone' Benny, and the show focused more on Jack's "on-air variety show" adventures with guest stars. Regardless, Benny's vain and cheap characterization never changed, and radio cast members Mary, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Bob Crosby, Artie Auerbach, Sheldon Leonard and The Sportsmen Quartet continued to make guest and cameo appearances. Don Wilson, Mel Blanc and Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson were supporting mainstays throughout its run, and Jack's television program remained a quality, comedy classic until it ended in 1965.

This episode was a live (kinescoped) remote from the Naval Training Center in San Diego, CA. Jack’s show is a ½-hour version of his personal appearances act. Jack performs a monologue, and is joined onstage by Don Wilson, and then by Joe Besser as an excitable cameraman. The Sportsmen Quartet perform “Flight of the Bumblebee” acapello, and are joined by Mel Blanc as Sy the Mexican to sing the Lucky Strike sponsor commercial. Members of the orchestra join Jack on violin to play “Sweet Georgia Brown.” Additional walk-on bits by Benny Rubin, Hy Averback and Leigh Snowden.


Cast: Jack Benny (Himself), Eddie Anderson (Rochester Van Jones), Don Wilson (Himself), Bill Days, Gurney Bell, Robert Garsen, Martin Sperzel (The Sportsmen Quartet), Joe Besser (Cameraman), Mel Blanc (Sy), Benny Rubin (Elderly sailor), Hy Averback (CPO Jones), Leigh Snowden (Herself), Frank Remley (Guitar), Charley Bagby (Accordion), Sammy Weiss (Drums), Don Rice (Bass), Wayne Songer (Clarinet), Andre Baruch (Commercial announcer), Dorothy Collins, Rita Gam (Women in commerical)

Crew: Ralph Levy (Director), Hilliard Marks (Producer), Sam Perrin, George Balzer, Milt Josefsberg, John Tackaberry (Writers), Mahlon Merrick (Musical Conductor)
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