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George begins his informal discussion on Jack Benny with a show that has special meaning to him. It’s one from February 11, 1951 From Palm Springs, and features some classic jokes about Jack’s birthday. George pauses to give some of his personal history, and a behind the scenes look at the characters on the show. His story proves that not all comedy writers had to come out of New York. He attributes his connection to Jack as coming through Tom Divine, brother of Andy Divine. He still had a roller coaster ride along his path from that first brush with Jack, to his coming to work on the show, paying his dues while working for other comedy shows.
At the time George joined Jack’s writing team, he was part of a crew to replace the team of Ed Beloin and Bill Murrow, who were going into the Army, or otherwise parting ways from the show. George talks about some of the events of his initial meeting with the other writers. Heavy drinking and freeloading while waiting for Jack to return from a USO tour in North Africa. George tells about some incidents that got him widespread notoriety from the first shows of his first season. A clip is shared that was used to introduce the writers. The crew was drilled, military style, after Jack had begun to imagine himself as a general after his days on the USO tour.
Jack is admired as knowing the priorities of those who made the show happen. He held his writers in high regard, and defended the humor in his scripts. An anecdote demonstrates how Jack may have had a reputation as a big star, but at home he could be quite humble. George compares Mary, and her part on the show to her real life role as Jack’s wife. Real life examples of Jack’s inept mechanical ability is demonstrated by a scene that made it into a radio show. Rochester has to take care of a blownout tire on the Maxwell.
A clip is shared of a classic reading of a letter from Mary’s mom. George continues by telling how Mary kept Jack in line on the show. He shares the colip that t>rned out to be the longest laugh for the show. Can you guess who wrote that famous punchline?
Dennis Day was known for his singing, but just as much for his goofy humor, and crazy talk. George tells about a couple memorable lines and situations that only Dennis could get away with. George tells how a running could be gotten away with over and over. But though that’s all of the audio for today, stay tuned for more fun, show cllips, and memories to come.
-818 SPERDVAC 1983 George Balzer Part 1 of 3. George begins his informal discussion on Jack Benny with a show that has special mewning to him. It’s one from February 11, 1951 From Palm Springs, and features some classic jokes about Jack’s birthday. George pauses to give some of his personal history, and a behind the scenes look at the characters on the show. His story proves that not all comedy writers had to come out of New York. He attributes his connection to Jack as coming through Tom Divine, brother of Andy Divine. He still had a roller coaster ride along his path from that first brush with Jack, to his coming to work on the show, paying his dues while working for other comedy shows.
At the time George joined Jack’s writing team, he was part of a crew to replace the team of Ed Beloin and Bill Murrow, who were going into the Army. George talks about some of the events of his initial meeting with the other writers. Heavy drinking and freeloading while waiting for Jack to return from a USO tour in North Africa. George tells about some incidents that got him widespread notoriety from the first shows of his first season. A clip is shared that was used to introduce the writers. The crew was drilled, military style, after Jack had begun to imagine himself as a general after his days on the USO tour.
Jack is admired as knowing the priorities of those who made the show happen. He held his writers in high regard, and defended the humor in his scripts. An anecdote demonstrates how Jack may have had a reputation as a big star, but at home he could be quite humble. George compares Mary, and her part on the show to her real life role as Jack’s wife. Real life examples of Jack’s inept mechanical ability is demonstrated by a scene that made it into a radio show. Rochester has to take care of a blownout tire on the Maxwell.
A clip is shared of a classic reading of a letter from Mary’s mom. George continues by telling how Mary kept Jack in line on the show. He shares the colip that t>rned out to be the longest laugh for the show. Can you guess who wrote that famous punchline?
Dennis Day was known for his singing, but just as much for his goofy humor, and crazy talk. George tells about a couple memorable lines and situations that only Dennis could get away with. George tells how a running could be gotten away with over and over. But though that’s all of the audio for today, stay tuned for more fun, show cllips, and memories to come.
PS: If some of this seems familiar, it could be because I featured it in Retro Salute to Jack Benny’s Birthday. (retro415).
