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After Larry introduces his lineup for the show, we skip right to the interview with Joan Benny. The topic at hand is about her just released book, Sunday Night at 7. She tells how the book came into being after Jack’s intended autobiography he began in 1968. Jack was a man who looked forward, not talking about his past much. Joan talks about her own career as a mom, before talking about candid moments of Jack and Mary.
After the commercial break, Larry discusses the length of time Jack was on the radio, and shares a clip of Jack practicing violin. Joan tells how Mary got started with Jack in vaudeville. Also a little about others in the cast, and briefly about the beginning of the feud with Fred Allen. The vivid mental pictures a radio listener conjued in their own minds with only special affects to inspire them is brought up.
Larry mentions that Jack was a man without enemies. Joan tells about Jack’s real liife ability with playing the violin, and how the show’s characters evolved. Jack was far from stingy, and helped charity benefits, and other comedians get started. She shares wat it was like in the last 24 hours of Jack’s life, and the special viwitors who came to visit. A clip is shared of the famous line of Jack being robbed, and asking for his money or his life. A caller shares a memories. A Waukegan man remembers Jack.
A pause for a news break, then more callers pitch in. A member of the International Jack Benny Fan Club talks about the split with Phil harris. Another caller asks about the live audiences. Laura Lef, of the International Jack Benny Fan Club asks about the rumor of missing pages of the book. Where was Mary from? Mention of the longest laugh is made. Jack’s treatment of Black people is made. What about existence of Jack’s TV shows? Comparrison of Jack’s humor to that of today’s comedians.
A clip of Jack at the train station, talking to Sidney Sheldon as the tout is shared. What train should Jack take? A caller agrees that nobody ever said a bad word abut Jack, and a memory about jack and Carol Burnette. Did Jack ever suffer from depression? The episode of Jack walking out of a hotel that wouldn’t let Rochester stay there is shared. Old running gags are remembered. Jack’s violin playing is again revisited. A stand up comic phones in his admiration of Jack.
A caller asks why certain towns were used so much in the act, nanmely Plainfield, New Jersey.
What funny stories does Joan remember from dinner parties at home?
A clip is shared of Jack and Frank Nelson as a train ticket seler.
What was Jack’s educational background before vaudeville, and ewhat was his first job?
A caller talks about his eagerness to listen to the radio show, or see Jack’s latest film.
Who were the early tenors and musical tallent on the show, and the sponsors?
How did Eddie Anderson get the name Rochester?
Larry transitions by reminding us of his other guests, and we get a weather report of the time around Fort Wayne, and listening areas in Indiana. Also some breaking local, national, and world news of the time.
Larry recaps the show, giving credit to the engineering crew, and takes a few extra calls from listeners.
A commercial, followed by more callers on news topics of the day.
