Yep! When Jack Benny went into his classic dead-pan expression, almost everyone never failed to laugh at it. The one possible exception was George Burns...who frequently made Jack Benny crack up the same way that Tim Conway did Harvey Corman (and as Colin Mochrie still does to Ryan Stiles).
Notice that Jack Benny is being VERY generous. He gave the big laugh to his guests (Rowan and Martin). In spite of the running joke about Jack Benny's stinginess, in real life he was extremely generous with everybody.
@@furrykef Because I was wrong, wrong, wrong. Same studio, I think the same set designer, but if you go through the comments another guy corrected me and came up with the name of the soecial. 😉
For real, did you notice the control there? The subtlety in his physical comedy, the voice modulation and above all, the timing? How he transitioned back into the bit mostly with body language? That is amazing! That's the stuff that makes some comedians timeless.
When Jack Benny was at home with his family, he would sometimes do this thing where he would pretend his car wouldn't start and then his wife would bring their young daughter over to give him a kiss, then the car would magically start.
He was a unique personality and a comic genius. When delivering Jack Benny’s eulogy Bob Hope said of him that he was stingy, he only gave us eighty years. ❤
Did you ever see the clip of both Jack Benny and Bob Hope, both hosting some event in tuxedos, and Bob wandered up to Jack and started shooting the breeze. Jack was live on camera, and he looked at Bob and said, ‘I’m WORKING HERE! Well Bob was scrambling to get out of the way, he didn’t realize, and it just hit so funny 😂
@@hyena131 Humor, like many different aspects of life is a matter of taste from which opinions are formed. The longevity of the careers of both Bob Hope and Jack Benny attests to their popularity with a legion of fans and admirers. That you don’t happen to be one of them is actually of little consequence.
So very true ! He was one of the most beloved people in show business. As far as I know, no one ever had a bad thing to say about him. A kind & gentle man. A a true class act !
I grew up about an hour from St. Joseph, Missouri. I knew of this story before, but thought I would post it. Eddie Anderson was, of course, Rochester on Jack’s series. “The humor and energy between Jack Benny and Eddie Anderson led to the development of a 20-year collaboration that delighted radio, television, and film audiences. The men’s relationship was solid on air and off. Jack Benny refused to tolerate poor treatment of Anderson. In 1943 the company arrived in St. Joseph, Missouri, where they planned to do one of their radio shows. Anderson and his wife were denied a hotel room, and only at Benny’s urging did the hotel management find the Andersons a room.” There were other instances, too.
My favorite from this show was Jack standing as if on a street corner and a mugger (with bandit mask) comes around the corner, sticks a gun in his ribs and says, "Your money or your life." Jack looks over at the audience, gives his annoyed look with his hand on his cheek, the mugger repeats his threat, and as the audience begins to laugh (seeing what's coming) Jack says, *"I'M THINKING!"*
That was the biggest difference between Bob Hope and Jack Benny. Bob Hope literally demanded all of the funny lines whether they fit him or not. For Jack Benny, it didn’t matter who got the funny line as long as it was funny because he knew the next day everyone will be saying, “hey did you hear the Jack Benny program last night?“ It wasn’t about him it was about the total.
Hope demanded... Well it wasnt because he was self centered or egotistical, there are just advantages in being a lone standup not needing accomplices. White House, or Nam appearance just call Hope, don't have to worry about booking and paying five others for the one routine. Hotel stay, food etc. Hope was completely self contained if he needed to be, made many more appearances and encouraged many soldiers and civilians during war with his lone routines therefore fairing out to be the more popular. I wouldnt condider him a glory hog "demanding" laughter credit to himself. Just an opinion from someone who rather admired the seasoned Harvard grad.
@@Ladiesandgentlemen141 I was not talking about all of the incredible entertaining he did for all of our troops over the numerous decades. I’m referring to his very early work in radio and very early television work. He wanted all of the best funny lines for himself or at least all of the best lines. So his writers would have to adjust the script thusly. Jack Benny didn’t care who got the laugh as long as there was a laugh
@@stevenj9970 OK, well I wish you had made that clear, I wouldn't have written my dissertation thesis in reply. BTW Thanks for your respectful taste in humor. The most classic humor is in the Holy Bible when the Lord calls the nation of Moab his wash pot. It is rather funny when you read it in context. Also when Nathaniel was told about Jesus, Nathaniel replied "Can there be any good thing come out of Gallalee?" So he walked over a mile to see this Jesus and the first thing Jesus replied to him when he saw Nathaniel was "behold an Israelite in whom there is no guile" Jesus being God heard Nathaniel over a mile away! and replied to him a humorous one liner when he arrived to see Jesus. I love it!! Ancient humor at its best!
@@Ladiesandgentlemen141 I never found Bob Hope that funny, amusing but not funny. Benny was a natural comic and that applies to very few people in the entertainment business.
+MichaelcohenLyingPOS There were several deadpan performers. Offhand, I can think of Buster Keaton right away. Virginia O'Brien was a famous deadpan movie lady.
Even as a child of 7, i found Jack Benny to be hilarious. His deadpan look, his disbelief at the actions of others, his vanity, his thriftiness, and that he remained 39 always were all hilarious hooks he hung his humour on. His humour never dates. Top echelon yesterday, today, and no doubt, tomorrow.
I appreciate how he was never angry, rude or loud. Never understood why people thought Don Rickels and Jackie Gleason were funny while being loud and abusive. Jack was such a master of the art.
Jack was once asked by a stagehand how long a laugh he could get without saying a word. Jack tried it at the next show. Between looks and mannerisms, he got a 7-minute laugh. After 7 minutes, his first word was “Well!”
Jack Benny was just a few years before me, but my parents were fans, and to this day, I mention that I'm 39 again every year on the anniversary of my birth. Less and less people get the reference these days, which makes for some amusing conversations.
Remember the skit where his girlfriend wanted to get married and he was reluctant because of their ages. It went something like "but you're 21 and I'm 39. In 30 years you'll be 51 and I'll be ...39"
Cool. I didn't know either of them played Vegas. I lived there in 1973, and ran into a lot of celebs just walking through the casinos and hotels. It was a different time then.
Jack Benny and Groucho were true geniuses. When I had satellite radio, Jack’s show was on and he was still funny. Timelessly funny. His legendary cheapness, the fact that (seemingly) nobody could stand him. Gold. The rest of the comedians of the day were just corny.
Jack Benny was my dad's favorite comedian, and he never missed his show. I was young but I caught a lot of them with him. Jack was a class act and so funny. There's never been another quite like him.
I've always loved Jack Benny. Back in the mid 70's, used to listen to his radio show repeats on the Armed Forces radio station in Sicily. Was just a kid but loved his humor.
You don't even need to understand the references to "Sock it to me" and "Cassius Clay" for the gag to be funny. (Although they do help to make the joke even funnier.)
The way I heard the story it was of two men who passed each other as one was leaving a liquor store and the entering. The man entering the store greeted his departing friend with “What have you been up to”. The other man said “Got a bottle of wine for my wife”. The other man mused a moment, then said “Good trade”.
Yes, I do, thanks for the reminder. I saw that classic movie at a Saturday matinee when I was 11 years old. The whole movie was hilarious. I never laughed so hard in my young life, especially at the Jonathon Winters bits.
Jack’s cameo was planned for Stan Laurel. However, Laurel refused to appear onscreen without Oliver Hardy, who had died a few years before. That’s the reason Jack is wearing a derby in the scene. A silent tribute.
I think I saw this back when it first-aired, though not in-color. Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In was the biggest smash-hit on TV at that time. Benny's special probably was filmed in the same NBC-studio there in "beautiful downtown Burbank". Wow, the shiner that Dick Martin had sure looked-real, didn't it? To be honest, I didn't get Benny's saloon-joke but I think that's because of the planned-interruption by Dan & Dick. By the time Jack returned to his punchline, I'd already-forgotten the premise---but I knew it didn't matter. The cameo-interruption by NBC's newest, biggest comedy-stars, Rowan & Martin, was the joke, along with THEIR surprise-banter, followed by Jack's trademark long-pause, silent-reaction. Benny actually did appear on Laugh-In, where the running-gag was that his style-of-comedy was too-slow & old-hat. Sometimes his solo-jokes were cut-off by cast-zaniness, at other-times pretending that HE, Jack, didn't get THEIR jokes, etc., Goldie Hawn urging him "to speed-it-up, Mr. Jack Benny, speed-it-up". The NBC-specials that Benny did in these later-years of his career were all very-funny, as I recall---and no-doubt pretty-big ratings-grabbers, something that was much-easier to do back-then, as there were only 3 TV networks, and not every town or city got all 3.
The joke is that when the first drunk says "Do you know what I got for my wife," he means "Do you know what present I got for my wife," but the second drunk thinks that he means, "Do you know how much I received in exchange for my wife."
Really enjoyed Jack Benny, he was absolutely wonderful and the looks that he did, so much laughter followed. May he and all who were involved in his programs both past and present Rest In Peace. Thank you for sharing these.
Oh FFS stop it. British radio has some of the best comedy of all time. You can listen to I'm sorry I haven't a clue right here on CZcams. It is hysterically funny. Jack Dee is brilliant. His Predecessor for thirty years was Humphrey Lyttleton. He was amazing. Go listen to the show. Seriously. You will be stunned
@@zapkvr I grew up with the Goons, around the horn, Hancock's half hour, Python (you may have to search for some of them.) and with the likes of Benny. as I said, he was a straight man. his comedy made him the foil. I'm sorry I haven't a clue started as a radio program. facial expressions don't work in radio. the original writers, cleese, brooke taylor, oddie, kendall etc went on to other great stints. but you're young and young always seems to think they know best. I didn't THE greatest and I didn't realise I'd have to explain myself. if you want REAL comedy that does carry from radio to television, you can't go past the GOONS.
Anyone else think Kevin Spacey looks just like him?! Even his mannerisms and what of moving about. Spacey should’ve done a biopic on Benny. You know...before the whole end of his career thing...
@@PETERJOHN101 I didn't mean to imply that Jack fathered the "sock to me" shtick--just that Jack Benny was the model many other Late Night Hosts follow; Johnny Carson admitted as much,
For the Millennials Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali. For those even younger he was probably the greatest boxer and sports personality who ever lived
The video description says that this episode was from 1968, Ali changed his name on June 30th 1967, which means that the REAL reason Ali decked him would've been for calling Ali by his 'slave name', Cassius Clay.
For anyone born after, say, 1965, a running gag on "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" was that someone (usually Judy Carne) would say "Sock it to me" and then get splashed with a bucket of water.
Whenever I get a Martini I like to tell the story about why Jack Benny didn’t have olives in his Martinis “ They take up too much space!” My wife is sick of hearing this.
My wife never liked my favorite, from Rodney Dangerfield: "Sex life! Don't even talk about sex life- my wife's cut me down to once a month. Some guys she's cut off completely!"
That was great! A true comic genius and an actually incredible musician. Most people have no idea how good your have to be on the violin to deliberately play that badly (his normal schtick. I've heard him play in serious mode and he was very good.
Two drunks are sitting at a rooftop bar in New York. First Drunk says to the Second Drunk, "You know, the buildings here are so close to each other that if you jump off, the wind will carry you back to the roof." Second Drunk: "You're crazy." First Drunk: "I'll show you." He walks to the edge and jumps off. A moment later he lands back on the roof. Second Drunk: That's Amazing ". He runs to the edge and leaps off. He doesn't return, but you can hear him hit the pavement. The First Drunk orders another drink. Bartender: "You know, you're a mean drunk, Superman."
A large portion of George Burns is biography was devoted to his friendship with Jack Benny and it turns out Jack Benny's off screen persona is completely different than what people think. Jack Benny is very democrative when he laughs. He'll rolled on the floor laughing at things that George Bern says. His stone face style is an act on stage
He played an open air show at the Hollywood bowl and an airplane flew over. He just watched it, and said nothing for 2 or 3 minutes and it cracked the audience up.
One thing about an expert comic ------ never interrupt laughter. Let it go on and on and on as long as it takes ---- wait , wait , wait ----- then ----- just as it dies down ---- ba boom --- deliver the punch line.
Jack Benny was a genius. Biggest laugh? Watching him as they walked away. He did nothing and he did everything.
Absolutely THE Master of Timing.
Such a beautiful quote, “He did nothing and he did everything.” He was a comedy zen master
ten seconds of dead air...
what a friggin' genius
Yep! When Jack Benny went into his classic dead-pan expression, almost everyone never failed to laugh at it. The one possible exception was George Burns...who frequently made Jack Benny crack up the same way that Tim Conway did Harvey Corman (and as Colin Mochrie still does to Ryan Stiles).
Benny was never afraid to let other comedians deliver the jokes. Ironically, he'd get the bigger laughs by just being Jack Benny.
Notice that Jack Benny is being VERY generous. He gave the big laugh to his guests (Rowan and Martin). In spite of the running joke about Jack Benny's stinginess, in real life he was extremely generous with everybody.
(but we're not supposed to know that)
You do realize that Mr. Benny was the guest and that was Rowan and Martin's Laugh In...
Were they laughing at the interruption or the reaction to the interruption?
@@ptaylor4923 If Benny was the guest, why does the video start with him saying, "Before I introduce my first guest..."?
@@furrykef Because I was wrong, wrong, wrong. Same studio, I think the same set designer, but if you go through the comments another guy corrected me and came up with the name of the soecial. 😉
Watching Jack Benny is a Masterclass in comedic timing.
Not only did he let his guests have the big laugh, his sense of timing and delivery were things to behold!
He didn't care who got the big laugh, as long as it was on his show
Comedy is all about timing. When you get a laugh it is timing that keeps the gag going on and on for more laughs.
For real, did you notice the control there? The subtlety in his physical comedy, the voice modulation and above all, the timing? How he transitioned back into the bit mostly with body language? That is amazing! That's the stuff that makes some comedians timeless.
As I do when I take off my hat, you make a good point !
I loved Jack Benny when I was a kid. He had the most perfect timing and the greatest dead-pan looks.
When Jack Benny was at home with his family, he would sometimes do this thing where he would pretend his car wouldn't start and then his wife would bring their young daughter over to give him a kiss, then the car would magically start.
Love it! Wish I thought of it. Heck, I still may use it. 😂😂😂
He was a unique personality and a comic genius. When delivering Jack Benny’s eulogy Bob Hope said of him that he was stingy, he only gave us eighty years. ❤
Did you ever see the clip of both Jack Benny and Bob Hope, both hosting some event in tuxedos, and Bob wandered up to Jack and started shooting the breeze. Jack was live on camera, and he looked at Bob and said, ‘I’m WORKING HERE! Well Bob was scrambling to get out of the way, he didn’t realize, and it just hit so funny 😂
@Brace69
Some would say bob hope was overly generous in this regard.
@@hyena131 That of course would depend upon your opinion of Jack Benny. I am in the category of those who agree with Bob Hope.
@@Brace67
jack benny also overly generous in this regard re the man hope. Both about as funny as a fire in a orphanage.
@@hyena131 Humor, like many different aspects of life is a matter of taste from which opinions are formed. The longevity of the careers of both Bob Hope and Jack Benny attests to their popularity with a legion of fans and admirers. That you don’t happen to be one of them is actually of little consequence.
Jack Benny was not only a star but according to what I've read he was a very nice person
So very true ! He was one of the most beloved people in show business. As far as I know, no one ever had a bad thing to say about him. A kind & gentle man. A a true class act !
He was the master of deadpan. Which I absolutely love!
I grew up about an hour from St. Joseph, Missouri. I knew of this story before, but thought I would post it. Eddie Anderson was, of course, Rochester on Jack’s series.
“The humor and energy between Jack Benny and Eddie Anderson led to the development of a 20-year collaboration that delighted radio, television, and film audiences.
The men’s relationship was solid on air and off. Jack Benny refused to tolerate poor treatment of Anderson. In 1943 the company arrived in St. Joseph, Missouri, where they planned to do one of their radio shows. Anderson and his wife were denied a hotel room, and only at Benny’s urging did the hotel management find the Andersons a room.”
There were other instances, too.
My favorite from this show was Jack standing as if on a street corner and a mugger (with bandit mask) comes around the corner, sticks a gun in his ribs and says, "Your money or your life."
Jack looks over at the audience, gives his annoyed look with his hand on his cheek, the mugger repeats his threat, and as the audience begins to laugh (seeing what's coming) Jack says, *"I'M THINKING!"*
LOL. Even reading it is funny.
39 years old and still looks great!
he's 39 years old in this?! (sorry, couldn't resist)
You beat me to it ;-)
Benny died in 1977, so I don’t get the “39 years old” remark
@@urasam2 d
Have you listened to or watched his show? Mr Benny never admitted to being any older than 39 years of age. That was a running gag of his.
@@jvanslooten Oh, I see, that makes sense now. I apologise for the misunderstanding
That was the biggest difference between Bob Hope and Jack Benny. Bob Hope literally demanded all of the funny lines whether they fit him or not. For Jack Benny, it didn’t matter who got the funny line as long as it was funny because he knew the next day everyone will be saying, “hey did you hear the Jack Benny program last night?“ It wasn’t about him it was about the total.
Hope demanded... Well it wasnt because he was self centered or egotistical, there are just advantages in being a lone standup not needing accomplices. White House, or Nam appearance just call Hope, don't have to worry about booking and paying five others for the one routine. Hotel stay, food etc. Hope was completely self contained if he needed to be, made many more appearances and encouraged many soldiers and civilians during war with his lone routines therefore fairing out to be the more popular. I wouldnt condider him a glory hog "demanding" laughter credit to himself. Just an opinion from someone who rather admired the seasoned Harvard grad.
@@Ladiesandgentlemen141 I was not talking about all of the incredible entertaining he did for all of our troops over the numerous decades. I’m referring to his very early work in radio and very early television work. He wanted all of the best funny lines for himself or at least all of the best lines. So his writers would have to adjust the script thusly. Jack Benny didn’t care who got the laugh as long as there was a laugh
@@stevenj9970 OK, well I wish you had made that clear, I wouldn't have written my dissertation thesis in reply. BTW Thanks for your respectful taste in humor. The most classic humor is in the Holy Bible when the Lord calls the nation of Moab his wash pot. It is rather funny when you read it in context. Also when Nathaniel was told about Jesus, Nathaniel replied "Can there be any good thing come out of Gallalee?" So he walked over a mile to see this Jesus and the first thing Jesus replied to him when he saw Nathaniel was "behold an Israelite in whom there is no guile" Jesus being God heard Nathaniel over a mile away! and replied to him a humorous one liner when he arrived to see Jesus. I love it!! Ancient humor at its best!
Johnny Carson hated when he was forced to have Hope on.
@@Ladiesandgentlemen141
I never found Bob Hope that funny, amusing but not funny. Benny was a natural comic and that applies to very few people in the entertainment business.
Jack Benny's pause/facial expression after Dick and Dan walk by is PERFECT...
You should enjoy this clip I have up of Bob Newhart talking about Jack...
Put this in the search box... uzAQjl18b7Y
+MichaelcohenLyingPOS There were several deadpan performers. Offhand, I can think of Buster Keaton right away. Virginia O'Brien was a famous deadpan movie lady.
+POP House Managers Jack was the king of timing. He held is pose, after Dan and Dick walk off, just long enough. Precious!
Nobody had better timing than Jack Benny. Carson was close but couldn't top Jack.
@@tleatherland As great as Benny's timing was, I'd have to put Hope first---his delivery coupled-with timing was sublime.
Cassius Clay? Mercy! But this is a very old clip. Back when Jack Benny was only 39.
his timing was always immaculate.
Even as a child of 7, i found Jack Benny to be hilarious. His deadpan look, his disbelief at the actions of others, his vanity, his thriftiness, and that he remained 39 always were all hilarious hooks he hung his humour on. His humour never dates. Top echelon yesterday, today, and no doubt, tomorrow.
Absolute genius. He has me laughing so hard at his silence. Every time. 😆
Jack Benny could get more laughs with silence and a stare than most comedians get with a full routine.
@@Steve101747 He was brilliant
The Master of Comic timing. One if the finest people to walk on earth.
Jack Benny, Ray Bradbury, and me. Waukegan, Illinois' gain to fame. I haven't done anything yet, but there's still time.
Is it true that the football team at the high school is called : The thirty-niners?
@@juanmonge7418 Ha!!! That's great. I wish I thought of that.
Comedic timing to perfection.
I think Bob Newhart has that down too, but Jack was the master.
Jack always let his guests get the biggest laughs. That was part of his genius.
"It's my show that people will be talking about the next day."
Actually, this was Laugh In with Dan Rowan and Dick Martin and Mr. Benny was the guest. 😉 But he was a very dear man. Class act all the way.
@@ptaylor4923 No, this was a special called "Jack Benny's Bag" from 1968.
@@snowpeck Thanks for the update. Got to be same studio and set decorator.
@@ptaylor4923 It was NBC in Burbank so probably so.
the master of deadpan
Hello Lesley, How are you doing?
I love Jack Benny's mannerism his reaction, his stare, everything there was nobody like hm.He and Rochester were the best!
I appreciate how he was never angry, rude or loud. Never understood why people thought Don Rickels and Jackie Gleason were funny while being loud and abusive.
Jack was such a master of the art.
As his friend, George Burns said, Benny didn't care who got the laugh, as long as they got the laugh on Jack Benny's show.
That Benny just had that amazing timing and that look.Man do I miss him...lol
A classic! Ah, the days when comedy was the funniest.
nobody EVER was able to get so much laughter out of absolutely nothing ! :-) genius
Genius! I don't know it today's audiences would be able to enjoy those sublime silences.
And he is still going strong for a 39 year old.
That was 20 seconds!
Well!...
Jack was once asked by a stagehand how long a laugh he could get without saying a word. Jack tried it at the next show. Between looks and mannerisms, he got a 7-minute laugh. After 7 minutes, his first word was “Well!”
Jack Benny was just a few years before me, but my parents were fans, and to this day, I mention that I'm 39 again every year on the anniversary of my birth. Less and less people get the reference these days, which makes for some amusing conversations.
I do the same. Except now I say....
"I'm celebrating the 23rd anniversary of my 39th birthday." Then I let them do the math.
Same here. But we grew up appreciating the comedians who were a generation or 2 before us. Lots of great laughs in from the b&w TV and movie era.
Remember the skit where his girlfriend wanted to get married and he was reluctant because of their ages. It went something like "but you're 21 and I'm 39. In 30 years you'll be 51 and I'll be ...39"
Yeah, that was his schtick. Forever 39
If you close your eyes and imagine, you can hear Bob Barker - you can never un-hear this now.
No one could use silence like Benny.
Very well put . . .
Bob Newhart would be a runner up.
I came here for a Pregnant Pause and I was not let down,
A+ material
He did that better than anybody.
@@416loren : Yeah, that was his thing! 😁
Now imagine doing that...on radio.
My wife and I saw Jack Benny and Johnny Carson together in Las Vegas in 1969. They were unbelievably funny!
I'm so jealous!
Cool. I didn't know either of them played Vegas. I lived there in 1973, and ran into a lot of celebs just walking through the casinos and hotels. It was a different time then.
Jack Benny was an incomparable gift to laughter.
Jack Benny reminds me of the kid from A Christmas Story all grown up.
Jack Benny and Groucho were true geniuses. When I had satellite radio, Jack’s show was on and he was still funny. Timelessly funny. His legendary cheapness, the fact that (seemingly) nobody could stand him. Gold.
The rest of the comedians of the day were just corny.
Got to love Rowan and Martin too.
Jack Benny was my dad's favorite comedian, and he never missed his show. I was young but I caught a lot of them with him. Jack was a class act and so funny. There's never been another quite like him.
I love Jack Benny and Rochester..
Why did Rochester have to call him Mr. Benny?
@@dwightpowell6673 Because, on the show, Benny was his employer. Dennis Day, Benny's Irish singer on the show, also called him "Mr. Benny."
Jack Benny was the master of just standing there. 💛
I've always loved Jack Benny. Back in the mid 70's, used to listen to his radio show repeats on the Armed Forces radio station in Sicily. Was just a kid but loved his humor.
Who let's kids into the armed forces?
Funny on the radio, funny on the TV. Anytime I need a smile, Jack, Rochester and the Bearcat.
Jack's expressions were the best
I have a classic Spock-ism:
"1974. That's the year Jack Benny turned 40."
"That's the year Jack died."
"I believe I said that."
On top of his genius comedy actions and timing... he is also an incredible violin player!
I miss Jack Benny.
What a great sight gag from Rowan and Martin! Still hilarious even today. Ah the good old days.
You don't even need to understand the references to "Sock it to me" and "Cassius Clay" for the gag to be funny. (Although they do help to make the joke even funnier.)
Oh yeah polio was so much fun
@@zapkvr Polio was over by this time. But the VIetnam War (and the draft) was in full bloom. Whee!
I really miss Jack Benny....
Among other things, I had no idea how short Jack really was. His timing in this bit, as always, is perfect.
I love a well crafted sketch like that.
Actually this was a repeat of a routine he did about 17 years prior with Bob Crosby....czcams.com/video/p-5QJ4ATl_U/video.html
The way I heard the story it was of two men who passed each other as one was leaving a liquor store and the entering. The man entering the store greeted his departing friend with “What have you been up to”. The other man said “Got a bottle of wine for my wife”. The other man mused a moment, then said “Good trade”.
A fabulous legend from the past.!!!!!
Jack Benny was always funny. When times were much better and simple.
He was one of the rare gentlemen of the stage - a rare breed never to be duplicated.
The master of the pause.
He and Mary Tyler Moore always gave the best jokes to everyone else.
Jack Benny. Perfect timing ….. as always … master!
Really miss Benny!
Jack Benny was the best. I loved him so much. He was hilarious. ❤
Does anyone remember Jack Benny’s 15 second cameo appearance in Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World? It was one of the highlights of a wonderful film.
Yes, I do, thanks for the reminder. I saw that classic movie at a Saturday matinee when I was 11 years old. The whole movie was hilarious. I never laughed so hard in my young life, especially at the Jonathon Winters bits.
Still say that is the best comedy movie of all time.
@@bradleyvogelsang6851 I think I would agree with you.
I just watched have that movie for free on youtube yesterday. I saw the cameo. He drove up in a convertible car.
Jack’s cameo was planned for Stan Laurel. However, Laurel refused to appear onscreen without Oliver Hardy, who had died a few years before. That’s the reason Jack is wearing a derby in the scene. A silent tribute.
Cassius Clay. I remember him.
Howard Cossell put it perfectly: "A man has a right to be called what he wants."
There is only one Jack Benny.
“Well!”
I think I saw this back when it first-aired, though not in-color. Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In was the biggest smash-hit on TV at that time. Benny's special probably was filmed in the same NBC-studio there in "beautiful downtown Burbank". Wow, the shiner that Dick Martin had sure looked-real, didn't it? To be honest, I didn't get Benny's saloon-joke but I think that's because of the planned-interruption by Dan & Dick. By the time Jack returned to his punchline, I'd already-forgotten the premise---but I knew it didn't matter. The cameo-interruption by NBC's newest, biggest comedy-stars, Rowan & Martin, was the joke, along with THEIR surprise-banter, followed by Jack's trademark long-pause, silent-reaction. Benny actually did appear on Laugh-In, where the running-gag was that his style-of-comedy was too-slow & old-hat. Sometimes his solo-jokes were cut-off by cast-zaniness, at other-times pretending that HE, Jack, didn't get THEIR jokes, etc., Goldie Hawn urging him "to speed-it-up, Mr. Jack Benny, speed-it-up". The NBC-specials that Benny did in these later-years of his career were all very-funny, as I recall---and no-doubt pretty-big ratings-grabbers, something that was much-easier to do back-then, as there were only 3 TV networks, and not every town or city got all 3.
This was Laugh In.
@Zolar Czakl You're totally right. I think it was the same set designer for both shows and it threw me. Thanks
The joke is that when the first drunk says "Do you know what I got for my wife," he means "Do you know what present I got for my wife," but the second drunk thinks that he means, "Do you know how much I received in exchange for my wife."
At 15 minutes into Conan O'brien's podcast with Bob Newhart, Conan pleaded for young folks to listen to Jack Benny, so here I am.
Jack Benny was superb..
Really enjoyed Jack Benny, he was absolutely wonderful and the looks that he did, so much laughter followed. May he and all who were involved in his programs both past and present Rest In Peace. Thank you for sharing these.
There is and has not been anyone like Jack Benny.
God i miss the days of real comedy. Real class. Real dignity. All things that are dead today.
Benny was one of the greatest straight man comedians ever. What a shame that when his generation passed, real comedy died too.
Oh FFS stop it. British radio has some of the best comedy of all time. You can listen to I'm sorry I haven't a clue right here on CZcams. It is hysterically funny. Jack Dee is brilliant. His Predecessor for thirty years was Humphrey Lyttleton. He was amazing. Go listen to the show. Seriously. You will be stunned
@@zapkvr I grew up with the Goons, around the horn, Hancock's half hour, Python (you may have to search for some of them.) and with the likes of Benny. as I said, he was a straight man. his comedy made him the foil. I'm sorry I haven't a clue started as a radio program. facial expressions don't work in radio. the original writers, cleese, brooke taylor, oddie, kendall etc went on to other great stints. but you're young and young always seems to think they know best. I didn't THE greatest and I didn't realise I'd have to explain myself. if you want REAL comedy that does carry from radio to television, you can't go past the GOONS.
Anyone else think Kevin Spacey looks just like him?! Even his mannerisms and what of moving about. Spacey should’ve done a biopic on Benny. You know...before the whole end of his career thing...
I don't see any resemblance between them myself. Spacey's manner is not comedic at all.
@@PETERJOHN101 to each their own. :)
Jack Benny did this gag with penguins walking across the stage, interrupting the joke.
Jack Benny, the father of ALL the late night Comedic Hosts! He did the shtick long before anyone else did!
Are you suggesting that Jack was the father of sock-it-to-me? I think I would agree.
@@PETERJOHN101 I didn't mean to imply that Jack fathered the "sock to me" shtick--just that Jack Benny was the model many other Late Night Hosts follow; Johnny Carson admitted as much,
He'd just stand there doing nothing & the audience would end up completely helpless, dissolved on the floor. Genius is the word.
hands down, benny was the best of the bunch.
What comedian today could get a laugh by just standing there for 20 seconds.
That's brilliant comedy by a master.
An absolute master of the long take. Perfect timing.
Jack bombed the setup and it doesn't matter, we all knew what he meant.
But he didn't get flustered. He caught himself instantly and corrected it without being obvious. That's a real pro.
@@spectrum7virkeytroni Yes, you're right, he did. Of course, he knew all along that his joke was not the entire joke.
For the Millennials Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali. For those even younger he was probably the greatest boxer and sports personality who ever lived
For those even younger, McGregor would have been honored to give him a manicure
The video description says that this episode was from 1968, Ali changed his name on June 30th 1967, which means that the REAL reason Ali decked him would've been for calling Ali by his 'slave name', Cassius Clay.
He changed his religion to avoid the draft. He said no viet cong ever called him niggar. He was a true patriot .
For anyone born after, say, 1965, a running gag on "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" was that someone (usually Judy Carne) would say "Sock it to me" and then get splashed with a bucket of water.
@@balok63a40 Then Nixon said it. And everyone socked it to him.
Jack was a riot
A master comedian, he could make you laugh by just standing there.
Whenever I get a Martini I like to tell the story about why Jack Benny didn’t have olives in his Martinis “ They take up too much space!” My wife is sick of hearing this.
My wife never liked my favorite, from Rodney Dangerfield: "Sex life! Don't even talk about sex life- my wife's cut me down to once a month. Some guys she's cut off completely!"
That was great! A true comic genius and an actually incredible musician. Most people have no idea how good your have to be on the violin to deliberately play that badly (his normal schtick. I've heard him play in serious mode and he was very good.
Two drunks are sitting at a rooftop bar in New York.
First Drunk says to the Second Drunk, "You know, the buildings here are so close to each other that if you jump off, the wind will carry you back to the roof."
Second Drunk: "You're crazy."
First Drunk: "I'll show you." He walks to the edge and jumps off. A moment later he lands back on the roof.
Second Drunk: That's Amazing ". He runs to the edge and leaps off. He doesn't return, but you can hear him hit the pavement. The First Drunk orders another drink.
Bartender: "You know, you're a mean drunk, Superman."
Jack is the BEST!! lol
Only Jack Benny could get away with this. Absolutely the greatest.
Another great deadpan comedian pair was George Burns and Gracie Allen.
And THAT was the genius timing of Jack Benny!!
,,,, Jack was an old school and even today the old school kills everything today - fact.
I saw a sign the other day that said, ‘Watch for children,’ and I thought, ‘That sounds like a fair trade.
When he says "like that" I can just faintly hear how similar he sounds to Squidward.
Jack Benny was the kind of comedian who could just stand there and do nothing and people would laugh, the quintessential straight man.
A large portion of George Burns is biography was devoted to his friendship with Jack Benny and it turns out Jack Benny's off screen persona is completely different than what people think. Jack Benny is very democrative when he laughs. He'll rolled on the floor laughing at things that George Bern says. His stone face style is an act on stage
He played an open air show at the Hollywood bowl and an airplane flew over. He just watched it, and said nothing for 2 or 3 minutes and it cracked the audience up.
One thing about an expert comic ------ never interrupt laughter. Let it go on and on and on as long as it takes ---- wait , wait , wait ----- then ----- just as it dies down ---- ba boom --- deliver the punch line.
Jacks stare is priceless. He's like "what a fascinating change of events"
Oh, I grew up on this! Thanks.
Benny, master of the 'slow burn'.
I almost expected him to respond with his famous "Well!"