Benny had pretty much lost interest in radio after spending more than two decades on it. And listeners had lost interest in radio, too. They could see the big-time stars now, thanks to television. What did they need with a talking box?
Jack talked about radio and a number of other things in an interview with syndicated columnist Sheilah Graham in 1954. He told her he’d never play Vegas. He did. He worried about where new comic talent would come from. He needn’t have. And it’s interesting he points out Mary’s ill health when his wife outlived him. By the way, Mary appeared with him on the final radio season but recorded her parts at home to be edited in later.
Age Does Not Wither Jack Benny
By SHEILAH GRAHAM
North American Newspaper Alliance
HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 27—The gals—from 5 to 50 and even 60—go for Jack Benny. Barbara Stanwyck took her television plunge with him; so did Claudette Colbert and Irene Dunne. As for Marilyn Monroe, I’m surprised she didn’t ask Jack to go along on the honeymoon with Joe Di Maggio. She wouldn’t go to Korea without him—before she married Joe, that is. And when I was lunching at Romanoff’s recently with Jack, Portland Mason, the precocious 5-year-old daughter of the James Masons, waved frantically at Mr. Benny and hollered, “You’re very attractive.”
Jack, who was 60 years old two weeks ago, doesn’t know the secret of his charm for the fair sex, but he has me enchanted and I think I know why. He’s been happily married to Mary Livingstone for 27 years, but there’s still that old glint in his eye, and he’s just as easygoing in real life as on radio and the TV screens. You relax, you shine, so you think HE’S wonderful.
“I don’t feel 60,” Jack confided. “I think the secret of looking young is to be working all the time on something you enjoy. Look how young George Burns looks, and Bing Crosby looked about 28 on my TV show. EVERYBODY looks like a kid!” glowed Mr. Benny.
I asked Jack how he got stuck with being 39. “It started years and years ago, when I was 36. I decided to stay 36 for several years. Some years later I became 37. Then 38. I’ve been 39 for five or six years and I don’t think I’ll get any older. There’s something about 40 that’s a little discouraging.” Jack has starred on radio for 22 years, but he’s about ready to quit the kilocycles.
“I started in May, 1932,” he recalled. “But I don’t know about next season. I’m not crazy about radio now and I’d like to quit. If I do, I’ll step up my television shows to two a month. I’ll film some, but most of them will be ‘live.’ One thing is sure—Mary (Livingstone) won’t do any more radio or TV shows with me. She doesn’t want to work any more. She hasn’t been well. And everything happened to her lately. A box of matches exploded in her hand, burnt two fingers. She went to throw something in the waste basket, and put her back out of kilter. We have the house in Palm Springs, but Mary hasn’t felt well enough for us to go there much this season.”
Most radio and television stars can’t wait for the Summer hiatus to get away from it all. “But I can’t stand still for more than eight weeks,” Jack told me, “so I’ll have to find something to do for the other five. He may do the Palace in New York—“but never Las Vegas.”
Jack has entertained most of the Presidents—“since Lincoln,” he added with a grin. When he was at the White House visiting then President Truman with whom he was very palsy-walsy, Jack told him, “I’d give anything for an autographed photograph, Mr. President.” Mr. Truman deadpanned, “How MUCH would you give?” He was at the Eisenhower inauguration and, when he visited Ike last year, the President told Jack: “I can give you a few minutes.” But he “gave” him two hours!
I asked Jack what he was giving daughter Joan for a wedding present. “I’m giving her the wedding,” he replied.
I’m invited, so I’ll tell you how much poppa went for. The ceremony is scheduled next month and I’ve never seen Jack exhibit nerves in all the time I’ve known him—but I’ll bet he quivers walking up the aisle.
“She’ll live in New York after the honeymoon,” Jack revealed. “And I’m glad. I’ll make Mary go to New York a little oftener.”
We talked of television, which Jack loves. “Eventually it won’t hurt movies,” he prophesied. “People want to go out. But no one knows where the comedians of the future are coming from—they used to come up through vaudeville and burlesque. As George Burns says, young comedians have no chance to be off-beat. On TV with millions watching, they can’t take a chance. As far as I see, there is only one great comic coming up—George Gobel—he’s the best in years.”
Jack will soon be going into the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital for his annual check up. “I’ll stay a week this time. I love to rest in a hospital. I have a TV set installed, a radio, magazines, books, and have a wonderful time.”
The Bennys stay home four nights a week and, in pajamas and dressing gown, watch television in his bedroom. But, when it comes to practicing on the violin, Jack does that in his spacious bathroom. Mary can’t stand the noise.
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