Jack Benny
Jack Benny was a legendary comedian and entertainer known for his influential radio and television programs.
Benjamin Kubelsky
Comedian
February 14, 1894
Aquarius
December 26, 1974
80
Chicago, Illinois
Jack Benny was a renowned American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor, celebrated for his wit and deadpan comedic style. His influential radio and television programs, which aired from 1932 until his death in 1974, significantly impacted the development of the sitcom genre. Benny consistently portrayed a caricature of himself as a frugal, minimally talented musician who claimed to be perpetually 39 years old. His most notable work, “The Jack Benny Program,” was a radio and television comedy series that spanned over three decades. Benny also appeared in various films and TV shows, such as “The Horn Blows at Midnight,” “George Washington Slept Here,” and “The Lucky Stiff.” Throughout his career, he received numerous accolades, including a Lifetime Achievement Emmy and induction into the Television Hall of Fame. Despite often playing an inept and out-of-tune violinist for laughs, Benny was actually an accomplished violinist who had studied music at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. He occasionally showcased his genuine musical talents on his radio and television shows.