According to the book written by joan benny, jackandmarys adopted daughter, jack was in love with an irish catholic woman when he was very young. A staple on nbc radio for 16 years, jack benny made headlines when he signed an unprecedented contract with rival network cbs. His respect and friendship with eddie rochester anderson was evident. Jack benny was an american entertainer, who transitioned from modest success playing violin. From 1950 to 1965, he had his own television show the jack benny show, which was a hit throughout its run. In what could serve as a handy supplement to jack benny. A master of comic timing and an innovative producer, benny, with his radio. His radio show is still widely available, on cds, in digital form, and through streaming media on the internet. Marcia borie got together with hickey marks, jacks brotherinlaw and producer, to write a book. International jack benny fan club has 5,141 members. His daughter joan has added insightful commentary throughout. Jack benny, born benjamin kubelsky, was an american comedian, vaudevillian, radio, television, and film actor. February 14, 1894 december 26, 1974 was an american entertainer, who transitioned from modest success playing violin on the vaudeville circuit to a highly popular comedic career in radio, television, and film. I remember watching the jack benny show, and the description of their relationship is accurate.
Laura leff, founder of the jack benny fan club she was ten at the time, as well as facebooks ijbfc, was instrumental in unearthing 18 longunseen shows for the indispensable threedisc. Perhaps not as good as sunday nights at seven but, nevertheless, i still rather enjoyed. Bennys longestrunning sponsor, however, was the american tobacco companys lucky strike cigarettes, from 1944 to 1955, and it was during lucky strikes sponsorship that the show became, at last, the jack benny program once and for all although it was often announced by don wilson at the start of the show as the lucky strike program starring. His television show is also widely available, with possibly the entire run available on dvd and many episodes available through streaming media. Recognized as a leading american entertainer of the 20th century, benny portrayed his character as a miser, playing his violin badly. Jacks lemony narrator moments, especially when he has to provide onthespot lampshades for what went against the planned script. The radio and television work, published last year by harper perennial in conjunction with. Josefsberg writes about the jack benny show, the people who were involved, and in the course of the book, one comes away with a better sense of who jack benny the man was.
Jack bennys comic program terry teachout, commentary. Reflections on the life and career of jack benny is a collection of rare and delightful essays and personal reminiscences on perhaps the greatest comedian who has ever lived. It premiered on nbc blue on may 2, 1932, and had its last episode on cbs radio on may 22, 1955, producing a total of 931 episodes. How jack benny and harry conn stumbled onto the formula. The horn blows at midnight 1945 is a comedy fantasy film directed by raoul walsh, and starring jack benny following its poor boxoffice, benny often exploited the films. Im like will rogers, i never met a man i didnt like. Top 20 quotes of jack benny famous quotes and sayings. How jack benny influenced successful comedians to this day.
The jack benny program, which starred no less than jack benny himself, was a comedy series than went onair for more than 30 years in both radio and television. Borie felt she found the key to jack whereas bennys own family had not. Heres a classic jack benny and mel blanc routine from the jack benny program that ran in the early 1960s. When the jack benny program began appearing on television in 1950, a 1916 maxwell model 25 tourer became one of the productions standard props. Facebook home of the international jack benny fan club. Jack bennys impact on the world of entertainment was profound, and the ripples of his influence are still expanding today. Jack benny actually first met his wife mary livingstone in vancouver british columbia when he was appearing there, possibly at the orpheum there as well. This is no more gloriously demonstrated than in the episode baby face bogart, with guest star humphrey bogart the classic jack benny program moment, supposedly the longest laugh ever recorded, came when jack benny, always known as a skinflint and cheapskate. Jack benny confronts racist while entertaining troops.
In a well furnished victorian home, jack was a money hungry brat, and his father loved getting the family together to play. I enjoyed this book so much, and also the book sunday nights at seven. He broke off the relationship so not to break his fathers heart. As well as discussing his film and television work, she presents an extremely. I loved jack benny when i discovered his radio program as a twelveyearold kid. Fein, did an excellent job of portraying bennys life and expressing his unique sense of humor. The more i learn about jack benny, the more i love him.
Sunday nights at seven by jack benny american vaudeville as seen by its. By 1943, jack bennys maxwell had become such a well known aspect of popular culture that it was referenced in the spike jones record the sound effects man. International jack benny fan club public group facebook. The jack benny story, jack benny and joan benny, warner books, 1990, 302 p. Search, discover and share your favorite jack benny gifs. Jack benny first appeared on radio as a guest of ed sullivan in march 1932.
In nineteen fortyeight, he moved his show from the national broadcasting company to the columbia broadcasting system. Jack benny, an intimate biography, was a well written book. It was at the palomar that harris came to the attention of jack benny. One other note the running gag of bennys being cheap it was a gag he was actually quite generous was part of it benny would come up with some lucilleballlike hairbrained scheme to do something for a few cents less, and rochester would patiently say yes, sir, mr. The last can be ordered directly from the museum of television and radio. Jack benny honored at carnegie hall in 1961 excerpts. The jack benny program was written by jews, and the egopuncturing insults with which their scripts were packed, as well as the schlemiellike aspect of bennys. He began, more than ever, to play nightclubs, the sahara in las vegas. The scene lasted only two minutes, but when benny seemed to return to the studio after the next song, he jokingly assumed that he had to explain to the audience what they had done. As part of the agreement, cbs paid more than two million dollars to a company in which benny had a controlling interest. When he appeared as a celebrity guest on the game show password 1961, he got the word miser and. Not strictly a biography, this book was written by one of bennys long time writers. Jack benny, original name benjamin kubelsky, born february 14, 1894, chicagodied december 27, 1974, beverly hills, california, u. Dicks suggestion is to book rock and roll bands like the sabres, who perform flip, flop and fly.
Jack benny was the everyman with uncanny timing 1 4. Jack benny and the golden age of american radio comedy by. A warm and intimate portrait of the quintessential humorist of an age jack benny by irving a. I remember jack by frank bresee the sweetest music this side of waukegan by. When americans heard the rasping strains of love in bloom and the first longdrawnout, perfectly timed well. Jack benny, often called jackson on his own show, was an american comedian, vaudevillian, radio, television and film actor, and violinist. Jack benny and the golden age of american radio comedy by kathryn h. The biography was enjoyable to read and was very entertaining. Cynics might suggest the claim was a good hook to publicise ones book. Of course, jack bennys greatest legacy may well be the works he left behind. He later married mary livingstone, nee sadie marks, whose brothers were on the vaudeville circuit with benny. In late 1948, cbs hoped to dominate the broadcasting industry by successfully.
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