The Silver Screen Oasis

I think the only thing I've seen of his is To Be Or Not To Be....which I watched chiefly for Carole Lombard.

I can't say as it's anywhere near the top of my Carole Lombard list...but it was okay - pretty funny in parts.

I need to give Jack Benny more of a chance than I have though, before I made any sort of judgment.

Well the site I mentioned is back up.

Boy did I exaggerate the amount of episodes they had. They have 610 Benny show eps.

Here' the link: http://www.otr.net/

I've also heard an (unsubstantiated) story that when Benny was introduced for the first time on the radio, he said:

"Hello folks, my name is Jack Benny. There will now be a slight pause for everyone to say 'Who cares.'"

If it isn't true, it ought to be.

Ha ha! I think I heard Benny himself mention that story about the introduction in one of his shows.

Jack Benny was soooooo irritating to me, but I loved the unheard (by him) remarks from Rochester. THAT's what made me laugh. I guess because when I was a kid, every penny had to be accounted for so a penny pincher like him was not funny to me. Later in life I was able to appreciate his humor a little more, but I guess I have to listen to a couple of his old radio programs one of these days.

Anne

nightwalker wrote:I've also heard an (unsubstantiated) story that when Benny was introduced for the first time on the radio, he said:

"Hello folks, my name is Jack Benny. There will now be a slight pause for everyone to say 'Who cares.'"

If it isn't true, it ought to be.

Benny himself told that story. If anyone cares my local PBS station showed an old documentary on him. If you like Jack (Anne excepted) you might check you local listings.

I'm much more a fan of his radio shows than his TV shows, even though I grew up on his TV first and discovered his radio-shows only in the '80s and since.

TO BE is a favorite comedy, but maybe - like his radio and TV shows - it's everyone else around him that contributes.

In 1960, he was in a favorite made-for-TV show called THE SLOWEST GUN IN THE WEST (IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057510/) where he played the most cowardly sheriff in the West, and the region's bad guys knew that, if they gunned him down, it would ruin their reputation.

So, they found someone with an even worse reputation for sniveling cowardice, someone who's reputation could not be further ruined or maligned: Phil Silvers.

Years later, there was a pseudo remake which was typically awful, with Tim Conway and Don Knotts but, we've all seen Jack Benny. We've all seen Phil Silvers. Tim and Don aren't either.

Recently I bought "Charley's Aunt" but haven't watched it yet. Any opinions from those that have seen this film?