This is a television adaptation of the 1949 radio show which was loosely derived from the 1945 Warner Brothers film. Jack Benny starred in all three versions.
The story includes a then-timely running gag in which Athanael was solely responsible for a freak cloud of smog that had engulfed Manhattan. The same month that this show was performed, mysterious smog was blamed for the deaths of 260 people in New York City, including renowned poet Dylan Thomas.
The Jerry and Johnny characters were named after Jerry Farber and John Wilder, who had previously played the roles in the 1949 Ford Theater radio version.
This episode had a limited pressing on DVD by Shout Factory as a bonus disc available to those who purchased "The Jack Benny Program: The Lost Episodes" from the company's official website.
The series was broadcast live, but a kinescope copy of this episode survived.