ONCE AGAIN THROUGH the magic of cable and rerun channels, we have once again struck an unexpected piece of pure gold. We must at this time thank Jewish LIFE TELEVISION CHANNEL (JLTV for short) for televising all of these great episodes of THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM.
IT IS WELL known that the BENNY formula for success had but a few basic tenets. Among those were: 1) It didn't matter who got the laughs, as long as there were laughs. 2) All series regulars developed an on screen personality and formed a sort of repertory company for the show. 3) Ongoing myths about Mr. Benny were central to the continuity of the programs comedy.
THIS THIRD ELEMENT was responsible for so much of the longevity that the series enjoyed. Among these myths were the business about Jack's age (always 39), Jack's vain obsession with the violin and his supposed penchant for extreme frugality; aka being just plain cheap.
ANOTHER ONGOING GAG popularized the belief that Jack Benny was next door neighbors with Ronald Colman & wife, Benita Hume. Although this was no truer than the other previously mentioned were, the BENNY Show got many an episode built around the notion that Jack was an annoying neighbor to the Colmans and this gag ran throughout so much of the run of the show during both Radio and Television versions. It continued right up to 1958 when Mr. Colman died.
SO AFTER SOME time, the ongoing joke was revived in almost the same vein; except that now James Stewart and wife, Gloria McLean, were the ones who played straight men to the Benny routines. The stage had been set in previous episodes for us, the audience, to be in on the annoying calls from Jack of "Jimmy, Jimmy!", as the Stewarts attempted to avoid any contact with him.
IN THIS PARTICULAR episode, it was a chance meeting at a great violinist's concert, which was the conduit for their confrontation. The setup was done earlier when Jack had an Orchid Corsage mistakenly delivered to his house. It was then thought to have been intended for Jack's Date (Barbara Nichols) rather than for its rightful recipient, Mrs. Stewart.
PLAYNG THE ROLE of Jack's sometime girlfriend befell to Miss Barbara Nichols. It was because Mary Livingston (Mrs. Jack Benny) did not ever feel comfortable as a performer and still suffered terrible stage fright. So after years on Radio and Television, Jack told her she didn't have to do it anymore.
NOW THEN SCHULTZ, who woulda thunk it?
IT IS WELL known that the BENNY formula for success had but a few basic tenets. Among those were: 1) It didn't matter who got the laughs, as long as there were laughs. 2) All series regulars developed an on screen personality and formed a sort of repertory company for the show. 3) Ongoing myths about Mr. Benny were central to the continuity of the programs comedy.
THIS THIRD ELEMENT was responsible for so much of the longevity that the series enjoyed. Among these myths were the business about Jack's age (always 39), Jack's vain obsession with the violin and his supposed penchant for extreme frugality; aka being just plain cheap.
ANOTHER ONGOING GAG popularized the belief that Jack Benny was next door neighbors with Ronald Colman & wife, Benita Hume. Although this was no truer than the other previously mentioned were, the BENNY Show got many an episode built around the notion that Jack was an annoying neighbor to the Colmans and this gag ran throughout so much of the run of the show during both Radio and Television versions. It continued right up to 1958 when Mr. Colman died.
SO AFTER SOME time, the ongoing joke was revived in almost the same vein; except that now James Stewart and wife, Gloria McLean, were the ones who played straight men to the Benny routines. The stage had been set in previous episodes for us, the audience, to be in on the annoying calls from Jack of "Jimmy, Jimmy!", as the Stewarts attempted to avoid any contact with him.
IN THIS PARTICULAR episode, it was a chance meeting at a great violinist's concert, which was the conduit for their confrontation. The setup was done earlier when Jack had an Orchid Corsage mistakenly delivered to his house. It was then thought to have been intended for Jack's Date (Barbara Nichols) rather than for its rightful recipient, Mrs. Stewart.
PLAYNG THE ROLE of Jack's sometime girlfriend befell to Miss Barbara Nichols. It was because Mary Livingston (Mrs. Jack Benny) did not ever feel comfortable as a performer and still suffered terrible stage fright. So after years on Radio and Television, Jack told her she didn't have to do it anymore.
NOW THEN SCHULTZ, who woulda thunk it?
