Jack Benny was one of the most beloved stars of both the Golden Age of Radio and the Golden Age of TV. Born Benjamin Kubelsky, he underwent a couple of name changes in his career. By the time he became “Jack Benny” he was established in the comedic character that millions of Americans would come to know and love.

In reality, Jack was nothing like the character he played on stage - vain, self-important and the ultimate skinflint. Much of the humor in sketches on both radio and television centered on these less than admirable qualities. But Jack didn’t mind that the jokes were usually on him. He was known to say that he didn’t care who got the laugh as long as the show was funny.

Jack never aged past 39. He had celebrated his 39th birthday on his show and didn’t want to celebrate 40. He didn’t think 40 was a very funny age and so he continued to be 39. It became another one of Jack’s running jokes and trademarks.

Another was his violin. In reality, Jack started playing the violin at age 6 and was accomplished enough to make his living at it in his early days.

Perhaps Jack’s greatest talent was his ability to get a laugh by saying nothing. With pregnant pauses, facial expressions and hand gestures, he cracked up the audience and the laughs were sustained and even increased with the length of the pause.

Possibly the best-known pause and subsequent punch line came when a mugger demanded of Jack “Your money or your life”. Jack paused and looked at the studio audience. Getting no response after a few moments, the mugger rasps again, “Look, pal! I said your money or your life!” to which Jack snaps back, “I’m thinking it over!”.

If you have a yen to return to the days of genuinely funny comedy, then I have found some great clips for you to watch.

You can watch an entire Jack Benny program by clicking on these links in sequence:

JACK BENNY & LIBERACE PART 1 Watch for a guest appearance by Bea Benederet as a telephone operator

JACK BENNY & LIBERACE PART 2 Hilarious look into the home life of Liberace

JACK BENNY & LIBERACE PART 3 Watch Jack play violin in concert with Liberace

These links will take you to a film of Jack, Mary Livingstone, Don Wilson and Eddie Anderson as Rochester as they broadcast Jack’s radio show:

Jack Benny from Camp Haan 1942 Part 1

Jack Benny from Camp Haan 1942 Part 2