Today the Amigos look at what people consider The Longest Laugh in Radio History but is it really? The Jack Benny Show– Jack is Robbed of Ronald Colman’s Oscar.
Some other discussion points this time around was Jack’s Jack Benny Christmas Tribute, and Lucille Ball gets Jack Benny’s Account!
This is a long episode from The Wallbreakers but extremely informative. We at Sonic Echo love the Jack Benny Show and have one in the can, but in the meantime check out the depth of one of radio, television and stage’s masters and progenitors of the situation comedy.
I don’t know about you. But the thought that the new Star Wars movies could produce more NPR Star Wars audio drama makes me more excited than even for the release of the next installment- Rogue One.
For many of us who held on to the flame of radio drama in those twilight years, the NPR Star Wars written by Brian Daley set flame to our imaginations exactly what a serialized version of a story could do. Forget, the modern podcast serials. Star Wars the Radio Drama stretched the original tale to tell all the stories that George Lucas couldn’t fit into a two hour feature. As this Hollywood Reporter article clarifies the extended tales tells us much more about the upcoming movie “Rogue One” than the original trilogy let slip.
I admit that I have dreams that I can be part of that team. I get a knock on my door and it’s J.J. Abrams.
“Jack,” he says. “I need you to make forty episodes- ten for each movie.” and we get in the Millennium Falcon and make our way to hidden satellite where they keep a young and rejuvinated Orson Welles, William Conrad, Vincent Price, Jack Benny, and Arch Obeler.
Hey, I’m in audio drama. I have an active fantasy life!
| Jack Benny appears in two shows in tonight’s ode to Christmas in December on Sonic Echo. First with Phil Harris and Alice Faye as Santa Claus, and then in his own The Jack Benny Show. All links can be found in archive.org! Merry Christmas everyone! can be found in the incredible vault of wisdom- archive.org |
Jack and David find themselves in an endless desert and a strange adventure into the past to finish up 2013. Happy New Year! BONUS: Bell’s in the Batfry blast from the past! 
I make no bones about it. I consider Jack Benny to be one of a handful of comedic geniuses this world has to offer. Son of a saloonkeeper, Benny could “sling ’em” with the best of them. In his later years, he could read names out of a phone book and have people clutching their stomachs with laughter.
Benny’s show still holds the record for the longest laugh but some of the funniest things he did was nothing at all. A pause said to the audience more about what Jack was thinking than his lines did after a while.
Benny’s timing was impeccable. He knew exactly when to go for the juggular, and when to hold off and draw in his prey.
Comedians should take note, there hasn’t ever been anyone finer, although there’s been folks who have equalled him at times.
And now, from boing-boing, we get a new travesty… rare Jack Benny treasures that were found, and just as quickly sealed up again.
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