The Jack Benny Program

- Season 5

(1954)

When Jack falls asleep on stage during his monologue, Don Wilson comes out and explains that Jack has been worried about this season's first episode, and then tells them--in flashback--about the kind of day Jack's been having.

Jack invites some celebrity friends over to the house for one of his weekly jam sessions. This week's session includes Dan Dailey, Kirk Douglas, Fred MacMurray, Tony Martin, and Dick Powell.

A reporter asks Jack how he found Mary, and Jack remembers himself as a straw-hatted Hollywood boulevardier, twirling a cane, singing "Just a Gigolo " - lured into a May Co. store by a sale on $ 1.99 guaranteed shirts. 22 years later as he's being interviewed, Jack's still wearing the garish shirt. Underwhelmed by Jack's charms, saleswoman Mary Livingstone cracks wise with Jack, while her female co-workers both slice him up and encourage Mary. Episode also features Rochester singing and scat-dancing with The Sportsmen Quartet on "I Get So Lonely."

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When Jack's studio proposes a TV special adapting the story of his life, Jack takes personal responsibility for casting the roles.

Jack loses to Rochester at gin rummy and has to do Rochester's chores for the day while Rochester plays golf. Jack goes to the market to buy groceries for Christmas dinner.

Live from the San Diego Naval Training Centre Jack performs his stand up routine with assorted musical numbers.

A pair of burglars find that robbing valuables from Jack's bedroom is no easy job.

Jack and versatile performer and musician Gisele MacKenzie,pair up on violin and perform 2 musical pieces together. Gisele also plays and sings on piano the song "Smile". With great comedy from Jack and cast as well.

After being awakened at 4:00 a.m. by a phone call from "Hank, The All Night Radio DJ", Jack finds that he can't get back to sleep. Later that day, exhausted from lack of sleep, he and Mary go to a clothing store to buy him a new suit, but it turns into much more of an ordeal than he ever thought it would be.

Charleston T. Gundelfinger runs a lunch counter where the customers must be quick on the draw, if they want their change.

A variety of hijinks ensue when Jack treats a group of youngsters to a day at the carnival.

With Gary Crosby as a guest, doing a duet with Mary Livingstone on his show, Jack is sure he'll have a good one, but always relies on Rochester's opinion rather than what the TV critics say, just as Mary depends on her mother's viewpoint. Unfortunately, both fell asleep and missed it.

When Jack learns that the jackpot on Groucho Marx's television quiz show "You Bet Your Life" has risen to a whopping $3,000, he sneaks onto the show as a contestant, by wearing a disguise.

To meet his sponsor in New York, Jack and Rochester pack their bags and a parrot and head to the train station. Their taxi driver is a blubbering wreck who hates to see people leaving.At the station they encounter friends like Don and Mr. Kitzel, and pests like Frank Nelson.

While in New York, Jack wants to impress Jackie Gleason, so he and Rochester move into the penthouse suite of the luxurious St. Regis Hotel, and there's no length Jack won't go to, in order to avoid having to pay the $36 a night rental.