THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM -- AIRED ON DAY OF PEARL HARBOR ATTACK (WAR BULLETINS INCLUDED) (12-7-41)

[@steveprestegard5151]

What a relief to know that Jell-O's flavor is locked in so it can sit on the shelf indefinitely.

[@TheRealLaughingGravy]

_Why We Fight_

[@tartan85]

Not sure how you have found all the pieces of history you have on your channels, but I for one am very appreciative of your efforts. These things are just fascinating!!

[@alexnajera3483]

You have the greatest content when it comes to vintage radio shows. This was a very sad day. Thank you!

[@fromthesidelines]

It was even sadder when Carole Lombard was aboard a plane during a War Bond tour in January 1942- and it crashed, killing everyone aboard. Jack, who had just completed filming "To Be or Not to Be" with her- and had planned to feature her as a guest at the end of the month- was so upset over her death, he pulled himself and most of his cast off the January 18th broadcast {only Dennis and Don appeared in an "all-musical" program, with no explanation as to why Jack and his regular cast weren't present}. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eorNq4Gnqqt1j9k

[@laurenstygar7996]

Thank you for the show. It was very good and I remember 7 December.

[@PatrickRsGhost]

What's heartbreaking is you can hear the fear and sadness in Don Wilson's voice as he's introducing the show.

[@retnavybrat]

If I hadn't moved from Waukegan (Jack Benny's hometown), I would've ended up attending Jack Benny Junior High (probably a middle school these days).

[@moboutmen]

Most effective when listened to in a quiet, dark room.....

[@chrischeshire6528]

Thanks for this post, it must have been a hard day for Jack and his gang. From what I read this was the December 12th broadcast, part 2, of Dr Jeckle and Mr Hyde.

[@moboutmen]

Mr. Von Pein deserves a Phd. In History Retrieval

[@DVPOldTimeRadio]

:-) TY.

[@newmanc6619]

Part of this can be heard in the movie The FInal Coundown where a navy ship is briefly time warped back to December of 1941 and they hear it on the radio when the wonder what is happening.

[@ejseabury]

Love that movie!

[@perosoygoyito]

It's eerie and humbling to imagine the millions of young and relatively-innocent Americans that were still alive and well on this lazy Sunday morning. They couldn't imagine the experiences and fates that awaited them over the next four years.

[@gdorlexa]

I know my late grandparents were listening this show on that very sad morning. Everyone seemed to be happy and living a normal life until the tragedy happened at Pearl Harbor. Back then everyone had someone serving in the Army, Navy or Marines. One minute a normal Sunday everyone relaxing until the news broke in,

[@altfactor]

Jack Benny was broadcast on the NBC "Red" radio network from 7 to 7:30 P.M. Eastern time. Many shows during the "Golden Age Of Radio" were broadcast live twice: Once for the Eastern and Central (and sometimes Mountain) time zones; the other (usually three hours later) for the Pacific (and sometimes Mountain) time zones. Whether the Mountain time zone got the East Coast or West Coast fed depended on the time the feeds would hit the Mountain states. Given that Jack was heard on Sunday evenings, it's possible there may have been only one feed, heard across the entire network, from 7-7:30 Eastern (and heard on the West Coast from 4-4:30 local).

[@4bobbyt]

Time answer one of the comments, almost all network programs were "live" at this time. The decision not to mention the Pearl Harbor was probably done at network, as they wanted to keep morale boosted. Most programs following this day mentioned it quite vociferously.

[@retnavybrat]

That Jello recipe at the end doesn't sound half bad, but I think it'd taste better with orange instead of lemon Jello.

[@angelsaltamontes7336]

Far as i'm concerned, the interruption of a Dennis Day number (10:24) is STILL a happy accident. Mr.Day's charms always escaped me. Benny-SHOW fan that i am, and thus appreciating the Village Idiot concept therein, i accept Dennis in the role, but though it took literally earthshaking events i'm grateful to be spared even a second of crummy crooning. With all due respect.

[@DVPOldTimeRadio]

As much as I love the Jack Benny radio program, I have to agree with you regarding your comments above about Mr. Day. And the same can be said of Kenny Baker too (in the days before Dennis joined the cast in 1939). I nearly always skip the awful songs presented on the Benny shows. (Except for the Christmas tunes. Those are OK.)

[@joecaroselli5858]

@@DVPOldTimeRadio I understand what you mean. I personally happen to like Dennis and Kenny. I understand that not everyone likes the Irish Tenor sound. Both characters were naive and vague-- also not appealing to everybody. Dennis was a fine impressionist also who would do special voices on the show occasionally. Anyway, thank you David, for your superb work.

[@kevink973]

Not crazy about Dennis as a singer, but he's hilarious as a comedic actor on these shows.

[@julianhermanubis6800]

Wow, I couldn't agree more with you about Dennis. He is the weakest link on the classic Jack Benny episodes. His "dumb guy" shtick gets old in a hurry, although, thanks to Benny's genius writers, he does get some funny lines in. As for his singing...well, the less said, the better.

[@clintballard521]

I’ve got to have some jello!

[@jackp2287]

Who sings the mango/nango song at around 22:25? I can not find any information on it and the song from Weekend In Havana is from a movie and not the same.

[@relievedbigfoot4640]

I can’t find the piece anywhere, it’s too bad there was a war bulletin right in the middle of it. Two O’Clock jump by Harry James sounds similar, though.

[@muskduh]

thanks

[@rocistone6570]

I wonder if the Polar Bear is done with my copy of Esquire?

[@moboutmen]

DVP.......KZbin's Chancellor of History.

[@anthonymarengo6228]

Since Jack Benny doesn't mention the Pearl Harbor attack on his show, I assume it did not air live.

[@visaman]

This was the East Coast Broadcast. The West Coast Broadcast did not air, because of the blackout on the West Coast. All the lights and radio stations went black, from San Deigo to Seattle, and Vancouver Canada.

[@fromthesidelines]

At the time, networks did not allow transcribed repeats (although in certain situations, some programs were heard in several areas, via delayed broadcast, on 16 inch discs). Jack didn't start pre-recording his program until 1949.

[@steveprestegard5151]

@@visaman I'm sure that didn't panic anyone on the West Coast. (/sarcasm)

[@rjmcallister1888]

This was live, recorded to an acetate disc, then reproduced for re-use on stations that did not have equalized phone service, some stations in the West for replay a week later, and also for the Armed Forces Radio Service (without commercials). The show had been written and rehearsed prior to the attack, and there wasn't time for a re-write.

[@jeff7389]

Back then we the people were still called Citizens.

[@gourdlord2112]

1 person wanted to hear the gay ranchero