1932–1948
Laughter with nowhere to hide
Before tape, a comedy programme happened exactly once. The cast stood at a microphone in front of a paying house, the network clock started, and whatever came out went out. That is why the laughter on these recordings behaves so strangely to a modern ear: it arrives late, it swamps a line, it fails. Benny built an entire career on waiting for it. Fred Allen wrote against it, filling half a page with words no audience could possibly catch first time. ITMA played to theatres full of people who had spent the previous night in a shelter. Two of the broadcasts here — the Manchester Palace edition of May 1940 and the ninety-four seconds preserved from 24 October 1941, when the script turned a bombed building into a gag — are as close as recorded sound gets to what it felt like to be in that room.
21 recordings · 5 broadcasters
Who carried it
2 May
1932
Archive recordings
30 min
Benny's first broadcast under his own name, opening with the line that begins American situation comedy: “This is Jack Benny talking. There will be a slight pause while everyone says, ‘Who cares?’” Recording held by the Internet Archive;
26 September
1934
Archive recordings
17 min
Burns and Allen broadcasting from London in the middle of a British tour, playing to a live house an ocean away from their sponsor. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
25 November
1936
Archive recordings
31 min
A Thanksgiving-eve broadcast built entirely on Gracie's logic, played straight to the studio audience. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
7 March
1937
Archive recordings
29 min
The Benny company stages a prize-fight burlesque before the Hollywood studio audience, two years before the Benny–Allen feud gave the gag a real opponent. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
22 January
1939
Archive recordings
29 min
Benny's version of the origin of the feud, told to a studio audience already in on the joke. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
5 February
1939
Archive recordings
29 min
The feud escalates on air: Benny throws down the challenge that will end in a live meeting between two rival networks' biggest stars. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
4 October
1939
Archive recordings
59 min
Allen's writing room at full strength: a topical satire staged live, with the audience laughter left exactly where it fell. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
3 March
1940
Archive recordings
29 min
Gracie Allen brings her Surprise Party presidential campaign — a stunt that ran across several networks' comedy shows at once — onto Benny's stage. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
6 March
1940
Archive recordings
29 min
From the Surprise Party campaign season, when Gracie's fictional run for president was covered by real newspapers. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
20 March
1940
Archive recordings
59 min
A live broadcast that goes wrong in the best way when a guest eagle escapes in front of the audience. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
5 May
1940
Archive recordings
29 min
Benny's live parody of Fred Allen's Town Hall Tonight, performed in front of an audience that knew both shows by heart. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
18 May
1940
Archive recordings
44 min
Tommy Handley's company broadcasting live from a Manchester variety theatre in the month of Dunkirk, with the house roaring. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
19 June
1940
Archive recordings
46 min
Benny appears on Allen's own stage; the feud, live, with both men in the same room. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
26 June
1940
Archive recordings
29 min
The final CBS night before the act moved to NBC, played to the house that had watched them for six seasons. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
31 July
1940
Archive recordings
29 min
One of the team's earliest surviving radio broadcasts, worked in front of a live house in their first season on the air. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
24 October
1941
Archive recordings
1 min
Ninety-four seconds preserved from a live wartime broadcast: the gag written around the building the company was actually working in. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
6 December
1942
Archive recordings
28 min
The night Allen's Alley first walked out in front of an audience, inventing the format that carried Allen through the rest of the decade. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
18 November
1943
Archive recordings
29 min
Costello's first season back after rheumatic fever, with Lucille Ball on stage and a wartime audience in the seats. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
10 May
1945
Archive recordings
29 min
Two days after the war in Europe ended, ITMA plays to an audience that has just been told it can turn the lights back on. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
4 December
1947
Archive recordings
29 min
The company's command performance edition, broadcast live before an invited house. Recording held by the Internet Archive;
30 December
1948
Archive recordings
29 min
A live end-of-year party broadcast, the studio audience doubling as the party guests. Recording held by the Internet Archive;