Thanksgiving 1947 With Jack Benny

heidelblog.net ^ | 11/26/15 | Jack Benny, et al

[SoFloFreeper]

In the early 1930s, more than 60 years before Seinfeld, there was Jack Benny. His was the first show about nothing. He had wacky neighbors who showed up randomly. He had a a group of eccentric friends. He played a comedian but we rarely heard him perform. Jack was perhaps the inventor of the situation comedy as we know it. In the 1950s the show moved to television, where it was very successful. Seinfeld was a reprise of the Jack Benny Show. Several drop-in characters were performed by Mel Blanc (aka Bugs Bunny).

Here’s the Thanksgiving Day episode from 1947.

Note: There is a character in the show, Rochester, played by Eddie Anderson (1905-77). He was a great African-American radio and TV actor. He portrays Benny's valet. Benny, whose real name was Benny Kubelsky (1894-1974), was Jewish and was sensitive, because of his own experience, to the social and economic situation of minorities. Anderson received a lot of unfair criticism in the 1960s for his portrayal of Rochester. The relationship, in the show, between Benny and Anderson was complex and subtle. There is little overt racism and Anderson's character gets in quite a few digs at Benny. There were other characters who were more stereotypical, e.g., Mr Kitzel, played by Artie Auerbach (1903-57). Arguably, the Rochester character is less demeaning that the Kitzel character.

Remember, when this program aired there was little immigration to the USA. The country was not as racially diverse as it is now. Further, Jim Crow laws were still in effect in the South and racial segregation was widespread across the North. There were no African-American actors in leading parts in radio or television. That did not begin to change until the mid-1960s (TV). Were there African-American butlers in that period? Yes. Is there a hierarchical relation between employers and butlers? Yes. Is that inherently racist? I don't think so. I am not sure that his character was any more subordinate to his boss than Joseph Marcel's character was to his in The fresh Prince of Bel Air. Nevertheless, be forewarned that you may hear some things that are unfamiliar.

[SoFloFreeper]

Heidelblog.net is normally a religion site...but sometimes veers into other issues.

Thought this might be fun.

[yarddog]

I have a photo somewhere of Jack Benny performing for the troops during WWII. He and Dinah Shore were performing from a flat bed truck. There was a piano and player also on the bed.

It was taken by a member of Daddy’s battalion which was later shared with other members of the battalion via the internet.

[struggle]

I fell in love with Jack Benny’s humor after watching “Paper Moon” and wondering what was up with him. Very funny show, even for an X-Gen like me.

[JoeDetweiler]

“Nevertheless, be forewarned that you may hear some things that are unfamiliar.”

Sigh....I can remember a time when hearing unfamiliar things was a positive....

[alloysteel]

Mel Blanc played a “Mexican” character, “Cy” who used a variation of the “S” initial words, as answering questions with “Si”, or if asked what his sister’s name was, “Sue”, or what kind of beans he was cooking, “Soy”. The two could stretch the routine out for several minutes.

Today that would be considered “insensitive” and “politically incorrect”.

You don’t know how much you have lost until it is gone.

[Publius]

Cigarette commercials? Oh, the horror!

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Starts off with the hilarious Lucky Strike commercial.

“LS-MFT, LS-MFT.”

I remember the crude high school joke where that meant “Loose Strap Means Floppy T-—s” Then the commercial goes on to conclude “So round, so firm, so fully packed. So free...”

[Steve_Seattle]

I loved Frank Nelson, who typically played a store clerk. He would be stocking the shelves, and Jack would come in and say, “Excuse me, sir,” and Nelson would turn around and say, “Uh, y-e-e-e-e-e-s?”

[Steve_Seattle]

Jack Benny was the master of the pause.

[sparklite2]

Or the later Tonight show with Steve Allen
and Jose Jimenez.

Steve: I understand you are a farmer.
Jose: Si. I have chickens, cows, pigs, and crops.
Steve: What do you grow?
Jose: I grow tired.

[Radagast the Fool]

Antenna Tv runs The Jack Benny Show at 6 and 6:30 AM, M-F.
In the Boston market, anyway!
They’re still funny! Recent guests have included the aforementioned Mel Blanc, Jimmy Stewart, Isaac Stern, Rita Moreno, and Robert Goulet.
Great fun!!!

[sparklite2]

Plus... Let’s Screw — My Finger’s Tired. LOL

[OttawaFreeper]

Mel Blanc would often steal the show with some of his portrayals, which were quite often so hilarious to watch. The Comedy Network up here in Canada a number of years back used to rerun Jack’s show, so I always looked forward to Mel’s scenes whenever I’d watch an episode.

[greene66]

I wish there would be some official dvd releases of some of Jack Benny’s Paramount features, like “Man About Town” (1939), “Buck Benny Rides Again” (1940), and “Love Thy Neighbor” (1940). The latter film co-starred Fred Allen, and it played up the old Benny-Allen feud. I have an old VHS bootleg of it, from a roughed-up 16mm print. Funny films. But yet to circulate on dvd in restored form.

[Publius]

“To Be or Not to Be” is available. I have it in restored form.

[Publius]

I assume that’s Mel Blanc impersonating Ed Wynn as the trial judge.

[OttawaFreeper]

“Further, Jim Crow laws were still in effect in the South and racial segregation was widespread across the North. There were no African-American actors in leading parts in radio or television.”

Not only is it neat to watch Jack Benny shows and to consider that with how Rochester was portrayed in them, but I also like watching episodes of the Dinah Shore Chevy show from the late 1950s in which Dinah sang with artists like Mahalia Jackson, Pearl Bailey, and Ella Fitzgerald. Dinah was especially good with those acts, IMHO.

[greene66]

Oh, that’s a common one. It was a United Artists release, but I think Warners somehow owns it now. Warners also offers “The Horn Blows at Midnight” (1945), “George Washington Slept Here” (1943-?), and an earlier MGM release, “It’s in the Air” (1935). All restored and easily available via their dvd archive line. As is Benny’s Fox comedy “The Meanest Man in the World” (1943).

The Paramount items just haven’t made it into the modern dvd era.

[Covenantor]

Jack Benny's famous long pause is iconic. Did notice that he developed watching audience reaction and then using the timed delay in movies.

Eddie, "Rochester", Anderson was his title credits billing even in movies without Benny. He's in at least one Topper movie, free on youtube.

Sometimes has the best comedic lines in the film. He also had good timing on his slow head moves, double takes, and eye rolls.

[Publius]

Common or not, it's one of my desert island DVDs. Sig Ruman walks off with the movie as "Concentration Camp" Erhard.

"Schulz!"