Chat December 27, 2020

Rodrigo Araya 4:59 PM
Columbia? Oh, Columbia?

garth_johnson 4:59 PM
1934-12-14_-_jb3_-_jptm_ahy-312_jp_-_family_circle_vol_05_no_24_-_jack_benny_cover_photo-a.jpg 4:591934-12-14_-_mag_-_family_circle_-_vol_05_no_24_-_cover_-_jack_benny_as_santa.jpg

1934 – Family Circle Magazine – Jack Benny

Doug Kiser 5:00 PM
Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Rodrigo Araya 5:00 PM
JACK: Columbia? Have you seen the New Year around here?
MARY: Nope. He’s probably too scared to come out…

Laura Leibowitz 5:01 PM
Hi folks!

Rodrigo Araya 5:01 PM
Hi, Laura!

garth_johnson 5:01 PM
Telegram from Mr. Benny1934-12-27_-_doc_-_source_catalog_-_telegram_jack_to_john_mitchell_mgr_genessee_theater.jpg

1934 – Telegram – Jack Benny to John Mitchell, Manager of Genessee Theater Waukegan – Greetings to all my Waukegan friends hope you all like Transatlantic Merry Go Round Seasons Greetings – Jack Benny

Laura Leibowitz 5:01 PM
Hi Rodrigo!

Tom V.5:01 PM
Good Evening, folks!

Laura Leibowitz 5:01 PM
Hi Tom! Hi Garth!

Rodrigo Araya 5:02 PM
I was thinking about Stuart Canin… Will he be too busy in February?

Laura Leibowitz 5:02 PM
Hi Doug!5:02Rodrigo – Unlikely with the pandemic. He confirmed!

Rodrigo Araya 5:02 PM
Wow!

Laura Leibowitz 5:02 PM
Yeah, he lives not far from me.

garth_johnson 5:03 PM
1935-10-03_-_nws_-_sunday_morning_star_-_pg_00_-_his_violin_is_start_of_feud.jpg

Rodrigo Araya 5:03 PM
We might hear some tidbits about that performance… What a performance! (edited)

Doug Kiser 5:03 PM
Hello Laura

Laura Leibowitz 5:04 PM
I think most of you have heard that when I first met him years ago, he met me at the elevator in his building. When the doors opened, he looked at me and said, “You’re too young to be President of the Jack Benny Fan Club.” I responded, “Well, to me you’re still ten years old!”

garth_johnson 5:04 PM
1940-12-18_-_fa1_-_jptm_ahl-992_jp_-_fred_allens_gift_to_boy_violinist-a.jpg

1940 – Fred Allens Gift To Boy Violinist

Laura Leibowitz 5:04 PM
That isn’t Stuart, is it?

garth_johnson 5:05 PM
1940-12-18_-_fa1_-_jptm_ahl-992_jp_-_fred_allens_gift_to_boy_violinist-c.jpg

Rodrigo Araya 5:05 PM
Actually, he appeared in a 1940 Texaco Star Theater…

Laura Leibowitz 5:05 PM
Well, I’ll be!

garth_johnson 5:05 PM
This is the second time with Fred – when he got some jack from Jack (and fred)

Neil Ottenstein 5:05 PM
Cool

Laura Leibowitz 5:05 PM
That’s right!

Neil Ottenstein 5:05 PM
Good evening

Laura Leibowitz 5:05 PM
Hi Neil!5:06So how is everyone tonight?

Neil Ottenstein 5:06 PM
Hello everyone

Rodrigo Araya 5:06 PM
Fine around here. With a little case of a heat wave…

garth_johnson 5:06 PM
I’m re-visiting the Turkey that didn’t get away!

Laura Leibowitz 5:07 PM
Garth – Istanbul?

Neil Ottenstein 5:07 PM
It is a bit cooler here. It was 26 deg F when I went for my morning walk.

garth_johnson 5:07 PM
You were expecting Constantinople?

Laura Leibowitz 5:07 PM
Garth – I was wondering who was going to say Constantinople first.

garth_johnson 5:07 PM
It’s nobody’s problem but the Turks!

Laura Leibowitz 5:08 PM
Neil – Yikes. I’ve gone soft since I moved to California.5:08Garth – Thanks Frank. I knew you’d get that tie-in.

Neil Ottenstein 5:08 PM
Luckily there was hardly any wind.

Laura Leibowitz 5:08 PM
Neil – That is fortunate. How much snow?

Neil Ottenstein 5:09 PM
No snow here in this part of Maryland. We got a few flurries on Christmas Day, but no covering (edited)

Rodrigo Araya 5:09 PM
Speaking of turkeys… I listened to that turkey of a “Turkey Dream”. The first time Mel Blanc played the train station man (or at least, an early version of it).

garth_johnson 5:09 PM
The igloo got a temporary refurbishment — but It rained today so it’s all back to normal1

Laura Leibowitz 5:10 PM
Rodrigo – Remind me. I think they’d done that gag previously (looking it up)

Rodrigo Araya 5:10 PM
The November 1943 episode where Jack buys a live turkey (and not an ostrich as it happened four years earlier…).5:12Mel did his bit during the dream, some 22 minutes into the program.

Laura Leibowitz 5:13 PM
Actually, you’re right.5:13The first Anaheim… was 1/7/45.5:13And George Balzer was a new writer getting his chops for the 1943 Thanksgiving show.

Rodrigo Araya 5:14 PM
Speaking of Mel, I also saw the 1957 Christmas Shopping show…5:14“Now what? NOW WHAT?!”5:14“Poor fellow… Had a whole life to live…”

Laura Leibowitz 5:15 PM
Someone had programmed that as their ring tone (now what) a while back. I kind of wondered how Mel Blanc yelling was received by others.

Rodrigo Araya 5:15 PM
If you want a suffering sourpuss, why not having him voiced by Mel Blanc?

Laura Leibowitz 5:16 PM
You could do worse!5:17Hey folks, I’ve been doing a substantial amount of heavy lifting this afternoon (Facebook friends have seen the photos) and now having sat down to the chat, my body is saying (ala Sheldon Leonard) “Uh uh” and wanting me to take a nap.

garth_johnson 5:17 PM
Better than ‘Darth Vader’s March’ for when the boss calls

Rodrigo Araya 5:17 PM
“Oh, Monsieur Benny. Can I get a higher fee? Look at me! I’m in rags!”

Neil Ottenstein 5:17 PM
the rest of the family have finished the game they were playing before dinner and are now going to start something new. So, I am going to join them this time.

Laura Leibowitz 5:18 PM
So please keep going…I apologize that my need for rest has overshadowed the happy hour!

Neil Ottenstein 5:18 PM
see you next week

Laura Leibowitz 5:18 PM
Enjoy folks, be well!

garth_johnson 5:18 PM
Say goodby Mr. Finque1955-10-23_-_jb5_-_getty_176638407_nwm_-_jack_and_mel_blanc.jpg

1955 – LOS ANGELES – OCTOBER 23: Jack Benny and Mel Blanc on THE JACK BENNY SHOW. Image dated October 23, 1955. (CBS via Getty Images)

Rodrigo Araya 5:19 PM
Well, folks. What was the most Benny-like dream you had?5:19I once dreamt I was talking with Jack. Imagine that! (edited)

Doug Kiser 5:21 PM
Look at the full pants sure not skinny jeans. lol

Rodrigo Araya 5:22 PM
Those tapered trousers were sure comfortable to wear…

garth_johnson 5:24 PM
Dreamed I was being annoyed by a couple on the deck chairs beside me — why the Ferry had deck chairs I don’t know1953-09-13_-_jb5_-_source_catalog_-_jack_with_guest_marilyn_monroe_deck_chair_scene-1-a.jpg

1953 – Actress Marilyn Monroe with comedian Jack Benny on TV show “The Jack Benny Show” 1953

tracy 5:24 PM
@maybe not so much a dream, but an allegory.

Rodrigo Araya 5:25 PM
LIND HAYES (as Fred Allen): Well, but it isn’t Benny, who’s sleeping sounder than his audience on Sunday night?

Doug Kiser 5:25 PM
Look at the cufflinks on Jack Benny’s shirt.

Tom V.5:27 PM
Admiring the picture and not Jack’s wardrobe! Ha!

garth_johnson 5:27 PM
… could be — I was looking for a new tenant at the time

Rodrigo Araya 5:29 PM
ROCHESTER: Carmichael. Papa needs a new fur coat for the winter…5:31JACK: Carmichael? Oh, no! How did I get all this white fur?

garth_johnson 5:33 PM
Looks like Roch had to dye it to please Mamie.1950-00-00_-_cst_-_getty_187177365_nwm_-_rochester_enjoys_horserace.jpg

Rodrigo Araya 5:35 PM
JACK: C’mon, Rochester! Take that razor down! I’ll give ya a nice raise! And a big new wardrobe!
ROCHESTER: Uh-huh. You’re not Mr. Benny… (edited) 5:36JACK: I’ll convince you I’m not Carmichael… Here’s Phil.

Doug Kiser 5:36 PM
Wonder what brand of cigar that is? Cigars were a big part of old shows.

Rodrigo Araya 5:36 PM
PHIL: Hello, Rochester. Hi, Carmichael! Here’s a fish for ya!5:37As late as the 1980s/early 90s it was common for comedians to smoke cigars. Take Letterman on his NBC days, for instance.5:38Probably had to do with the fact smoking was quite commonplace then.

garth_johnson 5:41 PM
Haven’t come across any specific brand information for Jack – except inexpensive stogies — but for awhile George and Gracie were sponsored by a cigar company.

1932 – Burns And Allen – General Cigar Show Publicity Photo

Doug Kiser 5:43 PM
Cool! My dad smoked cigars and the company went out of businesses after he died.

Rodrigo Araya 5:44 PM
Now, that was unexpected.

Tom V.5:44 PM
What a great letter and picture!

Doug Kiser 5:45 PM
Their clothes look wonderful. People don’t dress up today like yesteryear.

Rodrigo Araya 5:46 PM
Haven’t seen many DB blazers since Sept. ’08. Got one myself earlier this year… (edited) 5:49Seriously, I spent some five years looking for one, but no one had them in stock…

garth_johnson 5:50 PM
In 2010, when I was told I had to ‘Dress Properly’ for my first day at Tech Support Job — I wore a suit and tie where everyone else was dressed in polo shirts and Jeans — my supervisor told me not to be a smart-ass — I told him to give me a corporate shirt!2 repliesLast reply 1 month agoView thread

Rodrigo Araya 5:51 PM
I heard some companies tacitly ban ties from the workplace…

garth_johnson 5:52 PM
At one place I told the boss – get rid of the paper shredder and I’ll wear a tie — Health and Safety hazzard — they gave me a set of corporate polo shirts!

Rodrigo Araya 5:56 PM
I have a couple of bowties… And I’m no hipster or sump’n…

Doug Kiser 5:56 PM
When I got into management they told us not to wear ties anymore. So sad!

garth_johnson 5:57 PM
As heard somewhere else … “Bow Ties are Cool!”1947-00-00_-_fa1_-_source_catalog_-_fred_allen_bow_tie-4×07.jpg

Doug Kiser 5:58 PM
Can you tie a bow tie?

Rodrigo Araya 5:58 PM
“many technology-based companies having casual dress requirements, including Apple, Amazon, eBay, Genentech, Microsoft, Monsanto, and Google.”5:58The hyperlinks got there themselves…5:59I don’t recall Jack wearing a bowtie except for formalwear and one scene in the Professor LeBlanc flashback show…

garth_johnson 5:59 PM
A sign of no leadership examples and the democratization of the workplace – no shirt – no shoes – no service.

Rodrigo Araya 6:00 PM
I’m studying law. Wonder if that’ll be the last bastion of formalwear….

garth_johnson 6:01 PM
1932-10-00_-_fa1_-_jptm_qt384_jc_-_fred_allen_as_judge_allen-a.jpg

Rodrigo Araya 6:02 PM
I remember that, pre-pandemic, they said “Oxford bags” (a 20s-era trouser style) would become popular again, but a year later it seems we’ll be stuck with ol’ slim fit for the foreseeable future…6:02I think Jack wore a pair on “The Song Writers’ Revue”…

Doug Kiser 6:03 PM
I do not like slim fit.

Rodrigo Araya 6:03 PM
It seems ’twill be either that or wearing pajamas 24/7…

Tom V.6:04 PM
I love watching “Leave It To Beaver”, with Ward Cleaver wearing a suit and tie, reading the newspaper on the family’s couch.

garth_johnson 6:04 PM
Jack in Song Writers ‘1930-01-06_-_fil_-_source_catalog_-_the_song_writers_revue_-_1928-112_-_jack_benny-a.jpg

1930 – MGM – 1928-112 – The Song Writers’ Revue – A short subject made by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer in 1929, “Song Writers Revue”, featured Jack Benny as an MC hosting different composers who played and sang a musical number for the film, notably Arthur Freid, ten years prior to becoming a producer, sang his own composition “Wedding of the Painted Doll.”

Rodrigo Araya 6:04 PM
Wonder what Esky (the mascot from Esquire) would think about the state of men’s clothing…6:04The magazine held a joke contest in ’38. Guess who were two of the judges?

garth_johnson 6:06 PM
Finally found jack wearing a “not formal wear” bow tie.1941-05-06_-_jb4_-_historicimages_cvp80521_-_ciros_night_club_-_mary_livingstone_and_jack_benny_dancing-a.jpg 6:071941 – Hollywood, Calif., — Mary Livingstone (Mrs. Benny) and Jackson Benny shake out a Hollywood shag at Ciro’s as Jack proudly acknoledges his terpsichore triumph.

1941 – Hollywood, Calif., — Mary Livingstone (Mrs. Benny) and Jackson Benny shake out a Hollywood shag at Ciro’s as Jack proudly acknoledges his terpsichore triumph.

6:091941 – Number one funny man, Jack Benny pops a little of his corn into a N.B.C. mike as Groucho Marx, Bob Hope, and Dick Powell look on.1941-03-09_-_jb4_-_historicimages_catalog_-_jack_with_hope_marx_and_powell-a.jpg