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Jack Benny

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In Reply to: Harrison Ford's Golden Globe Award is so Appropriate posted by Lasermeister on January 21, 2002 at 14:56:55:

agree with your observations
I recall watching the Jack Benny TV show. You have to have seen it to get this but if not, imagine the Johny Carson show where he comes out to do the monologue:
he starts and his side-kick, let's say Ed, comes out and observes how tired Jack looks and how he should take a vacation. Jack is warmed by this kindhearted gesture and begins to melt, but excuses that he couldn't leave the show with all the work and who could he get to "stand in" for him.
well little does Jack know but he's been set-up. Ed brings out a dummy that looks exactly like Jack and stands it next to him on center stage. The dummy is posed in the classic Jack Benny stance, with one arm across his chest supporting the elbow of his other arm, which is up with his hand on his cheek. If you've ever seen Jack Benny you've seen this pose.
Jack is taken aback, flattered, but beginning to suspect something. He compliments the gesture but dismisses it by saying, kindly and good-naturedly, but with just the vague hint of unease, perhaps even a slight contempt, that a dummy certainly couldn't replace him.
At this moment Ed flips a switch on the back of the dummy, and the dummy Jack turns his head to the side while extending the forearm and hand that once was on it's cheek--another classic Jack Benny pose and gesture.
Jack goes berzerk. Ed leaves the stage with the dummy slowly alternating between poses while Jack dances around the dummy trying to hold eye contact while it swivels it's head, all the while complaining and critiquing it with a frothing insanity that only Jack Benny can muster.
It is a classic moment in comedy, and the dummy is by far the best actor.
Long live the Harrison Fords, the Kevin Costners, etal. Without them, how would we recognize the great artists?

Follow Ups:

Re: Jack Benny - mikenyc 06:04:46 01/25/02 (2)
petew, I Loved your homage to Jack Benny.
It's amazing how much he's forgotten today, but all people have to do is turn on "Frasier" and watch Kelsey Grammar and see how he is just one big affectation of Jack Benny...right down to the mannerisms, and comic timing. I wonder if he has given credit where credit is due ?
- !! - petew 10:37:25 01/25/02 (0)
  I hadn't realized it, but now that you make the point I see it clearly. And all this time I'd thought Mr. Grammar so brilliant (well, he is that).
  It's a shame we don't see enough of the old masters anymore.
  Did you catch the Mark Twain thing on PBS? I loved the bit where Twain comes out to do his monologue and says nothing.
  You have to be born with that kind of comic brilliance.
  Where is Hal Holbrook? Is his Mark Twain monologue still available?
- Frasier - highendman 09:09:28 01/25/02 (0)
  In a recent interview, Kelsey Grammer talked about how he specifically "does" Jack Benny at moments during the show. He pointed out that his manerisms are often a number of other people as well including Betty Davis.
don't lump Ford with Costner! - highendman 12:19:34 01/23/02 (3)
Harrison Ford is a solid actor. Maybe not the most masterful at characterizations, but what he does have is soul and likeabilty.
Costner is a lifeless, monotonic, incompetent bore.
- I must admit - petew 14:39:44 01/23/02 (2)
  I enjoyed his "Polka with Porquepines" because the cinematography was so beautiful, and the supporting actors so gifted, and understand that he fought hard to get it made the way he wanted it done.
  Don't understand the facination with "Field of Demons" though.
  The wife loves it, and I can't stand the thought of it.
  I suppose I liked "Dancing with Dogs" because he gets the crap beat out of him. That was cool. Too bad he didn't die, slowly and painfully, as his audience does.
  - Re: I must admit - Bruce from DC 15:07:27 01/23/02 (1)
    "Tin Cup" seems to be about a perfect matching of acting requirements and Costner's abilities as an actor. I must admit, I kind of enjoyed that film. Kind of a souffle; nothing memorable.
    These days, I don't think he's as "bankable" as Ford.
    - Tin Cup - petew 10:17:15 01/24/02 (0)
      akk, and I have no interest in golf at all, but was entertained by the story...
      perhaps by comparison, it was the cameo by Don Johnson that made Costner seem palitable

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