Sort by Popularity - Most Popular Movies and TV Shows tagged with keyword "reference-to-jack-benny"

1. Back to the Future (1985)

PG | 116 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown.

Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover

Votes: 1,306,732 | Gross: $210.61M

2. A Soldier's Story (1984)

PG | 101 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery

An African-American officer investigates a murder in a racially charged situation in World War II.

Director: Norman Jewison | Stars: Howard E. Rollins Jr., Adolph Caesar, Art Evans, David Alan Grier

Votes: 11,396 | Gross: $21.82M

3. The Late Shift (1996 TV Movie)

R | 95 min | Comedy, Drama

A dramatization of the rivalry between David Letterman and Jay Leno over which of them would succeed Johnny Carson as the host of "The Tonight Show".

Director: Betty Thomas | Stars: John Michael Higgins, Daniel Roebuck, Kathy Bates, Bob Balaban

Votes: 3,781

4. Ode to Billy Joe (1976)

PG | 106 min | Drama

In 1950s Mississippi, teenager Bobbie Lee Hartley navigates her blossoming hormones as she is courted by Billy Joe McAllister, who is headed for tragedy.

Director: Max Baer Jr. | Stars: Robby Benson, Glynnis O'Connor, Joan Hotchkis, Sandy McPeak

Votes: 2,160

5. Sullivan's Travels (1941)

Passed | 90 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama

Hollywood director John L. Sullivan sets out to experience life as a homeless person in order to gain relevant life experience for his next movie.

Director: Preston Sturges | Stars: Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake, Robert Warwick, William Demarest

Votes: 28,517

6. Jailhouse Rock (1957)

Not Rated | 96 min | Drama, Music, Musical

After serving time for manslaughter, young Vince Everett becomes a teenage rock star.

Director: Richard Thorpe | Stars: Elvis Presley, Judy Tyler, Mickey Shaughnessy, Vaughn Taylor

Votes: 9,832 | Gross: $4.00M

7. Designing Woman (1957)

Approved | 118 min | Comedy, Romance

A sportswriter and a fashion-designer marry after a whirlwind romance, and discover they have little in common.

Director: Vincente Minnelli | Stars: Gregory Peck, Lauren Bacall, Dolores Gray, Sam Levene

Votes: 5,468

8. Where's Poppa? (1970)

R | 82 min | Comedy

When an attorney meets the girl of his dreams, he fears that his batty mother will scare her off, so he schemes to eliminate the senile old woman.

Director: Carl Reiner | Stars: George Segal, Ruth Gordon, Ron Leibman, Trish Van Devere

Votes: 2,338 | Gross: $1.10M

9. Topper Returns (1941)

Passed | 88 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Mystery

A fun-loving young woman is murdered after trading bedrooms with her wealthy friend. Her ghost seeks aid from Topper to find the murderer.

Director: Roy Del Ruth | Stars: Joan Blondell, Roland Young, Carole Landis, Billie Burke

Votes: 3,418

10. State of the Union (1948)

Approved | 124 min | Comedy, Drama

An industrialist is urged to run for President, but this requires uncomfortable compromises on both political and marital levels.

Director: Frank Capra | Stars: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Van Johnson, Angela Lansbury

Votes: 4,169

11. The Automat (2021)

TV-PG | 79 min | Documentary, History

Documentary centers on the vending machine popularized in the 20th century that offered fresh cooked meals in a commissary-style eatery.

Director: Lisa Hurwitz | Stars: Mel Brooks, John W. Romas, Carl Reiner, Krystyna Romas

Votes: 1,563

12. The Bigamist (1953)

Approved | 80 min | Drama, Film-Noir

A man secretly married to two women feels the pressure of his deceit.

Director: Ida Lupino | Stars: Joan Fontaine, Ida Lupino, Edmund Gwenn, Edmond O'Brien

Votes: 4,726

13. The Hucksters (1947)

Passed | 115 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

A World War II veteran wants to return to advertising on his own terms, but finds it difficult to be successful and maintain his integrity.

Director: Jack Conway | Stars: Clark Gable, Deborah Kerr, Sydney Greenstreet, Adolphe Menjou

Votes: 1,994

14. Isn't She Great (2000)

R | 95 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama

Bette Midler and Nathan Lane star in this comedy about Jacqueline Susann, the ambitious woman of dubious talent who wrote Valley of the Dolls, a best-selling novel that became a sensation.

Director: Andrew Bergman | Stars: Bette Midler, Nathan Lane, Stockard Channing, David Hyde Pierce

Votes: 2,557 | Gross: $2.96M

15. Enter Laughing (1967)

Passed | 112 min | Comedy, Romance

A young would-be actor seeks his first break.

Director: Carl Reiner | Stars: José Ferrer, Shelley Winters, Elaine May, Jack Gilford

Votes: 726

16. The Hard Way (1943)

Passed | 109 min | Drama, Musical, Romance

Embittered, ambitious Helen Chernen sees an opportunity to escape her drab small-town life by becoming a 'stage mother' to her musically-talented younger sister.

Director: Vincent Sherman | Stars: Ida Lupino, Joan Leslie, Dennis Morgan, Jack Carson

Votes: 1,493

17. Star Spangled Rhythm (1942)

Approved | 99 min | Comedy, Music

A Paramount Studios security guard who was a major actor during the silent film era must carry out the illusion that he is still a big deal when his sailor son comes to visit.

Directors: George Marshall, A. Edward Sutherland | Stars: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Fred MacMurray, Franchot Tone

Votes: 669 | Gross: $0.60M

18. Up at the Villa (2000)

PG-13 | 115 min | Drama, Romance

A widow finds choosing a new husband might not be her choice at all, as the actions of her various prospects confine her freedom.

Director: Philip Haas | Stars: Kristin Scott Thomas, Sean Penn, Anne Bancroft, James Fox

Votes: 2,846 | Gross: $2.93M

19. Follow the Boys (1944)

Approved | 122 min | Comedy, Drama, Music

During World War II, all the studios put out "all-star" vehicles which featured virtually every star on the lot--often playing themselves--in musical numbers and comedy skits, and were ... See full summary »

Directors: A. Edward Sutherland, John Rawlins | Stars: George Raft, Vera Zorina, Grace McDonald, Charley Grapewin

Votes: 502

20. Pride of the Marines (1945)

Approved | 120 min | Biography, Drama, Romance

Marine hero Al Schmid is blinded in battle and returns home to be rehabilitated. He readjusts to his civilian life with the help of his soon to be wife.

Director: Delmer Daves | Stars: John Garfield, Eleanor Parker, Dane Clark, John Ridgely

Votes: 1,644

21. Johnny Dark (1954)

85 min | Action, Drama, Romance

Automobile engineer Johnny Dark designs a radical new car. After the owner refuses to sponsor the car in a Canada to Mexico sports-car race, Johnny, with the aid of the owner's ... See full summary »

Director: George Sherman | Stars: Tony Curtis, Piper Laurie, Don Taylor, Paul Kelly

Votes: 446

22. I Love to Singa (1936)

Approved | 8 min | Animation, Short, Comedy

A spoof of Al Jolson's "The Jazz Singer", a strict piano teaching owl is cursed with a son who "loves to singa", but only jazz.

Director: Tex Avery | Stars: Tex Avery, Billy Bletcher, Tommy Bond, Lou Fulton

Votes: 2,097

23. Starlift (1951)

Approved | 103 min | Comedy, Drama, Music

To impress a movie star, a U.S. Air Force crewman pretends he is soon to see combat. When his lie gets out, chaos ensues.

Director: Roy Del Ruth | Stars: Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Virginia Mayo, Gene Nelson

Votes: 588

24. Casting By (2012)

TV-14 | 89 min | Documentary, Biography

The surprising, never-before-told tale of the indispensable yet unsung Casting Director - Iconoclasts whose keen eye, exquisite taste and gut instincts redefined Hollywood.

Director: Tom Donahue | Stars: Deborah Aquila, Risa Bramon Garcia, Ellen Chenoweth, Marion Dougherty

Votes: 1,639 | Gross: $0.01M

25. A Holiday Romance (1999 TV Movie)

Not Rated | 91 min | Drama, Romance

A staid school administrator comes to town to save a school from closing and ends up falling in love with the charming music teacher.

Director: Bobby Roth | Stars: Naomi Judd, Gerald McRaney, Alison Pill, Jayne Eastwood

Votes: 502

26. Girl 27 (2007)

Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary, Biography

The reclusive Patricia Douglas comes out of hiding to discuss the 1937 MGM scandal, in which the powerful film studio tricked her and over 100 other underage girls into attending a stag party, where she was raped.

Director: David Stenn | Stars: Patricia Douglas, Baby Peggy, Richard W. Bann, Kelly Brown

Votes: 1,185

27. Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur (1939)

Approved | 8 min | Animation, Short, Adventure

Go back billions of years to the dinosaur age with Caspar Caveman and his pet dino, Fido. Caspar spots Daffy in a lake and hunts him but Daffy just keeps outsmarting him.

Director: Chuck Jones | Stars: Mel Blanc, Jack Lescoulie

Votes: 1,036

28. Back Home (1989 TV Movie)

103 min | Drama, Family

During World War II, young Virginia "Rusty" Dickinson was sent to America for safety. It's now five years later and she returns to her native country, England. From the family she hardly ... See full summary »

Director: Piers Haggard | Stars: Hayley Mills, Hayley Carr, Adam Stevenson, Brenda Bruce

Votes: 151

29. The Mouse That Jack Built (1959)

7 min | Animation, Family, Short

A mouse version of The Jack Benny Program (1950).

Director: Robert McKimson | Stars: Jack Benny, Mary Livingstone, Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, Don Wilson

Votes: 475

30. Whistling in Brooklyn (1943)

Passed | 87 min | Action, Comedy, Crime

Radio crime show host "The Fox" finds himself on the trail of a serial killer while a suspect himself.

Director: S. Sylvan Simon | Stars: Red Skelton, Ann Rutherford, Jean Rogers, Rags Ragland

Votes: 724

31. Clancy Street Boys (1943)

Passed | 66 min | Comedy

Muggs' rich Uncle Pete comes to visit. Unfortunately, Muggs' late father bragged that he had seven kids, so Muggs recruits members of the gang to pose as his family.

Director: William Beaudine | Stars: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Bobby Jordan, Noah Beery

Votes: 558

32. Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles (2014)

PG-13 | 91 min | Documentary, Biography

A look at the life and work of the great theatre, radio and film artist.

Director: Chuck Workman | Stars: Orson Welles, Simon Callow, Christopher Welles, Joanne Hill Styles

Votes: 973 | Gross: $0.02M

33. Malibu Beach Party (1940)

Approved | 8 min | Family, Animation, Short

Jack Bunny (a spoof of Jack Benny) invites Hollywood celebrities to his Malibu house for a party.

Director: Friz Freleng | Stars: Sara Berner, Marie Greene, Danny Webb, Dave Barry

Votes: 192

34. Always Leave Them Laughing (1949)

Passed | 116 min | Comedy, Drama

A young comic plays second-rate nightclubs and chintzy resorts in his struggle to break into the big time.

Director: Roy Del Ruth | Stars: Milton Berle, Virginia Mayo, Ruth Roman, Bert Lahr

Votes: 465

35. Blonde Dynamite (1950)

Approved | 66 min | Comedy, Crime, Family

With Louie away, Slip turns the Sweet Shop into an escort service that attracts the attention of bank robbers.

Director: William Beaudine | Stars: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Adele Jergens, Gabriel Dell

Votes: 414

36. Hollywood Daffy (1946)

TV-Y7 | 7 min | Animation, Short, Adventure

Daffy sneaks onto the Warmer Brothers lot, eventually posing as a tour guide. Daffy spoofs a number of contemporary stars, and others appear as "themselves". He also has a number of run-ins with a studio cop.

Directors: Friz Freleng, Hawley Pratt | Stars: Mel Blanc, Bea Benaderet, Sara Berner, Richard Bickenbach

Votes: 527

37. Sunday Night at the Trocadero (1937)

Approved | 21 min | Short, Comedy, Music

The Brian Sisters are also featured in this short.

Director: George Sidney | Stars: Reginald Denny, George Hamilton, Louis & Celeste, Connee Boswell

Votes: 325

38. The Woods Are Full of Cuckoos (1937)

Approved | 7 min | Animation, Short, Comedy

A program for radio KUKU set in the woods, mostly starring birds as caricatures of celebrities of the day. The MC is bandleader Ben Birdie, heckled by Walter Finchell. Wendell Howell ... See full summary »

Director: Frank Tashlin | Stars: Sara Berner, Mel Blanc, Lorraine Bridges, Peter Lind Hayes

Votes: 378

39. It Happened to Crusoe (1941)

6 min | Animation, Short

A parody of Robinson Crusoe, with the principal characters given voice impersonations of Jack Benny, Fred Allen, Eddie Anderson, etc. A cannibal King expels his son from the tribe because ... See full summary »

Directors: Lou Lilly, Allen Rose | Stars: Mel Blanc, Jack Lescoulie, Danny Webb

Votes: 28

40. Week End in Hollywood (1947)

11 min | Documentary, Short

This travelogue promoting Hollywood tourism offers brief looks at several of the town's landmarks as well as quick glimpses of stars and their homes.

Stars: Walter Lantz, Sid Grauman, Freddie Fisher, Bob Hope

Votes: 54

41. Of Moose and Men: The Rocky & Bullwinkle Story (1990 TV Movie)

Documentary, Animation, History

A retrospective look at the "Rocky and Bullwinkle" cartoon show, from the creative talent behind the scenes to the cast of animated characters and the cultural and historical influences behind the show's gags.

Director: Marino Amoruso | Stars: Howard Brandy, Allan Burns, William Conrad, June Foray

Votes: 53

42. The Big Birdcast (1938)

7 min | Animation, Short

A group of radio stars - caricatured as birds - perform.

Director: Ben Harrison | Star: Danny Webb

Votes: 50

43. Postal Union (1937)

21 min | Short, Comedy, Musical

A telegraph worker has to learn magic in order to get a pretty co-worker to agree to marry him.

Director: Roy Mack | Stars: Georgie Price, Vera Dunn, Toni Lane, Marilyn Marlowe

Votes: 45

44. John Wayne: On Board with the Duke (1997 Video)

Not Rated | 68 min | Documentary

An intimate look at John Wayne seen through home movies taken aboard his yacht the Wild Goose, a converted minesweeper.

Director: Shannon Clark | Stars: Scott Carpenter, Carol Channing, James Coburn, Ron Ely

45. Century of Cinema (1995–1998)
Episode: A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995)

225 min | Documentary, Biography, History

Martin Scorsese describes his initial and growing obsession with films from the 1940s and 50s as the art form developed and grew with clips from classics and cult classics.

Directors: Martin Scorsese, Michael Henry Wilson | Stars: Martin Scorsese, Allison Anders, Kathryn Bigelow, Francis Ford Coppola

Votes: 5,139

46. American Experience (1987– )
Episode: The Battle Over Citizen Kane (1996)

TV-PG | 108 min | Documentary, Biography, History

Documentary about the battle between Orson Welles and William Randolph Hearst over Welles' Citizen Kane (1941). Features interviews with Welles' and Hearst's co-workers also as a relative complete bio of Hearst.

Directors: Michael Epstein, Thomas Lennon | Stars: Richard Ben Cramer, William Alland, Thomas Anderson, Peter Bogdanovich

Votes: 1,456

47. AFI Life Achievement Award (1973– )
Episode: AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to James Cagney (1974)

75 min | Documentary

Actor James Cagney receives the Second Annual AFI Lifetime Achievement Award as co-workers pay tribute and clips from his films are shown.

Director: Bill Foster | Stars: James Cagney, Frank Sinatra, Mae Clarke, Doris Day

Votes: 250

48. America 2-Night (1978)
Episode: Rolletti-Sherwood Wedding (1978)

Comedy

Wedding of Tony Rolletti and Joanie Sherwood; Tom Waits interviewed;

Director: Marvin Kupfer | Stars: Martin Mull, Fred Willard, Frank De Vol, Bill Kirchenbauer

49. The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1968)
Episode: Aunt Bee on TV (1965)

TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family

Aunt Bee wins big on a TV quiz show.

Director: Alan Rafkin | Stars: Andy Griffith, Ron Howard, Frances Bavier, George Lindsey

Votes: 211

50. Animaniacs (1993–1998)
Episode: Testimonials/Babblin' Bijou/Potty Emergency/Sir Yaksalot (1993)

Not Rated | 22 min | Animation, Short, Adventure

The Warners wreak havoc at the movie theatre in a black and white cartoon from the 1930s. Then, Wakko has a "Potty Emergency" as he races against time and nature to find a bathroom.

Directors: Barry Caldwell, Jeff DeGrandis, Rusty Mills | Stars: Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche

Votes: 173