Jack Benny and the Kingston Trio 1/29/65

Jack Benny welcomes the Kingston Trio to his television program. Jan. 29, 1965. They sing and wind up in the Tijuana Jail.

[@felixmadison5736]

I loved the Kingston Trio when I was growing up in the 1960s. I never realized the 'Beach Boys' got their look from the 'Kingston Trio'! LOL!!

[@kinkle_Z]

Even after the Beatles hit the U.S. in 1963, the Kingston Trio was still going. Amazing.

[@felixmadison5736]

Jack Benny had such perfect comedic timing. I just turned 16 when this aired. Good memories of a by gone era.

[@roberttelarket4934]

I was also born in 1949 but don’t remember Jack Benny in 1965. I saw his program reruns but thought they were from the 1950s.

[@Diogenes-ty9yy]

The timing with Benny and Mel Blanc is impeccable. Any time Blanc says, "Si," it's side splitting funny.

[@felixmadison5736]

@@Diogenes-ty9yy They got me for double perking. LOL!! Benny & Blanc 'played off' each other better than Martin & Lewis!

[@thecrusherbugs2331]

As an Hispanic American man who served in the Marines, like my father in Vietnam and both my grandfather's in ww2. I thought this was the funniest stuff I heard in a very long time. I specifically loved Mr. Mel Blanc. He was and still is the greatest vocal performer of all time..😄👍🍻

[@kennysherrill6542]

Semper Fidelis brother.👍❤️🇺🇸

[@Becca_VeniVideoVichyssoise]

And for such a well-rounded, versatile, brilliant voice actor, how stellar was he with the deadpan perfect *visuals* there! He's hilarious just glumly leaning against the wall! I'd forgotten that. His facial expression...

[@HoustonRebel]

This would probably be considered racist today by today's politically correctness standard. But there's no racism at all in it. Just clean humor.

[@Rollin_L]

They just don't make television like this anymore. I used to watch Jack Benny's show as a kid in the 60s, and I had the privilege of seeing John Stewart live once, and he was magnificent. This episode reminds me of how great comedy can be done and have adults and children roaring with laughter. We need to bring more of this back.

[@MovieMakingMan]

I agree. It’s sad. That was the golden age of TV. Now we’re in the rust age.

[@patmurphy3339]

Excellent Jack Benny program! Mel blanc finally got to say his name in his own voice! He was truly talented!

[@Hwashburn]

The banjo player is John Stewart. After the Kingston Trio disbanded, he went on with his own career as a kind of Dylan-esque singer songwriter with his own rock band. Used to go see him in the mid 70's when he would play the San Francisco Bay Area clubs. Fantastic live band; great original songs. He wrote "Daydream Believer" (Monkees hit in the late 60's; also a hit for Anne Murray in the early 80s). He also wrote " Gold" (There's people out there turnin' music into gold) and had his own hit with that song ( with Stevie Nicks singing harmony) in about 1979.

[@snuffyballparks6501]

Huge John Stewart fan. When I first heard his Freeway Pleasure I picked up a guitar and still play that song on occasion. Mis-named here but a great song... kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4KsZYR5Zd2mqMk

[@garthreynolds1437]

Drivein over kanan

[@snuffyballparks6501]

@@garthreynolds1437 One of the most misheard lyrics in music. "Drivin' over Kanan" is correct. Kanan Road (pronounced "CAIN-un") is a street in California that connects Agoura Hills with Malibu.

[@larrychandler3728]

Gold is one my favorite songs.

[@BrianBattles]

I just played Gold on my show last Sunday morning on WINY

[@joelgrabie2774]

OK, so here I am am, sitting in my house in April of 2023 and just stumbled upon this video. Am 73 years old, never cared much for Mr. Benny, but always liked The Kingston Trio thanks to one of my older sisters. Am not ashamed to say that I am the proud owner of The Best Of The Kingston Trio on (should I say it) DVD. Yes, The Beatles took over my life at that time, but every now and then, I throw on that DVD and enjoy what REAL music was.

[@richardhartford609]

Got you by a year but Always lover the KT, and the Beatles. Anyone who has listended to their full catalogue knows how rich and deep their music and lyrics are.

[@susansprouse1694]

I have always loved the Kingston Trio.

[@susansprouse1023]

Me too

[@carolhama4156]

@@susansprouse1023 Hey, That's *my* line! I was gonna say that! what a treat this video is! Ah...the memories it brought back. Thank you for uploading! 👌

[@Andre50a]

Nothing like seeing Jack Benny with his subtle humor, subtle by today's standards at least. And funnier.

[@Suddenlyits1960]

Vito Scotti was such a great character actor! I loved his performance in the Dick Van Dyke show episode “give me your walls”. I sure wish we had shows like this these days. Just pure entertainment from start to stop. You’d never be able An episode with with jokes like this today.

[@billbailey1485]

Only if you have a clean mind

[@eugenedegeorge5084]

Vito Scotti was a main staple of Colombo. He appeared in many episodes and various characters

[@dougwilliams3348]

This kind of entertainment needs to come back -- clean and downright funny!

[@janetmiller2160]

Double perking

[@hamilton59840]

I totally agree with you. When family entertainment then was the real deal, and not the corny, melodramatic "reality shows", they air today.

[@williamellis8993]

I also totally agree.

[@1notgilty]

@@janetmiller2160 Si

[@chrisnewman7281]

You’re looking at it it’s come back to KZbin

[@hamilton59840]

A timeless classic!! The Kingston Trio performing one of their top folk-pop hits and Jack Benny's routine with Mel Blanc. R.I.P. guys. I'll see you again in the Spirit World.

[@marknewton6984]

Kingston Trio was great!

[@craigbutterfield592]

Brilliant. This is my era. Met Jack when I was 10. My grandfather was there playing trombone. Love Mel Blanc and The Kingston Trio as well

[@MovieMakingMan]

Fantastic skit full of surprises. What great entertainers and people. I miss that kind of comedy and talent.

[@rjwh67220]

I saw this incarnation of the trio in ‘65 or so, and they were great. Amazing harmonies, fun songs, matching sport shirts.

[@robkunkel8833]

“The way guitar should be played” … say I, a saxophone player. I listened to these guys on my friend’s brother’s record player with big 33-1/3 LP records. We weren’t supposed to touch it. My first experience with music that was not on the AM radio. Mid 50s Chicago. And Mel Blanc, the voice of Walter Lanz cartoons. ❤️

[@jamesevans9007]

No, Blanc was the voice of Warner Bros. cartoons - Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, et al.

[@frankmartin1344]

When tv was good and there was real talent

[@MargaretCampbell583]

So true the talent was so good

[@garfieldsmith332]

I remember seeing this show when it first aired. Good old fashioned humour. Always like the Kingston Trio. The Si, Sy, Su, routines is still funny today. Mel Blanc is a genius. And Jack Benny know how to get the audience to laughs, even if he was the butt of all the jokes each episode.

[@theresaholguin699]

I love Jack. He was always wonderful. The Kingston's Trio were a major group the 1960's. I love them. Great music of the 1960's

[@darrellcole6311]

Watched a lot of Jack Benny when he was on tv. Listen to him when he was on radio many eons ago. Loved Rochester and his gravely voice.

[@mitchgawlik1175]

All Jack needed to do was speak and he'd spark smiles. The Kingston Trio were a commercial success but they were still a good group to listen to as a fan of folk music.

[@markstanley6876]

The Kingston Trio were so good. Loved I’m Going Home. Great song.

[@republimom]

Brings back my 60's childhood. My Dad loved all folk groups and would play them while doing his office paperwork at home.

[@daleennis3140]

Outstanding group,saw them 3 times, what a show they put on,

[@Federalwaywebbs]

You can’t beat this- 3 of my favorite acts!!!

[@thomasthomas2418]

Wonderful to see how well the boys matched Jack's deadpan delivery.

[@HSMiyamoto]

I don't think you could put this many jokes about the Mexican police on American TV today.

[@ZeganM]

No kidding. This old white guy thinks this episode should be pulled from rotation. Blanc's routine may be classic but it ain't 1964 anymore. May as well let it run here but pull it from Antenna TV.

[@marknewton6984]

Wokism.

[@RandyOnTheRadio]

Jack Benny and Mel Blanc were so frigging funny. No matter what these two do, I just crack up.

[@budisaacs803]

I'm 44 this is dad's favorite group and I've heard them so much dad gave me all of his records and they are around 20 kingston trio I've been listening to them and I'm really starting to love kingston trio and other folk groups I usually listen to Metal but folk is hard to beat

[@scottprather5645]

Awesome vintage video thank you I'm laughing. Hey Jack just put your foot in your mouth and let the boys play damn. I'm just kidding Jack Love you You're funny as hell

[@SandySalmansohn]

The character actor Vito Scotti is so funny. Loved watching him in a few Columbo episodes.

[@Downecker]

I'm 73 and I enjoyed Vito Scotti when he appeared on "Andy's Gang" w/ Andy Devine. I still crack up when I think of Froggy totally confusing Vito !!

[@Johnnycdrums]

Good ole' Jack, such a professional.

[@KoolTunes4Daze]

I met Nicholas Wells "Nick" Reynolds at a birthday party for Joey Harris (former Beat Farmer). We were at Kansas City Barbeque (known as the "Top Gun Bar") a restaurant and bar located in the harbor district of San Diego, California. I didn't know Nick was Joey's uncle. Nick wasn't in tip-top health at that time. Nick passed away a couple years later. Great guy!

[@imoldgreggboosh3467]

Wow - Joey Harris ! I used to see him live in John Stewart's band in the 70s. He and John would face off and do incredible guitar riffs with each other - two fantastic axemen in one band ! You can find Joey on Stewart's album 'Fire In The Wind' which contains some of that fierce guitar work.

[@DalokiMauvais]

I never knew this existed!! I grew up loving the Kingston Trio and still have all their albums (on vinyl no less). How cool to see them singing in close-up! Thanks for putting this up!

[@kt9166]

Marvelous segment and sketch. The Tijuana Jail turned into the stateroom from the Marx Brothers!

[@billsabo8378]

Tijuana Jail - Jacksonville, Florida. Met my wife there while playing (and singing this song) there. Rotagilla Band.

[@ProducersIncVideos]

THE KINGSTON TRIO 8-time Nominees, 3-time Grammy winners, including 2011 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Billboard Awards: Best New Singing Group Vocal Group Hall of Fame, Hit Parade Hall of Fame, Library of Congress: Historical Recordings (Tom Dooley) Charted Hits: Tom Dooley, MTA (He’ll Never Return), Where Have All The Flowers Gone, Greenback Dollar, This Land Is Your Land, etc.

[@jakejordal5205]

This was really great. Loved the whole skit. But the last few seconds when we find out who their manager is, it is wonderful.

[@johnverley]

classic! jack must have got the crowded Mexican jail scene idea from the classic mark brothers cabin scene .

[@jrhawk574]

I remember them so well. The "Limelighters" was another great group. Glen Yarbrough was a top vocalist......

[@beaumichael6359]

Vito scotti was an underated comic. So was Benny rubin.

[@BBT609]

1965, 4 years after Mel’s accident and he is still going strongggg

[@REwing]

American humour is something else, and we have been listening to it, for years.!!

[@davidzweiban5549]

This is the time of transition of music in the US from folk to rock. Ps. Jack Benny is really good. Please don't cancel him after the Mexican jail skit.

[@markz6676]

It's now very uncomfortable. What if another ethnic group was portrayed this negatively? Would that have been ok to you in 1965?

[@dan4091]

Gotta be careful, lots of whiny crybabies running around today wetting their panties every time someone speaks, lol, poor saps!

[@MrPagefile]

We have lost the ability to laugh at ourselves. And that is truly sad.

[@CJurasin]

Back when comedy was funny and CLEAN!!!

[@bonsummers2657]

This is too canned.

[@lottiestanley7696]

CJurasin - Those were great days!!!!

[@bonsummers2657]

@Painindeass1million The acting was very canned. But, the laughing does sound canned, like a laugh track, sound the same,…. some professional laughers in the audience probably,… not that they certainly got paid, but that they were possibly probably selected.

[@j.s.3113]

Banjo player, John Stewart. Lyndsey Buckingham’s guitar playing was influenced from John’s banjo playing. Find the old PBS reunion show. That’s what got Stevie on Gold. California Bloodlines is a masterwork of storytelling and song. I was lucky to be in Scottsdale when Bill Compton organized the Phoenix Concerts which is a great live compilation of his wonderful songs. Don’t forget Buffy Ford. Was thrilled to attend some of music camps before his passing. A lovely talented man.

[@bobbymcguyer]

there came a time in the 60's that if I had heard Tom Dooley or Greenfields(Brothere four) one more time, I would have moved to Africa.

[@steveperry1344]

we had several kingston trio records along with lots of others back then. my mom liked all kinds of music and would buy records for all of us.

[@lottiestanley7696]

Thank you!!!! ❤️ Grew up with Jack Benny and The Kingston Trio... sure do miss them!!!

[@saltwater52]

I was 12 years old when this first aired and I can bet that I was there watching it with my parents

[@michaelkamiel3997]

Funniest show ever.I saw him once live in 1975 introducing George Burns and you would laugh just at the stare.Saw the new Kingston Trio at the Greek Theater LA and still love them! The version of City of Nee Orleans is the best!

[@felixmadison5736]

Nice to see the late, great character actor, Vito Scotti.

[@Tookitout]

Vito was amazing. He did it all.

[@felixmadison5736]

@@Tookitout He played every ethnicity Hollywood threw at him! LOL!!

[@davidscott2753]

Gotta love 💘 Jack Benny and Mel Blanc, so funny.

[@3Pitous]

Best picture quality so far for this performance .Thanks a lot.

[@sgtmajtom06]

Terrific. Just terrific. More please.

[@sonoranrain2330]

Dave Guard, Bob Shane and Nick Reynolds........Absolutely timeless............ So many great memories each time I hear their music. Thanks for posting this gem from this wonderful performance!

[@OnePost909]

It's John Stewart on the right. Dave Guard, the true genius of the group, quit in 1961 after a bitter dispute about their direction. Shane and Reynolds wanted to do more of the same; Guard wanted a grittier more authentic folk sound. When Stewart talks here about how "we" organized the group in 1957, well, he wasn't involved at all.

[@bluebird925]

John Stewart was a great successor to Dave Guard. 🪕

[@imoldgreggboosh3467]

@@OnePost909 Stewart was never part of the "Trio" - they paid him $500 a week as a musician. Of course John was a prolific song writer and wrote many songs for them, so royalties would have been significant . . .

[@imoldgreggboosh3467]

@@bluebird925 See my reply to B. Frost.

[@OnePost909]

Ah. So it must be some sort of error, when I google "john stewart kingston trio album covers" and see a whole lot of album covers with John Stewart.

[@raybin6873]

I like 3 Kings Trio music...this old TV is funny!

[@davidcollver6155]

Oh this bring back such memories of good television it was analog and it was free and nobody was tying me down to it. If you didn't like what you're watching you could try the other two or three other channels. And if that didn't work you could go outdoors and go play. Unless was too dark then you could just go to your room and read a book. That's right no TV in your room. Time and place for everything. Top grade people, top grade comedy, one of the best musical groups ever, it wasn't bad programming at all whatsoever.

[@MyMy-zi7yv]

Note the great Mel Blanc (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and many more voices) He is Cy the guy in jail for 40 years.

[@THE-HammerMan]

Sí, that's Cy.

[@richardschmidt4627]

You have a sister? Si. What's HER name? Sue. Sue? Si. ....I hearken back to radio days.

[@davidstokar887]

Terrific comedy

[@THE-HammerMan]

@@davidstokar887 😂😂😁😝👍

[@THE-HammerMan]

Cy was the 3rd cousin, once removed, of Speedy Gonzalez.

[@poopshiticus8033]

hysterical! great show, great guests, great fun! thanks for posting. enjoyed moocho!

[@lonesomelou4188]

I don't remember one episode of Jack Benny but I remember watching this show every week...one of Jack's sponsors was Jello, Jack would say "Jello again" instead of "Hello again".

[@beyondobscure]

Killer version of Tijuana Jail.

[@mikeroessm5325]

When TV was free and fun to watch.

[@billh.8515]

Great to see Mel Blanc and Vito Scotti in this skit! 😄

[@DoctorBoogie]

I don't care what anybody says, that right there is FUNNY! Be sure to watch all the way to the end (about 15 minutes)

[@rickdaly2077]

Absolutely great job cleaning this up. I hope you can work on more.

[@handsomeman-pm9vy]

Jack Benny, and he is still only 39 years old. lol

[@leightongarner6431]

I was 20 years old when this show aired. 50 years later I got to know two of them. We didn't look this good obviously.

[@scottabelli3406]

This would be so politically INCORRECT now----love it and yes Kingston Trio the best. The Si guy--Mel Blanc-voice of Bugs bunny and all the other Warner brothers cartoon characters--

[@t-bo2734]

The Kingston Trio (Nick Reynolds, Bob Shane, and John Stewart) were as skilled at telling stories and doing comedy as they were playing great folk music.

[@EricRush]

Steward wasn't one of the original three. He replaced Dave Guard. I have John Stewart's promotional album from, I think, 1969, "California Bloodlines". You can ask Alexa to play it for you. It's one of my all-time favorite albums of any genre.

[@imoldgreggboosh3467]

@@EricRush What is "promotional album" ? "California Bloodlines" was once rated number 39 (I think) on Billboard's All Time Something or other. I had 3 copies . . .

[@EricRush]

@@imoldgreggboosh3467 Memory isn't clear. I was a disc jockey at a small station in Oregon at the time. As I recall, Capitol was sending albums of different artists to stations to see what cuts became popular. I thought Bloodlines was one of those. And it may be that my memory is completely off base.

[@imoldgreggboosh3467]

@@EricRush Thanks for the reply. I just didn't know what promotional meant. So a regularly released album can also be 'promotional'.

[@EricRush]

@@imoldgreggboosh3467 Could be. Every time I hear "Scotch and Soda" by the original K-trio, I remember my high-school days.

[@OldSweetTed]

Great job! Historic! The old days-where you could be funny without being vulgar! How I miss those days with Mel Blanc and Jack Benny!

[@JoeSmith-qn3el]

Love the old days of entertainment. These guys were great.

[@rogerdodger5415]

Mel Blanc was just wonderful! 😎👍

[@cliffordbodine5834]

The Kingston Trio were one of the most influential musical forces that inspired Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac fame.

[@Brammy007a]

Indeed..... and the Beach Boys too.

[@MentoringGrowingLeaders]

I can hear the resemblence 😂

[@bluebird925]

Lindsey Buckingham produced John Stewart's solo album "Bombs Away Dream Babies" which included "Gold."

[@bluebird925]

Once upon a time, The Beach Boys wore stripped shirts 👕

[@imoldgreggboosh3467]

@@bluebird925 Producer "at large" according to John . . .

[@williamschlenger1518]

I was in highschool when this came out.

[@dlittlester]

I read a story about Jack Benny and his valet, Rochester. Back when they used to play up here in Vancouver, BC, his group would stay at a hotel. One hotel refused to serve a black person, and Benny pulled his whole group out in protest. Incidentally, he met his future wife here as well. He was always invited to her parents' home when he was in town. Unfortunately, she was only fourteen when they met. He kept coming back until she was the age to marry.

[@theresaholguin699]

Mel Blanc is a legend

[@NavyBob1965]

I remember seeing this when first televised. I was and still am a big fan of the Kingston Trio. Last minute scene is reminiscent of Marx Brothers movie, Night at the Opera when everyone crowds into their ship's stateroom.

[@alanstrong55]

Jack Benny was such a character.

[@69nisi]

Thank you so much for this Video...:-)))) Greetings from Switzerland

[@marknewton6984]

When US television was great.

[@Paul-lm5gv]

A funny bit all these many years later! Mel Blanc was the man of a thousand voices! And the Kingston Trio was the number one group in the country! Bob Shane (in the middle) - the last surviving original member - died in 2020.

[@zacharyjohnson6453]

In case if anyone is not aware these guys right here is where The Beach Boys got their iconic pinstripe shirt look from.

[@MEH50caribe]

Fantastic! Grew up with the show on t.v. but never got to see it until now. Thank you for posting this!!

[@Jack-ms3so]

I still listen to them, great group!

[@bepponabuco7389]

Good funny show and no cussing!

[@terrenceappleby9315]

I come from Cleveland, Ohio too. Si.

[@regissuchma5764]

I was born 7 months later after that aired

[@pollypurree1834]

All 3 are still alive

[@elvispresley2021]

Mel Blanc...wonderful beautiful

[@victorbrunswick]

Funny how they joked about how expensive Disneyland is even back then.

[@timconway7860]

I think it was more of a joke about how cheap Jack was.

[@curlyfries5095]

Just love the running jokes thru out the show

[@soumitrabose6330]

Fab. Wow

[@soumitrabose6330]

1950s come alive in 2023

[@JohnAnglin-lh7bs]

On Sundays in the Miramar Brig a generation ago old-timers used to try to tell us young sailors not to go over the border to TJ and they'd show us some awful pictures of the jailhouse(if you can call it that, more like a concentration camp) conditions. I reckon it's probably only gotten worse.

[@Ammo08]

I remember this particular show very well...

[@CarlDuke]

This is on Antenna TV, but sadly they have censored the comment about the wet back, and in the process also the part about being head of the Dolores Del Rio Fan Club, which makes the later comment about Del Rio, which they leave in, seem weird.

[@kenbearsley8322]

They certainly can't make good clean comedy like that anymore.

[@Jm01394]

Thank you! Real entertainment! Si!

[@anncain1104]

Too bad this group is so unknown and appreciated! They were part of history in folk music and influenced countless songwriters and lyricists.

[@duder9245]

Ann Cain with humor and wit

[@neilphelan145]

At the time of this recording they were far from unknown or under appreciated.

[@marknewton6984]

Still the Best and hardly unknown!

[@cliffbacken]

Wow..!!! Mel Blanc ….. Bugs Bunny…..!! Very funny routine… I was 10 at the time… I miss those days..

[@jonathanclary3992]

Rip Jack Benny and Mel Blanc