The Jack Carson Show

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 is the title of a television program that was broadcast on NBC from October 22, 1954, until March 11, 1955.[4]

The Jack Carson Show
Jack Carson
Other namesNew Jack Carson Show
The Sealtest Village Store
GenreComedy-variety
Country of originUnited States
Language(s)English
Home stationKNX
SyndicatesCBS
NBC
CBC Dominion
TV adaptationsThe Jack Carson Show
StarringJack Carson
AnnouncerDel Sharbutt
Carlton KaDell
Howard Petrie
Hy Averback
Bob Stewart
Written bySol Stein
Tom Adair
Jack Douglas
Howard Harris
Leo Solomon
Dave Swift
Leonard Levinson
Lou Fulton
Mack Benoff
Directed byBill Brennan
Vick Knight
Sam Fuller
Larry Berns
Produced byBill Brennan
Vick Knight
Sam Fuller
Larry Berns
Original releaseJune 2, 1943 (1943-06-02) 
December 20, 1956 (1956-12-20)
Opening theme"The Moment We Met"
Sponsored byCampbell Soup Company
Sanka coffee
Sealtest
Photo of a Chicago streetscape taken by Stanley Kubrick Look magazine, 1949, from State/Lake station
People arriving at the Chicago Theatre for a show starring, in person, Jack Carson, Marion Hutton, and Robert Alda, taken by Stanley Kubrick for Look magazine, 1949

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.

CharacterActor
Carson's nephew, TugwellDave Willock[1]
Carson's press agentEddie Marr[1]
Mrs. Freddy MartinAgnes Moorehead[1]
Treacher, the butlerArthur Treacher
Little girl next doorNorma Jean Nilsson[5]
Aunt SallyElizabeth Patterson[5]
Hubert PeabodyMel Blanc[5]
Mrs. FosterJane 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]

Radio broadcast schedule

The table below gives information about when The Jack Carson Show was broadcast.

Beginning DateEnding DateDay of WeekNetwork
June 2, 1943June 25, 1947WednesdayCBS
September 11, 1947July 8, 1948ThursdayNBC (Sealtest)
October 8, 1948July 1, 1949FridayCBS
October 3, 1955December 20, 1956Monday-
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] Jack Carson replaced Jack Haley as lead comic in September 1947, while Eve Arden was manager.[15][16]

In 1949, as part of the show, Jack Carson's radio program toured, with Jack Carson, Marion Hutton, and Robert Alda.[17]

Television

In the TV version of The Jack Carson Show, Carson was host for "a program of music, songs, and comedy sketches."[18] Sponsored by Pontiac automobiles, the show was broadcast on Friday nights on NBC,[4] alternating with The Red Buttons Show.[19]

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.[18]

References

  1. 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.
  2. "(untitled brief)" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 19, 1943. p. 55. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  3. "Renewal Accounts" (PDF). Broadcasting. November 18, 1946. p. 64. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  4. McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. pp. 420–421. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
  5. 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.
  6. "Jack Carson Show" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 10, 1955. p. 13. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
  7. "(KNX advertisement)" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 23, 1943. p. 15. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  8. "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. open access
  9. "Renewal Accounts" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 16, 1943. p. 56. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  10. "Sanka Sponsors" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 13, 1948. p. 83. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
  11. "Production" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 4, 1948. p. 85. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
  12. "Production" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 20, 1948. p. 90. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
  13. "Production" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 25, 1948. p. 76. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
  14. "Behind the Mike" (PDF). Broadcasting. March 13, 1944. p. 44. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  15. https://web.archive.org/web/20140703024439/http://oldradioprograms.us/Jack%20Carson%20Show.htm
  16. https://www.dumb.com/oldtimeradio/radio/1914//Sealtest_Village_Store.html
  17. "Marion Hutton". BandChirps. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  18. 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.
  19. "Auto Advertising" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 4, 1954. p. 28. Retrieved 3 July 2018.

Logs

Streaming


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.