Jack Leaves Canada Dry for Chevrolet

[Yhtapmys]

Canada Dry dropped Jack in January 1933 but it looks like there was a change planned before then.

Here’s the radio AP column, probably by C.E. Butterfield, dated Dec. 22, 1932. It’s difficult to interpret whether this means Jack was looking for a new sponsor or Canada Dry was looking for a new network.

NEW YORK, Dec. 22 (AP)—Two-hour concerts by the Boston Symphony orchestra are to be a Saturday night network feature the first ten weeks of the New Year.
Starting on Now Year's eve, the programs will be carried to a WJZ-NBC chain via WBZ-WBZA as the key station. The broadcasts open at 8:15.
George Olsen’s orchestra is to begin a new week-end series on WEAF-NBC the first Saturday night in January. Gus Van will “run” the show and there will be Ethel Shutta, Fran Frey and “Hot-Cha” Gardner as soloists. Jesse Crawford returns with a weekly console concert for WEAF-NBC Christmas night. Christmas presents in the form of renewed contracts have been handed Guy Lombardo, Burns and Allen and Singin’ Sam over at WABC-CBS. Kate Smith’s schedule moves to Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights with the turn of the New Year. Radio Row is discussing another network shift for Comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago his program moved from NBC to CBS. Now, the information is that he may return to NEC in a new feature, probably with his old group—Geo. Olsen’s orchestra as his musical support. Instead of the usual procedure of several auditions, the networks are trying a different plant. It consists of giving but one studio audition followed by an actual broadcast before reaching a decision on the artist. Such a procedure resulted in WABC-CBS contract for Mildred Rose, soprano. Guy Maier, lecturing pianist, is listed for a Schubert program on WEAF-NBC Tuesday evening.

On the face of it, the rumour doesn’t make a lot of sense. As you can see, Olsen had already been moved to a new show with his singers who worked on Benny’s original show.

Incidentally, the radio listing for the date reads:

8:15 p.m.—Jack Benny and Sid Silvers, comedians; Andrea Marsh, soprano, and Ted Weems Band.

Jack was on twice a week, Thursdays and Sundays. This is the listing for the following Sunday. It’s interesting to note Jack’s show is the only one in the evening that isn’t listed as coast to coast and he was not broadcast out west.

10:00—Jack Benny—basic; Arabesque—Dixie; Friendly Muse—w[est].

Jack’s last WABC-CBS show was January 26, 1933. Another rumour sprung up soon after the show was pulled off the air and it’s in the Winnipeg Free Press.

JACK Benny, who appeared for the last time on the “nickel-back” programme on CBS Thursday night, and who will NOT be heard on Sunday night, MAY be on a new CBS programme, which is due to hit the air waves in less than two weeks.
At present, Benny is doing his darndest to get this new assignment, but it’s a toss-up between him and Joe Cook, another comedian, for the role of master of ceremonies on the new lineup. Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians, a dance orchestra, are definitely set for the new one, which will also have soloists, still to be chosen, and either Benny or Cook.

Butterfield’s A.P. radio column of February 4 reveals:

Milton Berle and J. P. Medbury are the latest funny men who have had auditions as the comedian in the new WABC-CBS program which will include Fred Waring’s Pcnnsylvanians. About every other footloose gagster except Gracie Allen’s missing brother have tried out. Joe Cook, Jack Benny, Harry Richman, Willie and Eugene Howard among others.

As we know, Jack didn’t get that show. Butterfield’s column of February 23 notes:

Jack Benny, comedian, and his wife, Mary Livingstone, together with Irene Taylor, blues singer, and Frank Black’s orchestra have been proposed as the entertainers to succeed to Al Jolson’s Friday night time on WEAF-NBC. Jolson, in leaving the air, expressed the belief that he did not get an opportunity to demonstrate his microphone ability to its fullest extent.

And that’s exactly what happened on March 3, when Jack went on for Chevrolet, though Irene Taylor didn’t make it. Butterfield’s column of that date says:

Jack will have carte blanche in running the show, a 10 o’clock WEAF-NBC listing, but with the help and cooperation of his wife, Mary Livingstone. The plan is to have guest artists also each week, the first to be Jimmy Melton, tenor, and Edith Evans, deep-throated contralto.

Another radio column of that date added:

Benny, not content with one “straight” man, will use everyone connected with the program as foils for his humor.

The columns didn’t come out and say it, but they’re hinting there was friction between Jack and Canada Dry over his content—not news to anyone today—and he (or his agents) made sure that didn’t happen with his next show.

Yhtapmys