Jack Benny-Hound Of The Baskervilles

[Riklaa]

ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED and long-lived of Old Time Radio performers was the incomparable Jack Benny. Among the thousands of other, often dismally-written, shows polluting the airwaves, audiences always knew that they could tune into Benny and lose themselves in the comedian’s sharp wit, his knack with timing, his many foibles (especially his propensity for clinging to his pennies), the memorable plots, and the more outré gags that slipped under the radar of the censors and his sponsors. (After all, words on paper often take on a whole new meaning when performed.) Benny was also known for his trenchant parodies, often far more entertaining than the pieces he spoofed, and so, when the much-lauded Rathbone/Bruce film The Hound of the Baskervilles was filling the theatres in 1939, an obvious target was the master detective himself. While I wouldn’t consider this a rare recording among OTR fans, it’s one that several Sherlock fans haven’t yet heard. And, as always, Benny delivers where lesser comedic characters like Miss Sherlock fall flat on their deerstalker caps.

[Anson (Bob) Roberts]

Benny also did anothe,less well-known Holmes spoof "Who Killed Mr. X?"

I've only found Parts 2 and 3, but Holmes is not introduced until part two anyway.

I'm uploading the full shows. For those who really don't want to listen to Benny (!!!). the Holmes spoof begins at about 7:45 of Part two, with a three minute "musical interlude".

My favorite line:

"Holmes, I made some nice homemade soup."
"What kind?"
"I made chicken, vegetable and noodle."
"Quick, Watson, the noodle."

[Anson (Bob) Roberts]

Just for the sake of completeness, here's the preview of the Hound show from the week before. It's excerpted from the full show, but I left in the Jello commercial.

Bob