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by Jack Benny (Author), Harry Conn (Author), Kathryn Fuller-Seeley (Editor)
Volume Four of Jack Benny's Lost Broadcasts, (17 episodes from March 3 to June 23, 1933) finds Benny, Mary Livingstone and writer Harry Conn (recently parted from Canada Dry and CBS) on NBC's premiere Red network, sponsored by automobile manufacturer Chevrolet. Taking over from suddenly departing singer Al Jolson, Jack and Mary now helmed a weekly comedy broadcast with accompanying music, in a prime slot Friday nights 10:00 to 10:30 pm. Frank Black, director of the NBC orchestra, tenor James Melton and announcer Howard Claney joined the troupe. Jack quickly trained Black and Melton in how to perform comedy dialogue, and Claney enthusiastically took on the job of promoting the sponsor with amusing puns and zealous sales plugs. While these were anxious days (nadir of the Great Depression, start of President Franklin Roosevelt's first term), Benny and Conn's sparkling comedy scripts built on favorite skits from the previous year. The new parodies of Hollywood movies and popular culture foibles ensured the program's high ratings. Mary Livingstone achieved radio stardom as Jack's number one stooge. Her sly imitations of Mae West, her wry laughter, pleasant singing voice, and catch-phrases like "Hullo, Dark and Handsome" and "Hiya, Toots" brought her increasing acclaim. Chevy mandated a summer hiatus for the program in June. Would the show be able to return in Fall, 1933, amid fears that Chevrolet could no longer afford radio advertising?
Highlights of Volume Four include:
Parodies of popular films like King Kong, 42nd Street, She Done Him Wrong, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang.
Mixing jokes about Clark Gable's ears and Greta Garbo's feet with a multi-part murder mystery, and lampoons of old "mellerdrammers" like Why Girls Leave Home and Ten Nights in a Barroom.
Kathy's lengthy introduction incorporating new research into Benny's continuing sponsor issues and radio reviewers' reactions to the show's progress.
These 17 fascinating radio scripts show Benny, Livingston and Conn persevering through anxious times to create a polished, innovative comedy program.
Kathryn Fuller-Seeley is the author of Jack Benny and the Golden Age of Radio Comedy (2017), four volumes of Benny radio scripts, and books on early movie history. She teaches media history at the University of Texas at Austin.
