The ABCs of Jack Benny

Here’s a different kind of post on Jack Benny, inspired by a reader (and I’ve forgotten who) that came up with an alphabet list and suggested one could easily be done for Benny.

Easy it was, in a way. The difficulty is Jack’s career went so long and he had so many familiar facets on his radio and TV shows that there were multiple choices for a bunch of letters.

So, sorry, “vaudeville,” you don’t make the list. Neither did “Waukegan,” Jack’s home town. Or “Carmichael,” the polar bear. I’m sure Benny fans reading here will have their own, better, selections.

A- Anaheim, Azusa and Cucamonga
B- Blanc (Mel) made him break up on the air
C- Cheap
D- Don (Wilson and Bestor)
E- Ed guards his vault
F- Feud with Fred Allen
G- Generals Tire and Foods, two of his sponsors
H- Horn Blows at Midnight, The
I- Interruptions by Harry Baldwin knocking on the door
J- Jell-O
K- Mr Kitzel, the hot-dog seller
L- Lucky Strikes, so round, so firm, so fully packed
M- Maxwell
N- Now cut that out!
O- Oh, Rochester!
P- Phil Harris, who liked the South
Q- Quartet, as in Sportsmen
R- Remley (Frank), the soused guitar player
S- Sing, Dennis!
T- Thirty-Nine
U- Unlucky at scoring with big female stars
V- Violin, which he didn't play well on the air
W- Well!
X- Virus X, one of the reasons Mary didn’t show up for broadcasts
Y- Your money or your life!
Z- Zybysko (Gladys), Jack’s girl-friend