HAPPY 39th BIRTHDAY JACK

[epeterd]

That's okay. Boy, he'd sure be old if he were still around now. 116. We need more humor like his, or maybe we just need more people to like his humor.

peter

[Brad from Georgia]

At this very moment I'm watching a documentary about the Smothers Brothers show, and they just played a clip of Jack and George Burns on the premiere episode. Tom and Dick, all these years later, still speak with such pride of sharing the stage with Jack and George. A belated Happy Birthday to Jack!

[grittys457]

The oldest person alive on earth now was born only 15 months after Jack was. That's pretty crazy to think of.

[epeterd]

Wow! That is pretty crazy. It was crazy enough for George Burns and Bob Hope to live as long as they did. I can't imagine someone being around since 1895. Talk about a lot of changes in one lifetime.

peter

[scottp]

Speaking of 1895... that's when my maternal grandmother was born. More about her later.
Freddie Prinze became famous when I was about 15, when he was what, 21? After he died I thought, "Who knows, he mighta gone on and on like Bob Hope and George Burns... and then when I got to be old, I could still watch a performer who had been young when I was young."
Years later I tried to figure out, What performer was famous through most all of my grandmother's life? (She lived until 1985.) By that I mean, famous to her. But I realized, because she didn't go to vaudeville shows, and didn't buy records, I could only consider the movie and radio performers. So.... she was already 37 when Jack Benny got a radio series. She was 34 when the Marx Brothers made their first movie.
I guess I could count Charlie Chaplin from when she was, say, 19, but his career was here-and-there from the time she was 40.
That's about the same place where I always leave my musings on the subject...

[scottp]

Speaking of 1895... that's when my maternal grandmother was born. More about her later.
Freddie Prinze became famous when I was about 15, when he was what, 21? After he died I thought, "Who knows, he mighta gone on and on like Bob Hope and George Burns... and then when I got to be old, I could still watch a performer who had been young when I was young."
Years later I tried to figure out, What performer was famous through most all of my grandmother's life? (She lived until 1985.) By that I mean, famous to her. But I realized, because she didn't go to vaudeville shows, and didn't buy records, I could only consider the movie and radio performers. So.... she was already 37 when Jack Benny got a radio series. She was 34 when the Marx Brothers made their first movie.
I guess I could count Charlie Chaplin from when she was, say, 19, but his career was here-and-there from the time she was 40.
That's about the same place where I always leave my musings on the subject...

[scottp]

The oldest person alive on earth now was born only 15 months after Jack was. That's pretty crazy to think of.

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In other words... it that's accurate... if Jack were alive today he'd be the world's oldest living person.

[Maxwell]

The oldest person alive on earth now was born only 15 months after Jack was. That's pretty crazy to think of.

------------------------------------
In other words... it that's accurate... if Jack were alive today he'd be the world's oldest living person.

Wrong! If Jack were alive today he'd be 39.

[epeterd]

Just read on yahoo that the oldest living American, a woman born in May 1895 just died. Now the oldest person is in Ames, IA.

peter

[scottp]

Seems like it's only been in the last couple years that the typical tv or radio report of "the oldest person has died" made much mention of who then moves into that spot. If they didn't make their next birthday, they didn't get a tribute until THEY kicked off. ("Too bad he missed it... and by just a couple of days!")

[Jhammes]

Speaking of Freddie Prinze, there was a nod to Jack Benny on the second season "Chico And The Man" opener. Rich Little guest starred as a somewhat shy character, who would communicate more confidently... only when impersonating various celebrities. This episode aired September 12, 1975.
The close of "Act 1" (before middle commercial break) saw Freddie Prinze's and Jack Albertson's characters bickering over something, as usual. During this bickering, and without saying a word, Rich Little slowly turned to camera (breaking the fourth wall), put his hand to cheek, the studio audience responded with laughter and applause... and the picture faded to black. Very brief, but very good.

[scottp]

Speaking of Rich Little, didn't he do a dramatic version of that same basic script idea, on a Fantasy Island or something? (Can't be himself, has to let his impersonation-characters communicate for him...)