Jack Benny Books

I can't really review this book as I gave it as a gift to my son-in-law. I think he's really enjoying it - he's planning on trying a little stand up soon.

I first read "Great Comedians" in 1972 when I was starting out as a comedian. I found it to be just what I needed as a young aspiring comedian. The interviews of Woody Allen, Shelley Berman, Jack Benny, and Phillis Diller resonated with me and helped me immensely in my standup comedy development. It also inspired me to write my own book probing the methods of my generations great comedians ("Comic Insights") in order to help today's young comedians get a better idea of what it takes to do quality standup. I recently read "Great Comedians" again, and my original verdict still stands. This book is still of immense value to all aspiring comedians.

It's no secret that comedians -- great and not-so-great -- are influenced by the WORK of other comedians. The advent of film in the 20th century made this a lot easier since when a comedian died the work was still available...and now with videos etc. it's easier than ever.

But what about HOW these comedians made laughs...how they were inspired...what specific techniques they used and did not use...and what advice they would give anyone interested in going into any area of comedy?

Those have been tough answers to get. To do it you'd have to buy a slew of good and sometimes rotten bios, many of them out of print. Until now. Stand-up comedian Larry Wilde's Great Comedians Talk About Comedy brings it all together.

Great Comedians is a superb, singular achievement that collects within one lively, 402-page, info-packed volume, detailed interviews done over several years with some of the 20th century's greatest comedians and comedy actors.

The selection is absolutely mind-boggling: Woody Allen, Milton Berle, Shelly Berman, Jack Benny, Joey Bishop, George Burns, Johnny Carson, Maurice Chevalier, Phyllis Diller, Jimmy Durante, Bob Hope, Dick Gregory, George Jessle, Jerry Lewis, Jerry Seinfeld, Danny Thomas and Ed Wynn.

Each interview is presented in straight Q&A format so you get to "hear" the question and "hear" the response, from what the comedian/comedy actor says to his/her own speech pattern. These folks worked in venues from vaudeville, to radio, to night clubs, to radio to early silent movies to talkies to TV. And their responses to questions contain revelations and constant inspiration.

A key theme: how "making it" in comedy requires timing, good material, dogged persistance, constant analysis of jokes/laughs and being LIKEABLE to an audience. Copying someone's stage personna or stealing their jokes just won't do it.

My favorite interviews were with Woody Allen (how he writes ten jokes on everything from matchbooks to napkins and only uses a few; how he won't try jokes out on friends since they're often too negative; how audience appeal MATTERS...and his pointing to Jackie Gleason as someone who often had a lousey show but people loved him), Jack Benny (the importance of learning comedy and advancing step by step...an explanation of his legendary timing), Joey Bishop ("...Luck cannot sustain you.Only talent can sustain you.."), George Burns (tips on timing, attitude and the importance emulating but not copying other performers), Phyllis Diller (five truly SUPERB short inspirational tips that can advance MANY careers...Her high laugh per minute standards), and Jerry Seinfeld (timing, getting into a focused mental framework and how his love of comedy as a kid blossomed).

This book an essential for ANYONE interested in comedy, or for students of comedy, public speakers, or anyone who simply wants to be funny in public. It's ALL HERE: the inspiration, the tips, the stories, the bios...the TOOLS.

It's now a cliche to say "comedy isn't easy" and the whole process is mysterious. Larry Wilde's Great Comedians Talk About Comedy makes it less mysterious and -- a a bit easier.

Almost all the reviews on Amazon are by stand- up comics who claim that this book has been a great resource in teaching them how to 'get em' and 'leave em' laughing.
I am not a stand- up comedian and perhaps not even a sit- down one.
But many of the people interviewed here have given me, people I have known and millions of others a lot of laughs, and a lot of happy moments. I think of how much Jack Benny meant in the old days to my parents. And how when we were growing up Tuesday night had to be with Uncle Miltie or it was not. I think of the great heart of Jimmy Durante " Good Night, Mrs.Calabash wherever you are." And also of Shelley Berman( "Some people say Aristotle died in Chalcis Euboea. I think Aristotle died 'of' Chalcis Eubeoa") Also others featured here, Carson who passed away this year who gave so many Americans their nighttime entertainment, and George Burns who with his, "Gracie.Say good night" always brought a smile. And even Joey Bishop who never seemed to me in the least funny , and Woody Allen( Unlike everyone else who reviewed this book I did not find his interview either interesting or funny, though I admit he has made a few clever remarks in his time. ie." I don't want to be an immortal. I just want to go on living forever".
Any gathering of such a great group of personalities has to be a source of entertainment.
This book as I understand it has served as a kind of 'Bible ' for stand- up comedians.
I suggest even some of the sit- down ones may get real pleasure from it.

There is very little to dislike in the content of the book. He interviews some of the great comics,comedians,funnymen of the 20th century about craft. The candidness of each interviewee is what struck me upon first reading. It often seems that comics can be quite elusive when it comes to discussing their craft. The general consensus among the subjects is that one has some innate funniness present that he can hone and sharpen in order to become a truly great comic. Wilde asks some very poignant questions about each one's process: writing, performing, and breaking into the business. He also requests of each that they divulge their major influences and what specific things they might have picked up from each. Very interesting stuff (I found out about several comics I had never heard of). There is also the requisite interview fodder of personal history and amusing anecdotes. This book seems to be the only one of its kind and is invaluable for its diverse perspectives from some of the greats. Berle, Hope, and Burns in particular provide interesting contextual history of their vaudeville days starting out (and the transition to post-vaudeville). The subjects chosen each share an unparalleled longevity in the business. I especially enjoyed the Berle and Woody Allen interviews. Each sheds light on specific aspects of "technique." The comics chosen represent a wide range of comedic styles: the reader is bound to be a fan of at least one. The book is an interesting historical document and quite unique: +5 stars.

I do have some criticisms of the book (-1 star). During later interviews in the book (chronologically), Wilde becomes a bit too referential. For example, he might begin a question with "Milton Berle once said to me..." Though it's interesting to see if a particular comic agrees with the others on certain points, this is not a terribly effective way to ask a question. Who in their right mind in the business would say that Milton Berle is full of it? The question can be asked without reference to the source (and therefore without the consequence of bias). Furthermore, the price is outrageous considering that the book could have been half the length if such a massive font was not used. Many responses to questions in the book have been edited and ostensibly continue beyond the transcription. You will notice the liberal use of elipses in nearly every interview. Perhaps if a standard font was used more of the abridged interviews could be included at no additional cost. This 2000 edition adds an interview with Jerry Seinfeld, but I'm not entirely certain how he was chosen as the only modern comic included. Could the book (originally published in 1968) have been put out cheaply in paperback? Only Larry Wilde's accountant may ever know.

If you're new to the subject of old time radio, this collection is a great place to start; find out about particular interests (e.g., westerns, mysteries, etc) and seek out new ones. P.S. "The Whistler" and "Bergen and Mccarthy" are the best of OTR, hands down!

A very good deal, especially for those who are not sure which shows may be of interest to them. The booklet is excellant and contributes to the enjoyment of the programs. Many hours of entertainment for a very small investment.

Old Time Radio's Greatest Shows clearly and fully lives up to its title as it showcases sixty of the finest radio program series to constitute the "Golden Age" of radio broadcasting. Ranging from Burns And Allen; The Lone Ranger; Dragnet; and Dimension X; to The Screen Director's Assignment; The Green Hornet; The Quiz Kids; and Songs By Sinatra; the 30 hours of programming in this magnificently presented anthology covers all of the diverse genres of popular radio programing from comedies, mysteries, and dramas, to science fiction, westerns, and variety shows. This superbly presented sampler is enhanced with a sturdy album case and a booklet which includes details and history for each show. A perfect introduction for new generations of listeners (as well as appreciative nostalgic old-timers!), Old Time Radio's Greatest Shows is very highly recommended for personal and community library audiobook collections.

Just what it says: episodes from 60 of radio's greatest half-hour shows. Benny, Hope, Fibber & Molly, X-One, Suspense, Escape, even Quiz Kids! All top quality sound, with dates and magazine-sized "liner notes"! The best collection available; great for nostalgic listening or introducing latecomers to the magic of radio. Twenty cassettes, thirty hours.

If you're looking to get your feet wet in collecting recordings of American old-time radio, this is an excellent place to start. Every genre of '30s and '40s radio (except possibly news) is represented in this well-done collection. A great place to start what can become a lifelong hobby.

This book contains 5 stories about cars and trucks that pass through Small Bill's garage. The pictures are big and fun for children to look at, the stories contain puns and witty names that make it fun for adults to read, and reinforce the importance of friendship and good behaiour for children listening. The stories are short, simple and pure fun.

My family checks this book out from the library regularly. My children are 5 and 3 and they can't get enough of Jack Tractor, Benny the Breakdown truck and all the other wonderful characters. My husband and I enjoy the book as much as the children do. We all have our favorite story but we read them all several times a day. I would recommend this book to any parent with children who love cars and trucks or who just love a great story.

We have taken this book out from the library 17 times for our 4 year old he loves it. I am sadly disapointed to see it is no longer in print. A great book that can be read and reread by children and adults alike.

Both my kids love this book--a 7-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy. The personalities of the vehicles are nicely done, and the tone isn't typical American pap. The only drawback is that all the main characters are male...The illustrations are modern and really well done without being too abstract.

It seems that no matter what he writes about, from the introduction about getting older to his nurse readjusting his toupee, he does it so very well with humor. (I did not even know that he wore a toupee!)

These are really short one to two page stories of incidents that had occurred during his lifetime. It may or may not have you laughing out loud. It will at the very least, bring a smile to your face.

I bought this book with the intention of reading one or two stories a day. I couldn't put it down. I was laughing out loud and my children begged me to read them what was so funny. I would read them some and they enjoyed it as much as I did. What started out as a month or so of giggles turned into an afternoon of belly-laughs.

This came out almost the day Burns passed away. This is a very funny anecdotal review of George Burns' entire life -- many of the stories go back to his childhood. (His one-liner when the tough Irish kids in his neighborhood demanded to know if he was Catholic is priceless! Good thing he was a fast runner....)

He was a very funny guy, and the book reads as though you could bring him back for a day and hang out while he just sits and tells stories. A lot of fun -- too bad it seems to be out of print.

Laura Leff has done a superb job in compiling this show-by-show account of Jack Benny's early radio career...every single show, with every guest artist, the first occurrences of catch-phrases, the gradual development of the best-loved characters in radio history--it's all here in wonderful detail. I'm waiting eagerly for Volume II!

A must for any fan of Jack Benny's radio work. This book has it all: detailed plot summaries, full cast lists, song lists, notable facts about each show, bloopers, and every index you could want. From a great organization, the International Jack Benny Fan Club at www.jackbenny.org.

This is a large-format hardcover catalog that was produced on the occassion of a large exhibition devoted to Benny's career at the Museum of Television and Radio, New York, in 1991. It contains several short essays about Benny, synopses of about 150 of his programs, script excerpts and photos on almost every page. If you're interested in Benny's work , track down this book.

this book is sensational. it's very informative and detailed, which is what i like to find in celebrity-driven books. to be fair, i haven't read Irving Fein, Milt Josephsberg, or Mary Livingstone's books about Jack so i won't say this is better than those two. i've got the book that Joan Benny issued in 1990, with 85% of it written by Jack himself, and that's very revealing. this book, "The Radio and Television Work", spotlights all the facets of Jack's career. From vaudeville, to early talking films, to radio, and into TV. Jack's hilarious feud with my other favorite, Fred Allen, is recounted here as is a script from a TV show of Jack's where Fred is the guest star. the action takes place at Jack's sponsor's office. The book also talks about the various long-running gags as well as Jack's false persona he fooled an entire generation with {the bad violin playing; the cheapskate; the braggart; the vault in his basement; always drove a jalopy; kept a pay phone in his house for guests; and why Jack was 39 until the day he died; etc.} as the book departs from the TV series segment, it focuses on his highly-rated TV specials. from the first "Jack Benny Hour" special in the late '50s through "Jack Benny's Second Farewell Special" in the early '70s, everything is captured on paper. Jack's guest appearances on numerous TV shows are also highlighted. the character of "Rochester" is chronicled from his original 1939 stereotypical black servant role on through the humanizing of the character in the mid '40s as an "equal" to Jack and everyone else on the show, despite the obvious fact that he continued to be Jack's butler. This book will also examine Jack's use of pauses and silences. For those who aren't familiar with Jack Benny, he wasn't a joke telling comedian. He was a reactionist to his co-stars hi-jinks plus he made himself the butt of the jokes. The only time Jack would get excited or wordy is when being taunted by Fred Allen or when jumping all over announcer Don Wilson for his weight, which was a long-running gag. this book is written for everybody. long time fans like myself {i'm 26 but i've known of Jack and the gang since the mid '80s, thanks to the repeats of his TV show on PBS} will find this book inseparable and addictive! newcomers who've only heard the name Jack Benny by way of Jay Leno or Kesley Grammer will learn just about everything they always wanted to know after reading the book. long-time fans will know why i titled this review the way i did!

An excellent sampling of programs spanning a good portion of Jack Benny's radio broadcasting history. It's interesting listening to the show evolve from a very funny and spontaneous variety format to a fine-tuned and well-oiled sitcom.

Though some of the episodes included on this set sound very primitive, compared to later Jack Benny episodes, the basic elements are there: Jack's stinginess, vanity, his Maxwell, and his cast puncturing his ego. The funniest episode on this set is the one in which Jack tries to get Barbara Stanwyck to do his show. It's an almost perfect show. No radio lover should be without this set!

"Radio Spirits, Inc." has released several different volumes (on both Cassette and Compact Disc audio formats) that are chock-full of Jack Benny's unique style and humor.

This is Volume #2 in a Radio Spirits' series of Audio Cassette compilations of "The Jack Benny Program", which was one of radio's longest-running weekly series, running from 1932 through 1955.

This 6-Tape set features 18 full-length Benny radio shows, complete with original commercial advertisements (many of them integrated right into the shows themselves). Audio quality is very good for all programs.

There are three Jack Benny programs per 90-minute cassette. All of the shows found in this collection originally aired between 1944 and 1949. Jack's guest stars here include: Jimmy Stewart, Red Skelton, Eddie Cantor, Bing Crosby, Jane Wyman, Van Johnson, Ronald Colman, Edward G. Robinson, among others.

This whole series of Audio Tape packages put out by Radio Spirits is very nicely designed, IMO. The easy-to-carry, plastic-coated packaging that houses the six audio cassettes is very attractive, with inventive high-quality artwork. Plus, the easily-stored, "book-like" package is quite compact as well, measuring 5" x 9" (and just 1" thick).

"The Jack Benny Program" has stood the test of time (a lot of time, in fact). These shows are just as funny and fun to listen to today as they were when they originally crackled over the radio airwaves way back when. And you get nine full hours of Mr. Benny's antics right here in this excellent 18-episode collection from Radio Spirits.

Jack Benny's radio show was one of the best on the air. These particular
broadcasts may not be his best, but are good none the less. One caveat;
Some of the humor with Eddie Andersons charactor Rochester will cause you
to cringe. With Mary Livingston, Phil Harris, Dennis Day, Rochester and
yours truly Don Wilson plus Mel Blanc and Frank Nelson(yyyyyeeeessss)
makes for laugh out loud moments.