tv 1957

Season 7, Episode 9 – Aired: 1/13/1957
Jack And Mary In Rome
In an episode filmed in Rome, Jack is upset when the rush of adoring fans isn't for him but for opera singer Vittorio Rizetti. At the hotel, Jack can't sleep because Rizetti is singing opera next door. After a day sightseeing with Mary, he hears a different man singing more opera. Thinking he'll make a million off that undiscovered vocalist, Benny signs the wine seller next door to tour the U.S., not realizing that the man was simply listening to a record.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Guest Stars - Sean Connery Porter Alan Thornton Paul Stassino Gaylord Caballero Marne Maitland
Producer - Hilliard Marks Producer / Writers - Sam Perrin George Balzer Al Gordon Hal Goldman / Director - Ralph Levy / Executive Producer - Ralph Levy
Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Art Director - Norman Arnold
Recurring Roles
Mary Livingstone - Herself
Associate Producer - Richard Fisher / Costume Supervisor - Felix Evans / Make-Up Artist - Dorrie Hamilton / Sound Supervisor - A.G. Ambler / Assistant Director - William Lang

Season 7, Episode 10 – Aired: 1/27/1957
The Fiddler
Don introduces fellow announcer Harry Von Zell who's in the audience. Jack is impressed with Hary's voice and wants him to do the commercial. An upset Don quits and storms off. Dennis performs "On the Street Where You Live." Jack plays "The Fiddler", a mysterious caped figure in a take-off of on radio's The Whistler. Dennis plays an air-headed husband who doesn't realize his wife is cheating with his best friend. "The Fiddler" comments on the action and encourages murder and mayhem from the players.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / The Fiddler / Don Wilson - Himself / Dennis Day - Himself / Griffith Park
Guest Cast
Harry Von Zell - Himself / Jean Willis - Gwendolyn Park / Madelyn Darrow - Girl in Street / Thomas Wade - Man in Street
Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Writers - George Balzer Hal Goldman Al Gordon Sam Perrin / Associate Director - John F. Meyers / Set Decorator - Buck Henshaw
Lighting Designer - James S. Rice / Executive Producer - Ralph Levy / Director - Ralph Levy / Technical Director - Ken Kaylor / Art Director - Robert Tyler Lee
Associate Producer - Richard Fisher

Season 7, Episode 11 – Aired: 2/10/1957
George Jessel/Goodwin Knight Show
Jack discusses his birthday coming up February 14th. California Governor Goodwin Knight comes out and chats about the benefit he's attending with Benny as guest of honor. The Sportsmen Quartet sing a birthday song, and do the commercial.
In the sketch, George Jessel visits Jack at home to discuss details of the Friars Club banquet honoring Benny. Jessel, who will be toastmaster, reads Jack the text of his speech. When a reporter calls asking for details of the event, George ends up talking only about himself.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
George Jessel - Himself / Goodwin J. Knight - Himself / Lee Millar - Man From Bakery (voice only) / Gloria Wood - Singing Bride
Director - Seymour Berns / Writers - George Balzer Sam Perrin Al Gordon Hal Goldman / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Producer - Hilliard Marks
Sportsmen Quartet - Robert Garsen (1954-1965) Gurney Bell Bill Days Martin Sperzel (1950-1957)

Season 7, Episode 12 – Aired: 2/24/1957
Hope And Benny In Agent's Office

Jack's monologue on his Emmy Award nomination is interrupted by Bob Hope. The two exchange insults and reminisce about their days as a vaudeville team. In the sketch, the two are a song and dance act auditioning in an agent's office for a gig. Benny plays "Tea for Two" while he and Hope exchange corny jokes. They take a job in Akron, Ohio working for nothing. The Sportsmen perform 1920s-style tune for the Lucky commercial. In the epilogue, Bob and Jack do a special version of Hope's "Thanks For the Memories."
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Thomas Wade - Two-Headed Man / Bob Hope - Himself / Duke Johnson - Juggler / Jesse White - Mr. Weber / Philip Phillips - Guest Star
Recurring Roles
Sportsmen Quartet - Robert Garsen (1954-1965) Gurney Bell Bill Days Martin Sperzel (1950-1957) / Iris Adrian - Receptionist
Producer - Hillard Marks / Writers - Al Gordon Hal Goldman Sam Perrin George Balzer / Executive Producer - Ralph Levy / Director - Ralph Levy
Associate Producer - Dick Fisher

Season 7, Episode 13 – Aired: 3/10/1957
Jack Falls Into a Canal In Venice
Putting photos into an album with Rochester, Jack recalls his trip with Mary to Milan and Venice. In the episode filmed on location, Jack gets to play a Stradivarius in a violin shop; his off-key screeching causes its value to immediately drop. He and Mary join a tour group on one of Venice's famed gondolas. Jack constantly disrupts the gondola guide's lecture with his typical rude Benny behavior and his unexpected plunges into the canals. He even tosses another American in the water for good measure.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Guest Stars - Edward Evans Victor Rietti Robert Rietty Ronan O'Casey Umberto Spadaro Emilio Busetti
Chief Thundercloud (as Thundercloud Marquis) / Editor - Stanley Rabjohn
Editorial Supervisor - Richard G. Wray / Writers - Al Gordon Hal Goldman Sam Perrin George Balzer / Producer - Hilliard Marks
Recurring Roles
Mary Livingstone - Herself
Make-Up Artist - Dorrie Hamilton / Assistant Director - William Lang / Costume Supervisor - Felix Evans / Art Director - Norman Arnold
Director Of Photography - Stanley Pavey / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Director - Ralph Levy

Season 7, Episode 14 – Aired: 3/24/1957
Jack In Paris
Jack and Mary visit Paris. At the hotel, Jack makes the waiter give him free French lessons. To get his revenge on cheapskate, the waiter teaches him to say, "I am Jack Benny. I drive a garbage truck." Jack and Mary visit the Eiffel Tower, then run into Maurice Chevalier invites him to join him for an evening on the town. In his usual clueless manner, Jack succeeds in embarrassing Mary and Maruice at a fancy restaurant. At the club, the bandleader asks Chevalier to sing; he complies and performs, with straw hat in hand, "Happy." Jack and Mary catch a ride back to their hotels on a garbage truck.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Maurice Chevalier - Himself
Guest Stars - John Stirling Carl Duering Victor Baring John Serret Guido Lorraine Paul Whitsun-Jones Martin Benson Tonia Berne
John G. Heller Susan Marryott Ernst Ulman
Writers - Al Gordon George Balzer Hal Goldman Sam Perrin
Director - Ralph Levy / Executive Producer - Ralph Levy / Producer - Hilliard Marks / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Associate Producer - Richard Fisher
Recurring Roles
Mary Livingstone - Herself
Director Of Photography - Stanley Pavey / Art Director - Norman Arnold / Editorial Supervisor - Richard G. Wray / Film Editor - Stanley Rabjohn / Sound Supervisor - A.G. Ambler

Season 7, Episode 15 – Aired: 4/7/1957
Mary's May Company Reunion
Mary hosts a luncheon reunion of her old May Company co-workers. Jack refuses to go because of what happened last year. In the flashback, Jack has dropped by to see Rochester, who's helping serve, and says hi to the gals. Afterward, he eavesdrops from the kitchen as one of the women asks Mary if Jack ever proposed. In another flashback to the 1930s, Mary and Jack have been dating for only six weeks when he took her shopping for a ring. He suddenly backs down after learning how much it costs. When the gals hear how cheap Benny was, they punish him by really tossing their salads.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Grandon Rhodes - Clerk / Lillian Culver - Helga / Margaret Brayton - Louise
Guest Stars - Jean Bates / Pauline Drake / Dorothy Granger / Eve McVeagh Mary Treen
Frank Wilcox - Salesman / Editorial Supervisor - Richard G. Wray / Film Editor - Robert Sparr
Writers - Sam Perrin George Balzer Al Gordon Hal Goldman / Director - Ralph Levy
Recurring Roles
Roy Glenn - Roy (Voice Only) / Barbara Pepper - Sally / Mary Livingstone - Herself
Associate Producer - Richard Fisher / Set Decorator - Eugene Redd / Sound Supervisor - Roy Meadows / Assistant Director - Jack Corrick / Costume Supervisor - Vincent Dee

Season 7, Episode 16 – Aired: 4/21/1957
Visit From the IRS
Opera star Dorothy Kirsten, with whom Jack will be performing in a benefit show next week, is the guest. She performs "I'll See You Again." After filing his taxes, Jack is visited by Internal Revenue agents who want to go over his return; they can't believe that he only spent $17 last year on entertainment. Benny decides he may be too tight and decides to tell everyone to loosen up and spend more on themselves. He figures people will pay good money to hear him lecture on the topic.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Dorothy Kirsten - Herself / Richard Deacon - Internal Revenue Agent / Joseph Kearns - Internal Revenue Agent / Thomas Wade - Stagehand
Marge Champion - Herself / Gower Champion - Himself
Writers - Sam Perrin George Balzer Al Gordon Hal Goldman

Season 8, Episode 1 – Aired: 9/22/1957
First Show of the Season
The eighth season opens with audience members in line discussing how tickets to the show were forced on them. Following Jack's monologue, Dennis Day sings "Around the World in 80 Days." Don starts performing his Lucky Strike commercial as a calypso number and Jack stops him, saying he doesn't want a middle commercial this week. Instead, Benny brings out Mel Blanc as a novelty musician from Vienna; he plays bottles filled with alcohol and as he tunes them, he gets progressively soused. Don's wife forces Jack to call the sponsor and explain that cutting the commercial was not Don's idea. The sponsor is not pleased.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Don Wilson - Himself / Dennis Day - Himself
Guest Cast
Michael Vallon - 1st Man in Line / Thomas Wade - 2nd Man in Line / Ralph Smiley - 3rd Man in Line / Gail Bonney - 1st Woman in Line
Louise Paget - 2nd Woman in Line / Chuckie Bradley - 3rd Woman in Line / Robert Darin - Usher / Seymour Rosen - Stagehand / Paul Serra - Stagehand
Extras - Anita Reed Frances Pasco Betty Rome Charles Sheridan Charles Wagenheim Laura Anders
Producer - Hilliard Marks
Writers - Al Gordon Hal Goldman George Balzer Sam Perrin / Director - Ralph Levy / Technical Director - Ken Taylor / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick
Assistant To The Producer - Jack Langdon / Art Director - Robert Tyler Lee / Lighting Designer - Lou Sowa / Set Decorator - James L. Berkey / Associate Director - John F. Meyers
Recurring Roles
Mel Blanc - Otto Ketzler / Lois Corbet - Lois Wilson

Season 8, Episode 2 – Aired: 10/6/1957
The Airport
Jack's trying to catch a flight to New York to appear on $64,000 Question, but first has to survive the usual troublemakers at the airport. He's irritated by the loopy P.A. announcer, racetrack tout Sheldon Leonard with advice on chewing gum, Mel "Si/Si/Sue" Blanc, and clerk Frank Nelson who wants to sell Jack a one-way ticket out of town.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Robert Culp - Himself / Ronald Paige - Boy on Scales / Dorothy Kingston - Boy's Mother / Charles Wagenheim - Autograph Seeker / Irvin Mosley Jr. - Henry, Red Cap
Extras - Phyllis Sues Mary Benoit Frances Pasco Thomas Wade Charles Sheridan Robert Darin Paul Bradley Anita Reed Don Weissmuller Bob Long
Art Director - Robert Tyler Lee / Director - Ralph Levy / Technical Director - Ken Taylor / Executive Producer - Ralph Levy / Producer - Hilliard Marks
Writers - Hal Goldman George Balzer Sam Perrin Al Gordon / Assistant To The Producer - Jack Langdon / Lighting Designer - James S. Rice
Set Decorator - John D.W. Lamphear / Associate Director - John F. Meyers / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick
Recurring Roles
Mel Blanc - Sy / P. A. Announcer

Season 8, Episode 3 – Aired: 10/20/1957
Hal March Show
The President and Secretary of the Jack Benny Fan Club, Pasadena Chapter, interrupt Jack's monologue to get better seats. The club President pulls Benny's hair to prove to the other member's it's real. Don Wilson and his dopey son Harlow do a soft shoe to "Me and My Shadow" for the Lucky commercial. The host of The $64,000 Question, Hal March, comes on to answer questions, in payback for Jack's recent appearance on his show. Since Jack is personally putting up the money, he asks Hal impossible questions and places him in a spinnng isolation booth that makes him queasy.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Hal March - Himself / Ben Welden - Gangster / Mitchell Rheim - Gangster Guard / Harry Wilson - Gangster Guard / Jann Darlyn - Game Show Girl
Carolyn Horn - Game Show Girl / Mel Koontz - Lion Handler / Seymour Rosen - Moving Man / Bob Duggan - Moving Man / Charles Sheridan - Moving Men
Producer - Hilliard Marks / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Assistant To The Producer - Jack Langdon / Art Director - Robert Tyler Lee
Writers - Sam Perrin Hal Goldman Al Gordon George Balzer / Lighting Designer - James S. Rice / Set Decorator - Buck Henshaw
Associate Director - John F. Meyers / Technical Director - Ken Taylor / Seymour Berns - Director
Recurring Roles
Jesslyn Fax - Emma, Benny Fan Club President, Pasadena Chapter / Madge Blake - Clara, Benny Fan Club Secretary, Pasadena Chapter

Season 8, Episode 4 – Aired: 11/3/1957
Ginger Rogers Show
Jack wants to do a musical on the show with Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire as guests. When he goes to invite Ginger, she's busy getting ready for a party she's giving--but she doesn't want Jack to know and invite himself. When showtime arrives, Astaire is a "no show" so Jack tells the reluctant Ginger that he can fill in. The dance team of Rogers and Benny make their debut, and Ginger's fears turn out to have been justified.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Ginger Rogers - Herself
Guest Stars - Joe Paz Jack Gargan Robert Darrin Phyllis Gehrig Lillian Kemble-Cooper Bob Kennedy
Russ Conway - Joe
Editorial Supervisor - Richard G. Wray / Film Editor - Stanley Rabjohn / Art Director - John Meehan / Director Of Photography - Herbert J. Kirkpatrick
Choreography - Paul Godkin / Paul Godkin - (Dance Number Staged by) / Additional Music - Milton Pascal / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick
Associate Producer - Richard Fisher
Recurring Roles
Iris Adrian - Recurring Role / Mel Blanc - Polly the Parrot (voice only) / Set Decorator - Perry Murdock / Writers - Al Gordon Sam Perrin

Season 8, Episode 5 – Aired: 11/17/1957
John Forsythe Show
Jack's monologue is interrupted by Jon Provost and Lassie wandering onto the stage. Benny introduces John Forsythe in the audience.
The Lucky Strike commercial is conducted by Don as a man-on-the-street interview. Mel Blanc's passerby thinks he's on This Is Your Life.
Mary Costa sings "One Fine Day" from Madame Butterfly. Jack has forgotten he has an important business obligation and can't take Mary out as promised. John Forsythe comes to the rescue and takes to an exotic restaurant where they discover Jack working--as a gypsy violinist. In the epilogue, Benny plugs a new album by his orchestra: Music For Playboys to Play By.
Stars
Don Wilson - Himself / Jack Benny - Himself
Guest Cast
Bess Flowers - Extra / Ken Osmond - Newspaper Boy / Irwin Marcus - Shoe Shine Man / Seymour Rosen - Gypsy Waiter / Carl Fortina - Gypsy Musician
Carey Leverette - Gypsy Musician / Tina Menard - Gypsy Fortune Teller / Robert Darin - Stage Manager
Extras - Thomas Wade Charles Sheridan Paul Bradley Phyllis Sues Leoda Richards Mary Benoit Laura Anders
Recurring Roles
Benny Rubin - Male Gypsy Emcee / Herb Vigran - Male Pickpocket / Mel Blanc - Pesky Man on the Street
Technical Director - Ken Taylor / Ralph Levy - Director / Producer - Hilliard Marks / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Assistant To The Producer - Jack Langdon
Art Director - Robert Tyler Lee / Set Decorator - John D.W. Lamphear / Associate Director - John F. Meyers / Lighting Designer - James S. Rice
Writers - Al Gordon Hal Goldman George Balzer

Season 8, Episode 6 – Aired: 12/1/1957
Jack's Life Story
20th Century Fox wants to film Jack's life story and this news swells Benny's head more than usual. When Jack goes to the studio, he runs into the director of his flop The Horn Blows at Midnight; the man's now a parking lot attendant. Benny meets with Buddy Adler, head of production, ready to produce, direct and star in his epic story. Adler has something very different in mind that doesn't involve Jack. Benny hits the ceiling when he hears he won't even be starring; Van Johnson will. However, they do have a part for Jack: playing his own father.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Johnny Silver - Baker / Van Johnson - Himself / Buddy Adler - Himself / Claire Carleton - Pauline / Sue Darrin - Guest Star
Make-Up Artist - Leo Lotito, Jr. / Director - Don Weis / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Director Of Photography - John L. Russell
Writers - George Balzer Al Gordon Sam Perrin Hal Goldman / Producer - Hilliard Marks / Film Editor - Daniel A. Nathan / Editorial Supervisor - Richard G. Wray
Art Director - John Meehan / Hairstylists - Florence Bush / Sound Supervisor - William Lynch
Recurring Roles
Mary Livingstone - Herself

Season 8, Episode 7 – Aired: 12/15/1957
Christmas Show
This is the TV debut of Jack's traditional Christmas shopping radio show. Jack and Rochester go looking for gifts at a department store. Jack harasses clerk Mel Blanc, repeatedly have him re-wrap the wallet he bought for Don because he wants to change the card inside. After changing it one too many times, Blanc, now a wreck, loads a pistol and shoots himself. Jack has several arguments with surly floorwalker Frank Nelson, especially after smashing a new "unvreakable" watch with a hammer. He buys lingerie from a clerk too unnerved by nighties to touch them with his bare hands.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Sam Hearn - Rube / Gil Frye - Sales Clerk / Chuckie Bradley - 2nd Sales Girl
Extras - Thomas Wade Bess Flowers Frances Pasco Laura Anders Phyllis Sues Charles Sheridan Sid Kane Seymour Rosen Irving Steinberg
Charles Wagenheim Valerie Scott Mary Benoit
Director - Ralph Levy / Technical Director - Ken Taylor / Writers - Al Gordon Hal Goldman George Balzer Sam Perrin / Associate Director - John F. Meyers
Executive Producer - Ralph Levy / Associate Producer - Hilliard Marks / Assistant To The Producer - Jack Langdon
Recurring Roles
Mel Blanc - Wallet Sales Clerk / Frank Nelson - Mr. Nelson, Floorwalker / Benny Rubin - Jewelry Thief / Barbara Pepper - Sales Clerk / Lois Corbet - Lois Wilson

Season 8, Episode 8 – Aired: 12/29/1957
Jack Goes To The Rose Bowl
Jack's ex-girlfriend Zelda explains why she stopped dating the cheapskate. In a flashback, Jack is wrapping up a New Year's Eve party at his house. The guests include Don Wilson in a diaper as Baby New Year. Benny gets the idea for he and Zelda to go to the stadium and get tickets for the Rose Bowl game. They stand in line all night and get the last two available. Zelda heads inside while Jack looks for coffee. When a man offers him ten bucks for his $5.50 ticket, he sells it. Benny asks the man to tell Zelda that he'd stole the ticket from Jack. The Sportsmen Quartet sing the commercial on a Rose Parade float.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Don Wilson - Himself / Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones
Guest Cast
Joyce Jameson - Zelda / Doris Packer - Mrs. Lewis / Sid Melton - Eddie / Bob Jellison - 2nd Man in Line / Ollie O'Toole - Lefty / Richard Deems - Ticket Window Clerk
Jan Arvan - 4th Man in Line, Ernie
Recurring Roles
Charles Cantor - Hot Dog Vendor / Lois Corbet - Lois Wilson / Benny Rubin - Nick
Sportsmen Quartet - Gurney Bell Robert Garsen (1954-1965) Bill Days Jay Moffett (1957-1965)
Assistant To The Producer - Jack Langdon / Art Director - Robert Tyler Lee / Ken Taylor - Technical Director / Ralph Levy - Director / Lighting Designer - James S. Rice
Set Decorator - Anthony Mondell / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Producer - Hilliard Marks