Jack Benny - SHOWER OF STARS: Betty Grable, Barbara Nichols, Janis Paige (4/20/58) 

What a joy to see Jack Benny is still the best comedian of all time. These great stars of the Golden Age of entertainment in America.

These old commercials were safe, no reasons to be embarrassed or disgusted, the way commercials are nowadays.

I wonder if this episode of Shower of Stars was broadcast in black in white. In earlier years, the announcer indicated that Shower of Stars was live, in Full Color. There is no mention of Full Color in this episode. Also no presence of a CBS Bloodshot Eye, which was shown with earlier Shower of Stars episodes and the December 25, 1958 broadcast of The Nutcracker, which luckily was recorded on color video tape. By the late 1950's, CBS was attempting to curtail color broadcasts, and was informing advertisers that it wanted them to cover the added costs. If Chrysler was getting ready to cancel their sponsorship of this program and Climax!, it would have made sense, to stop color broadcasts of the show, as an initial step to reign in costs.

Betty Grable was 43 there. She had a terrific figure.

Originally telecast on April 17, 1958.

Because of the effect the 1957-'58 recession had on the automobile industry, Chrysler ended their monthly "SHOWER OF STARS" specials, as well as their weekly "CLIMAX!" dramatic anthology series that season. It wasn't until early 1959 that Jack found other sponsors to resume his occasional monthly specials [Greyhound and Benrus].

JANICE PAIGE IS STILL AROUND PUSHING 100....ALWAYS FOUND THAT WARNERS ALWAYS DUBBED HER SINGING IN THOSE FORTIES MUSICALS...SHE WENT INTO BROADWAYS "PAJAMA GAME" AND PEOPLE FOUND OUT SHE COULD SING...

George Burns isn't even half as fuñny as Jack. I think that Jack is the king of comedy.

Betty Grable was supposed to be in 'Gentleman Prefer Blondes' with Jane Russel. However Betty had protested a couple of movies she didn't want to be in and the studio had suspended her.

I thought I recognized John Raitt in Jack's 20 April, 1958 "Shower of Stars": he was Doris Day's beau in " The Pyjama Game", 1957.... (I was 9 ! ) 🇬🇧💕🇺🇲🎶⭐💕🇬🇧

If you’re looking at this on your iPad, the t.v. screen in 1958 may not have been that much bigger. I’m exaggerating but not much. // The car commercial for those outrageous fin cars is precious. So basic advertising the extra chrome, “where other drivers see it best”, in the back. The “Forward Look” they called it.

I get stomach pain every time they sing, it's just not like today. Betty Grable make good sounds. It's just that slow paced stuff l can't tolerate.

Barbara Nichols??