Jack Benny – Bridge Game. 340413.

Audio is poor, muffled, with record noise, and scratches. Starts with the show already in progress.

As jack has a word with Frank Parker, Mary enters and is concerned over money that she found. She also tells about some relatives in Ohio. It’s time for a musical number from Don Bestor, but he has his song snipped out. Jack jokes about famous safari hunter of the day, Frank Buck.

To introduce the new cast to the audience, we learn that Don Bestor is Jack’s new bandleader, and that he was also well educated. Running gags today and in other shows have him being distinguished, and not bending to Jack’s sometimes low form of dry wit. After a few of Don’s use of big words, Jack pretends to be offended as he dictates a scathing, but humorous letter to Mary. Frank Parker is to sing, but has his song snipped.

To make amends, Don Bestor has Jack and Mary over to his home for dinner. Walter Tetley makes a guest appearance at Don’s son. Taking an interlude from the festivity at Don’s, Jack has the radio turned on to hear the orchestra. Do I need to say it? The song is snipped. Anyhow, back at Don’s the gang all play a hand of Bridge, and the jokes about cards kick in. Even if you don’t know much about playing bridge, the humor is generic enough for anybody to enjoy.

Note: For those who don’t recognize the name Walter Tetley, he is the perpetual 12 year old who reigned supreme through the days of radio, and on into the TV era of the early 1960’s. At this point in his radio career, he is probably just a little over 12 years old, but his distinctive and youthful voice would be his meal ticket for countless child roles, and feature him for years as Leroy Forrester from the Great Gildersleeve show. Then as Julius Debrusio on the Phil Harris show. In the cartoon program of Bullwinkle and Rocky, he would be Sherman the pet boy to Mr Peabody the talking dog. Is this kid some sort of vampire? Nope, just a medical condition that kept his voice young sounding.