RADIO RECALL. February 2018, Volume 35, No. 1 HOW NBC ATTEMPTED TO KILL JACK BENNY’S RADIO CAREER In an era where only four major networks With television on the horizon, Paley wanted existed, competitive business was more CBS to become the dominant player. about industry supremacy and prestige Investing in part ownership of a program – than financial stature… at least, that was and celebrities – would be essential not just the view of William S. Paley, president of securing chief talent for the shape of things to CBS. In July of 1948, CBS made Amos n’ come, but also a means of handicapping the Andy an offer of $2,000,000 a year for the competition. Going forward CBS would own exclusive radio and television rights after (in part) the programs that aired over their their contract with Lever Bros. and NBC television network, rather than lease airtime expired. Strategically, the move was in and studio facilities. This business practice line with the network’s plan to load up on still continues to this day. top air talent that could double over to On the evening of October 3, 1948, television. The comedy team of Freeman The Lucky Strike Program, starring Jack Gosden and Charles Correll was used as Benny, was the highest rating of any radio a nucleus to build up a CBS powerhouse. comedian for a season opener. Dominating Standard method of operation for high-paying clients was an advertising agency to create a number of proposals, whereupon the sponsor would choose the program of their liking – the networks were merely a brick and mortar facility supplying the equipment and distribution for radio production. HTTP://WWW.MWOTRC.COM/ HOW NBC ATTEMPTED TO KILL JACK BENNY’S CAREER (CONTINUED) the ratings on Sunday nights, at 7 o’clock, it was no surprise that CBS approached Jack Benny with a similar offer. The Bureau of Internal Revenue, however, took issue with the capital gains deal. The Revenue claimed there was a difference between the Amos n’ Andy deal and one involving almost any other radio personality. Capital gains implies the selling of a Bergen, buy the NBC Sunday time slot for property, not personal services. Hence five years. The plan backfired by forcing something must be sold aside from the executives at Coca-Cola into a corner, individual. It was acceptable for CBS to causing the sponsor to give serious “buy” the Amos n’ Andy show because the consideration to make a move to CBS. act, and not the actors, were the important Before the end of November, Jack aspect of the purchase. A Jack Benny show Benny signed the contract with CBS. without Jack Benny would be nothing. An “Understood that Benny was so firmly Edgar Bergen-Charlie McCarthy show committed to Columbia’s board chairman, without Edgar Bergen would be William S. Paley, that he couldn’t get out of unthinkable. In such cases and in virtually it,” reported one newspaper columnist. The all other instances of top radio terms of the Benny contract earmarked personalities, the individual and the show $100,000 for promotion of Jack Benny’s were not divisible. It would be the sale of program making the switch to CBS, Paley personal services. shelling out $3,000 for each rating point Rumors started to spread by late loss as a result of the network switch (paid November that Jack Benny would receive to the sponsor), and $350,000 purchase a chunk of CBS stock in return for his price for Benny’s Amusement Enterprises signature, offsetting the capital gains issue. operation. In the event that the Treasury Vincent Riggio, president of American Department went against the capital gains Tobacco, the sponsor of Benny’s comedy deal, Paley would book Benny as a program, protested against the “television consultant” for ten years at arrangement and threatened to drop $200,000 a year or a CBS stock offer in the sponsorship if Benny signed with CBS. event the tax deal developed frostbite. (So By Thanksgiving, the mass exodus of that Phil Harris, who remained on NBC, three top NBC Sunday shows to CBS could continue to appear on the Benny about the first of the year was nearing the program, CBS would rearrange its Sunday wrapping-up stage. Attempting to counter- schedule to give Harris time to negotiate the attack the talent raids, NBC firmly travel distance between the two studios.) demanded Coca-Cola, the sponsor of Executives at NBC were short- Week after week, The Big Show sighted to understand the real reason why presented a roster of names promoted in Benny – and other top-rated comedians – tabloids as “bigger than any in radio or jumped to CBS. NBC had a strict policy television,” which included Jimmy against taping radio broadcasts in advance. Durante, Eddie Cantor, Ed Wynn, Bob Radio personalities were tired of showing Hope, Groucho Marx, Martin and Lewis, up at the studio “live” every week when the Frankie Laine, Ezio Pinza, Judy Holliday, convenience of tape – relatively new Fanny Brice and Judy Garland. Regarding technology in the industry – provided the budget for talent, by one estimate, the convenience. NBC simply did not want to program cost the network $300 a minute. invest in the vast expense of purchase and Tallulah Bankhead, best known as a installation, but official word through the successful stage actress in New York City, hallways was that “tape is unstable and became a household name as a result of her unreliable.” Unaware of the driving force, capacity as emcee for the program. What NBC attempted to counteract by offering was good for Tallulah, however, was not lucrative contracts with such personalities necessarily good for NBC. Plagued with a as Bob Hope and Milton Berle, offering horrendous budget and the inability to long-term employment. Another method attract enough sponsors to cover the cost of was to create a number of in-house production, network executives weighed programs such as Screen Directors’ options regarding broadcasting The Big Playhouse, Nightbeat and Dimension X. Show. Bad timing was another negative: Perhaps the most ambitious was The radio was starting to be overshadowed by Big Show, an innovation in show business television (jokes about television programs deriving its name from the fact that the offering better entertainment than radio talent roster each week included “the often crept into The Big Show scripts) and biggest names in show business” – name scheduled in a competing timeslot that guest stars chosen from music, drama, NBC fought bitterly for domination, comedy in stage, motion-picture, concert, against a rival network… and Jack Benny. radio and television who were all “top NBC strategically scheduled The Big performers” in their respective fields. The Show to air against Jack Benny, even Big Show was presented under NBC’s new cracking jokes about “he-who-shall-not- sponsorship plan known as “Operation be-named” and a spoof of Jack Benny’s Tandem,” in which sponsors were offered program in the premiere broadcast. Phil participation in sponsorship of five prime- Harris had first option to vacate his 7:30 time programs each week, no more than p.m. Sunday night time slot and would not three sponsors to be included in any 30- budge. For the second season of The Big minute program time. Prior to this, radio Show, however, Harris agreed to move to programs primarily featured only one Friday nights and NBC got what they sponsor throughout the time slot (although wanted – a 90-minute program that began the same sponsor was able to promote more 30 minutes before Jack Benny and than one of their own products.) concluded 30 minutes after Jack Benny. HOW NBC ATTEMPTED TO KILL JACK BENNY’S CAREER (CONCLUDED) Network breaks and station identification Marketing for The Big Show was were deliberately over a few minutes to unparalleled compared to any other ensure NBC listeners would not program broadcast over NBC radio. immediately switch to Jack Benny at 7 Not a week went by that a national p.m. magazine featured an article about The Within weeks the program Big Show, some authored by Tallulah garnered praise from critics ranging from Bankhead herself (ghostwritten by the “the season’s best” to the “most razzle- staff of NBC). But amidst all the dazzle comedy-entertainment layout publicity, ratings played a key factor. since broadcasting was incepted.” According to the Hooper rating, Collier’s (January 1951) wrote an Benny’s rating rose 2.2 over his NBC unabashed plug for the program on its rating, which covered both the live editorial page (devoting all but four broadcast and the West Coast repeat. inches of an entire editorial page) and Amos ‘n’ Andy, following Benny, rode called the selection of Tallulah Bankhead the tide and posted a pickup of 5.7. for emcee as “the most progressive step NBC’s answer to the CBS-Jack that radio has taken since the loud- Benny Sunday night powerhouse was speaker replaced headphones.” The using the biggest star line-up ever set Washington Post, following the for one radio series. Was it worth it? broadcast of January 28, 1951, likewise John Dunning, author of On The Air: went out of its way to applaud NBC for The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, giving the radio public a program marked summed it up best: “The Big Show has by originality. its moments, but The Jack Benny NBC took advantage of The Big Program rolled along on CBS, as Show not just to create new radio consistently brilliant and funny as ever. personalities (such as Tallulah The moral, perhaps, is that brilliance Bankhead), but molded recurring guest and genius cannot be bought, that a stars for potential weekly programs buckshot approach never works and including Judy Holliday.