Editing Jack Benny (section)

==Radio==
{{Main|The Jack Benny Program}}

[[File:Jack benny 1933 publicity photo.JPG|thumb|Benny in 1933, newly arrived at NBC and the host of ''The Chevrolet Program'']]
Benny had been a minor vaudeville performer before becoming a national figure with ''[[The Jack Benny Program]]'', a weekly radio show that ran from 1932 to 1948 on [[NBC]] and from 1949 to 1955 on [[CBS]]. It was among the most highly rated programs during its run.<ref>{{cite book |last=Garrett |first=Eddie |title=I Saw Stars in the 40s and 50s |year=2005 |publisher=Trafford |quote=In a short time, Benny became the [[List of most-listened-to radio programs|most popular radio show]] in America in the 1930s and 1940s | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TDbGVZj5qzgC&pg=PA26 |isbn=978-1-4120-5838-4 }}</ref>

Benny's long radio career began on April 6, 1932, when the NBC Commercial Program Department auditioned him for the [[N. W. Ayer & Son]] agency and their client [[Canada Dry]], after which [[Bertha Brainard]], head of the division, said, "We think Mr. Benny is excellent for radio and, while the audition was unassisted as far as orchestra was concerned, we believe he would make a great bet for an air program." Recalling the experience in 1956, Benny said Ed Sullivan had invited him to guest on his program (1932), and "the agency for Canada Dry [[ginger ale]] heard me and offered me a job."<ref>"Stars Shine Best When Polished: a B-T Interview with Jack Benny," Broadcasting-Telecasting, October 15, 1956, 122. http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1956/1956-10-15-Quarter-Century-BC.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20161027123354/http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1956/1956-10-15-Quarter-Century-BC.pdf |date=October 27, 2016 }}</ref>

With Canada Dry ginger ale as a sponsor, Benny came to radio on ''The Canada Dry Program'', on May 2, 1932, broadcast on Mondays and Wednesdays on the NBC [[Blue Network]], featuring [[George Olsen]] and his orchestra. After a few shows, Benny hired Harry Conn as writer. The show continued on Blue for six months until October 26, moving to CBS on October 30, now airing Thursdays and Sundays. With [[Ted Weems]] leading the band, Benny stayed on CBS until January 26, 1933,<ref>Hilmes, M. (1997). Radio voices American broadcasting, 1922–1952. Minnesota Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.</ref> when Canada Dry opted not to renew Benny's contract after it attempted to replace Conn with Sid Silvers, who would have also gotten a co-starring role. Unlike later incarnations of the Benny show, ''The Canada Dry'' ''Program'' was primarily a musical program.

Benny then appeared on ''The Chevrolet Program'', airing on the [[NBC Red Network]] between March 17, 1933, until April 1, 1934, initially airing on Fridays (replacing Al Jolson), moving to Sunday nights in the fall. The show, which featured Benny and Livingstone alongside Frank Black's orchestra and vocalists [[James Melton]] and (later) [[Frank Parker (singer)|Frank Parker]], ended after General Motors' president insisted on a musical program. He continued with sponsor [[General Tire]] on Fridays through the end of September.

The show switched networks to CBS on January 2, 1949, as part of CBS president [[William S. Paley]]'s notorious "raid" on NBC talent in 1948–1949. It stayed there for the remainder of its radio run, ending on May 22, 1955. CBS aired repeat episodes from 1956 to 1958 as ''The Best of Benny''.