Benny Has Heart

The “King of Hearts” turned out to be a man who was hopelessly inept at lady-killing on network radio, but had a long and loving marriage in real life.

That man was Jack Benny.

The coronation took place at a benefit in New York, sponsored by the American Heart Association. Then he was crowned by Fred Allen and other old friends as he accepted the honour.

The ceremony took place on April 6, 1949. Columnist Earl Wilson, for whom Jack seemed to be a favourite subject, filled newspaper space with his take on the proceedings.

Jack Benny Splendid MC At Heart Fund Benefit
By Earl Wilson
JACK BENNY and Fred Allen were still swapping good-humored insults about which is the cheaper when I left the big Heart Fund benefit at the Copacabana at 1:30 Thursday morning.
"Jack Benny," said Fred, "is the only man in California who has a burglar alarm on his garbage can.”
BENNY REPLIED that Fred's frugality has never been properly appreciated. He said Fred started saving money before he was even born. Indeed, alleged Jack, Fred's mom said to Fred's pop, “I can't wait to have him, because he's already saved $800.”
THE BIG SHOW, for which customers paid $100 to $1000 a table, was run by Columnist Ed Sullivan of the Heart Fund drive.
This evoked from Allen the remark that "with Winchell fighting cancer and Sullivan fighting heart disease, there's nothing left for Earl Wilson and Leonard Lyons to combat but indigestion and athlete’s foot.” Benny had come from Hollywood to act as master of ceremonies for the show.
He said in Hollywood they always ask Bob Hope first and he’s usually doing a show in Syracuse or North Africa and can’t make it, then they ask George Jessel and he’s either having a date with Greer Garson or Margaret O'Brien, and then they get to him.
“You probably heard about my capital gains radio deal,” Benny said.
“I claim the gains should go to me and the government claims the gains should go to the capital,” he continued.
ALLEN SAID, "Benny left NBC for CBS and I'd just like to remind him that Gen. Eisenhower only lasted three months at Columbia.”
Benny, with his easy manner, made a splendid m.c. although Allen said, "He's the first man I ever heard of who would work in a show three hours to get into the Copacabana without having to pay the minimum charge."
HOW—HE ASKED—could a club like the Copa operate at such a low price regularly? Tomorrow it would have to go back to its usual higher prices.
BENNY ALSO BROUGHT news of Al Jolson who, he said, might not be able to continue much longer.
“After all,” he said, “Larry Parks isn’t getting any younger.”
HENRY FONDA, Ethel Merman and other stars had been on, and others were waiting. One of those waiting was Kate Smith who, 17 years ago opened at the Central Park Casino. She hadn’t worked or even been in a cafe since that year, until Wednesday night.
IRVING BERLIN CAME out and sang a few songs. Benny said, “Isn’t it wonderful? Here's a man who must be 60 years old and he hasn't got a grey hair in his head—tonight.”
Berlin sang, "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning,” just one of his great hits, and told a true story of how he had sung the song for a Hollywood picture.
HE SAID AS HE SANG IT, a stagehand, who didn't know who he was, muttered, "If the guy who wrote that song could hear this guy sing it, he'd turn over in his grave.”

Incidentally, Kate Smith was named “Queen of Hearts.” Coincidentally, the two had been employed by General Foods and both sold Jell-O on the air. Smith and Irving Berlin had a connection, too. She once or twice sang of song of his called “God Bless America.”