tv 1959

Season 9, Episode 9 – Aired: 1/11/1959
Autolight
Jack is sweeping the set; he explains that anything he saves he can keep. He has Mary running the spotlight and Bob Crosby building sets. During his monologue on his movie career, a girl cartwheels across the stage; Jack says he promised the girl's father he'd get her TV work. She turns up again during the later sketch. Bob Crosby sings "I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine." The long anticipated parody on Gaslight (called Autolight) premieres. Jack is the hateful husband who tries to drive his wife, Barbara Stanwyck, insane with shenanigans like turning pictures upside down and telling her that she did it.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself, Charles Manningham / Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones, Jeeves / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Barbara Stanwyck - Herself, Bella Manningham / Guest Stars - Ann Wilner Mollie Glessing Alma Lawton
Recurring Roles
Bob Crosby - Himself, Inspector
Writer - Milt Josefsberg George Balzer John Tackaberry Sam Perrin / Director - Ralph Levy / Producer - Hilliard Marks / Sound Editor - Cam McCulloch
Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Assistant To The Producer - Richard Fisher / Assistant Director - Joseph DePew / Film Editor - Stanley Frazen
Editorial Supervisor - Dahn Cahn / Director Of Photography - Philip Tannura / Art Director - Robert Tyler Lee

Season 9, Episode 10 – Aired: 1/25/1959
Ernie Kovacs Show
In his monologue, Jack makes jokes about finally being able to show the Gaslight sketch on his show. Ernie shows Jack his mustache collection, and has Jack tries some of them on. They all look ridiculous. Don, dressed as a Beatnik, does the Lucky commercial as a musical production set in a coffeehouse. The sketch is set in a cushy Knob Hill prison in 1970, where criminals Killer Kovacs and Benny the Louse play golf and have the warden shine their clubs. Ernie is about to be released but doesn't want to leave behind the gourmet room service, hi fi, and cha cha lessons. The guards have to physically throw him out.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself, Benny the Louse / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Paul Serra - Guard (as Chuck Zacha) / Ernie Kovacs - Himself, Killer Kovacs / Len Lesser - 1st Ma, Mugsy McGurk / Judd Holdren - 2nd Man
Walter Burke - 3rd Man, Inky Green / Frank Scannell - 4th Man / Ken Christy - Warden / Ray Kellogg - New Prisoner, Alfred / Tony Michaels - 1st Prisoner
Frank Richards - 2nd Prisoner, Joe / Peggy Gordon - Cigarette Girl / Joan Kelly - Camera Girl / Patti Saunders - Old Man / Barbara Blakely - Girl / Paul Power - Extra
Director - Seymour Berns / Technical Director - Jim Brady / Writers - Al Gordon Hal Goldman George Balzer Sam Perrin / Set Decorator - Anthony Mondell
Lighting Designer - James S. Rice / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Producer - Hilliard Marks / Associate Director - Howard A. Quinn / Art Director - Robert Tyler Lee

Season 9, Episode 11 – Aired: 2/8/1959
Jack Goes To a Nightclub
Jack is nervous because it's contract renewal time and the sponsor walks out of his show. He believes it's because of the cut-rate talent he's hired: a hillbilly who barely plays the violin. To schmooze the sponsor rep, Jack takes him out to dinner at a nightclub. Determined not to be outshone, Benny picks a place where the talent is no stronger than a puppet show. Instead, he ends up at a club where Danny Thomas is performing. While Danny's nightclub act goes over big with the sponsor, Jack squirms and frets.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Danny Thomas - Himself / Raymond Bailey - Mr. Lewis / Sam Hearn - Orville Gifford / Joi Lansing - Bessie Gifford / Doris Packer - Mrs. Lewis
Producer - Hilliard Marks / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Director Of Photography - Mack Stengler
Writers - Sam Perrin George Balzer Al Gordon Hal Goldman / Director - Don Weis / Film Editor - Michael R. McAdam / Editorial Supervisor - Richard G. Wray
Art Director - John Meehan
Recurring Roles
Mary Livingstone - Herself
Sound Supervisor - William Lynch / Costume Supervisor - Vincent Dee / Make-Up Artist - Leo Lotito, Jr.

Season 9, Episode 12 – Aired: 2/22/1959
Airport Sketch
Dennis Day takes over the show while Jack tries to get to the studio. Benny is held up at the airport because he flew back from a Florida nightclub date on shabby, cut-rate I. O. U. Airlines. Filling airtime on the show, Dennis discusses the fringe benefits of working for Benny, sings "Let There Be Love", and joins Don Wilson for a dance routine. Back at the airport, Jack and Rochester try to find their lost luggage in the airline's ramshackle hangar. Naturally, Jack has disagreements with various clerks and the flight's loopy pilot. At the end of the program, the pilot files across stage on a camera boom.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Dennis Day - Himself / Don Wilson - Himself / Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones
Guest Cast
Jack Albertson - Baggage Man / Charles Sheridan - Man in Phone Booth / Jack Boyle - Stage Manager / Paul Serra - Man / Howard McNear - Pilot
Set Decorator - Anthony Mondell / Writers - Sam Perrin George Balzer Hal Goldman Al Gordon / Director - Seymour Berns / Technical Director - Ken Kaylor
Recurring Roles
Mel Blanc - Airport P.A. (voice only) / Benny Rubin - Farmer Selling Tickets / Elvia Allman - Operator (voice only)
Art Director - Robert Tyler Lee / Producer - Hilliard Marks / Associate Director - Howard A. Quinn / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Lighting Designer - James S. Rice

Season 9, Episode 13 – Aired: 3/8/1959
Panel Discussion Show
Rochester is washing individual pieces of the Maxwell in the house; it fell apart in the driveway when he turned the hose on it. Jack believes he'll look smart by participating in a serious television discussion program. Matching wits with fellow panelists Vincent Price, June Levant (wife of Oscar Levant), and Pamela Mason proves harder than Jack expected, giving him plenty of opportunities to fumble, roll his eyes, and make excuses. When the topic finally turns to finances, they can't shut Jack up.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Don Wilson - Himself
Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones
Guest Cast
Vincent Price - Himself / Pamela Mason - Herself / June Levant - Herself / George Putnam - Panel Moderator / Jack Albertson - Steve Bradley / Ray Kellogg - Director
Extras - Sid Kane Kevin Enright Charles Sheridan Shirley Monticue

Season 9, Episode 14 – Aired: 3/22/1959
Edgar Bergen Show
Don opens by giving Jack a ridiculously pompous introduction. This leads to an argument because it made Jack sound ancient. Jack goes to Edgar Bergen's home to discuss his appearance on Benny's show. While waiting for Edgar to arrive, wife Frances sings "Them There Eyes." Jack's goes into shock when he learns the incredible truth about Bergen's dummies: they're alive. Charlie McCarthy walks into the room, followed soon by Mortimer Snerd, and Jack can only stare slack-jawed. Edgar Bergen doesn't arrive until afterward and has Jack sit on his knee to discuss the show.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Edgar Bergen - Himself / Frances Bergen - Herself / Billy Curtis - Charlie McCarthy, Mortimer Snerd / Karl Swenson - Pierre
Hairstylist - Florence Bush / Writers - Hal Goldman George Balzer Sam Perrin Al Gordon / Director Of Photography - Ray Rennahan
Editor - Stanley Rabjohn / Editorial Supervisor - Richard G. Wray / Director - Don Weis / Costume Supervisor - Vincent Dee / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick
Producer - Hilliard Marks / Make-Up Artist - Leo Lotito, Jr. / Art Director - John Meehan / Sound Supervisor - Stephen Bass

Season 9, Episode 15 – Aired: 4/5/1959
Ed Sullivan/Genevieve Show
Jack discusses being back in New York in his monologue. Genevieve sings a French song about Paris.
The sketch is a courtroom drama with Jack playing the prosecutor and Ed as defense attorney Gentleman Jim Sullivan. Ed represents a beautiful French girl, Genevieve, accused of murdering her husband. Sullivan reverts back to his usual self and picks out celebrities in the courtroom to stand for applause. Don Wilson is the courtroom commentator.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Ed Sullivan - Himself, Gentleman Jim Sullivan / Genevieve - Herself, Fifi Duval / Ed Fury - Golfer Sam Frangel / Charles Andre - Judge
Frank Fontaine - John L. C. Sivoney / Allen Frank - Baliff
Extras - Reedy Talton Roger Quinlan Julius J. Bloom Kenneth Konopka Clint Prentice William Cottrell Thomas Gorman Dennis Gurney Vincent Barbi
Costume Supervisor - Leslie Renfield / Director - Seymour Berns / Technical Director - Hal Warner / Writers - Al Gordon Hal Goldman George Balzer Sam Perrin
Set Decorator - Phil Cuoco / Lighting Designer - Hank Alexander / Assistant To The Producer - Charlotte Paley / Associate Director - Roland Vance
Set Designer - Robert Tyler Lee / Producer - Hilliard Marks

Season 10, Episode 1 – Aired: 10/4/1959
The Jack Benny Program 30 Years In the Future
The series' 10th season debuts with everyone trying to adjust to changes. Jack misses the opening of his show, having fallen asleep in his dressing room because of the late hour. Don and the Sportsmen Quartet can't break their habit of doing commercials for Lucky Strike rather than their new sponsor, Lux Soap. Dennis Day performs "While We're Young." In the sketch, Jack imagines The Jack Benny Program 30 years in the future. Everyone looks much older--except Jack.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones / Dennis Day - Himself / Don Wilson - Himself
Sportsmen Quartet - Jay Moffett (1957-1965) Gurney Bell Robert Garsen (1954-1965) Bill Days
Director - Seymour Berns / Technical Director - A. J. Cunningham / Writers - George Balzer Al Gordon Hal Goldman Sam Perrin
Producer - Seymour Berns / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Art Director - Robert Tyler Lee / Associate Director - Howard A. Quinn / Lighting Designer - Doug Morris
Set Decorator - John D.W. Lamphear

Season 10, Episode 2 – Aired: 10/18/1959
Harry Truman Show
In the opening sketch, the director says the show is too long, but Benny refuses to do the show unless they put back the line about his blue eyes. Instead, he insists that the Sportsmen Quartet do the Minute waltz commercial for Lux Soap in 40 seconds. In the main sketch, Benny does a benefit concert in Kansas City, and Truman invites him on a tour of the Harry S. Truman Library in Independence, Missouri. Harry asks Jack to tell his real age in front of a portrait of George Washington. Jack's thrilled that the presidential seal if made of solid gold. At the close, Truman's secretary cracks his office door to eavesdrop and hears a piano and squeaky violin playing.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones / Don Wilson - Himself
Sportsman Quartet - Bill Days Gurney Bell Robert Garsen (1954-1965) Jay Moffett (1957-1965)
Guest Cast
Harry S. Truman - Himself / Jack Albertson - Guest Star
Director - Seymour Berns / Writers - Hal Goldman Al Gordon George Balzer Sam Perrin

Season 10, Episode 3 – Aired: 11/1/1959
Jack Webb Show
Benny brings out his guest Jack Webb during the monologue. Jack demands to know why they paid Webb $5000 since he doesn't sing, dance, or play a musical instrument; he's not even a real cop! Jack calls him a crook!
Don does the Lux commercial as Confucius.
Benny claims Dragnet is just like a Charlie Chan movie, leading to the sketch Dragon-net. Jack plays Charlie, who works in a laundry, and Webb is Number One son. It features a take-off of Edd "Kookie" Burns from 77 Sunset Strip as well as jokes about many of the other detective shows on the air. George Gobel makes a cameo to plug his series which aired on alternate weeks with the Benny program.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Jack Webb - Himself / George Gobel - Himself
Recurring Roles
Herb Vigran - Recurring Role

Season 10, Episode 4 – Aired: 11/15/1959
Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Stewart Show
In his monologue, Jack informs the audience that Jimmy and Gloria Stewart begged him to come to their anniversary party. However, Jimmy is seen explaining to his wife that he couldn't stop Jack from inviting himself. Benny and his irritating girlfriend Mildred crash the intimate dinner party at a swanky Beverly hills restaurant and drive the Stewarts to drastic measures.
Stars
Don Wilson - Himself / Jack Benny - Himself
Guest Cast
James Stewart - Himself / Gloria Stewart - Herself / Barbara Nichols - Mildred Meyerhouser
Production Supervisor - Argyle Nelson / Film Editor - Ralph Davis, Jr. / Editorial Supervisor - Bill Heath / Director Of Photography - Sidney Hickox
Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Producer and Director - Seymour Berns / Writers - Al Gordon Hal Goldman Sam Perrin George Balzer
Production Management - James Paisley / Assistant Director - Edward M. Hillie
Recurring Roles
Mel Blanc - Waiter / Costume Supervisor - Sabine Manela

Season 10, Episode 5 – Aired: 11/29/1959
Jack Paar Show
In his monologue, Benny says he is going to follow the new CBS policy on honesty (the "quiz show scandal" was underway) and tell the truth from now on. He admits he's not really 39.
Joyce Davidson attempts to do the Lux commercial but is constantly interrupted by Don and Jack. Dennis Day sings "Climb Every Mountain." Guest Jack Paar asks Benny to fill in for him on the Tonight Show while he goes to Honolulu. Benny is hesitant, so Paar offers to show him how it's done. Dennis imitates Paar's frequent guest Charlie Weaver. In a running gag, every time someone says something interesting, Paar interrupts for a commercial.
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Dennis Day - Himself / Don Wilson Himself
Guest Cast
Joyce Davidson - Herself / Jack Paar - Himself / Director - Seymour Berns
Technical Director - A. J. Cunningham / Writers - Hal Goldman Al Gordon George Balzer Sam Perrin / Lighting Designer - Doug Morris / Associate Director - Howard A. Quinn
Art Director - Robert Tyler Lee / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Producer - Seymour Berns / Set Decorator - John D.W. Lamphear

Season 10, Episode 6 – Aired: 12/13/1959
Jack Goes To a Pasadena Fan Club Meeting
In the monologue, Jack fires Don (again) for giving him a lousy introduction. Dennis tells Jack a ridiculous story about going fishing and sings "Sinner Man." The president and secretary of the Jack Benny Fan Club, Pasadena chapter, invite Jack to their meeting. He declines--until he learns they want him to play his violin.
At the meeting of little old ladies, he sits in the rocking chair of honor. When he performs "Love in Bloom", the women swoon and faint from excitement. The gals have put together their own swingin' jazz band and join Benny in "Swanee River/When the Saints Come Marchin' In."
Stars
Jack Benny - Himself / Dennis Day - Himself / Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones / Don Wilson - Himself
Guest Cast
Guest Stars - Connie Van Ida Moore Eva Pearson Cheerio Meredith Charity Grace Gladys Whitman Hallene Hill Rose Parenti
Recurring Roles
Madge Blake - Benny Fan Club President, Pasadena Chapter / Jesslyn Fax - Benny Fan Club Secretary, Pasadena Chapter / Jeanette Eymann - Recurring Role
Editorial Supervisor - Richard G. Wray / Film Editor - Michael R. McAdam / Art Director - John Meehan / Director Of Photography - Mack Stengler
Writers - Sam Perrin George Balzer Al Gordon Hal Goldman / Director - Don Weis / Set Decorator - James Redd / Producer - Hilliard Marks
Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick

Season 10, Episode 7 – Aired: 12/27/1959
George Burns Show
George Burns drops by to visit Jack and Rochester. Benny and Burns both hate their Christmas gift from Don Wilson--shotguns--and they call the announcer at home and complain. Don recalls, in a flashback, the time he took the two comedians duck hunting. The pair were helpless in the wild and had nothing but problems, including a visit from game warden Frank Nelson.
Stars
Don Wilson - Himself / Eddie Anderson - Rochester Van Jones / Jack Benny - Himself
Guest Cast
George Burns - Himself
Director - Seymour Berns / Writers - Hal Goldman Al Gordon George Balzer Sam Perrin
Recurring Roles
Lois Corbet - Lois Wilson / Frank Nelson - Game Warden / Mel Blanc - Recurring Role
Producer - Seymour Berns / Musical Director - Mahlon Merrick / Art Director - Robert Tyler Lee / Associate Director - Howard A. Quinn
Lighting Designer - George Schamp / Set Decorator - Buck Henshaw