TV 1952

Season 2, Episode 3 – Aired: 1/27/1952
Gaslight
In the monologue, Jack discusses his film career. Don doesn't want to do the commercial Jack has written for him because it's silly and embarrassing. As Don pitches Luckies, Jack makes his pant legs roll up and down. Pianist Ray Noble performs "Good Night Sweetheart." The sketch is a parody of the film Gaslight. Bella's husband, a jewel thief, is trying to make her think she's crazy by turning the pictures upside down and putting a horse in the closet. A Scotland Yard inspector comes to her rescue.

Stars
Don Wilson - Himself
Jack Benny - Himself

Guest Cast
Barbara Stanwyck - Herself / Bella Manningham
Ray Noble - Himself / Inspector
Ray Saunders - Guest Star
Jack George - Guest Star
Mollie Glessing - Elizabeth, the Maid

Mahlon Merrick - Musical Director
Ralph Levy - Director
Writers: John Tackaberry, George Balzer, Milt Josefsberg, Sam Perrin
Robert Tyler Lee - Art Director

Season 2, Episode 4 – Aired: 3/9/1952
Gracie Bit
It's ten minutes before airtime and Gracie Allen is missing. George Burns talks Jack into dressing in drag and passing himself off as Gracie. Makeup man Frank Nelson quickly works on Jack when not tossing insults. The Sportsmen crowd into the dressing room to sing their Lucky commercial.
A fetching Jack performs with George in one of their standard stand-up routines. Easily-confused Gracie finally arrives, doesn't realize George's partner was Jack, thinks herhusband's fooling around with another woman--namely Tallulah Bankhead--and storms off. Don wants his girdle back so he can fit in his car.

Stars
Jack Benny - Himself
Don Wilson - Himself
Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones

Guest Cast
Pierre Watkin - Guest Star
Gracie Allen - Herself
George Burns - Himself
Bill Fletcher - Guest Star

Recurring Roles
Frank Nelson - Make-up Man

Mahlon Merrick - Musical Direction
Ralph Levy - Director
Writers: John Tackaberry, George Balzer, Milt Josefsberg, Sam Perrin
Robert Tyler Lee - Set Designer

Season 2, Episode 5 – Aired: 4/20/1952
Isaac Stern Show
Rochester shows off the bowling ball trophy he won in a tournament last night; Dennis drops by and gets it stuck on his hand. Day informs Jack he wants to do his Johnny Ray impression on the show though Jack wants a classy number. The Sportsmen sing the Lucky Strike commercial.
On the show, guest Isaac Stern performs "Introduction and Rondo capriccioso" by Saint-Saens. Jack joins him for a duet of "Filight of the Bumblebee." In Stern's honor, Jack introduces Dennis performing "Sweetheart" from Maytown backed by ten violinists in tails. Day promptly launches into Johnny Ray's hit "Cry".

Stars

Jack Benny - Himself

Guest Cast
Isaac Stern - Himself
Alexander Zakin - Himself, Stern's Pianist

Recurring Roles
Robert Garsen - Sportsmen Quartet (1954-1965)
Jay Meyer - Sportsmen Quartet (1951-1954)
Bill Days - Sportsmen Quartet
Gurney Bell - Sportsmen Quartet

Ralph Levy - Producer
Hilliard Marks - Producer
Ralph Levy - Director
Writers: John Tackaberry, George Balzer, Milt Josefsberg, Sam Perrin - Writer
Robert Tyler Lee - Set Designer
Mahlon Merrick - Musical Direction

Season 2, Episode 6 – Aired: 6/1/1952
Jack Prepares For a Trip to England
Jack and Rochester are packing for the boss' summer concert tour of England and Scotland. Jack's doctor chases him down to give him an inoculation shot. Don drops by with wax fruit and the Sportsmen, who sing "Bye Bye Benny". Jack's agent auditions a supporting act for Jack's show, the Landrews Sisters, who perform "Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?" Throughout it all, Ronald Coleman's butler, Sherwood, reclaims everything Jack has borrowed from them; when he's through, the Benny house is bare.

Stars
Don Wilson - Himself
Jack Benny - Himself
Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones

Guest Cast
Muriel Landers - Landrews Sister
June Earle - Landrews Sister
Iris Adrian - Max, Landrew Sister
Eric Snowden - Guest Star
Hal March - Guest Star

Recurring Roles
Mel Blanc - Polly the Parrot (voice)
Martin Sperzel - Sportsmen Quartet (1950-1957)
Jay Meyer - Sportsmen Quartet (1951-1954)
Bill Days - Sportsmen Quartet
Gurney Bell - Sportsmen Quartet
Benny Rubin - Sam

Ralph Levy - Producer
Hilliard Marks - Producer

Writers: John Tackaberry, George Balzer, Milt Josefsberg, Sam Perrin
Ralph Levy - Director

Season 3, Episode 1 – Aired: 10/5/1952
Bob Crosby's Contract
Jack introduces new cast member Bob Crosby, who refuses to sing until his contract is signed. Bob finally performs "You Belong to Me" and Jack invites him over over to sign the contract after the show.
Before Bob arrives, Jack and Rochester wreck the house and make it look like a shabby hovel. Their scheme is for Bob to think Benny's broke and sign for only $50 a week. Bob has a trick of his own, parading his kids in as starving, shabbily-dressed waifs. Jack bites and agrees to sign Bob for $500 a week.

Stars
Don Wilson - Himself
Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones
Jack Benny - Himself

Guest Cast
Richard Eyre - Crosby Child
Carol Dee - Crosby Child
Lee Ericson - Crosby Child
Nancy Abbate - Crosby Child
Lee Millar - Pollster
Chuckie Bradley - Crosby Child

Recurring Roles
Bob Crosby - Himself

Ralph Levy - Director
John Tackaberry - Writer
Writers: Milt Josefsberg, George Balzer, Sam Perrin
Robert Tyler Lee - Set Designer
Mahlon Merrick - Musical Direction
Hilliard Marks - Associate Producer

Season 3, Episode 2 – Aired: 11/2/1952
Buck Benny Rides Again
In his monologue, Jack explains it's tradition for a guest to get a sample of the sponsor's product, so Dinah will get a carton of Luckies; Jack's expecting a Chevrolet when he does Dinah's show. In a cowboy sketch, Dinah's forced to sing in a saloon to raise $2000 to pay off her mortgage or she'll have to marry bad guy Tombstone Harry. She performs "Blues in the Night," and "Ragtime Cowboy Joe" with the Sportsmen in the Luckies commercial. In a filmed segment, Buck Benny competes in a rodeo for the money, but loses. Angry Dinah tries to shoot Benny with his own screwy gun, but kills Harry instead.
In the epilogue, Benny introduces Alan Hale, Jr. and Randy Stuart who premiere next week in Biff Baker USA on CBS for the same sponsor.

Stars
Don Wilson - Himself
Jack Benny - Himself

Guest Cast
James Flavin - Guest Star
Randy Stuart - Himself
Alan Hale - Himself
Dinah Shore - Herself / Tess Montgomery
Hank Mann - Guest Star

Recurring Roles
Benny Rubin - Recurring Roll
Sheldon Leonard - Tombstone Harry
Gurney Bell - Sportsmen Quartet
Bill Days - Sportsmen Quartet
Martin Sperzel - Sportsmen Quartet (1950-1957)
Jay Meyer - Sportsmen Quartet (1951-1954)

Ralph Levy - Director
Writers: John Tackaberry, Milt Josefsberg, George Balzer, Sam Perrin

Season 3, Episode 3 – Aired: 11/30/1952
Jack Gets Robbed
In the opening monologue, Jack is pestered for an autograph by a little girl claiming to be Margaret Truman from Washington, D.C. Bob Crosby sings "Peter Pan" with an assist from the child.
At home, Jack tries to fall asleep but is awakened by a leaky bathroom faucet. Rochester comes and fixes it, then rocks Jack to sleep in his bed/crib. As he snoozes, two thieves come in the bedroom window and encounter booby traps in his dresser drawers and a live tiger in his safe.

Stars
Don Wilson - Himself
Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones
Jack Benny - Himself

Guest Cast
Beverly Washburn - Margaret Truman
Ken Terrell - Guest Star

Recurring Roles
Jay Meyer - Sportsmen Quartet (1951-1954)
Martin Sperzel - Sportsmen Quartet (1950-1957)
Bill Days - Sportsmen Quartet
Bob Crosby - Himself
Mel Blanc - Burglar
Gurney Bell - Sportsmen Quartet

Ralph Levy - Director / Producer
Writers: John Tackaberry, Milt Josefsberg, George Balzer, Sam Perrin
Hilliard Marks - Associate Producer
Mahlon Merrick - Musical Director

Season 3, Episode 4 – Aired: 12/28/1952
Cafe Skit
Jimmy and Gloria Stewart plan a romantic New Year's Eve at a French restaurant. Their night is destroyed by a self-invited Jack and his uncouth date, Mabel Flapsaddle, a telephone operator at CBS. Jack and Mable make a spectacle of themselves by dancing like goons, tripping waiters and fighting with other patrons. Mable causes Jimmy to squirm when she serenades him with a loud rendition of "You Belong to Me." The evening is made when her pal from work, Gertrude Gearshift, shows up with her doltish boyfriend who's been in high school nine years.

Stars

Don Wilson - Himself
Jack Benny - Himself

Guest Cast
Richard J. Reeves - Joe Gallager, Gertrude's Date (as Dick Reeves)
Gloria Stewart - Herself
James Stewart - Himself
Bea Benaderet - Gertrude Gearshift
Gerry Gaylor - Guest Star
John E. Wyndgram - Guest Star
Donald Laughton - Guest Star
Sara Berner - Mabel Flapsaddle
Mel Blanc - Waiter

Hilliard Marks - Associate Producer
Ralph Levy - Producer and Director
Writers: John Tackaberry, Milt Josefsberg, George Balzer, Sam Perrin