1952 Don Wilson (Announcer to Jack Benny) CBS Television Lucky Strike Announcer Employment Agreement

We had a collage of Jack Benny program star signatures and that collection did not include Don Wilson.  Don was not only famous for promoting State Farm (think Ed McMahon with Alpo or Budweiser) but he was also a key talking head for Lucky Strike cigarettes. 

This is the original signed contract for Don Wilson to do the promotional announcements for Lucky Strike cigarettes on the January 27, 1952 Jack Benny Television Show. 

The gig paid $600 for a minute and back then Lucky’s were 15 cents a pack.  Mr. Wilson could have bought 400 cartons of cigarettes for $600.  If Mr. Wilson had the same gig on the next show in early February he could have afforded the iron lung needed to survive a 4,000-pack-a-week habit.  Please do not try to use Don’s social security number as listed unless you are prepared to get your smokes at a federal penitentiary commissary.