WELL!!  WHEN I MET
JACK BENNY!
To all of us over 40, Jack was a legendary comedian -- Jack started in radio in 1932
doing some political jokes -- but a few years later when one of his writers made Jack
into a "character" -- a guy who was cheap, played the violin badly, and let the other
cast members do jokes about him -- his career took off -- and Jack was right up there
with the likes of Bob Hope and George Burns for many, many years.  

All through my high school and college years I was doing impressions of him -- of
course, ME being cheap wasn't really funny, but his style sort of integrated into my
own persona -- and it was sort of a jumping off point for other impressions I would
later do.

After Jack died in 1974, I read all of the biographical works and books put out about
him.  And, I've only got 850 of his radio shows on tape and CD!  (most of his old
shows are available now on the Internet to hear for nothing, so, YOU can make the
same claim)

In the summer of 1973, I read that Jack would be performing at the Broadmoor in
Colorado Springs -- an hour's drive from Denver -- Jack like to golf, and he liked to
golf at the Broadmoor, so that was an enticement for him to also do some shows
there.

I took a friend of mine, "Shirley" with me, and we went down and saw Jack's show.  
Jack was 79 then, it was about a year and a half before he passed.  Although he
looked a little frail in person, as soon as the band played "Love In Bloom", he'd lose
20 years and would do a very energetic show.  He was a "pro" in every sense of the
word.

The show started with the orchestra playing "There's No Business Like Show
Business"  -- then, with the "Love In Bloom" theme, Jack walked onto the stage and
let Colorado know what a THRILL it was to be there!

This was during the Watergate era.  And, Jack had some comments about that.
"Ya know, to really know what's going on, ya hafta be either a lawyer or a
burglar!  And I don't know a THING about being a lawyer..."

"Say, would you all like to hear me play the violin?"  (audience applauds)
(looking at the side of the stage) "OH FELLAS, would you bring me my violin?"
Someone then THROWS the violin from side-stage, and the violin comes crashing
down on the floor -- Jack slowly picks up the pieces, and says:
"Well.....not EVERYBODY is a big fan of my playing..."

Jack said once he was playing his violin in a social setting, and there was a drunk
near him.  Jack was explaining that his violin was an original Stradivarius, and was
made hundreds of years ago.   The drunk said, "Did you buy it new?"

When the show concluded, I said to Shirley, "When I was here last year for the
Liberace show, he came out after the show and signed autographs.  Let's wait for a
while, and see if Jack comes out."   We did.  He did.   When just about everybody
had left, except for a dozen people -- Jack strolled onstage with a pipe in his mouth,
and sat down on the piano bench on stage.  People started lining up for him to sign
their program.   So did we.  I had my camera with me:
As Jack was signing our
program/picture book, I said to Shirley
(in picture)  "Don't forget Shirley, I
paid for that program!"   Jack said,
"How much are they charging for
this?"
We said, "Three Dollars."
Jack said, "Well, it's worth it!  After
all, it's got everything I've ever done
in here!"

ABOVE:
Shirley dropped her pen on the
floor.
JACK picked it up.....
After Jack finished signing our souvenir books, (He signed ours "Hi!!!! Jack Benny) he
got up, and posed for some pictures for people who had cameras.  I walked up to him
and said, "There's a station in Denver that airs your old radio programs from 30
years ago, and they're just great!!".   Jack said, "I didn't know they could do
that..."       oh oh...

Jack left the planet in 1974 -- contrary to his onstage image, he was a gentle and
generous person -- a lot of people in the entertainment industry were crying when he
left.  

Jack lived on in the person of Eddie Carroll.  Eddie did a one man show across the
country with a dead-on impersonation of Jack.  He told jokes and stories from Jack's
life as Jack.  He did a demonstration of Jack doing a radio show, with the assistance
of an old radio show soundtrack.  At the end, he even picked up the violin and played
Jacks old theme song -- as Jack would play it!    I'm narrating this in past tense,
because Eddie passed away in April of 2010.  

After he did a show in the Denver area a few years ago, he was in the lobby talking
with people.  I approached him, and in my best Benny voice, I said to Eddie:  "GOSH!
 YOU WERE WONDERFUL!"   Eddie laughed -- so did everybody else, which of
course only encouraged me!
(for more about Eddie Carroll, go to "eddiecarroll.com")  

Rest in peace, Jack.  You made me laugh.        BACK TO STORY PAGE