The 19th Academy Awards and Jack Benny

Today with the assistance of Buck Benny's world class podcast we have the full radio broadcast of the Academy Awards held on March 13th 1947 with host Jack Benny.
Held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, I believe this was the first year that clips were shown from the films nominated for Best Picture and clips for all the acting categories.
Now dont get your hopes for a laugh fest with Jack as host because he doesnt even get introduced until 1 hr 50 minutes into the show.  Now he does a great job and gets in quite a few jokes at his own expense about "The Horn Blows at Midnight" and "To Be or Not To Be", but he isnt the quick, rapid fire joke teller like Bob Hope the year before but he entertains as always.
The winner for 1946 was the classic "The Best Years of Our Lives", taking home 7 Awards out of 8 nominations.

Golden Age of Radio - The Great Gildersleeve

Our journey into the world of Old Time Radio takes us to 1941 and the audition show for The Great Gildersleeve.   Played by Harold Peary on "Fibber McGee and Molly", this was one of the first spinoffs in radio and featured Throckmorton P Gildersleeve who was a kind but bombast sort who enjoyed a good laugh and a good argument.
The Buck Benny Podcast brings us this show to kick off his weekly podcast of The Great Gildersleeve.

Surrounded by a great cast this was a one of the funniest and best written comedies of its day.

Golden Age of Radio - Duffy's Tavern

Today I have an episode of the great OTR comedy Duffy's Tavern
thanks to Bob Carmardella's podcast.

Duffy was never heard on the show, we have the tavern manager Archie, played by show creator and head writer Ed Gardner, (who speaks to Mr. Duffy on the phone each episode....but this one)

There was Miss Duffy, daughter of Duffy,  played by different actress' in the 10 run of the show, including Shirley Booth (of Hazel fame and then wife of Ed Gardner) and Selma Diamond who was better know to younger audiences as Selma the baliff on the great 80s sitcom "Night Court".
Eddie the Waiter played by Eddie Green until his passing 1950 and Clifton Finnegan played by Charlie Cantor and later by Sid Raymond.

Archie was the brainchild of series creator Ed Gardner, but when he couldnt find an actor with the right accent he stepped and became Archie.   Famous for his get rich quick schemes and malapropism this was one of the funniest shows on radio and ran on CBS 1941-42 then moved to NBC until the shows end in 1951.
A brief stint on TV did not prove successful in the 50s.

The Jack Benny Show on Radio

Tonight, thanks to the great podcast by Buck Benny, I bring you a classic from the Golden Age of Radio.


The Lucky Strike Program starring Jack Benny from December 9th 1945 featuring the first appearance by Ronald and Benita Coleman.   Anytime the Colemans made an appearance it was always hilarious.


Enjoy