On this page I will attempt to do a "Consumer Reports"-like view of new and existing Jack Benny merchandise. Items will be rated on a scale from 1 violin (don't even consider it) to 5 violins (a must buy!).
"Jack Benny - Always 39"
There is a new "CD-ROM" making the rounds called "Jack Benny - Always 39." I have placed CD-ROM in quotes since it is not a CD-ROM in the traditional sense; that is, it does not have all the traditional material and jumps that a CD-ROM has. Instead, it seems to be a digital version of a Jack Benny documentary that was previously released on video in 1994. In order to view this CD-ROM you will need to have Windows Media Player on your machine.
The frustrating thing about this CD-ROM is that the video itself is quite good. There are a few tantalizing film clips of a Jack radio show, where you can see the actors read and deliver their lines. There is also a segment where a script that was actually used and annotated by Jacks display line-by-line on the screen as the concurrent line from that radio show plays. The problem is the script lines are pretty much unreadable due to the size of the window in which it plays. Simply put, it's like reading the bottom line of an eye chart!!
So the bottom line on this CD-ROM is this: If you can get a copy of the actual video of this documentary (which evidentially exists) go for it. It will be well worth it. However, if you see the CD-ROM version I would pay no more than a few bucks for it due to the small window in which it plays.
Rating: 3 violins out of 5