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From the Retro Vaults comes another installment of Jack Benny, and his friends as they try to enjoy a ski trip to Yosemite. Here’s a few snippets from my original show notes.
Remember, this is supposed to be a retelling of the ski trip that happened the previous week. Don Wilson does a good job of filling everybody in, so I’ll let him do it. The story picks up as the crew begins their second day of the trip. They actually make it to the park, but not without some new adventures and laughs. And just where is Dennis… Oh, you’ll figure it out.
In addition, I had made a lengthy biographical sketch in earlier show notes about Jack. Though I recently presented those notes, complete with corrections, I thought it would be fun to repeat a few of the fun facts.
- Sadye Marx, Jack Benny’s wife, was not a sister to the Marx Brothers. She was related, but likely a cousin.
- Various occupations that Jack’s dad was supposed to have had include range
from saloon keeper, to merchant, and habadasher. All would be correct, since being a merchant would cover a wide range o f businesses. - Was Jack Benny born at home? I don’t remember where I learned that bit of misinformation. It was certainly a common practice in earlier America. He was actually born in Chicago.
- Jack’s mother had a notion that being born in a city was somehow prestigious, or lucky.
- The family moved to Chicago for about a year, just to be sure the young Jack would arrive in the big city.
Here’s a few more bonus trivia facts about Jack Benny’s early life.
- His sister Florence was born 2 years after Jack.
- He was given a violin to learn to play at age 6. It was customary for youngsters of that age to learn an instrument, usually the piano or violin.
- Jack took to it quickly and was said to be a prodigy at the violin.
- Jack left school early, and didn’t graduate.
- As a youth Jack tried his hand at the family business but was a failure at it.
- Playing in the orchestra pit of a local theater, Jack met the Marx Brothers.
- Jack had to turn down the chance to tour with the Marx Brothers.
- From 1912 until he went into the Navy, Jack was somewhat successful in vaudeville.
- After his mom died of cancer in 1917, the 23 year old jack joined the Navy.
stationed at Great Lakes Naval Base in Chicago, Illinois. Jack and others would put on shows for each other in the unit. He was picked more or less at random to read some lines for a bit that kept growing. He would also play his violin for the sailors but found that he could get laughs from doing some wisecracking. That advice was said to be given to him by Pat O’Brian.
They were both stationed at the same base at the same time, but later Pat O’Brian would claim that he never met Jack until years after their Navy days. Regardless of who it was, that mystery sailor got Jack’s comedy career started.
Bonus Tracks
- Just a lot of background from Keith.
- Glenn Miller 1938 What Have You Got That Gets me? (Vocalist: Marion Hutton)
