Jack Benny Show

by Milt Josefsberg

From dust jacket notes: "...For more than forty years, Jack Benny spread joy and laughter through his radio and television shows, steadfastly keeping to his carefully honed image of the skinflint. Millions 'knew' that he owned an antique Maxwell, driven by Rochester; that he kept his wealth in an underground vault; that his neighbors, Ronald and Benita Coleman, abhorred him; that Mary Livingstone, Dennis Day, Phil Harris and Don Wilson were his 'gang.' But what was Benny like in real life?...Here is the delightful story of Mary and Jack's first meeting (set up by the Marx Brothers), his friendship with George Burns, the hilarious outcome of his crush on Greer Garson, his idiosyncracies, and, yes, the three men Jack didn't like. But, above all, this is the story of the Benny broadcasting phenomenon: his relationships with the people he worked with...the Fred Allen feud...the wonderful characters who studded his show - like Mel Blanc (the French violin teacher), Sheldon Leonard, Mr. Kitzle and Benny Rubin...Jack's reluctance to use 'blue' material...his most expensive radio gag...his willingness to try anything different...why he left NBC for CBS...the change from radio to television. Enriched with scores of warmly remembered jokes and skits, a complete filmography, and 137 rare photographs, this book is destined to take its place as one of the enduring showbiz biographies."

Genres: Biography, Humor, Nonfiction, Tv, Media Tie In

496 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Teresa Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Milt Josefsberg was not just a writer for Jack Benny's radio and television shows, he was also a good friend. It is hard to describe the book, because there are so many stories about Jack and the people he interacted with every day. Milt relates some of Jack's favorite jokes. the truth behind the "feud" with Fred Allen, how each character of the show was an important part of their long success, and so forth.

The first time I even knew anything about Jack Benny was through the cartoons that portrayed Jack as a fiddle-playing mouse. I read the book about Jack written by his daughter, Joan, but I found Milt's book more personal, more interesting and more laugh out loud funny. I got a clearer picture of the man Jack truly was in private, which was the total opposite of his radio character. I know that for some people, reading the jokes will not be the same as hearing them, but just close your eyes and imagine laying on the floor in front of the radio as Jack, Mary, Rochester and the rest of the gang did their shows every Sunday night at 7 p.m. Trust me, the laughs will come. Read this one first before you read any other book about Jack Benny.

[BJ McSt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in early 1977, about 2 years after Jack Benny's death, this is a paean to an old friend and employer. It has numerous anecdotes and covers most of Benny's life. Mr. Josefsberg clearly enjoyed working for and being friends with Mr. Benny. There are few negative remarks about Benny and those few are securely snuggled in context and moderating language. Rumors and apocryphal stories are dealt with factually. There are no hidden demons or dished dirt. The chapter about the three (yes, three) men that Benny did not care for even manages to cushion two of them in a "well, what can you do?" attitude, while the third is tersely summed up and dismissed. The book is a pleasant read. Many of Benny's colleagues and friends were still living at the time so perhaps this accounts for the tone and tributes. The book still reads well (except for the references to homosexuals in a later chapter) and gives a nice record of Benny's career. It will supplement later written works and give some insider information about the still-popular radio shows that can be heard frequently on satellite radio.

[Arthur Pierce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I would have preferred a more straightforward history of the Jack Benny radio and tv shows, I can't deny that this loosely organized book was consistently entertaining. It's a little more than just a telling of anticdotes, and there is some actual history. Unlike a lot of books of this sort, there does appear to have been some research done (it's not just a collection of reminiscences of the author), and the tone, though informal, is never TOO informal.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not strictly a biography, this book was written by one of Benny's long time writers. Josefsberg writes about the Jack Benny Show, the people who were involved, and in the course of the book, one comes away with a better sense of who Jack Benny the man was. One of the most interesting/entertaining books about the great comedian. Highly recommended.

[Cornelis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A genuine honest man with a few quirks.
Readable.

[Mark Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biography by one of Jack’s writers. Many stories of the show and performances.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I remember watching Jack Benny on his television specials when I was a kid, not to mention is stints on the ”Lucy Show,” I really hadn’t heard any radio broadcasts until I checked a set out from the library for a road trip to Philadelphia. I’ve been hooked since and now listen to weekly podcasts, so this was a really fun book to read as I’ve heard several of the more historical and hysterical broadcasts. Thus, I’d probably recommend this book just for Jack Benny fans (it’s second on podcaster, Bucky Benny’s, list) or those of you interested in broadcast entertainment. Milt Josefsberg was a writer for Jack Benny for about 12 years; he wrote this shortly after Benny’s death, so a lot of the information shared was still fresh. In addition to interesting anecdotes about Benny and his cast, there are plenty of wonderful photos too. Josefsberg being a writer, the thing is well written. But, although semi-chronological, it gets a little confusing. I felt like I was listening to my Grandfather or older uncle reminisce – so a chapter may start out on one topic and/or time, but then you end up somewhere totally different, just like a good story – but that can be frustrating too. A very moving tribute to Benny and his contribution to American broadcast entertainment.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic look back at Jack Benny's life and career, from a writer and friend who worked with Jack for over a decade. I feel it's a shame that Jack Benny isn't better remembered these days, especially compared to Bob Hope and Milton Berle.

The only weakness of this book is that it glosses over a lot of Benny's personal life; this is ameliorated by its wealth of information on Benny's radio career, television specials and filmography, as well as the many wonderful pictures. Highly recommended for anyone interested in radio and early television comedy.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good inside look at OTR's great Jack Benny Show by one of Benny's longtime writers. The author gets a number of facts wrong about various Benny shows and incidents but that can be attributed to the fact that he was working completely through his memory and the memory of those he talked to for the book. Old tapes of the JBS were almost impossible to find when this book was written but luckily for us almost all the shows are available now.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review to come; just finished four books on Jack Benny-- this is the best of the three bios. Read daughter Joan's bio many years ago and will skim again presently

[Ronald · Rating 5 out of 5]

read some time in 1978