Jack in Vancouver newspaper stories

[Yhtapmys]

Jack Benny, on Brief Visit Here,
Out for Own Entertainment
"BUCK Benny rides again" - this time in Vancouver.
Radio's No. 1 comedian and Fred Allen's No. 1 pet aversion arrived in the city with his equally famous wife, Mary Livingstone, late Monday afternoon on a two-day visit.
"I'm out to enjoy myself," he said, "not to entertain. I'm the one who's going to be entertained on this trip."
"You know, though," he continued, "I almost didn't come to Vancouver. We were all set Sunday morning to go to Saratoga Springs. Then 'Doll' and I thought of the heat, so we came north. Do you always have this swell, cool weather?"
Jack's remarks were punctuated by puffs on the inevitable Benny cigar.
FIVE DAYS AT HOME
"I'll have to stop talking about my hair," he said when told he had more than he led people to believe. "I've talked about toupees so much, I'm surprised every time I look in the mirror. There's really quite a lot, isn't there?"
A goodly growth of iron-grey still covers the head, although it thins out on top.
"Anyway, I wore a toupee in my last picture. I just finished it before I left."
He was asked if he had moved into his new home.
"Yeah. There's a man for you. It took me forty-four years to build a house and then I only live in it five days. Oh, well, it'll be there when I get back."
ON AIR IN FALL
Returning to the air October 2, Jack will continue with the same cast as was with him last year.
"We might pick up another character or two," he explained, "as we did Rochester. Otherwise the show will be much the same, although I would like to repeat some of the best programmes we've done.
"My contract ends in another two years, then I'm going to take things a little easier."
Mr. and Mrs. Benny expect to visit Vancouver Island during their short stay in B.C. They may go to Nanaimo by boat, motor down to Victoria, and return to the United States by way of Port Angeles.
"There's nothing I like better than driving," Jack remarked. "You see lots of things and it's the best rest I know."
"But next year I'm coming back up here. I'm going to take that trip to Alaska that I've heard so much about. Joan will be old enough then to get a kick out of it. We left her in Seattle while we came up here."
- Vancouver Daily Province, Tuesday, August 2, 1938.

Comedian Buys Himself Some Garbo Glasses
Mr. Marx and Mr. Benny Are So Sorry,
But They Can't Fine 'Lone Wolf' Benny.
By BILL NEWELL
Greta Garbo isn't the only one who wants to be alone.
Benny Kubelsky (Jack Benny to you) spent the last couple of days in Vancouver asking: "Please go away and leave me alone."
He's carting his 200-pound manager, Eddie Marx, around with him, and when you ask for Mr. Benny on the phone, the answer is:
"No, Mr. Benny isn't here and we don't know when he'll be in."
I called seevral times, and I've got a hunch it was Benny himself half the time telling me he was out.
I didn't see Mr. Benny or his wife, Mary Livingstone. But I did talk to several who did.
Of Jack, they said: "He looks tired, wears glasses and is pretty grey."
WON'T BROADCAST
Every radio station in town has been trying to nail Jack Benny for a broadcast, including the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's CBR.
Station managers' stooges who managed to get near him (mostly when he went to the cigarette counter) were told: "No, I won't broadcast. I don't want to see a microphone until October. And I don't care much if I see one then."
Which may or may not mean he's about through with radio, that he figured to quit before his popularity as a comedian wanes.
Believe it or not, there ARE some people who really don't think that Mr. Benny is funny all the time.
NO HUMOR TO WASTE
The comedian spoke overone Vancouver station Monday night, CJOR, during the lacrosse broadcast. But I hear he was put on such a spot that he couldn't get out of saying a few words.
And then he pulled an old gag which made one think it is a good thing that Mr. Kubelsky gag a couple of good gag men to write stuff for his Sunday night shows. Or else he [unitelligable].
The Bennys arrival in Vancouver must have started a wave of imagination, or a lot of people were seeing things yesterday.
Film actress Joan Blondell is supposed to appear in town but no one can find her. Rumor has it that she can North on her yacht and is remaining aboard it.
Three people swore they saw her in a beer tavern wearing smoked glasses.
But one added: "If that was Joan Blondell, she certainly has lost a lot of weight."
FARMER COMES TO TOWN
A bellboy in the Hotel Vancouver tells me that he saw a gent in the lobby dressed as a farmer. And, lo and behold, it was none other than Allan Jones, the singer. But try and find him.
But, so help me, I do know that Willie and Eugene Howard, comedians of stage, radio and screen, are in town.
But I guess they were out visiting local newspapers and radio stations.
Vancouver Sun, August 3, 1938

[Jack Benny]

"My contract ends in another two years, then I'm going to take things a little easier."

Yes, like that ever happened! I guess he could relax a little when his TV show went of the air, what, 25 years later!

[JohnM]

Thanks for posting these. I've read a lot about Jack, but all stuff written years after the fact. Getting some contemporary flavor like this, even from brief articles, is nice.

[ZEjackbennykid]

These are really cool. They give that broad scope that todays interviews have.

[Yhtapmys]

These are really cool. They give that broad scope that todays interviews have.

Thanks Kid and John. I was researching something else in the newspapers at the library and came across them.

What surprised me is no mention was made of Mary living in Vancouver. That was not the case when the cast came here to do the show during the war.

Yhtapmys
"Drive Your Blues Away!"

[Jhammes]

Thank you for the newspaper articles, "Yhtapmys"!
These are special...please keep them coming!


"Hmm... ME it made SICK ..."

Jack Benny listening to Louella Parsons praise
"Sympathy Soothing Syrup". 12/16/45 show.

[Yhtapmys]

Thank you for the newspaper articles, "Yhtapmys"!
These are special...please keep them coming!

Thanks, J.H. I had to make photocopies of microfilm for these ones, then scan them into the computer and clean them up. The other ones are hiding in .pdf on the web but also need major surgery. I don't have a lot of time to do it with all the other stuff I'm doing but had a moment on the weekend to look around.

Yhtapmys
"Drive Your Blues Away!"