Jack Benny

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Birthday:

February 14, 1894 in Chicago, Illinois, USA

Birth Name:

Benjamin Kubelsky

Height:

174 cm

The son of a saloonkeeper, Jack Benny (born Benny Kubelsky) began to study the violin at the age six, and his "ineptness" at it later become his trademark (in reality, he was a very accomplished player). When given the opportunity to play in live theatre professionally, Benny quit school and joined vaudeville. In the same theatre that Benny was working with were the very young The Marx Brothers. Their mother, Minnie Marx, wanted Benny to go on the road with them. However, this plan was foiled by his parents who would not let their 17-year-old son on the road.Having a successful vaudeville career, Benny also had a greater career on radio for "The Jack Benny Program". The show was one of the few successful radio programs that also became a successful television show.Benny also starred in several movies, including Hollywood chante et danse (1929), Broadway Melody 1936: Naissance d'une étoile (1935), The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945) and La maison de mes rêves (1942), although he had much greater success on radio and on TV than he did on the big screen.He was good friends with Fred Allen, with whom he had a long-standing comic "feud". Show less «

[Commenting on the vocal talents of his radio show's co-star] There's only five real people in Hollywood. Everyone else is Mel Blanc.

[After being presented with an award] I don't deserve this, but I have arthritis and I don't deserve that, either.

[After being introduced by Ed Sullivan on his radio debut] This is Jack Benny talking. There will now be a slight pause while you say, "Who ...Show more »

[After being introduced by Ed Sullivan on his radio debut] This is Jack Benny talking. There will now be a slight pause while you say, "Who cares?" Show less «

I began my show business career playing violin in San Francisco at the corner of Market and Taylor. I understand that there is a theater the...Show more »

I began my show business career playing violin in San Francisco at the corner of Market and Taylor. I understand that there is a theater there now. Show less «

[on Al Jolson] When you talk about the world's greatest entertainer you have to say Al Jolson, because there was no one like him. Only Judy ...Show more »

[on Al Jolson] When you talk about the world's greatest entertainer you have to say Al Jolson, because there was no one like him. Only Judy Garland and perhaps Frank Sinatra got anywhere near him! Show less «

[on The Marx Brothers] If you ever eat at the Hillcrest Country Club and [Groucho Marx] is there, you'll find he'll make you laugh in the sa...Show more »

[on The Marx Brothers] If you ever eat at the Hillcrest Country Club and [Groucho Marx] is there, you'll find he'll make you laugh in the same way he does on screen, [Chico Marx], I would say, loved women and gambling, period. [Harpo Marx] was probably the sweetest man you would ever want to meet. Show less «

[on Bob Hope] It's not enough just to get laughs. The audience has to love you, and Bob gets love as well as laughs from his audiences.

[Receiving a "joke" trophy for his performance in drag in Charley's Aunt (1941)] I'm caught with my gags down.. I've been waiting so long fo...Show more »

[Receiving a "joke" trophy for his performance in drag in Charley's Aunt (1941)] I'm caught with my gags down.. I've been waiting so long for an Oscar that I'm ready to accept anything from anybody. Show less «

Gags die, humor doesn't.

[to Rodney Dangerfield] I'm cheap and I'm thirty-nine, that's my image. But your "no respect", that's the soul of everybody. Everybody can i...Show more »

[to Rodney Dangerfield] I'm cheap and I'm thirty-nine, that's my image. But your "no respect", that's the soul of everybody. Everybody can identify with that. Show less «

Age is strictly a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.

When you take a joke away from Milton Berle, it's not stealing, it's repossessing.

[on what makes a good comedian] There has to be more than just getting laughs. Laughs are not everything. People can scream at a comedian an...Show more »

[on what makes a good comedian] There has to be more than just getting laughs. Laughs are not everything. People can scream at a comedian and yet not remember anything afterwards to talk about. To become real successful, they [the audience] must like you very much . . . they must have a feeling like, "Gee, I wish he was a friend of mine. I wish he was a relative". Show less «

I have always thought Ed Wynn was the world's greatest comedian, and I still think there is nobody that has ever been as funny, or will be, ...Show more »

I have always thought Ed Wynn was the world's greatest comedian, and I still think there is nobody that has ever been as funny, or will be, in my time as he was in his heyday. Show less «

[on Frank Fay] I used to like Frank Fay very much. I was never a very good friend of his--there weren't too many people that were friends of...Show more »

[on Frank Fay] I used to like Frank Fay very much. I was never a very good friend of his--there weren't too many people that were friends of his--but on the stage I admired him. Show less «

[on how "Love in Bloom" became his theme song] Quite by accident. "Love in Bloom" is not a theme song I particularly like . . . It happened ...Show more »

[on how "Love in Bloom" became his theme song] Quite by accident. "Love in Bloom" is not a theme song I particularly like . . . It happened that I was fooling with that number 30 years ago, and before I could do anything about it . . . it was an avalanche, and it became my theme song. Show less «

I didn't triumph over adversity. I did not go through struggles and hardship. I always had shoes and warm clothes. My only handicap is golf.