JACK BENNY’S BIRTHDAY SPECIAL

February
17, 1969

• Directed
  by Fred De Cordova
• Produced
  by Irving Fein
• Written
  by Hal Goldman, Al Gordon, Hilliard Marks, Sam Perrin, Dee Caruso,
  Gerald Gardner

Jack
Benny
(Himself, Host / Cowboy) was
born on Valentine’s Day 1894. He had a successful vaudeville
career, and an even greater career on radio with “The Jack Benny
Program” which also became a successful television show. His screen
persona was known for being a penny-pincher and playing the violin.
Benny was a Beverly Hills neighbor of Lucille Ball’s and the two
were off-screen friends. Benny appeared on “The Lucy Show” as
Harry Tuttle (a Jack Benny doppelganger) in “Lucy
and the Plumber” (TLS S3;E2),
later did a voice over cameo as himself in “Lucy
With George Burns” (TLS S5;E1),
and played himself in “Lucy
Gets Jack Benny’s Account” (TLS S6;E6).
He was seen in four episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” Benny and Ball
appeared on many TV variety and award shows together. He died in
1974, a few weeks after taping “An
All-Star Party for Lucille Ball.”

GUEST
STARS

Lucille
Ball (Herself
/ Lucille LaTour) was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York.
She began her screen career in 1933 and was known in Hollywood as
‘Queen of the B’s’ due to her many appearances in ‘B’
movies. With Richard Denning, she starred in a radio program titled
“My Favorite Husband” which eventually led to the creation of “I
Love Lucy,” a television situation comedy in which she co-starred
with her real-life husband, Latin bandleader Desi Arnaz. The program
was phenomenally successful, allowing the couple to purchase what was
once RKO Studios, re-naming it Desilu. When the show ended in 1960
(in an hour-long format known as “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”) so
did Lucy and Desi’s marriage. In 1962, hoping to keep Desilu
financially solvent, Lucy returned to the sitcom format with “The
Lucy Show,” which lasted six seasons. She followed that with a
similar sitcom “Here’s Lucy” co-starring with her real-life
children, Lucie and Desi Jr., as well as Gale Gordon, who had joined
the cast of “The Lucy Show” during season two. Before her death
in 1989, Lucy made one more attempt at a sitcom with “Life With
Lucy,” also with Gordon, which was not a success and was canceled
after just 13 episodes.

Dan
Blocker
(Himself / Ringo) is best remembered for playing Hoss on “Bonanza”
for 13 seasons. In 1970, he joined Lucille Ball, Jack Benny, and
Ann-Margret in the patriotic special “Swing Out, Sweet Land.” He
died in 1972.

Rouvaun
(Himself) was
born Jim Haun in Bingham,
Utah.
A child singer with the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir,
he went on to study voice and perform opera. Rouvaun was virtually
unknown until February 5, 1967, when he appeared in Las
Vegas
as
the headline singer leading the French stage revue Casino De Paris at
the Dunes
Hotel.
His son Jimmy
Haun
went on to become guitarist with the rock group Air
Supply.
This is one of only three TV appearances. He died in 1975.

The
announcer’s opening credit for Rouvaun says “introducing Rouvaun.”

Lawrence
Welk (Himself
/ New Sheriff) was
a musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who
hosted the television program “The Lawrence Welk Show” from 1951
to 1982 on ABC. His style came to be known to his audiences as
‘champagne music.’ His catchphrase was “wunerful, wunerful”
spoken with his slight German accent. Welk’s trademarks included
his “uh-one,
uh-two” song
intro and a perpetual bubble machine (both of which are mentioned here). He played himself on a 1970
episode of “Here’s Lucy” (S2;E18). Welk died in 1992 at the age
of 89.

The
announcer’s opening credit for Welk is “special guest star.”

Ann-Margret
(Herself)
is one of Hollywood’s most enduring sex symbols, singers, and
actors. She made her screen debut in 1961’s A
Pocketful of Miracles
and
followed up with the critically acclaimed film musicals State
Fair
and
Bye
Bye Birdie.
After playing herself on a 1970 episode of “Here’s Lucy”
(S2;E20) she was nominated for Oscars for Carnal
Knowledge
(1971)
and Tommy (1975). In 2010, Ann-Margret won her first Emmy Award for
her guest appearance on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

The
announcer’s opening credit for Ann-Margret is “as the Valentine
Girl.”

Don
Wilson
(Himself
/ Sheriff) was
a portly man with a deep resonating voice that made him very popular
with sponsors in the early days of radio. He teamed with Jack Benny
on radio and when
Benny
made the move to television, Wilson made the move as well, until
1965, when “The
Jack Benny Program”
ended.

Jerry
Lewis
(Himself)
was
a comedian, actor, and singer born in Newark, New Jersey in 1926. He was known for his slapstick humor and was originally paired up with
Dean
Martin,
forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis.
His long-standing commitment to hosting the annual Muscular Dystrophy
telethon in 2010, after 44 years, earning him a nomination for the
Nobel Peace Prize in 1977. He was also presented
the French Legion of Honor in 1984. Lewis
died in 2014.  

Lewis
makes a cameo appearance and is not mentioned in the opening credits.

Dennis
Day
(Himself)
was
an Irish singer who’s name and career were synonymous with Jack
Benny’s, working with the comedian on radio and TV. It was Benny
who gave him his big break in 1939 and Benny who kept him employed as
a singer and naive comic sidekick. His “Gee,
Mr. Benny!” became
a well-known catchphrase. Day would play second banana to the
comedian until Benny’s death in 1974. Day played an elderly
bachelor hunting on a 1967 episode of “The Lucy Show” (S6;E7).
Day died at age 72 of Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Day
appears only in the final birthday party scene.

SUPPORTING
CAST

Larry
J. Blake appeared
as a Native American Medicine Man in “Lucy
the Rain Goddess” (TLS S4;E15).
He was an ex-vaudevillian who made nine “Here’s Lucy”
appearances.

Benny
Rubin (Zeke)
played the bus driver in “The Tour” (ILL S4;E30). He
was briefly seen in two episodes of “The Lucy Show” as well as the
Desi Arnaz-produced sitcom “The Mothers-in-Law.”

Gail
Bonney
is making her seventh and final appearance on a Jack Benny program.
She appeared
with Lucille Ball in the 1950 films A
Woman of Distinction and
The
Fuller Brush Girl.
She played Mrs. Hudson, mother of unruly twins, on “The
Amateur Hour” (ILL S1;E14)
as
well as in “Lucy
and the Ceramic Cat” (TLS S3;E16)
and “Lucy and Eva Gabor” (HL S1;E7).

Mason
Curry
was seen on Desilu’s “The Untouchables” as well as playing Cousin
Eldon on “My Three Sons” and Deke Tuttle on “The Ghost and Mrs.
Muir.”  

Robert
Foulk played
the policeman on the Brooklyn subway platform in “Lucy
and the Loving Cup” (ILL S6;E12)
and
a Los Angeles Detective in “Lucy
Goes To A Hollywood Premiere” (TLS S4;E20).
He was in six episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”
The same evening this special aired, Foulk was also seen on “The
Outsiders,” which aired opposite “Jack Benny’s Birthday Special”
on ABC.

Larry
Gelman
(Eskimo) was a character actor best known as Vinnie on “The Odd
Couple,” Dr. Bernie Tupperman on “The Bob Newhart Show,” and
Hubie Binder on “Maude.”

Frank
Gerstle
was seen in two episodes of “I Love Lucy” as well as four episode
of “The Jack Benny Program.” He was also in The
Long, Long Trailer
(1954) with Lucille Ball.

John
Harmon
was in two episodes of
“The Lucy Show” as well as a 1972 episode of “Here’s Lucy.”

Bobby
Johnson
was seen in four episodes of “The Jack Benny Program.”

Ray
Kellogg appeared
in two episodes of “I Love Lucy,” seven episodes of “The Lucy
Show, and two of “Here’s Lucy.” He also did four episodes of
“The Jack Benny Program.”

Tyler
McVey
was in four episodes of “I Love Lucy” and two of “The Jack
Benny Program.”

Ned
Miller
was in 23 episodes of “The Jack Benny Program.” Those are his
only screen credits.

Olan
Soule (Joe,
the Janitor) played Little Ricky’s pediatrician in a 1955 episode of
“I Love Lucy” (S5;E9). He was also seen in four episodes of “The Jack
Benny Program.”

Rolfe
Sedan
was seen with Lucille Ball in Kid
Millions (1935) and in one episode of both “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show.”
He did eleven episodes of “The Jack Benny Program.”

Alex
Roman

Carole
Cook
(Lucille Ball’s Singing Voice, uncredited) played
Thelma Green on “The Lucy Show” as well as a host of other
characters. She was a protégé of Lucille Ball’s during the Desilu
Playhouse years. Although born as Mildred Cook, Ball suggested she
take the name Carole, in honor of Lucy’s great friend, Carole
Lombard. Cook appeared in five episodes of “Here’s Lucy” as
various characters and sometimes was a ghost singer for Lucille Ball.

Pamelyn
Ferdin
(Texaco Girl, uncredited) was ten years old when she appeared here,
having just finished playing Cookie Bumstead in the series “Blondie.”
She is best known for voicing the character of Lucy (Van Pelt) in
several Charlie Brown specials. She left
the acting world in the 1980s and became a registered nurse.

Trained Penguins (courtesy of Sea World San Diego)

---

The program celebrated Jack Benny’s 75th birthday, although one of his longest-standing comedy bits was that he was perpetually 39.  His birthdate is February 14, 1894

The
same evening this program was broadcast, CBS aired “Lucy, the
Shopping Expert” (HL S1;E20). Lawrence Welk, who guest-stars here,
was mentioned on that show. Jack Benny was also mentioned, comparing
him with Diamond Jim Brady, a comparison that was also made on “The
Lucy Show.”

That night Jack Benny
also guest-starred on this special’s lead-in “Rowan and Martin’s
Laugh-In.”  

This
Jack Benny special pre-empted “The Outsider” starring Darren
McGavin, a one-season crime drama.

Ann-Margaret
was a guest on “The Jack Benny Program” on April 2, 1961 (above). In
December 1968, Jack Benny guest starred on “The Ann-Margret Show.”

---

When
the announcer introduces Jack Benny, Lawrence Welk comes walking out
instead, lip-synching to Benny’s voice.  

After a commercial break
(from Texaco) the real Benny is onstage and tells a story about going
to visit Lawrence Welk at his home, although thanks to an old map of
the stars homes, he winds up at a Kentucky Fried Chicken instead.
Welk joins him onstage to do imitations of Edward
G. Robinson (“Now look you guys, you keep muscling in on my
territory and I’m gonna let you have it, see.”) and and Cary Grant
(“Judy,
Judy, Judy.”) Needless to say, Welk’s impressions are
completely without skill and he makes absolutely no attempt to mimic
their unique voices.  

After
Welk leaves, a line of penguins waddles across the stage. Benny
pretends it hasn’t happened and continues talking about his age,
reviving his famous gag of never being over 39 [he is 75]. He
asserts the old axiom that age is just a state of mind.

Benny:
“Take
Maurice Chevalier.  He just celebrated his 80th birthday.  No there’s a man eighty years old and with him, every
little breeze still whispers Louise. With me, I catch a cold.”

Lucille
Ball joins him onstage to give him a happy birthday kiss. When Benny
says Lucy was his first choice, Lucy says she knows
that he first phoned Princess Margaret in England who said she might bring
her sister. Lucy says that the Queen hasn’t been on TV since the
Coronation. When money-minded Benny wonders who sponsored the Coronation, Lucy
says that “it
must have been some margarine company because suddenly there was a
crown on her head.”

For
the record, in 1952 “I Love Lucy” had better ratings for the
birth of Little Ricky than the Queen had for her Coronation. “Ricky and Fred
Are TV Fans” (ILL S2;E30) opens with Ricky reading a TV Guide with
Queen Elizabeth on the cover. This was history’s first
televised coronation. In 1956, Lucy
and Ricky performed for the newly-crowned (but unseen) monarch in
“Lucy
Meets the Queen” (ILL S5;E15). 

The margarine company Lucy joked about is Imperial. Their popular TV
and print ads depicted a large crown magically appearing on the head
of whoever tasted their product. Lucy would joke about this ad
campaign again in a 1972 episode of “Here’s Lucy” (S5;E12).   

After
Lucy leaves, Benny says “She’s
so funny. I’m amazed she doesn’t have her own show.”
At the time, “Here’s Lucy” was just wrapping up its first
season. 

Rouvaun sings the aria “Vesti
la giubba”
from Pagliacci. 

He then sings “The Impossible Dream” from
the 1965 musical Man
of La Mancha. Rouvaun
claims that it
“expresses the hope of America, the heart of America, and the dream
that is America,” despite
the fact that the story of Man
of La Mancha is
set in Spain during the 17th century. The show, however, was written by Americans and premiered in
the USA, so perhaps that is what Rouvaun meant.  

After
the songs, Benny tries to assert that this is Rouvaun’s first
appearance on TV. Rouvaun corrects him, saying that he was on “The
Ed Sullivan Show.”
Benny wonders if Rouvaun was in the audience or on the stage (and
which pays more). Ed Sullivan had a tradition of asking celebrities in
his audience to stand up and wave. Being recognized from his audience
became a much-coveted opportunity for Hollywood celebrities. This
unique distinction was also discussed by Ricky Ricardo and his agent
in a 1955 episode of “I Love Lucy” (S5;E7). 

Before Rouvaun leaves the
stage, another penguin comes by. Rouvaun sings a tribute to Jack
Benny, “Mr.
Wonderful”
written by Jerry
Bock,
George
David Weiss,
and Larry
Holofcener,
for the Broadway
musical
of the same name starring
Sammy
Davis Jr.
At the end of the song, Benny’s eyeglasses shatter as Rouvaun holds
out the last note.

After
another Texaco commercial, Benny introduces Dan Blocker as the
orchestra plays the “Bonanza” theme song. Blocker pulls his gun on Benny and a feather
pops out. He claims he got the idea from the “Harper Valley PTA.”
“Harper
Valley PTA”
is a country
song
written
by Tom
T. Hall
and
was a major international hit single
for
Jeannie
C. Riley
in
1968.

Blocker
says he’s in his tenth year on “Bonanza.” He thinks he’s been
invited on the show so that Benny can make fat jokes, like he did
with Don Wilson. Benny calls his former announcer “a big fat tub of lard,”
which causes Wilson to stand up from the audience and berate Benny. 

Finding kinship in their girth, Wilson and Blocker go off together, determined
to form an act without Benny. A penguin on roller skates goes by
while a bemused Benny watches.  

In
1973, Lucille Ball also worked with trained penguins on an episode of
“Here’s Lucy” (S5;E20).

Four
little girls dressed in Texaco fire hats and red slickers offer
Benny a birthday gift certificate for a fill-up at a Texaco
station. To Benny’s shock and chagrin, one of the little girls
correctly guesses Benny’s age – 75!  Before they depart, they sing
the Texaco jingle: “You
can trust your car to the man who wears the star. The big, bright
Texaco star!”

With
Benny as the narrator, he presents a Western sketch. Dan Blocker,
dressed in bad-guy black, plays
a gunslinger named Ringo who’s real name is Irving Pincus. Irving
Pincus
(1914-84)
was the name of a TV producer and writer who created the situation
comedy
“The Real McCoys” (1957-63). The show was shot at Desilu and
employed many of Lucille Ball’s favorite character actors.  

Throughout the sketch, narrator Benny confirms his predictions about the predictability of Western dramas. When someone is shot, for example, no one seems to call for a doctor! 

When
the new sheriff in town (Lawrence Welk) hears that the dangerous Dalton Brothers are
headed to town… he quickly leaves on the first train out!  

A dusty stage coach
arrives carrying the new school marm (Lucille Ball). 

Benny enters the
story as a cowboy who unmasks the school marm as Lucille LaTour, a
dance hall girl. The camera goes in for a close-up of the purple
flower in Lucille’s hat and when it pans out again, she is dressed in
a dance hall girl costume and is performing on a riverboat stage. 

Lucille (LaTour) sings
“Hey Big Spender,”
a song written by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields for the 1966 stage
musical Sweet
Charity.
Six weeks after this special, the film version starring Shirley MacLaine was released. 

Lucille
Ball’s singing voice was dubbed by her friend and protégé Carole
Cook.  

After
another Texaco commercial (this time about fueling up boats), Jack
Benny is seen walking through the darkened backstage, coat over his
arm, headed home, when he discovers a surprise birthday party. Former “Jack Benny Program” regular Dennis Day
surprises Benny to give his old boss a gift.  

Jerry
Lewis enters bringing with him a giant Valentine’s / Birthday card for
Benny. 

Ann-Margret emerges from the card, dressed in a skimpy Valentine’s
Day outfit with red hearts over her chest.

Dennis
Day sings “Cuando
calienta de sol”
(“Love Me With All Your Heart”) in Spanish by
Rafael Gaston Perez, Carlos Rigual, and Mario Rigual.
Benny accompanies him on the violin. 

Day’s tenor voice breaks Benny’s
expensive Stradivarius violin. 

They then discover the birthday cake is
being devoured by penguins.

Benny
is onstage alone about to close the show, when a stagehand give him
the script for a live Texaco commercial. As Benny rehearses the
script, the stage around him is swiftly transformed into a Texaco
station (to audience applause), with Benny behind the wheel of a car!

In
the actual closing, Benny gets a ‘wire’ from George Burns. He starts
to read it, but stops. Apparently there is some language in it not
appropriate for television. 

Benny calls Lucille Ball onstage and asks
her one last question.

Benny:
“Lucy, now that the show is over, how about going out and having a
little drink with me?”
Lucy:
“Why
Jack Benny!  I’m surprised at you!  You’re a happily married man.
I’m a happily married woman. How could you make a suggestion like
that?”
Benny:
“I just asked you to go out and have a little drink with me, that’s
all.”
Lucy:
“Oh, sure. It sounds innocent enough. But it becomes a secret
rendezvous in a dimly lit cocktail lounge with romantic music playing
in the background. Really, I’m surprised at you, Jack. What would
Mary think?”  
Benny:
“Mary’s coming with us.”
Lucy:
“Then forget it.”  (Lucy walks off!)