This year, Joy and I are delighted to share a trio of Benny classics for Good Friday, Easter Saturday, and Easter Sunday—each one a perfect snapshot of Jack’s comic genius across three distinct eras of his long-running program. They’re brisk, bright, and brimming with the kind of good-natured humor that made holiday radio a family tradition.

Good Friday: Sunset Boulevard (March 25, 1951)

We begin with a Hollywood touch and a gentle poke in the ribs. Jack is introduced by Don Wilson as “Jack Bunny,” a joke that Don is really pleased with. The whole cast perform a smart, sprightly parody of Sunset Boulevard - Billy Wilder’s noir-tinged masterpiece that was still fresh in the public’s mind in 1951. Benny’s film send-ups were a hallmark of his postwar seasons, and this one is a beauty: Easter cheer meets Tinseltown glamour, with Jack playing off his star persona to skewer the very idea of fame. You’ll hear the show in its mature stride—Mary Livingstone’s tart asides, Don Wilson’s smiling gravitas, Dennis Day’s sunny tenor, Rochester’s perfectly timed punchlines, and, in this era, Phil Harris at his rakish best. The result is springtime comedy with Hollywood sheen, and a reminder of how radio could take the biggest screen stories and refashion them into laugh-out-loud theater of the mind.

Easter Saturday: Easter Parade (April 5, 1953)

Saturday finds Jack in Beverly Hills, primping and preparing for the annual Easter promenade. The Easter Parade shows became a beloved Benny tradition: you can practically see the bonnets, the polished shoes, and Jack’s carefully guarded wallet as he sets out to be seen. By 1953, the show had a slightly different musical lilt—Bob Crosby had taken over the bandleader’s chair—and the program has a relaxed, breezy swing that suits the holiday. Dennis Day’s voice glides, Don keeps the pace, and Jack’s gentle vanity and thrifty calculations bring that familiar mixture of character comedy and topical asides. It’s a charming stroll through Beverly Hills in full bloom—radiant with the easy confidence of early ’50s Benny.

Easter Sunday: Ah, Wilderness! (April 12, 1936)

We close the weekend by stepping back to the Jell-O years, when Jack’s program was still gathering the elements that would make it immortal. This 1936 broadcast opens with a nod to Easter finery and Don Wilson’s sponsor patter (you’ll hear those famous six flavors), then rolls into a light-footed pastiche of Eugene O’Neill’s Ah, Wilderness! It’s classic early Benny: Mary’s quips land with playful accuracy, and Kenny Baker—Jack’s young tenor in this period—threads the show with bright melodies. The parody is affectionate rather than arch, and the whole half hour sparkles with the variety-show snap that linked vaudeville to network radio. Listening today, you can feel the show finding its shape—tight timing, confident character beats, and a knack for making even highbrow material wonderfully accessible.

Three snapshots, one through-line

What ties these broadcasts together—beyond Easter bonnets and blooming sidewalks—is Jack’s instinct for tone. He knew when to keep it bright and spry (1936 Ah Wilderness!), when to lean into the spectacle of Hollywood (1951’s Sunset Boulevard), and when to amble with a wink through the rituals of spring (1953’s Easter Parade). Across the years, the cast changes slightly, but the chemistry never falters. It’s the comfort of returning to old friends, all dressed up for the holiday.

More Easter listening on RUSC

To make your weekend even more enjoyable, Joy and I have put together a special page with over twenty Easter-themed shows for you to explore—comedies, dramas, and musical treats that capture the season’s spirit. You’ll find favorites from across the dial, plus another delightful Jack Benny Easter program to round out your listening. Whether you’re revisiting a beloved classic or discovering a new gem, these shows are perfect companions for a relaxed afternoon or a family evening together.

Enjoy the Easter shows, and as always, be sure to give them a star rating and perhaps a review with your thoughts.

From Joy and myself, we wish you a Happy Easter and many pleasant hours in the company of Jack Benny and friends.

Happy Listening,