Listening to the Jack Benny program

[helloagain]

Yes, Jack aged rather gracefully and didn't change too much over the years. Unlike Jerry Lewis, who now looks about 103.

[Moose Hatrack]

Just back from a trip with my wife and 9 kids during which we enjoyed non-stop Jack Benny radio in the van. The kids ask for it by name.
The original post mentions that nobody ever teased Jack about a fluff. There is one exception I can think of right off the bat. One of the shows we heard during the trip, A Cup of Coffee, A Sandwich and Murder contained Jack's "Hoovier" blooper. Jack teased himself immediately after the fluff by dropping character to ask (quoting /paraphrasing from memory), "Did I say Hoovier? Like President Hoovier?"
Dennis tops that by saying "That was Hoobert Heever" referring I believe to a nationally known blunder made by a news announcer.
Later, Phil exits saying "So long Hoovier" And Jack calls back an earlier joke about Pismo beach replying, "So long, fish head" The way Jack delivers that line cracks us up every time.
Finally the guest star refers to Mr. Gundlefinger (Jack) as Hoovier during the skit (Hoovier's gettin' nervous)
It all plays so nicely you wonder if it was one of the planned fluffs.

[helloagain]

Just by chance I happened to listen to this show in my car today. Very funny. I wonder if guest Richard Widmark actually ad-libbed 'Hoovier', or if the writers told him to say it, like they did with Frank Nelson and 'Dreer Poosen'. Jack seldom made a flub, but when he did, he usually was the first to make a joke out of it. I think the cast rarely ad-libbed out of respect for Mr. Benny's instructions to stick to the script. I do recall another transcribed show where they did criticize him for fluffing a line, but it was scripted on the next week's show. Jack was playing 'last week's record' to show Mary, Don and Phil where they all had missed a line, and they heard him say that he was ON the Navy, instead of IN the Navy. But, as I say, this was all in the script. I always felt that Jack was like a father figure to the cast, and got the respect he deserved.

[JohnM]

Just back from a trip with my wife and 9 kids

You what now?

[Jack Benny]

Mary's voice is just enchanting. I love her laugh and greatly enjoy the occasional song she would do with Phil. From what I gather, she may have not been the world's nicest person, but I think she added greatly to the show.

Probably the most concise and accurate comment about Mary that I have ever read! I loved her character and the way she performed it. I think if you corner the writers they might say that besides Jack her character was the one that was the most indispensable on the show. Look at how often she got the longest laughs on the show.

[helloagain]

I also feel that Mary added a lot to the show. Too bad she developed such an aversion to performing, whatever the reason.

[Yhtapmys]

I also feel that Mary added a lot to the show. Too bad she developed such an aversion to performing, whatever the reason.

I thought her delivery was just perfect (except when she phoned it in from home). From what I've read Jack coached her along a lot about emphasis and timing, but if you don't have any natural ability, all the coaching in the world won't do anything.

Yhtapmys

[Yhtapmys]

Just back from a trip with my wife and 9 kids

You need that like a moose needs a hat rack.

Yhtapmys

[Moose Hatrack]

Mr. and Mrs. Hatrack... Filling the world with Benny listeners one kid at a time.