Just when did Jack Benny first appear on the radio?

One of the things I like about writing the blog is finding out things not generally known, or better yet, refuting things that are suppoosed "known" facts..

     One of these assumptions is that Jack Benny began his radio career as a guest of Ed Sullivan on a show in New York on March 29, 1932..His first words were documented as "Hello, this is Jack Benny. Now there will be a slight pause while you say, who cares?"

In recent days, friend Don M. Yowp, whom we have mentioned here before because of his vintage Hanna-Barbera Blog, has started "Tralfaz" a second blog for more of his general entertainment Interests:
Jack Benny On The Air, 1931

Yowp writes about an earlier Benny appearance on RKO Theater of The Air September 4, 1931 on WIBA Madison, Wisconsin.

I thought I'd look around the Plain Dealer Archive to find anything sooner, not really thinking I would..Surprisingly, I came up with a Monday January 20, 1930 Broadcast on WHK-1390 Cleveland at 7:30 PM called "Voices From Filmland"

This appears to be a early Columbia/CBS Radio series on until at least March 1930..According to JJ's Radio log website, this was also on KHJ-930 Los Angeles and WABC-860 New York..
Mr. Benny was on either Radio or TV regularly from 1932-65, with periodic NBC specials until his death in December 1974.

Ms. Laura Leff, a fan of Jack Benny since 10 years of age, runs some facets of the Jack Benny Estate and is head of the International Jack Benny Fan Club.. International Jack Benny Fan Club
International Jack Benny Fan Club

Year In Review-2011

Mary Holt, pioneer among women in Cleveland Broadcasting, passed away March 9th..


Broadcaster Joe Tait retired in April after 39 years of NBA Play-By-Play with the Cleveland Cavaliers..Tait, with Terry Pluto recently brought out his Biography, "It's Been A Real Ball."

Dick Goddard, Cleveland TV Weather Forecaster who on May 1, 2011 celebrated his 50th year in Television, starting out at KYW-TV 3..After a short stint in Philadelphia at KYW, Goddard has been with WJW-8 Cleveland since March 1966..(Photo courtesy Cleveland Leader)


Jane Scott, Rock Music Critic for the Plain Dealer, died July 4 (Photo courtesy Cleveland.com)


Chuck Collier, WGAR Radio Host for over 40 years, passed away September 22..(Photo courtesy WGAR.com and WEWS Newsnet5.com)

Hello..
I'd like to present our second annual Year In Review of Classic Cleveland and Northeast Ohio Media happenings..

Passings..

Mary Holt, a Pioneer in Cleveland Women's Broadcasting..worked at WJMO and WJW Radio as well as KYW-TV 3 in Cleveland..March 9

Dick Dugan, Cartoonist for the Plain Dealer for 38 years..April 16

Jane Scott, Rock Music Writer/Critic for The Plain Dealer..July 4

Chuck Collier..WGAR DJ for over 40 years. September 22..

(If anyone can think of any local folks I might have missed, Email me..)

Milestones:

Dick Goddard celebrated 50 years in TV in May..At That time he brought out his Biography "Six Inches of Partly Cloudy" with Tom Feran..

Joe Tait retires as Cavaliers Basketball Announcer in April after 39 years as an NBA Play By Play man..He also recently wrote, with Terry Pluto "It's Been A Real Ball."
He is replaced by former Lake Erie Monsters Announcer John Michael..

Mike Hegan retires as Indians Radio announcer in October, replaced by Jim Rosenhaus, who was already on the Broadcast Team, rotating with Tom Hamilton And Hegan..

Other News:

In Classic TV Locally, WIVM-52 Canton moves to digital 39 in January, eventually having 4 streams..1. Local With RTV, 2. Tuff TV 3. PBJ Family/Kids Programming 4. Denny and Marge Hazen FM stations..

Antenna TV began on channel 8.2 January 1, 2011
MeTV Began August 1, 2011 on WOIO 19.2 replacing Weather Now
TCT (WRLM-former WOAC) adds a Family/Classic TV channel on 47.3 with TCT regular (.1) TCT HD (.2) and Spanish (.4)

Bounce African American TV Channel is scheduled to begin shortly on WUAB-43.2 or 3 in addition to ThisTV..

In Radio, The biggest news is probably WKRK 92.3 switching from Alt Rock to Sports Talk in late August 2011..

WNWV (107.3) recently was sold by Elyria-Lorain Broadcasting to Rubber City Radio..Format was changed to a form of Smooth Jazz..

Four New FM stations debuted this year in parts of Northeast Ohio..

WKJA (91.9)..Calvary Chapel from California operates this station licensed to Brunswick, Ohio covering much of NE Ohio with 25kw..

WHVY-89.5 Coshocton-Operated by Harvest Baptist Temple Of Clyde, Ohio (WHVT 90.5 and a Findlay Translator on 94.1)

WJDD-90.9 Carrollton (June 2011) and WJEE-90.1 Bolivar (East Sparta)-Operated by Denny and Marge Hazen of TV Ministry Plus Or Minus 60..

More Radio:
WINW Radio 1520 left the air last Spring partly due to Copper Theivery and flooding in the station's transmitter area. They recently returned to the air at low power..

Curtis Perry III, who had been operating WINW under an LMA with an Urban Gospel Format (and appears to be again)..In the meantime, WCER-900 was LMA'ed to Mr. Perry, with the result that the station is currently off the air..Hoping that someone will put 900 back on the air at some point..I's a pretty good facility..

It will be interesting to see what 2012 brings..As always, we're on the lookout for rare Radio/TV airchecks, either audio or video to share on our sites..God Bless you all, thanks for reading and contibuting and Happy New Year to all..