The Jack Benny Program
The Jack Benny Program: Season 8

Air Date

September 22, 1957

Episodes

16 episodes

The Jack Benny Program

Season 8

Episodes

1. First Show of the Season

September 22, 1957
30 min

Show opens with the audience in line to see the show, telling each other how their tickets were forced on them. In his opening monologue, Jack analyzes his own humor. Dennis sings 'Around the world in 80 days.' Don does the Lucky Strike commercial as a calypso number; Jack won't let him finish it. He introduces Mel Blanc as Otto Ketzler, a novelty music act from Vienna; Ketzler plays bottles filled with alcohol--as he tunes them, he becomes more and more inebriated. Don's wife makes Jack call the sponsor to explain that the curtailed commercial was Jack's fault, not Don's.

2. The Airport

October 6, 1957
30 min

3. Hal March Show

October 20, 1957
30 min

During the monologue, the President and Secretary of the Jack Benny Fan Club, Pasadena Chapter, come onstage. Don and Harlow Wilson do a soft shoe to 'Me and my shadow' for the Lucky commercial. Hal March, host of The $64,000 Question quiz show, is the guest; Jack asks him questions, and he tries to answer them for prizes.

4. Ginger Rogers Show

November 3, 1957
30 min

5. John Forsythe Show

November 17, 1957
30 min

6. Jack's Life Story

December 1, 1957
30 min

Jack wants to star in the movie version of his life story, but producer Buddy Adler wants Van Johnson. Van Johnson and Buddy Adler play themselves. Announcer: Don Wilson. Rochester: Eddie Anderson.

7. Christmas Shopping

December 15, 1957
30 min

8. Jack Goes to the Rose Bowl

December 29, 1957
30 min

9. Jack Takes a Beaver to the Dentist

January 12, 1958
30 min

10. Honeymooners Show

January 26, 1958
30 min

Dennis sings 'The 12th of never.' In the sketch, Jack plays Ralph Kramden in a take-off of The Honeymooners, with Meadows as Alice and Dennis as Ed Norton.

11. Jack at the Races

February 9, 1958
30 min

12. Violin Competition with Gisele MacKenzie

February 23, 1958
30 min

13. Academy Awards

March 9, 1958
30 min

14. Railroad Station Show

March 23, 1958
30 min

15. Ronnie Burns Show

April 6, 1958
30 min

16. Hillbilly Act

April 20, 1958
30 min