Melanie wrote:Is anyone keeping a list of mentions of the Benny gang in various places?
I was intrigued to see Jack mentioned in a recent biography of country music legend Hank Williams. It was only a brief mention, but the context was interesting, as was the fact that their paths even crossed at all. Williams’ career was short, and although it coincided with Jack’s peak years in the late 40s and early 50s, they were stars in two completely different domains.
Apparently, a Hollywood contingent including Jack, Burns and Allen, Milton Berle, Dorothy Lamour and Bob Hope joined the last great traveling medicine show across the south in ’51 or ‘52, sponsored by the Hadacol elixir company, which went bankrupt during the tour. Berle and Hope mocked Williams and co-star Minnie Pearl on stage, who they hadn’t really known at all before, at first. But the tour was in Opry country, and that didn’t go down too well. Hope wound up asking the promoter not to have to follow Williams, who ended up closing the show each night.
Any country singers ever guest on the radio program?