The Very First “Jack Benny Program” TV Show, and Lucille Ball Too

Jack Benny, Mary Livingstone, and Eddie Anderson

Jack Benny is perhaps one of the most famous actors that made the transition from Vaudeville to radio to television. Born in 1894, it would be another thirty-eight years before Jacky Benny would have his own TV program which first aired on the 2nd of May, 1932 and ran to the 22nd of May, 1955. The first episode of “The Jack Benny_Program” is an odd mix of the excellent auditory programing common to radio programing in the 1920s through the 1950s, and a sort of stage variety show that was still common in Vaudeville in the 1930s.

One the most recognizable aspects of the Jacky Benny character are his Ebenezer Scrooge persona, and his absolute flattery of most women that come across his path. These two aspects are combined very well with in the episode with Lucille Désirée Ball.

First Jack Benny Program Cast (in credits order) as found on IMDB:

Jack Benny as Himself
Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson as Rochester
Isaac Stern as Himself
Margaret Whiting as Herself
The Andrews Sisters as Themselves
Lauck as Lum Edwards
Norris Goff as Abner Peabody
Laverne Andrews as Herself – One of the Andrews Sisters (uncredited)
Maxene Andrews as Herself – One of the Andrews Sisters (uncredited)
Patty Andrews as Herself – One of the Andrews Sisters (uncredited)
Valerie Scott as Ma (uncredited)