Jack Benny

[BD Sullivan]

In 1938, Benny was indicted for the technical charge of jewel smuggling--he came home from overseas and failed to pay duty on $2,000+ worth of jewelry. The following year, he admitted his guilt and apologized and was fined $10,000.

 

[joeybabe25]

In 1938, Benny was indicted for the technical charge of jewel smuggling--he came home from overseas and failed to pay duty on $2,000+ worth of jewelry. The following year, he admitted his guilt and apologized and was fined $10,000.

I believe George Burns was in on the same deal and got a similar sentence.

I think it was more than technical, however. I think Jack and George tried to do a little bit of innocent smuggling.

I am willing to be corrected here.

Joe

 

[joeybabe25]

In 1938, Benny was indicted for the technical charge of jewel smuggling--he came home from overseas and failed to pay duty on $2,000+ worth of jewelry. The following year, he admitted his guilt and apologized and was fined $10,000.

I believe George Burns was in on the same deal and got a similar sentence.

I think it was more than technical, however. I think Jack and George tried to do a little bit of innocent smuggling.

I am willing to be corrected here.

Joe

 

[BD Sullivan]

In 1938, Benny was indicted for the technical charge of jewel smuggling--he came home from overseas and failed to pay duty on $2,000+ worth of jewelry. The following year, he admitted his guilt and apologized and was fined $10,000.

I believe George Burns was in on the same deal and got a similar sentence.

I think it was more than technical, however. I think Jack and George tried to do a little bit of innocent smuggling.

I am willing to be corrected here.

Joe

Burns was fined $8,000 and both also got a suspended one-year sentence.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

News of Jack Benny's terminal cancer broke on Christmas Day 1974 and he died the next day...

I read Joan Benny's book about 20 years ago, and in it (this is all from memory...it may be one of the other "Benny" bios) she says that a large crowd of friends had assembled at Jack and Mary's home after learning he had inoperable pancreatic cancer. Johnny Carson, perhaps his greatest admirer was in the room when he died. He then left the room and at the top of the stairs announced to those assembled that "our Jack is gone"

Jack died just one week after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Re, Carson announcing "our Jack is gone": Marvin Gottfried's "George Burns and the 100-Year Dash" credits Mary, not Carson, for that announcement, which moved Burns to appeal to Mary to let him visit Jack at bedside one last time. Mary, whose relationship with Burns had always been chilly, denied this request, basing it on Dr's instructions. Burns fiesty reply: "I Know him longer than the Dr... I'm going up."

Also, Gottfried's book dates Jack's cancer diagnosis to October '74. His personal physician collaborated with Mary and daughter Joan to "spare him the news..." Remarkably, Benny was never told he was terminally ill.

 

[LKellerIII]

I suspect that "sparing the sick person the news" thing was more common in decades past. I remember from reading Lauren Bacall's autobiography (years ago) that Humphrey Bogart was also denied the news of his terminal cancer diagnosis. He died in 1957. Unlike Jack Benny, Bogart lived on for quite a few months after the diagnosis. One has to marvel at the level of denial required to remain ignorant for so long as your health declines and you become bedridden.

I, personally, would certainly want to know. I'm sure that having to cope with the "5 stages of grief," and the "why me's" would be painful, but I think it's better than dying in ignorance.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

^^^ LK,

Whether or not anyone finally disclosed the news, one has to assume Benny instinctively knew the score, at least toward the end. Evidence for this would be his call to producers, asking them to consider giving his close friend George Burns the role Benny had secured in Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys.

The Oct '74 diagnosis given to him in the rosier terms of "pancreatitis", as well as "a possible mild stroke", was the result of hospital tests performed after falling ill in Dallas. Greeting reporters after his release, Benny even joked in character that he was feeling fine, until he saw the Dr bill.

 

[BD Sullivan]

I suspect that "sparing the sick person the news" thing was more common in decades past. I remember from reading Lauren Bacall's autobiography (years ago) that Humphrey Bogart was also denied the news of his terminal cancer diagnosis. He died in 1957. Unlike Jack Benny, Bogart lived on for quite a few months after the diagnosis. One has to marvel at the level of denial required to remain ignorant for so long as your health declines and you become bedridden.

I, personally, would certainly want to know. I'm sure that having to cope with the "5 stages of grief," and the "why me's" would be painful, but I think it's better than dying in ignorance.

Which brings to mind the tragic case of Lurleen Wallace, first wife of the infamous George Wallace (from Wikipedia):

"Mrs. Wallace made her gubernatorial race carrying a tragic secret: she had been diagnosed with cancer as early as April 1961, when her surgeon biopsied suspicious tissue that he noticed during the cesarean delivery of her last child. As was common at the time, her physician told her husband the news, not her. George Wallace insisted that Lurleen not be informed. As a result, she did not get appropriate follow-up care. When she saw a gynecologist for abnormal bleeding in 1965, his diagnosis of uterine cancer came as a complete shock to her. When one of her husband's staffers carelessly revealed to her that Wallace had discussed her cancer with them, but not her, during his 1962 campaign three years earlier, she was outraged."

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

In 1938, Benny was indicted for... jewel smuggling--he came home from overseas and failed to pay duty on $2,000+ worth of jewelry. The following year, he admitted his guilt and apologized and was fined $10,000.

I believe George Burns was in on the same deal and got a similar sentence. I think it was more than technical, however. I think Jack and George tried to do a little bit of innocent smuggling.

Burns was fined $8,000 and both also got a suspended one-year sentence.

Re, "Jack and George tried to do a little bit of innocent smuggling", I've always wondered about Burns' & Benny's intentions here. Certainly both must have known the risks of buying jewelry from an infamous, disreputable confidence man like Albert Chapereau. Still, I like to assume that neither knew of the mischief of jewelry smuggling in the 1930's, how most of the gems were the currency many jews had to pay to flee Nazi oppression. Interesting sidenote to this story: Chapereau's partner in crime was retired Supreme Court Justice Edgar J Lauer, who was outed by his own german maid. Offended by disparaging remarks Lauer made about Hitler, the maid reported him to the Treasury Dept, who then raided the judge's appartment and confiscated a wealth of ill gotten jewelry.

Lots of intrigue in this story. Burns and Benny were very lucky to have landed on their feet.

 

[LKellerIII]

I suspect that "sparing the sick person the news" thing was more common in decades past. I remember from reading Lauren Bacall's autobiography (years ago) that Humphrey Bogart was also denied the news of his terminal cancer diagnosis. He died in 1957. Unlike Jack Benny, Bogart lived on for quite a few months after the diagnosis. One has to marvel at the level of denial required to remain ignorant for so long as your health declines and you become bedridden.

I, personally, would certainly want to know. I'm sure that having to cope with the "5 stages of grief," and the "why me's" would be painful, but I think it's better than dying in ignorance.

Which brings to mind the tragic case of Lurleen Wallace, first wife of the infamous George Wallace (from Wikipedia):

"Mrs. Wallace made her gubernatorial race carrying a tragic secret: she had been diagnosed with cancer as early as April 1961, when her surgeon biopsied suspicious tissue that he noticed during the cesarean delivery of her last child. As was common at the time, her physician told her husband the news, not her. George Wallace insisted that Lurleen not be informed. As a result, she did not get appropriate follow-up care. When she saw a gynecologist for abnormal bleeding in 1965, his diagnosis of uterine cancer came as a complete shock to her. When one of her husband's staffers carelessly revealed to her that Wallace had discussed her cancer with them, but not her, during his 1962 campaign three years earlier, she was outraged."

It's interesting to learn that George Wallace was a giant d__k in ways other than that known publicly....having to do with segregation and the fact that he personally stood in the doorway of a college to block admissions by 2 African-American students. Reportedly, he was a populist, but not a racist - until he learned that racism was a good way to get ahead politically in 1950s Alabama.

I never bought his late-in-life conversion.

 

[BD Sullivan]

I suspect that "sparing the sick person the news" thing was more common in decades past. I remember from reading Lauren Bacall's autobiography (years ago) that Humphrey Bogart was also denied the news of his terminal cancer diagnosis. He died in 1957. Unlike Jack Benny, Bogart lived on for quite a few months after the diagnosis. One has to marvel at the level of denial required to remain ignorant for so long as your health declines and you become bedridden.

I, personally, would certainly want to know. I'm sure that having to cope with the "5 stages of grief," and the "why me's" would be painful, but I think it's better than dying in ignorance.

Which brings to mind the tragic case of Lurleen Wallace, first wife of the infamous George Wallace (from Wikipedia):

"Mrs. Wallace made her gubernatorial race carrying a tragic secret: she had been diagnosed with cancer as early as April 1961, when her surgeon biopsied suspicious tissue that he noticed during the cesarean delivery of her last child. As was common at the time, her physician told her husband the news, not her. George Wallace insisted that Lurleen not be informed. As a result, she did not get appropriate follow-up care. When she saw a gynecologist for abnormal bleeding in 1965, his diagnosis of uterine cancer came as a complete shock to her. When one of her husband's staffers carelessly revealed to her that Wallace had discussed her cancer with them, but not her, during his 1962 campaign three years earlier, she was outraged."

It's interesting to learn that George Wallace was a giant d__k in ways other than that known publicly....having to do with segregation and the fact that he personally stood in the doorway of a college to block admissions by 2 African-American students. Reportedly, he was a populist, but not a racist - until he learned that racism was a good way to get ahead politically in 1950s Alabama.

I never bought his late-in-life conversion.

Wallace was like another Southern governor of that era: Orval Faubus of Arkansas. Both got plenty of votes by pandering to racists, even if they weren't necessarily hard-core bigots themselves.

Regarding his "conversion," the theory (along with others who have supposedly changed) is that a close brush with their own mortality gave them a look at what was ahead for them in the afterlife--resulting in at least a display of repentance.

 

[EZway2go]

I suspect that "sparing the sick person the news" thing was more common in decades past. I remember from reading Lauren Bacall's autobiography (years ago) that Humphrey Bogart was also denied the news of his terminal cancer diagnosis. He died in 1957. Unlike Jack Benny, Bogart lived on for quite a few months after the diagnosis. One has to marvel at the level of denial required to remain ignorant for so long as your health declines and you become bedridden.

I, personally, would certainly want to know. I'm sure that having to cope with the "5 stages of grief," and the "why me's" would be painful, but I think it's better than dying in ignorance.

I absolutely agree—and to show you how the times have indeed changed, I had to sign a patient privacy form at the doctor's office on which I was instructed to list specifically all the people (and only these people) who could be given any medical information about me.

Heck, I'd certainly want to know my diagnosis just so I could quit working and spend all my time getting my affairs in order.

 

[hubcity]

On YouTube, you can find an episode of Shower Of Stars featuring Jack Benny, Jayne Mansfield, Liberace and Vincent Price, with Rod McKuen and Joanie O'Brien, from January 10, 1957.

Take the time to watch this one - it doesn't really get going until the courtroom sketch, but when it does, it's worth the time (especially since without taking the time, you'll miss the callback gags from earlier on the show.) The courtroom farce blasts into orbit and lands squarely in Monty Python territory.

In fact, here it is (very much sponsored by Plymouth):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VedWvqhjW7U

 

[MCarney]

I loved that courtroom sketch! Not to give anything away, but when Jack is reminded that he's facing 50 years in prison he says "I'll be 89 when I get out!".

 

[joeybabe25]

On YouTube, you can find an episode of Shower Of Stars featuring Jack Benny, Jayne Mansfield, Liberace and Vincent Price, with Rod McKuen and Joanie O'Brien, from January 10, 1957.

Take the time to watch this one - it doesn't really get going until the courtroom sketch, but when it does, it's worth the time (especially since without taking the time, you'll miss the callback gags from earlier on the show.) The courtroom farce blasts into orbit and lands squarely in Monty Python territory.

In fact, here it is (very much sponsored by Plymouth):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VedWvqhjW7U

Up the thread a bit I commented on this show and how wild it was for CBS to have color in 1957. I think I also mentioned something about the tape delay. But this being 1957 and videotape just coming into use, and color videotape not yet perfected (I think the example most often used as the first use of color videotape is the Fred Astaire Special in 1958(?) I don't think there was a tape delay. Kinescope, perhaps?

So, since this was a color program, I'm guessing it was done on the west coast for a live east coast feed and then done live again for the west coast. Or perhaps it was done at a time when it was carried nationwide; everywhere at the same time.

Comments?

Joe

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

It is indicated at the end of the show (by announcer Art Gilmore) that portions of the program were pre-recorded. I wonder if those pre-recorded segments were in color or shown in black & white despite the majority of the show being in color?

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

There might have been some segments pre-filmed in color that were inserted into this otherwise live show.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

But this being 1957 and videotape just coming into use, and color videotape not yet perfected (I think the example most often used as the first use of color videotape is the Fred Astaire Special in 1958(?) I don't think there was a tape delay. Kinescope, perhaps?

The oldest known color videotape is not the October, 1958 NBC Fred Astaire special.

It's the dedication ceremony of the NBC Washington studios on Nebraska Avenue (where the network's Washington news bureau and local O&O station WRC-4 have been located ever since) in May of 1958.

President Eisenhower appeared as part of the festivities. He and RCA chairman General David Sarnoff flipped the switch from black-and-white to color (although the new WRC/NBC facility was all-color, the first part of the program was telecast in black-and-white).

You can find it on You Tube.

 

[BD Sullivan]

But this being 1957 and videotape just coming into use, and color videotape not yet perfected (I think the example most often used as the first use of color videotape is the Fred Astaire Special in 1958(?) I don't think there was a tape delay. Kinescope, perhaps?

The oldest known color videotape is not the October, 1958 NBC Fred Astaire special.

It's the dedication ceremony of the NBC Washington studios on Nebraska Avenue (where the network's Washington news bureau and local O&O station WRC-4 have been located ever since) in May of 1958.

President Eisenhower appeared as part of the festivities. He and RCA chairman General David Sarnoff flipped the switch from black-and-white to color (although the new WRC/NBC facility was all-color, the first part of the program was telecast in black-and-white).

You can find it on You Tube.

Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKqHZcXvUAs

 

[therealjm12]

I thought one of the Mary Martin's Peter Pan's was the oldest color videotape program.