Gisele MacKenzie & Mel Blanc: Tribute to Jack Benny

Jack Benny's favorite singer and violin partner, Gisele MacKenzie, along with Looney Tunes voice legend, Mel Blanc. Gisele chats about the wisdom of Jack and her longtime partnership with this comedy master, while Blanc re-creates the classic "Si, Sy, Sue" routine.

[@VideosTimes2]

I knew Gisele MacKenzie, and she ALWAYS spoke glowingly and with great respect when chatting about Mr. Benny!

[@Xundoshi]

I miss Mel Blanc. Bless his soul. I feel he is the greatest voice actor past, present, or future.

[@VideosTimes2]

We lost lovely Gisele on September 5, 2003, after a long fight with colon cancer. If anyone is in heaven, it's lovely Gisele, who was a dear friend and always so kind, thoughtful and lovely!

[@VideosTimes2]

I first met Gisele as a fan when I was 10 years old...she seemed fascinated that a little toe-headed kid had her records and thought she was the tops! From then on she treated me VERY kindly and was a friend! Gisele had battled cancer secretly for sometime, but she continued to perform like a trooper. She loved her work! After her second surgery, the cancer came back and took her from us. Her last pubic appearance was at a tribute to Mr. Benny.

[@jimaroo100]

Gisele was a great talent and a fine person. Jack Benny thought the world of her. He told her one time: "Gisele, if there is ever a rumor that we are having an affair, please do me a favor , don't deny it".

[@Norrbottning]

Mel Blanc. The funniest comedian and voice actor there ever was.

[@CarlDuke]

The other fellow on stage there is Irving Fein, Jack's manager and later that of George Burns whose career he helped revive. Irving must have benefited from hanging around George. He passed away in 2012 at the age of 101, a year older than the age at which Burns passed on.

[@StevenTorrey]

Thanks for that piece of info... really helpful. Apparently, Irving Fein had only Jack Benny and George Burns as clients. I think George Burns made the funny comment that he must not be a very good agent since all he has is two clients.

[@VideosTimes2]

Sue! Sue? Si!!! What classic stuff.

[@kyokogodai-ir6hy]

A bygone era. The USA may have had problems, during that time, but life was better for most. Not so, today. The entertainment was so much better. And those people had skill, as well. Today, this is not so. SMH for better days.

[@MrFrontrowkid]

I'm sorry I never got to meet Mel Blanc in person. I would have thanked him for teaching me how to read. I had those Bugs Bunny record albums (in 78rpm) with a picture book attached., You followed along looking at the words and pictures as the record p;layed. They would give you a cue as to when to turn the page. That's how we learned to read before starting school. Mel Blanc was like a favorite uncle who came over to the house and told you funny stories using those voices. Thanks Mel.

[@pegcage]

The person who cracked Jack up the most was his close friend, George Burns. I used to love to hear George tell about how he would get Jack rolling on the floor on purpose.

[@gymnastix]

And I only found out this past year that Gisele MacKenzie has been dead for some years now too. She was always so funny with Benny, and I read that he gave her her big break in the States, that her first appearance on his show served as her audition for "Your Hit Parade." I think he almost regarded her as another daughter. What a nice woman--how did you meet her?

[@VideosTimes2]

You are sooooooooooooo right! Those were THE days!

[@CheeseReaper22]

Ehh, Wassup God! Mel Blanc died on this exact day 22 years ago. God Bless Him!

[@whatrunuts]

Thanks for a very enjoyable morning.

[@VideosTimes2]

Wow...I'm impressed! It's a statement of what good taste you have!

[@VideosTimes2]

I believe it was around 1973.

[@VideosTimes2]

I loved it when Mel would crack Mr. Benny up. Gisele MacKenzie did that once when she and Jack were doing one of their legendary violin duets...then Gisele got tickled, and tried not to laugh and finally spit all over Jack once she couldn't hold it back anymore. I'll have to get that posted on KZbin.

[@BaarBear]

I've heard it said that Jack was a master at saying things in a funny way as opposed to saying funny things.;-D

[@SulliMike23]

Aaaaaamen!

[@VideosTimes2]

Si!

[@dalemcdougall9240]

Love ya.

[@Juliaflo]

@VideosTimes2 Six days later, Jonathan Southworth Ritter left this world unexpectedly.

[@thekingof8]

When was this taped?

[@Eddie_Schantz]

Does anyone know what date this show aired?

[@VideosTimes2]

You bet...and also a 100 year old man watching his money vault! I heard he did lay the bear off after Jack's TV show went off the air to save money.

[@wadyano]

did jack really have a bear in his basement?

[@kyokogodai-ir6hy]

And your sister's name was?