The Jack Carson Show
 Jack Carson | |
| Other names | New Jack Carson Show The Sealtest Village Store |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy-variety |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| Home station | KNX |
| Syndicates | CBS NBC CBC Dominion |
| TV adaptations | The Jack Carson Show |
| Starring | Jack Carson |
| Announcer | Del Sharbutt Carlton KaDell Howard Petrie Hy Averback Bob Stewart |
| Written by | Sol Stein Tom Adair Jack Douglas Howard Harris Leo Solomon Dave Swift Leonard Levinson Lou Fulton Mack Benoff |
| Directed by | Bill Brennan Vick Knight Sam Fuller Larry Berns |
| Produced by | Bill Brennan Vick Knight Sam Fuller Larry Berns |
| Original release | June 2, 1943 – December 20, 1956 |
| Opening theme | "The Moment We Met" |
| Sponsored by | Campbell Soup Company Sanka coffee Sealtest |
The Jack Carson Show is an American old-time radio comedy-variety program. It was broadcast on different seasons on CBS and NBC, beginning on June 2, 1943, and ending on December 20, 1956. The program was also known as The Sealtest Village Store,[1] and the New Jack Carson Show.[2] It was carried on the CBC Dominion network in Canada, as well.[3] Additionally, The Jack Carson Show was the title of a television program that was broadcast on NBC from October 22, 1954, until March 11, 1955.[4]
Premise
Comedian Jack Carson played himself in a show akin to The Jack Benny Program in the way it portrayed a comedic version of the star's home life, supplemented with music.[5] Radio historian John Dunning described Carson's characterization on the show as "generally bumbling and dumb."[1]
A later version of the program had Carson in the role of "a very capable m.c., bantering with his supporting cast, reading an 'off-beat' item from a newspaper and recounting a humorous incident.[6]
Originating at KNX in Los Angeles, California,[7] the program debuted as a summer replacement for Milton Berle's show.[8] Sponsors over the years included Campbell Soup Company,[9] Sanka coffee,[10] and Sealtest.[1]
Personnel
Besides Carson, regular characters on the show and the actors who portrayed them are shown in the table below.
| Character | Actor |
|---|---|
| Carson's nephew, Tugwell | Dave Willock[1] |
| Carson's press agent | Eddie Marr[1] |
| Mrs. Freddy Martin | Agnes Moorehead[1] |
| Tristan, the butler | Arthur Treacher[5] |
| Little girl next door | Norma Jean Nilsson[5] |
| Aunt Sally | Elizabeth Patterson[5] |
| Hubert Peabody | Mel Blanc[5] |
| Mrs. Foster | Jane Morgan[5] |
Others often heard on the program included Doris Drew, Maxie Rosenbloom, Hanley Stafford,[5] and Irene Ryan.[1]
Announcers were Del Sharbutt, Carlton KaDell, Howard Petrie,[1] Hy Averback, and Bob Stewart. Music was led by Ray Chamberlain, Charles Dante, Walter Gross, Freddy Martin, and Johnny Richards.[5] Singers on the show included Olga San Juan,[10] Tony Romano,[6] Marion Hutton,[11] Anita Ellis, and the King Sisters.[5]
Bill Brennan,[6] Vick Knight, Sam Fuller, and Larry Berns were producer-directors. Sol Stein, Tom Adair,[6] Jack Douglas, Howard Harris, Leo Solomon,[12] Dave Swift,[13] Leonard Levinson, Lou Fulton,[1] and Mack Benoff were writers.[14] Knight and Richards collaborated to compose the program's theme song, "The Moment We Met".[2]
Broadcast schedule
The table below gives information about when The Jack Carson Show was broadcast.
| Beginning Date | Ending Date | Day of Week | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2, 1943 | June 25, 1947 | Wednesday | CBS |
| September 11, 1947 | July 8, 1948 | Thursday | NBC |
| October 8, 1948 | July 1, 1949 | Friday | CBS |
| October 3, 1955 | December 20, 1956 | Monday- Friday |
CBS |
Source: On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio[1]
Note: The 1947-1948 version of the program was titled The Sealtest Village Store.[1]
Television
In the TV version of The Jack Carson Show, Carson was host for "a program of music, songs, and comedy sketches."[15] Sponsored by Pontiac automobiles, the show was broadcast on Friday nights on NBC,[4] alternating with The Red Buttons Show.[16]
Besides Carson, regular cast members included Don Ameche, Kitty Kallen, Ray McDonald, Donald Richards, Peggy Ryan, Constance Towers, and The Asia Boys. Announcers were Bud Heistand and Ed Peck. The orchestra was led by Vic Schoen and Harry Sosnik.[15]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 363. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
The Jack Carson Show, comedy.
- ^ a b "(untitled brief)" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 19, 1943. p. 55. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ^ "Renewal Accounts" (PDF). Broadcasting. November 18, 1946. p. 64. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ^ a b McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. pp. 420–421. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 169–170. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4.
- ^ a b c d "Jack Carson Show" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 10, 1955. p. 13. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- ^ "(KNX advertisement)" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 23, 1943. p. 15. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ^ "British Are Using Radio to Carry on War Against Axis". Battle Creek Enquirer. Michigan, Battle Creek. May 20, 1943. p. 22. Retrieved July 1, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Renewal Accounts" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 16, 1943. p. 56. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ^ a b "Sanka Sponsors" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 13, 1948. p. 83. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- ^ "Production" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 4, 1948. p. 85. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- ^ "Production" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 20, 1948. p. 90. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- ^ "Production" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 25, 1948. p. 76. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- ^ "Behind the Mike" (PDF). Broadcasting. March 13, 1944. p. 44. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ^ a b Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 520. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
- ^ "Auto Advertising" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 4, 1954. p. 28. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
External links
Logs
- Log of episodes of The Jack Carson Show from Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs
- Log of episodes of The Jack Carson Show from Old Time Radio Researchers Group
- Log of episodes of The Jack Carson Show from radioGOLDINdex