Age, Biography and Wiki

Jack Benny was an American comedian, actor, and radio, television, and film personality. He was known for his comic timing and his ability to get laughs with a pregnant pause or a single expression. He was also known for his long-running radio and television programs, The Jack Benny Program and The Jack Benny Show. Benny was born in Waukegan, Illinois, on February 14, 1894. He began his career as a vaudeville performer in the 1920s, and soon became a popular radio star. He starred in several films, including To Be or Not to Be (1942) and The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945). Benny was married to Mary Livingstone from 1927 until his death in 1974. He was the recipient of several awards, including a Peabody Award in 1960 and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. He was also inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1988. At the time of his death, Benny had an estimated net worth of $50 million.

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 14 February. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 80 years old group.

Jack Benny Height, Weight & Measurements

At 80 years old, Jack Benny height is 5' 7¾" (1.72 m) .

Who Is Jack Benny's Wife?

His wife is Mary Livingstone (24 January 1927 - 26 December 1974) ( his death) ( 1 child)

Jack Benny Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. So, how much is Jack Benny worth at the age of 80 years old? Jack Benny’s income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. He is from USA. We have estimated Jack Benny's net worth , money, salary, income, and assets.

Jack Benny Social Network

Timeline

Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith. pg. 42-44. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387

Pictured on one of five 29¢ US commemorative postage stamps celebrating famous comedians, issued in booklet form 29 August 1991. The stamp designs were drawn by caricaturist Al Hirschfeld. The other comedians honored in the set are Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy; Edgar Bergen (with alter ego Charlie McCarthy); Fanny Brice; and Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.

He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1989.

At the time of his death, he was scheduled to appear in The Sunshine Boys (1975). After he died, the role was taken over by George Burns.

When he died in 1974, he left an estate estimated at $4 million.

Interviewed in "The Great Comedians Talk About Comedy" by Larry Wilde. [1968]

When he appeared as a celebrity guest on the game show Password (1961), he got the word "miser" and gave his first clue as, "Me!" thus bringing down the house.

According to Phyllis Diller's autobiography "Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse", in the late 1960s Broadway producer David Merrick approached Benny with the idea of him playing Dolly Levi in drag in "Hello, Dolly!" opposite George Burns as Horace Vandergelder. The intention was to turn Broadway on its ear and revive flagging interest in the show, which had been running since 1964, originally with Carol Channing as Dolly Levi. This idea never came to fruition. (Diller did appear in the show for 3 months in 1970.).

Towards the end of his TV series, he was waiting for his show to air and began watching Bonanza (1959), which started half an hour sooner. He wound up missing his show and said "If I won't even watch me, what chance do I have?".

He once appeared on the TV quiz show The $64,000 Question (1955). After answering the first question correctly he quit and took home $1.00. His category was violins.

One of Benny's best-known schticks as a radio star was his long-standing feud with fellow radio comedian Fred Allen. The two often appeared on each other's radio programs to trade barbs. Sadly, other than an appearance on The Jack Benny Program (1950), in which Allen tries to steal Jack's sponsor, this did not carry over into television, as Allen died shortly after beginning his own TV show. In real life, of course, Benny and Allen were great friends, and Benny even took time on his radio program to eulogize Allen after his death.

January 1949: A personal friend of Harry S. Truman, he served as Master of Ceremonies for Truman's Inaugural Ball. When he arrived at the White House for the event, a guard pointed to his violin case and asked, "Mr. Benny, what do you have in there?" As a joke, Jack whispered back, "It's a Thompson sub-machine gun." The guard replied, "Oh, that's a relief. I was afraid it was your violin".

In 1948, the radio quiz show "Truth or Consequences" ran a weekly contest to identify the Walking Man. The gag was to guess who the foot steps belonged to. Every week they played the steps. Eventually they revealed it was Jack Benny.

Star of "The Lucky Strike Program" on NBC Radio (1944-1949) and CBS Radio (1949-1955).

1942-44: Star of NBC Radio's "The Grape Nuts Flakes Program".

He turned down a role in The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938). The role was then given to Bob Hope--his feature-film debut--which began his long and successful film career.

In 1935, Benny, like most of America, was so captivated by the trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann, accused of kidnapping Charles Lindbergh's baby boy, that he pulled strings to get himself a seat in the overcrowded New Jersey courtroom.

1934: He and his wife adopted a daughter, Joan Benny (aka Joan Naomi).

Star of "The Canada Dry Program" on NBC Radio (1932) and CBS Radio (1932-1933).

Two holidays figured prominently in his life: Born on St. Valentine's Day, 1894, he died on the day after Christmas, Boxing Day, 80 years later.