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Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky; February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success playing the violin on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century with a highly popular comedic career in radio, television, and film.
- He Was A Reluctant Maestro. Jack Benny was born Benjamin Kubelsky in Chicago, Illinois, on February 14, 1894. His parents bought him a violin when he was six years old, hoping one day he would become a great musician.
- He Stunk At School. Benny hated school and homework. He was a daydreamer who played hooky frequently. When he did go to school, he pulled pranks, and they were disgusting.
- He Could’ve Toured With Groucho. Before the legendary Marx Brothers brought their comedy act to Hollywood, they toured the vaudeville circuit with their mother Minnie, stopping in Benny’s hometown of Waukegan, Illinois in 1911, Minnie noticed how quickly Benny picked up new music and offered him a job playing for her sons on tour.
- He Heard Crickets Chirp. A year later, Benny was out of the pit and playing on stage with pianist Cora Salisbury. His parents only agreed to let them tour together because Cora was a respectable widow who promised to keep Benny safe from “loose” women.
December 9th, 1945's broadcast featured the Jack Benny debut of two big-budget guest stars: Ronald Colman and Benita Hume. Ronald Colman, a classical dramatic actor, was at first reluctant to perform. He wasn’t sure how he’d do in comedy. The idea for the couple came after a November broadcast.
Apr 9, 2013 · In October 1974, Benny canceled a performance in Dallas after suffering a dizzy spell, coupled with a feeling of numbness in his arms. Despite a battery of tests, Benny's ailment could not be determined. When he complained of stomach pains in early December, a first test showed nothing, but a subsequent one showed he had inoperable pancreatic ...
The radio character Jack Benny portrayed was pompous, wimpy, cheap, self-absorbed, conveniently forgetful—the ultimate stooge. In truth, his on-air persona was a myth. Benny had a giant heart and was the ultimate joke feeder.
Jun 8, 2012 · Perhaps the most famous moment from the entire run of The Jack Benny Program came when a mugger cornered Jack and threatened, “Your money or your life.” Here, Jack took a long, slow pause...
Jack Benny continued to perform and to do a few television specials after his weekly series ended. He died of cancer on December twenty-sixth, nineteen seventy-four. His friend, comedian Bob Hope, spoke at the funeral about the loss felt by Benny's friends and fans.
