60 years ago with Jack! Podcast about SOPA and PIPA!

60 years ago this week with Phil and Mr. Scott!

75 years ago this week feuding with Jack and Fred!

Jimmy and Bing as always great together!

65 years ago this week, Howard Duff and Elliott Lewis appeared in the audition episode of the Scarlet Queen, forerunner to both Gunsmoke and Star Trek!

70 years ago with Fibber!

70 years ago with Jacky and Bogie!

Come back Leroy, come back!

65 year ago with Dennis Day!

70 years ago with Red and the gang!

65 years ago Frank Capra and Jack Benny celebrated a ",Wonderful Life."

Roddy McDowall made his first well-known motion picture appearance at the age of 12, playing "Huw Morgan" in How Green Was My Valley (1941). This role made him a household name. He starred in Lassie Come Home (1943), a film that introduced a girl who would become his lifelong friend — Elizabeth Taylor . He then appeared as Ken McLaughlin in the 1943 film My Friend Flicka . McDowall went on to appear in several other films, including The Keys of the Kingdom (1944) and The White Cliffs of Dover (1944).

Roddy McDowall in Lassie Come Home (1943)

McDowall continued his career successfully into adulthood, but it was usually in character roles, notably in heavy makeup as various "chimpanzee" characters in four of the Planet of the Apes movies (1968–1973) and in the 1974 TV series that followed. During one guest appearance on The Carol Burnett Show , he came out onto the stage in his Planet of the Apes makeup and the look of fright on Carol Burnett 's face was reported to be genuine. Other film appearances included Cleopatra (1963), in which he played Octavian (the young Emperor Augustus ) and was believed to be set to get nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor but was disqualified when accidentally submitted for Best Actor instead; It! (1966), in which he played a Norman Bates -like character reminiscent of Psycho ; The Poseidon Adventure (1972), in which he played Acres, a dining room attendant; Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974); Evil Under the Sun (1982); Class of 1984 (1982); Fright Night (1985), in which he played Peter Vincent, a television host and moderator of telecast horror films; and Overboard (1987) in which he played a kind-hearted butler. He also appeared on stage and was frequently a guest star on television shows, appearing in such series as the original The Twilight Zone , The Eleventh Hour , Buck Rogers in the 25th Century , Night Gallery , The Invaders , The Carol Burnett Show , Fantasy Island , Columbo and Quantum Leap .

McDowall appeared frequently on Hollywood Squares , and occasionally came up with funny quips himself. For example:

Q. In Shakespeare's Hamlet , what does Queen Gertrude get that was meant for her famous son?
McDOWALL: A dozen roses and a box of candy .

McDowall played "The Bookworm" in the 1960s American TV series Batman , and he had an acclaimed recurring role as "The Mad Hatter " in Batman: The Animated Series as well as providing his adroit dramatic tones to the audio adaptation of the 1989 Batman film. He also played the rebel scientist Dr. Jonathan Willoway in the 1970s science fiction TV series, The Fantastic Journey , based on the Bermuda Triangle . McDowall's final acting role in animation (at least), was for an episode of Godzilla: The Series in the episode "Dreadloch". In A Bug's Life (1998), one of his final contributions to motion pictures, he provides the voice of the ant "Mr. Soil".

Wow Bing and Al together!

Gordon MacRae made his Broadway debut in the mid-1940s, acquiring his first recording contract soon afterwards. Many of his hit recordings were made with Jo Stafford . It was in 1948 that he appeared in his first film, The Big Punch , a drama about boxing. He soon began an on-screen partnership with Doris Day and appeared with her in several films.

In 1951, he starred with Doris Day in On Moonlight Bay , followed by the sequel By the Light of the Silvery Moon in 1953. That same year, he also starred opposite Kathryn Grayson in the third film version of The Desert Song . This was followed by leading roles in two major films of Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, Oklahoma! (1955) and Carousel (1956), both films opposite Shirley Jones .

On radio, he was the host and lead actor on The Railroad Hour , a half-hour anthology series made up of condensed versions of hit Broadway musicals.

MacRae appeared frequently on television , on such programs as The Martha Raye Show and The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford , both on NBC . On Christmas 1958, MacRae and Ford performed the holiday hymn "O Holy Night ".[ 2] Earlier in 1958, MacRae guest starred on the short-lived NBC variety series, The Polly Bergen Show .

Thereafter, MacRae appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show , The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom , and The Bell Telephone Hour . He continued his musical stage career, often performing with his wife, as in a 1964 production of Bells Are Ringing , also performing as Sky Masterson in the popular musical Guys and Dolls , his wife playing the role of Miss Adeleide, reprising her Broadway role.[ 3] In the late 1960s he co-hosted for a week on The Mike Douglas Show . He also toured in summer stock and appeared in nightclubs . In 1967, he replaced Robert Preston in the original Broadway run of the musical I Do! I Do! , starring opposite Carol Lawrence , who had taken over the role from Mary Martin .

In the 1970s, he portrayed a murderer on the popular TV series McCloud and played a supporting role in what turned out to be his last film, the 1979 motion picture The Pilot .

Phil harris show from 60 years ago and a little lost Jack Benny and Rochester bit done by My eleven year old son a yours truly!

75 years ago Jack and Fred continue with the Feud in it's 5th week!

This week we bring you another appearance of Judy with Bing. These are my absolute favorites of Judy's radio performances, Judy and Bing are magic together.

If you haven't been listening to these shows, then you've been missing out!

70 years ago with Fibber!

70 years ago Jack came back on the air.

Jack Benny Forum

Laura Leff's books on Jack and his radio and TV shows!

70 years ago with Gildy.

A very rare episode form 65 years ago with guests Jack Benny and Elliott Lewis!

Dennis Day TV Show

70 years ago with Red and the Nelsons!

65 years ago Jack's show unfortunately survives with very poor sound quality.

60 years ago Richard Basehart kept us in Suspense! Ooh, Admiral Nelson from "Voyage to The Bottom of The Sea!"

65 years ago with Bing and George Jessel!

60 years ago with the boys and Alexis!

During the 1940s Alexis Smith appeared alongside some of the most popular male stars of the day, including Errol Flynn in Gentleman Jim (1942) and San Antonio (1945) (in which she sang a special version of the popular ballad "Some Sunday Morning "), Humphrey Bogart in Conflict (1945) and The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947), Cary Grant in a sanitized, fictionalized version of the life of Cole and Linda Porter in Night and Day (1946), and Bing Crosby in Here Comes the Groom (1951). Among Smith's other films are Rhapsody In Blue (1945), Of Human Bondage (1946), and The Young Philadelphians (1959). She also appeared on the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis Radio (NBC) broadcast on 25 January 1952[citation needed ]

She toured in several stage hits including the 1955 National company of Plain and Fancy co-starring her husband Craig Stevens , Jean Kerr 's Mary, Mary and Cactus Flower also co-starring Stevens.

She appeared on the cover of the May 3, 1971 issue of Time as the result of the critical acclaim for her singing and dancing role in Hal Prince 's Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim 's Follies , which marked her long-awaited Broadway debut. In 1972, she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance.

60 years ago with George and Jack!

60 years ago Phil was doing some really great work for the March of Dimes and the Red Cross!

75 years ago we continued with the feud!

Listen after the episode for more background about the series.

70 years ago with Fred and the feud!

Fun with Fibber!

70 years ago we saluted the sad passing of Jack Benny's co-star in the film materpiece, "To Be or Not To Be," the wonderful Carole Lombard who died in a plane crash on January 16th 1942.

When the US entered World War II at the end of 1941, Carole Lombard traveled to her home state of Indiana for a war bond rally with her mother, Bess Peters, and Clark Gable's press agent, Otto Winkler. After raising over $2 million in defense bonds, Lombard addressed her fans, saying: "Before I say goodbye to you all, come on and join me in a big cheer! V for Victory!" On January 16, 1942, Lombard, her mother, and Winkler boarded a Transcontinental and Western Air DC-3 airplane to return to California. After refueling in Las Vegas , TWA Flight 3 took off and 23 minutes later, crashed into "Double Up Peak" near the 8,300 ft (2,500 m) level of Mount Potosi , 32 statute miles (51 km) southwest of Las Vegas. All 22 aboard, including 15 army servicemen, were killed instantly.

On January 18, 1942, Jack Benny did not perform his usual program, both out of respect for Lombard and grief at her death. Instead, he devoted his program to an all-music format.

Shortly after her death at the age of 33, Gable (who was inconsolable and devastated by her loss) joined the United States Army Air Forces . After officers training, Gable headed a six-man motion picture unit attached to a B-17 bomb group in England to film aerial gunners in combat, flying five missions himself. Gable attended the launch of the Liberty ship SS Carole Lombard , named in her honor, on January 15, 1944.

Lombard's final film, To Be or Not to Be (1942), directed by Ernst Lubitsch and co-starring Jack Benny, a satire about Nazism and World War II , was in post-production at the time of her death. The film's producers decided to cut part of the film in which Lombard's character asks, "What can happen on a plane?" as they felt it was in poor taste, given the circumstances of her death.

At the time of her death, Lombard had been scheduled to star in the film They All Kissed the Bride ; when production started, her role was given to Joan Crawford . Crawford donated all of her pay for this film to the Red Cross .

70 years ago this week with Gildersleeve!

65 years ago, sorta, Phil went to college?

70 years ago with Red and his gang!

65 Years ago Boris Karloff stopped by to have some fun with Jack and the gang.

From 1945 to 1946, Boris Karloff appeared in three films for RKO produced by Val Lewton : Isle of the Dead , The Body Snatcher , and Bedlam . In a 1946 interview with Louis Berg of the Los Angeles Times , Karloff discussed his three-picture deal with RKO, his reasons for leaving Universal Pictures and working with producer Lewton. Karloff left Universal because he thought the Frankenstein franchise had run its course. The latest installment was what he called a "'monster clambake,' with everything thrown in — Frankenstein, Dracula, a hunchback and a 'man-beast' that howled in the night. It was too much. Karloff thought it was ridiculous and said so." Berg continues, "Mr. Karloff has great love and respect for Mr. Lewton as the man who rescued him from the living dead and restored, so to speak, his soul."[ 7]

During this period, Karloff was also a frequent guest on radio programmes, whether it was starring in Arch Oboler 's Chicago-based Lights Out productions (most notably the episode "Cat Wife") or spoofing his horror image with Fred Allen or Jack Benny .

60 years ago this week Agnes Moorehead kept us in Suspense!

60 years ago today, Bob joined Bing at Fort Ord to entertain the troops.

60 years ago with Frank and Dean in their pre "Rat Pack" days!

60 years ago with Jack and the gang!

Here is a link to the color Jack Benny Special from 1966 !

60 years ago Phil got a big surprise! Do I love surprises? Ooh, Do I!

75 years ago with some rare Fred Allen clips, the Jack Benny Show and more on the feud!

Jimmy Stewart Saturday returns with on of Jack's all time greatest episodes!

We are coming up on the 60th anniversary of Gunsmoke, so I thought that as a build up you might want to hear the Story of Gunsmoke.

70 years ago Fibber began a two part episode!

70 years ago, one month after the attack on Pearl Harbor Jack does his first troop broadcast from March Field!

70 years ago Gildy got arrested!

60 years ago with Dennis! We're still a week off, oh well.

70 years ago only the rehearsal remains, but we'll take it!

65 years ago this week Jack was visited by George Burns and Gracie Allen!

65 years ago Dan Duryea kept us in Suspense!

Dan Duryea moved to Hollywood in 1940 to appear in the film version of The Little Foxes . He continued to establish himself with supporting & secondary roles in films such as The Pride of the Yankees & None But the Lonely Heart . As the 1940s progressed, he found his niche as the "sniveling, deliberately taunting" antagonist in a number of films noir (Scarlet Street , The Woman in the Window , Criss Cross , Too Late for Tears ), though he was sometimes cast in more objective roles (Black Angel , Ministry of Fear , One Way Street ).[ 3]

Television

Dan appeared on the Jack Benny TV show as a gangster holding up a lunch counter.  Duryea starred as the lead character China Smith in the China Smith from 1952 to 1956); and "The New Adventures of China Smith" from 1953 to 1954). In 1959, Duryea appeared as a alcoholic gunfighter in third episode of The Twilight Zone , "Mr. Denton on Doomsday ". He guest starred on NBC 's anthology series The Barbara Stanwyck Show , and, in 1963, portrayed Dr. Ben Lorrigan on the NBC 's The Eleventh Hour . From 1967 to 1968, Duryea appeared as Eddie Jacks on the soap opera Peyton Place .[ 4]

65 years ago Bing gets a visit from Mickey Rooney!

In 1937, Rooney was selected to portray Andy Hardy in A Family Affair (1937), which MGM had planned as a B-movie .[ 2] Rooney provided comic relief as the son of Judge James K. Hardy, portrayed by Lionel Barrymore (although Lewis Stone would play the role of Judge Hardy in later films). The film was an unexpected success, and led to 13 more Andy Hardy films between 1937 and 1946, and a final film in 1958. Rooney also received top billing as "Shockey Carter" in Hoosier Schoolboy (1937).

Also in 1937, Mickey made his first film alongside Judy Garland with Thoroughbreds Don't Cry . Garland and Rooney became close friends and a successful song and dance team. Besides three of the Andy Hardy films, where she portrayed Betsy Booth, a younger girl with a crush on Andy, they appeared together in a string of successful musicals, including the Oscar-nominated Babes in Arms (1939). During an interview in the documentary film, When the Lion Roars , Rooney describes their friendship:

Judy and I were so close we could've come from the same womb. We weren't like brothers or sisters but there was no love affair there; there was more than a love affair. It's very, very difficult to explain the depths of our love for each other. It was so special. It was a forever love. Judy, as we speak, has not passed away. She's always with me in every heartbeat of my body.[ 7]

Rooney's breakthrough role as a dramatic actor came in 1938's Boys Town opposite Spencer Tracy as Whitey Marsh, which opened shortly before his 18th birthday. Rooney was awarded a special Juvenile Academy Award in 1939[ 8] and was named the biggest box-office draw in 1939, 1940 and 1941.[ 9] Unquestionably a well-known entertainer by the early 1940s, Rooney, with Garland, was one of many celebrities caricatured in Tex Avery 's 1941 Warner Bros. cartoon Hollywood Steps Out . As of 2011, Rooney is the only surviving entertainer depicted in the cartoon.

60 years ago talented voice actor Hans Conreid joined Jerry and Dean!

Conried appeared regularly on many radio shows during the 1940s and 1950s, notably the George Burns & Gracie Allen Show , on which he played a psychiatrist whom George regularly consulted for help in dealing with the dizzy Gracie.

Conried's most important single year was 1953, in which he made his Broadway debut in Can-Can and received screen credit in six films (among them The Twonky and The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T ). His other Broadway productions include 70, Girls, 70 and Irene .

Hans Conried's inimitable growl and impeccable diction were perfectly suited to the roles he played, whether portraying the dim Professor Kopokin in the radio show My Friend Irma or portraying comic villains and other mock-sinister or cranky types, such as Captain Hook (and Mr. Darling) in Walt Disney 's Peter Pan and The Grinch /Narrator from Dr. Seuss ' Halloween is Grinch Night . According to the DVD commentary of Futurama , he was also the inspiration for the voice created for that series' "Robot Devil".

Conried also was a cast member of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show , voicing the character of Snidely Whiplash in the Dudley Do-Right shorts, and also hosted Fractured Flickers , another creation of Jay Ward and Bill Scott, as well as Wally Walrus on The Woody Woodpecker Show , Uncle Waldo P. Wigglesworth on Hoppity Hooper , and Dr. Dred on Drak Pack . He was well known as the Williams family patriarch, Uncle Tonoose, on the sitcom Make Room for Daddy , a role he played for 13 years. He was also a regular performer on the Jack Paar Tonight Show from 1959 to 1962.

60 years ago this week Jack and the gang took on radio legend Suspense! I can't wait can you! The Suspense is killing me!!!

Phil loves his golf, and he was pretty good at it!

75 years ago more Buck Benny and more Benny/Allen Feud!

Judy Garland theater returns with her appearance on Al Jolson's show!

75 years ago the Benny/Allen Feud continued!

70 years ago Fibber and Molly needed a night out.

70 years ago we partied with Jack and the gang!

Even 70 years ago dieting was popular after the new year!

Oops should have ran this last week, oh well always room for one more Christmas show!

70 years ago with Red!

65 years ago Bogart and Bacall stopped by to spend some time with Jack and the gang!

Just a little over 65 years ago Humphrey Bogart kept us in Suspense with his only appearance on the show! We're going a little out of order here, but this is the second episode in our Bogart and Bacall day!

Wow! Here is our first entry, from 60 years ago, in our Bogart and Bacall day!

60 years ago today with Bing and Hoppy!

60 years ago this week with Dean, Jerry, and Mona!

Mona Freeman (born June 9, 1926) is an American film actress. [ 1]

The 5' 1" blonde was a model while in high school, and after becoming the first "Miss Subways " of the New York City transit system, eventually signed a movie contract with Howard Hughes . Her contract was later sold to Paramount Pictures . After 1944, she became a popular teenage movie star. As an adult, her career slowed and she appeared in mostly B-movies , though one exception was her role in the film noir Angel Face (1952). Freeman's appearances in films ended in the 1950s but she continued to work in television.

This episode has very poor sound, but it's the best I could find.

60 years ago this week did Phil and Alice go to the Rose Bowl Parade? Tune in and find out!

75 years ago the Benny/Allen Feud begins!

75 years ago this week the Benny/Allen feud began with this very episode featuring a young Stuart Canin performing the violin solo heard round the world.

Let's try this one more time! This is the file that was messed up last week, hope it comes out ok this time!

70 years ago this week with Fibber and Molly!

Ok, let's try this one last time! Here is the true last version that follows this track list! All three versions are substantially different from each other.

Track List

01 Bing and Lindsay Crosby - GI Silent Night Before Christmas 1951
02 Phil Harris and Alice Faye - Baby its cold outside 1949-05-08
03 Alice Faye - I saw mommy kissing Santa Clause 1952-12-21 (229)
04 Bing and Gary Crosby - Jingle Bell Jive (SamSong Mix) 1950-12
05 The Sportsmen - Christmas Elevator 1950-12-17 (ep 750)    
06 Bing Crosby and Judy Garland - Rudolph Jive  1950        
07 Dinah Shore - A Merry American Christmas  1941-12-21 (ep 08)
08 Bing Crosby and Trudy Erwin - Silver Bells 1951-12-19 (086)
09 Eddie Cantor-The Only Thing I Want For Christmas        
10 Bing Crosby and Jimmy Stewart -  Baby it's cold outside 1949
11 Dennis Day - Christmas in Kilarnay 1950-11-12             
12  Phil Harris - Jingle Bells 1951-12-23                   
13 Lindsay Crosby - What I want for Christmas 1951-12-19     
14 Sportsman - Winter Wonderland 1953-12-20 (865)           
15 Alice Faye - Santa Clause is Coming to Town 1950-12-24   
16 Bing Crosby - Rudolph 1949-12-14 (013)                    
17 Dennis Day - Frosty the Snowman 1951-11-25 (ep 784)      
18 Bing and Gary Crosby - That Christmas Feeling  1950-12-20 
19 Bing and Lindsay Crosby - I'd like to hitch a ride with Santa 
20 Twins - Dennis and Phil Crosby - The Snowman 1950-12-20   
21 Bing and Crosby Family- That Christmas Feeling Medley 1950-12
22 The Sportsmen - Yule Train 1949-12-25 (ep 713)           
24 Bing Crosby - The Christmas Song 1949-12-21 (ep 014)     
25 Doris Day - Here comes Santa Clause - Bob Hope Show - 1949-12
26 Bing Crosby - Jingle Bells (Skitch Mix) 1946-12-25        
27 judy garland - WhiteChristmas44radio_JudyGarland          
28 Kingsmen - Christmas Story 1944-12-19                    
29 Larry Stevens - Let It Snow, Let It Snow 1946-02-17 (ep 574)
30 Jack Bennys Three Tenors - Christmas Medly 1944-12-24

70 years ago Jack and the gang performed one of their amazing "New Tenant," New Year's fantasy skits!

More Gildy for you from 70 years ago this week!

65 years ago New Year's with Phil and Alice!

70 years ago this week Red on Photography!

65 years ago Elliott Lewis played Rodney Dangerfield!

60 years ago Herbert Marshall kept us in Suspense.

60 years ago today on the road with Bing, Bob, and Dorothy!

Jerry, Dean, and Dale have a good time!

This is it the very last episode of the Cinnamon Bear! I hope you all enjoy it!

Phil and Alice at Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! 60 years ago, one last Christmas show for the season with Jack and the gang!

75 years ago Buck Benny rides again, and thee whole gang sings together. See you next week for the beginning volleys of the Benny/Allen Feud!

Just about everyone in radio is in this show including Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Fred Allen, and Judy Garland!

Yeeessssss! The penultimate episode of the Cinnamon Bear saga featuring radio actor extraordinaire Frank Nelson!

Train ride!

70 years ago, Jack and a Christmas tree, always a good match!

Bad, bad, dolls!

Santa!

70 years ago with Red and the gang!

The Land of Ice and Snow!

65 years ago poor sound and music butchered, but guest stars Kenny Baker and Larry Stevens.

65 years ago Joseph Cotten kept us in Suspense at Christmas time!

A Flying hat!