JACK BENNY
(Broadcast: May 2, 1932 – June 22, 1958)

For a sample list of available titles and additional research resources at UCLA please download our expanded collection profile

Jack Benny 's career in radio, spanning over twenty years, followed the medium from its so-called golden age to its gradual decline in the 1950s. Benny made his first appearance on commercial radio in March of 1932 on The Ed Sullivan Show for the CBS network, after developing a strong presence on the vaudeville circuit with a stage act that featured a comic violin performance. After proving he was adaptable to the demands of radio with Sullivan, Benny was able to negotiate a deal with the NBC Blue Network and sponsor Canada Dry Ginger Ale, Inc. for a music variety series that featured Benny accompanied by conductor George Olsen and vocalist Ethel Shutta.

During his early apprenticeship on air, Benny collaborated with writer Harry Conn who, from 1932 – 1936, helped him develop a clearly defined commercial persona as a well-mannered eccentric surrounded by a group of oddball associates with a repertoire of skits and gags that permitted Benny to greatly expand his presence in the commercial media through the fields of film and television. This work included starring and supporting roles in films for major studios in Los Angeles, (building on a corpus of film material Benny had completed in the late 20s and early 30s), and a weekly television variety series, The Jack Benny Program, which aired on CBS and NBC during 1950 – 1965.