JACK BENNY: THE LOST EPISODES

From its beginnings as an immensely popular radio program to its heyday as the premiere situation comedy on television, The Jack Benny Program and its eponymous star are counted among the most gifted influences in the history of American comedy. One of the leading entertainers of the 20th century, the trials and tribulations of Jack Benny’s “Everyman” character kept millions of fans laughing for over 30 years. On July 23rd, 2013, Shout! Factory and NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products will release The Jack Benny Program: The Lost Episodes, a three-DVD collection that celebrates the enduring heart, soul and wit of this American icon.

Lovingly restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive, this first of its kind set features 18 episodes of the beloved program — unseen since their original broadcast — plus all-new bonus features including excerpts from the Jack Benny color television specials, an new interview with Harry Shearer, director Norman Abbott and Benny’s secretary Dorothy Ohman; newsreels featuring rare footage from the 1930s and ’40s, a 16-page booklet and much more.

Starting June 18th, 2013, fans and collectors who order their copy directly from ShoutFactory.com will receive a bonus DVD of “Omnibus: The Horn Blows at Midnight.” Unseen since its broadcast 60 years ago, “Omnibus: The Horn Blows At Midnight” stars Benny as Athanael the trumpeting angel, a role which he originated in the 1945 feature film The Horn Blows At Midnight. This genuinely rare live production of the celebrated TV series Omnibus was adapted from The Ford Theater’s 1949 radio broadcast of The Horn Blows At Midnight.

In addition to the recurring character lineup of Jack, Don, Mary and Eddie “Rochester” Anderson; The Jack Benny Program: The Lost Episodes also features a superb lineup of guest stars including Natalie Wood, Red Skelton, Gary Cooper, George Burns, John Wayne, Dick Van Dyke, Billy Graham, Milton Berle, Tony Curtis and President Harry Truman...

SOURCE AND EPISODE LIST