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Jack BennyAdd to My CelebsAge 80 (passed away Dec. 26th, 1974) Birthday Feb. 14th, 1894 Born in Chicago, Illinois, USA Height 5' 8" |
Jack Benny's Main TV Roles
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Main Movie Roles2007 - Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project1973 - Paper Moon 1967 - A Guide for the Married Man 1963 - It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World 1962 - Gypsy 1946 - Without Reservations 1944 - Hollywood Canteen 1942 - George Washington Slept Here 1942 - To Be or Not To Be 1935 - Broadway Melody of 1936 1929 - The Hollywood Revue of 1929 |
NOTE: Complete List of Works can be found at IMDB
The son of a saloonkeeper, Jack Benny (born Benny Kubelsky) began to study the violin at the age six, and his "ineptness" at it later become his trademark (in reality, he was a very accomplished player). When given the opportunity to play in live theatre professionally, Benny quit school and joined vaudeville. In the same theatre that Benny was working with were the very young Marx Brothers. Their mother, Minnie, wanted Benny to go on the road with them. However, this plan was foiled by his parents who would not let their 17-year-old son on the road.
Having a successful vaudeville career, Benny also had a greater career on radio for "The Jack Benny Program". The show was one of the few successful radio programs that also became a successful television show.
Benny also starred in several movies including The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929), Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935), The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945) and George Washington Slept Here (1942), although he had much greater success on radio and on TV than he did on the big screen.
He was good friends with Fred Allen (I), with whom he had a long-standing comic "feud".
TRIVIA:
- Pictured on one of five 29¢ US commemorative postage stamps celebrating famous comedians, issued in booklet form 29 August 1991. The stamp designs were drawn by caricaturist 'Al Hirschfeld' (qv). The other comedians honored in the set are 'Stan Laurel' (qv) and 'Oliver Hardy' (qv); 'Edgar Bergen' (qv) (with alter ego Charlie McCarthy); 'Fanny Brice' (qv); and 'Bud Abbott' (qv) and 'Lou Costello (I)' (qv).
- When he died in 1974, he left an estate estimated at $4 million.
- One of Benny's best-known schticks as a radio star was his long-standing feud with fellow radio comedian 'Fred Allen (I)' (qv). The two often appeared on each other's radio programs to trade barbs. Sadly, other than an appearance on _"The Jack Benny Program" (1950)_ (qv), in which Allen tries to steal Jack's sponsor, this did not carry over into television, as Allen died shortly after beginning his own TV show. In real life, of course, Benny and Allen were great friends, and Benny even took time on his radio program to eulogize Allen after his death.
- According to 'Phyllis Diller (I)' (qv)'s autobiography "Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse", in the late 1960s Broadway producer 'David Merrick (I)' (qv) approached Benny with the idea of him playing Dolly Levi in drag in "Hello, Dolly!" opposite 'George Burns' (qv) as Horace Vandergelder. The intention was to turn Broadway on its ear and revive flagging interest in the show, which had been running since 1964, originally with 'Carol Channing' (qv) as Dolly Levi. This idea never came to fruition. (Diller did appear in the show for 3 months in 1970.).
- Interred at Hillside Memorial Park, Culver City, California, USA.
- At his funeral 'George Burns' (qv) began the eulogy but broke down. 'Bob Hope (I)' (qv) rose to the podium in a shaky voice and honored the comedian by reading, "for a man who was the undisputed master of comedy timing, you'd have to say that this was the only time when Jack Benny's timing was all wrong. He left us much too soon."
- 1934: He and his wife adopted a daughter, Joan Naomi.
- Was good friends with actress Giselle Mckenzie (I)--who also played the violin--and often referred to her as "Doll".
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