tv 1953

Season 3, Episode 5 – Aired: 1/25/1953
60 Piece Orchestra Skit
In an interview in his dressing room, Jack tells a reporter how he would rather have been a concert violinist than a comedian. In flashbacks, Jack, as a small boy and as a teen, does nothing but practice his violin. He imagines that he is soloist with a philharmonic orchestra. To the cheers of the audience and his fellow musicians, he wows them with his rendition of "Love in Bloom." Also, Jack forces an embarrassed Don to don a tutu and perform a ballet as a happy tobacco leaf.
In the epilogue, in invites Ann Sothern up form the audience to plug her series Private Secretary which airs three out of four weeks with Benny.

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

Guest Cast
Alix Talton - Guest Star
Kay Wiley - Guest Star
Ann Southern - Herself

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

Season 3, Episode 6 – Aired: 3/22/1953
Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde
The sketch is a take-off on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with Jack playing both of the title roles. Bob Crosby, as a medical student, performs "A Foggy Day in London Town." The good doctor's new potion turns him into a murderous madman who recycles one of his patients into a teaching skeleton. Hyde is finally brought down by another patient who's pumped up with vitamins.

Stars
Jack Benny - Himself
Don Wilson - Himself
Dennis Day - Himself

Guest Cast
Jeanne Cagney - Good Nurse Cavendish
Leo Britt - Man in Park
Ida Moore - Elderly Woman with Vitamins
Iris Adrian - Evil Nurse Cavendish

Recurring Roles
Bob Crosby - Himself
Mel Blanc - Recurring Role

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

Season 3, Episode 7 – Aired: 4/19/1953
Fred Allen Show
After Jack's monologue rehearsal (lots of jokes about Fred Allen), Rochester rides out on Benny's hot dog cart and sells sandwiches to the crew. He serenades them with "Side by Side" so he can collect a cover charge.
Jack is in the lobby of his sponsor's office to renew his contract option. Meanwhile inside Mr. Lewis' office, Fred Allen is trying to convince him to put Jack "out to pasture" and and hire him for the show. Allen hides in a closet as Jack enters. When Mr. Lewis says he wants a few days to think it over, Jack smells a louse. Leaving, Benny opens the wrong door, finds Allen and hits the roof. After the pair have reconciled, Eddie Cantor pops out of another closet and pitches Mr. Lewis on making him the star of the show.
The show concludes with Cantor, Allen, and Jack on stage in front of the curtain trading jabs.

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

Guest Cast
Fred Allen - Himself
Eddie Cantor - Himself

Season 3, Episode 8 – Aired: 5/17/1953
Visit To The Vault
Jack prepares a dinner party to celebrate the end of the TV season. Bob Crosby and Gisele MacKenzie arrive before the other guests and sing a Lucky commercial. Jack still owes Gisele money for a previous concert engagement she did with him, so he takes her down to his fabled vault. Bob passes since he's already seen the vault of his brother Bing. The pair dodge various security contraptions including a moat containing an alligator, a camera that takes photos of everyone who enters, sirens, and the guard, Ed, who hasn't been above ground in decades.

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

Guest Cast
Joseph Kearns - Ed, the Vault Guard
Gisele MacKenzie - Herself

Recurring Roles
Bob Crosby - Himself

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

Season 4, Episode 1 – Aired: 9/13/1953
Honolulu Trip
Jack tells the audience about the trip he took with Rochester to Hawaii when a travelogue announcer takes over the story. On the return cruise home, Jack encounters "Dr. Masters" (of sex study fame) and Mr. Kitzel. Falling asleep in a deck chair, Jack dreams the heavyset woman beside him is Marilyn Monroe and that she finds him irresistible. He proposes but she's concerned about their age difference. She coos the song "Bye Bye, Baby" to Jack and agrees to meet him for dinner. He chases after her, being awakened by a huge kiss from the chubby woman.
In the epilogue, Jack thanks Marilyn for making her TV debut with him, and plugs her new movie How to Marry a Millionaire. Jack mentions his infamous film, The Horn Blows at Midnight.

Stars
Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones
Don Wilson - Himself

Jack Benny - Himself

Guest Cast
Tyler McVeigh - Guest Star
Kaye Stewart - Guest Star
Maxine Kates - Guest Star
Marilyn Monroe - Herself
Joseph Kearns - Ship Passenger
Artie Auerbach - Mr. Kitzel
Danny Kuaana - (as Danny Kuaana and The Islanders)
Tani Marsh - Hula Dancer

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

Season 4, Episode 2 – Aired: 10/4/1953
Jack As A Child
Jack's monologue is interrupted by an elderly fan who asks him to kiss her like he'd kissed Marilyn Monroe. Rochester tells Jack that the reporter writing his biography is waiting backstage.
The show flashes back to Jack's childhood. Young Jackie argues with his father (played by Benny) about being a musician for the love of music, not for the money. The little kid is shocked by the idea. The Benny family's friends and relatives gather for the weekly Sunday musicale.
In a commercial, The Sportsmen Quartet sings a modified version of "By the Light of the Silvery Moon."

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

Guest Cast
Mabel Albertson - Fan
Hallene Hill - Jack's Mother
Harry Shearer - Jack as a child

Recurring Roles
Mel Blanc - Polly the Parrot (voice)
Martin Sperzel - Sportsmen Quartet (1950-1957)
Robert Garsen - Sportsmen Quartet (1954-1965)
Bill Days - Sportsmen Quartet
Gurney Bell - Sportsmen Quartet

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

Season 4, Episode 3 – Aired: 10/25/1953
Humphrey Bogart Show
Jack's monologue is interrupted by Bob Crosby, who's upset that his song was cut from the show, and by Don, who's angry that he's not a part of this week's commercial.
In the sketch, officers haul "Baby Face" Bogart into the police station. He tells Detective Benny he knows nothing about the murder of Blinky Mason. Benny tries to get rough but Bogart keeps slapping him back. During the interrogation, "Baby Face" launches into the Lucky Strike commercial and sings their jingle. He pulls a gun on Detective Benny, who runs fleeing from the building.
In the epilogue, Jack thanks Humphrey Bogart and plugs his new picture, Beat the Devil.

Stars
Jack Benny - Himself
Don Wilson - Himself

Guest Cast
Sara Berner - Slim Fingers Sara
Humphrey Bogart - "Baby Face" Bogart

Recurring Roles
Bob Crosby - Himself
Benny Rubin - O'Brien

Ralph Levy - Director / Producer
Writers: Howard Snyder, Hugh Wedlock
Mahlon Merrick - Musical Direction
Hilliard Marks - Associate Producer
Robert Tyler Lee - Art Director

Season 4, Episode 4 – Aired: 11/15/1953
Johnny Ray Show
Rochester lounges around in a smoking jacket on his day day off so Jack attempts to cook an omelet for lunch. Don arrives and Rochester sings the Lucky commercial (to the tune of "The Sunny Side of the Street") as the two do a soft-shoe. Johnnie Ray's contract to appear on Benny's TV show arrives and Jack is horrified by his $10,000 fee. He storms over to Ray's home and offers him $250 instead. Johnny sings "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone," and "Cry" for Jack and performance is so devastating, Jack is turned into a helpless bowl of jelly. Jack pays him $15,000.
At the end of the show, Danny Thomas makes a guest appearance to plug his show Make Room for Daddy.

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

Guest Cast
Danny Thomas - Himself
Johnnie Ray - Himself

Mahlon Merrick - Music Direction
Hilliard Marks - Associate Producer

Ralph Levy - Producer / Director
Writers: John Tackaberry, Milt Josefsberg, George Balzer, Sam Perrin
Robert Tyler Lee - Art Director

Season 4, Episode 5 – Aired: 12/6/1953
Irene Dunne Show
While Benny is getting a haircut, he reads that director Gregory Ratoff is planning a new movie starring Irene Dunne and Vincent Price. Jack thinks he'd be perfect playing against Irene Dunne. He calls Ratoff, then Dunne, and tries to get them fire Price and give him the part. When that doesn't work, Jack invites himself to Dunne's house for the first rehearsal. Benny disrupts the proceedings by cracking walnuts and fluffing the tiny role they gave him read.

Stars
Don Wilson - Himself
Jack Benny - Himself

Guest Cast
Irene Dunne - Herself
Vincent Price - Himself
Gregory Ratoff - Himself
Max Evans - Guest Star
Lois Kimball - Guest Star
Rolfe Sedan - Guest Star
Bea Benaderet - Guest Star

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

Richard C. Meyer - Film Editor
Stanley Frazen - Film Editor

Season 4, Episode 6 – Aired: 12/27/1953
Reminiscing About Last New Year's
In the monologue, Jack talks about his Christmas. Recalling last New Year's Eve, Jack has a big night planned with his date, Gloria. The cast has gathered in Jack's dressing room where Bob Crosby and the Sportsmen perform "Let's Start the New Year Right." Gloria calls and cancels at the last minute. A lonesome Jack wanders the streets, stopping in for coffee at Nick's Cafe. The waitress is Gloria, who had to work. Jack heads home to find Rochester in formal attire, ready to go out and celebrate. Rochester won't leave Jack alone on New Year's Eve; he cancels his plans and stays with Jack. The two old friends drink champagne and ring in the New Year together.

Stars
Martin Sperzel - Sportsmen Quartet (1950-1957)
Bill Days - Sportsmen Quartet
Jay Meyer - Sportsmen Quartet (1951-1954)
Don Wilson - Himself
Jack Benny - Himself
Gurney Bell - Sportsmen Quartet

Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones
Dennis Day - Himself
Mary Livingstone - Herself

Guest Cast
Sandra Gould - Gloria
Tom Duggan - Guest Star
Michael Ross - Guest Star
Sam Hearn - Guy on Street

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