Jack Benny, January 8

Here we have the Jack Benny program (technically the Jell-O Program), parodying a hit 1938 film in their production of Snow White and the Seven Gangsters. They did it in April 1938 as well, but they're doing it again, with Andy Devine as Prince Charming (it was Mr Kitsel(sp), or his predecessor played by the same actor whose name I forgot at the moment, in the 1938 version), and claiming Walt Disney is in the audience, but he doesn't appear in the episode (I know I've heard Walt on an episode tho, so it is possible he was actually there; there's an ep where they promote a Silly Symphony, so maybe it's that one where he speaks). Which is a testament to the staying power of the movie, as it was unusual (unprecedented?) to re-enact a play based on a movie on the show (tho many of the jokes differ).

The show includes song parodies of Heigh Ho (including one of the in show plugs for the sponsor, Jell-O), Someday My Prince Will Come (which is lyrically straight, letting the laughs come from the messed up vocals of Andy Devine), Whistle While You Work, and the final version of Someday (which I think they intended straight but it didn't quite work out that way). After the regular end, there's also a bit of I'm Wishing, playing off Andy's voice again. Kenny Baker sings One Song from the movie in the regular tenor song slot, straight as you'd expect.

The show has a Lone Ranger reference, as did the first cartoon of the year, which had premiered the previous day. Of course, the April '38 version also contains the same reference (tho the joke differs between the two episodes based on the identity of the Prince Charming actor).

You can find the show in various formats at:

http://www.archive.org/details/JackBenny1939and1940

The MP3 specifically is at:

http://www.archive.org/download/JackBenny1939and1940/JB_390108_Snow_White_and_the_Seven_Gangsters_64kb.mp3

Here's the 1938 version:
http://www.archive.org/download/JackBenny1937and1938/JB_380424_Snow_White_Seven_Gangsters.mp3