Jack in a Classic Play?

[Brad from Georgia]

[quote="Maxwell"
I just heard the start of Schaden's broadcast (hope you're listening), and the show is described as a full hour.[/quote]

Heard it, thanks, Maxwell. I think Jack actually was fairly good in the role; different from Monty Woolley, of course, but good in his own way. Interesting changes in the plot, too, discarding the "it was all a dream" tag!

[Maxwell]

[quote="Maxwell"
I just heard the start of Schaden's broadcast (hope you're listening), and the show is described as a full hour.

Heard it, thanks, Maxwell. I think Jack actually was fairly good in the role; different from Monty Woolley, of course, but good in his own way. Interesting changes in the plot, too, discarding the "it was all a dream" tag![/quote]

I thought he was quite good, too. Probably better on radio than he would be on stage or in a movie but that could be just because I think of Monte Wooley in the role.

[Brad from Georgia]

Well, I don't know if my monologue from "The Man Who Came to Dinner" did it or not, but I've been called back to be cast in "The Front Page."

[shimp scrampi]

Congratulations Brad! I'm going to credit your success to pure talent plus just a hint of Jack Benny mojo somewhere in the air.

[Alan]

kudos Brad!..

[Maxwell]

Congratulations, Brad! Break a leg.

[Roman]

If Jack had wanted to do more serious roles, I'm sure there would have been ample opportunities. After all, other stars of that era were able to move between comedy and serious roles (James Stewart, Clark Gable, Edward G. Robinson and Spencer Tracy come to mind). During the height of his popularity in the late 1930s/early 40s, Jack did a movie or two every year. The fact that he always chose to do light comedies (and not so light, in the case of To Be or Not to Be) indicates that he preferred to work in this genre. Part of this may be attributed to Hollywood's fear of challenging the audience's expectations but I also suspect that Jack himself felt that comedy was his greatest strength and he simply didn't desire to pursue serious drama.

[LLeff]

If Jack had wanted to do more serious roles, I'm sure there would have been ample opportunities. After all, other stars of that era were able to move between comedy and serious roles (James Stewart, Clark Gable, Edward G. Robinson and Spencer Tracy come to mind). During the height of his popularity in the late 1930s/early 40s, Jack did a movie or two every year. The fact that he always chose to do light comedies (and not so light, in the case of To Be or Not to Be) indicates that he preferred to work in this genre. Part of this may be attributed to Hollywood's fear of challenging the audience's expectations but I also suspect that Jack himself felt that comedy was his greatest strength and he simply didn't desire to pursue serious drama.

Check out the Suspense episodes in which Jack appeared. Also the radio version of "The Horn Blows at Midnight" on the Ford Theatre. I think they both speak well to his dramatic abilities.

[Brad from Georgia]

Just heard that I'm probably going to be the Mayor of Chicago in the play--more of a Frank Nelson role than a Jack Benny one! Guess I'm too long in the tooth to play a newspaperman in the company of a bunch of college students.

Oh, well, the Mayor is bombustious enough to be a fun role.

[Maxwell]

Just heard that I'm probably going to be the Mayor of Chicago in the play--more of a Frank Nelson role than a Jack Benny one! Guess I'm too long in the tooth to play a newspaperman in the company of a bunch of college students.

Oh, well, the Mayor is bombustious enough to be a fun role.

Think Gale Gordon as Mayor LaTrivia....