Podcast Summary: Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)

Host: Mean Streets Podcasts
Episode: BONUS – Jack Benny Presents "The Killers"
Air Date: November 21, 2025

Episode Overview

This bonus episode of Stars on Suspense features a comedic twist on classic noir. Host Mean Streets Podcasts revisits "The Killers," not with its famous film cast, but with legendary comedian Jack Benny and his ensemble. Originally airing November 24, 1946, this parody brings together radio and film icons (including Edward G. Robinson) for a hilarious send-up of Hemingway’s tense crime story. The episode blends suspenseful tropes with Benny’s trademark humor, showcasing both dramatic and comedic radio traditions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction & Context ([00:58])

• Host Recap: The host explains the background—"The Killers" was previously featured with original film stars on Suspense. This bonus presents a radio parody with Jack Benny.

• Unique Element: Edward G. Robinson, famous for tough-guy roles, joins the spoof, poking fun at his own persona.

  “He wasn’t in the movie The Killers, but he’s well suited for the story. And it sounds like he was having a lot of fun poking fun at his screen persona.” — Host (01:40)

2. Jack Benny Program Pre-Show Banter ([02:45–09:32])

• Comedic Setup: The episode opens with a typically zany exchange between Jack and Rochester about Benny’s ever-failing car.

  • Car jokes emphasize Benny’s miserly and hapless character.
  • Rochester’s joyride with his girlfriend leads to slapstick consequences.

• Phil Harris’s Arrival: More car gags, Phil pokes fun at Jack’s outdated vehicle.

• Meta Humor: Jokes about old ladies recognizing Benny, poking fun at celebrity in-jokes.

  “Gee, my radio's only got three buttons: Anaheim, Azusa, and Cucamonga. I can only get Anaheim when I'm in Azusa.” — Jack Benny (07:00)

3. Musical Interlude and Quartet Gags ([09:33–19:32])

• Dennis Day’s Confusion: Classic bit—Dennis gets upset at Mary not greeting him, despite her absence (running joke on Day’s childlike character).

• Jack’s Frustration with the Quartet:

  • Jack has had enough of Don Wilson’s singing group.
  • Quartet tries to blend opera with cigarette jingles, leading to escalating frustration and slapstick.
  • Contract is “torn up” (but it’s Jack’s own).

• Musical Number: Dennis Day performs “For You, For Me, Forevermore,” followed by more gags about Mary.

  “Opera has no place on this program!” — Jack Benny (14:40)

4. “The Killers” Parody Play ([19:33–36:52])

• Setup: The cast presents their version of "The Killers," relocating the action to a lunchroom with a comedic edge.

• Parody Elements:

  • Instead of noir tension, most lines are played for broad laughs—menu jokes, redecorating gags, vaudeville banter.
  • Edward G. Robinson and Phil Harris spoof gangster dialogue and threats, trading "see?" and quips with Benny’s straight man act.

  “You just answer them and do as I tell you, see? If not, you'll get hurt, see?”
  — Edward G. Robinson, as gangster (23:54)

  • Curtain and decor racketeering replace murder as the “heavy” plot.
  • Jack turns the tables (humorously ineptly), leads to a “shootout” with fake bravado and pratfalls.

  “I'm dying, Slugger... Goodbye, Slugger... I'm dying. I'm dying. Dying. Well, fall down, you big ha... Maybe this'll help.”
  — Robinson & Benny (34:35)

  • Satirical send-up of radio suspense tropes—breaking the fourth wall, winking at audience’s expectations.

5. Credits & Farewell ([36:53–End])

• Sponsor Reads: Brief tongue-in-cheek “Lucky Strike” spots, blending real ad copy with program humor.
• Thanks to Guest: Benny thanks Edward G. Robinson for playing along with the comedy.
• Playful Goodnights: Call-backs to Mary, running jokes about being "mad at Mary," and closing as only classic radio can.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jack and cars:

  "Maybe the motor's worn out."
  "Oh no, that's impossible. The speedometer only says 88,000 miles."
  "Come now, boss. We pushed it further than that."
  (Rochester and Jack Benny, 04:03)

• Meta reference:

  “They had to operate on him before they could get his pants on.”
  (Phil Harris, joking about Frankie, the bandleader, 08:24)

• Quartet Chaos:

  “LSMFT! Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco!”
  (Quartet in musical chaos, around 13:05)

• Dennis Day, still upset:

  “If she isn't mad, why doesn't she call me up?”
  (Dennis Day, 10:00)

• Spoof gangster banter:

  “What are you shaking for, Blue Eyes? It ain’t cold in here.”
  (Edward G. Robinson, 22:02)

• Surreal dialogue:

  “You're getting them from us, see? I can't get them from you. I'm buying all my curtains and drapes from Johnson & Co.”
  (Parodic “racketeering” exchange, 24:45)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:12 — Definition and setup: Suspense intro
• 00:58–02:44 — Host's context about The Killers parodies and cast
• 02:45–09:32 — Jack Benny Program banter: garage gag, Harris arrives, car jokes
• 09:33–19:32 — Studio scenes: Quartet joke arc, Dennis's song ("For You, For Me, Forevermore")
• 19:33–36:52 — “The Killers”: Radio parody play
  • 22:02 — Gangster entrance: Edward G. Robinson spoofs
  • 24:45 — Curtains and rackets: Main comedic plot
  • 34:35 — Fake gunfight and over-the-top "death" scene
• 36:53–End — Sponsor message, credits, and playful sign-offs

Tone & Language

• The episode maintains Jack Benny’s classic sly, dry, self-deprecating humor, blending suspense parody with vaudevillian delivery.
• Comic timing is matched with knowing winks to Old Time Radio conventions, making the show approachable to both nostalgia fans and newcomers.

Summary

This episode of Stars on Suspense is a vintage treat—mixing sharp parody, classic radio tropes, and a stunning lineup of Hollywood and radio legends. Fans of suspense, comedy, and radio history will delight in Jack Benny’s spoof, especially as Edward G. Robinson gamely lampoons his own screen image. The playful energy never lets up, and the banter ensures that even a hardboiled crime tale can be, above all, a laugh riot.