Jack Benny
| Jack Benny | |
|---|---|
Jack Benny in 1964, age 70
|
|
| Born |
Benjamin Kubelsky February 14, 1894 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died |
December 26, 1974 (aged 80) Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Pancreatic cancer |
| Resting place | Hillside Memorial Park, Culver City, California |
| Education | Waukegan High School |
| Occupation |
Actor, comedian, vaudevillian, violinist |
| Years active | 1911–1974 |
| Known for | The Jack Benny Program |
| Home town | Waukegan, Illinois |
| Spouse(s) |
Mary Livingstone (married 1927–1974) (his death) |
| Children | Joan Benny (b. 1934) |
| Awards |
|
| Website | http://www.jackbenny.org/ |
Actor, comedian,
Golden Globe for Best TV Show (1958)
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (1957, 1959)
Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky; February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American comedian, vaudevillian, radio, television and film actor, and violinist. Recognized as a leading American entertainer of the 20th century, Benny portrayed his character as a miser, playing his violin badly. In character, he would claim to be 39 years of age, regardless of his actual age.
Benny was known for comic timing and the ability to cause laughter with a pregnant pause or a single expression, such as his signature exasperated "Well!" His radio and television programs, popular from the 1930s to the 1970s, were a major influence on the sitcom genre.
Benny was born in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in nearby Waukegan, Illinois. He was the son of Meyer Kubelsky and Emma Sachs Kubelsky. His parents were Jewish. Meyer was a saloon owner and later a haberdasher who had immigrated to America from Poland. Emma had emigrated from Lithuania. Benny began studying violin, an instrument that became his trademark, at the age of 6, his parents hoping for him to become a professional violinist. He loved the instrument, but hated practice. His music teacher was Otto Graham Sr., a neighbor and father of Otto Graham of NFL fame. At 14, Benny was playing in dance bands and his high school orchestra. He was a dreamer and poor at his studies, and was ultimately expelled from high school. He did poorly in business school later and at attempts to join his father's business. At age 17, he began playing the violin in local vaudeville theaters for $7.50 a week. He was joined by Ned Miller, a young composer and singer, on the circuit.
In 1911, Benny was playing in the same theater as the young Marx Brothers. Minnie, their mother, enjoyed Benny's violin playing and invited him to accompany her boys in their act. Benny's parents refused to let their son go on the road at 17, but it was the beginning of his long friendship with the Marx Brothers, especially Zeppo Marx.
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Wikipedia