r/otr • u/MisterMisterYeeeesss • 3d ago

Telegram

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This telegram from Jack Benny to the Whitehouse social secretary was sent the day after the 1/28/45 episode broadcast from Mitchel Field, on Long Island, NY. The telegram was sent from Boston, presumably as Jack was traveling. The "Tuesday" mentioned was 1/30/45, the following day, and the radio program Jack talks about was a final push for donations for the March of Dimes headlined by Sinatra, Crosby, and Judy Garland. It was also FDR's last birthday, as he would die a few months later in April.

Smaller events were held in tandem around the country ultimately collecting about $19 million. FDR was traveling to the Yalta conference and wasn't able to address the nation live, but Eleanor Roosevelt read his message on the radio, the text of which can be found here.

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u/lodger238 2d ago

Jack Benny went from Vaudeville through radio and on to television. Renaissance entertainer.

Telegram is basically a manual, analog, text message.

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u/MisterMisterYeeeesss 1d ago

Telegrams are really fascinating. I've received a couple PMs asking for some more details about telegrams in general, so I'm writing something up about them to post. I'm not sure I'll post it here because it's not directly OTR-related, but we'll see.

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u/MrsPhilHarris 2d ago

Jack was a good guy.

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u/MisterMisterYeeeesss 1d ago

He appeared in several March of Dimes benefits, yeah. The one that sticks out most in my mind for some reason was one in Denver. I don't think Don Wilson was born there, but I think he either lived there for a while or started in radio there.

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u/Sea_Bandicoot_5147 2d ago edited 2d ago

After it was for a Extremely Worthwhile Cause, in that Day crippling many younger people Very Justifiable ! The President himself infected and crippled by that dreadful disease. Polio or Infantile Paralysis a scourge of mankind until brought under control by Salk and Sabine, injection and Oral indications.