February 14

Jack Benny

There is no better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than watching Jack Benny in films on TV or listening to him on the radio. Today is the 76th anniversary of his 39th birthday.

I first heard of Jack Benny through his appearances on Here's Lucy reruns. I then heard old time radio programs and his television show. It wasn't until a few years ago that I actually saw him in movies. The first one I saw was To Be or Not To Be. I still don't quite understand how a film about WWII and Hitler can be considered a comedy but it is a good film. Jack Benny is a fine actor. I highly recommend Sunday Nights at Seven: The Jack Benny Story, Jack Benny and Joan Benny a great look into the man's life and dedication to his craft. I might have to read that again. It is nice to know the cheapness was only a character and not a fact.

I watched Charley's Aunt for Jack Benny's birthday. He plays a student at Oxford University in 1890. He has been in college on and off for 10 years. Jack's English accent is almost non-existent except for an occasional English “A”. Jack's two college friends have girls visiting and they need a chaperone. Jack is in a play as a woman and when Charley's Aunt is delayed they blackmail him in to playing the Aunt. Charley's Aunt is a millionaires from Brazil that no one has met, she is actually played by Kay Francis. It is a great slapstick farce. One of the suitors interested in Charley's Aunt is Edmund Gwenn. I have never seen him so active. He chases Jack (as Aunt) around the living room.

On the DVD there is a promotional short where Jack meets Randolph Scott and Tyron Powers. They talk about the western and military films they are in and Jack is embarrassed to admit what film he is working on. Studio boys bring in items to get his approval on, stockings, wig and then the dress. Randolph and Tyrone state they wished they were working on the longest comedy ever produced on Broadway and translated into 88 languages.