Jack Benny hosts Hollywood Palace (5 of 5)

[@Brace67]

Make no mistake, Jack Benny was an excellent violinist. His mistakes were for comedic effect which he was able to pull off so wonderfully. A great artist, comedian, humanitarian and human being.

[@davidzweiban5549]

This is the first time I've ever heard him play seriously. It was wonderful.

[@Hiljack67]

Same here. They were both excellent 👏.

[@showtunestarpower]

He said he was cheap and the truth came out - he was one of the most generous men in Hollywood. He said he couldn't play the violin - and here he disproves THAT. What a great talent. Benny's humor - and his warmth - are ageless.

[@Pashasmom1]

This is the first time I've ever seen Mr. Benny seriously play a whole piece. He really performed this well. Not an easy piece, for sure. And from memory! What a virtuoso.

[@debbiecsrb1]

Wow...Jack can really play the violin!!!

[@susanford2388]

did you not believe that.

[@KimberlyOurlian]

he was really showing off his talent in this one! and with such ease

[@jamesmarshall8836]

There will never be another Jack Benny.

[@patrickmacy5882]

WOW...................just gotta love that JACK BENNY.................he could really play the violin! What a treat to hear him like that!

[@lindamanas954]

I never realised Jack was so good. You’ve got to be pretty talented to do that left handed pizzicato!

[@passtheparcel2007]

You can see immediately, he's a classically trained, dedicated an gifted violinist, that's how he could mess about so skillfully with his comedic asides..

[@032319581]

What a talented violinist! So glad Jack showed his true musical talent!

[@leewilson77]

☺️

[@rf-bh3fh]

Love ❤️ Jack !!! He was a hit as what he did. Made people laugh and only made fun of himself. Just think of how of a kind person he was. Even thought of his wife after he died. He left a instruction to deliver a rose 🌹 everyday to her to show his love. For as long as she lived.

[@Rosenblum18]

My mouth just fell open. I mean, everyone's seen Jack Benny dabble on the violin in fun. But this... THIS! Amazing talent I never knew existed. Thank you, dentelTV2.

[@michaelgoodman2672]

Over the years, Jack Benny has really learned to play the violin fluently up until his death!

[@kenborgie1727]

BEAUTIFUL PLAYING BY JACK AND HIS TEACHER - I KNEW HE WAS GREAT, EVEN IF HE GOOFED OFF.

[@harlow743]

Jack plays GREAT

[@donnafritz5395]

Miss Chapelle was my first or second grade violin teacher back then. I remembered my parents telling me one night that we were going to see her on television. I was only 6 or 7. It was pretty wild seeing someone I knew on TV. I just thought of looking up if it was on the internet. What a thing to be able to see that again. Who says time travel isn't possible?

[@davidfuller764]

Donna Fritz you are my magic today

[@dannydoc1969]

When even the musicians start laughing, you know Jack was the best.

[@davidfuller764]

dannydoc1969 I noticed the director look stage left? Nod-smile- wave and mouth words to somebody off stage! Too cool

[@red709]

Love it.....he was so funny and smart well done I'm playing the violin and others instruments so is even more funny so that can't stop laughing....the first time I saw was for the 80's and then I became a fan.......also from Victor Borge

[@TomBarrister]

Gloria Chappell Nessamar was the concertmistress for the Beverly Hills Symphony for many years. While Benny always downplayed his ability on the violin as being just so-so, he was actually a prodigy on the instrument. Fortunately for the world, he was also very good at talking and making the audience laugh, and he eventually pursued a career in show business.

[@bobcrestwood740]

Actually he started his show business career on the violin, in Vaudeville. The Marx brothers were also in Vaudeville at the time, and their mother and manager, Minnie Marx, asked Jack Benny to join their act as a musical accompanist, but he declined. He soon discovered that being a comedic entertainer was much more conducive to success in show biz than being a violinist, so he switched over to comedy and pretended to be a lousy violinist to help get laughs. But actually, as you say, he was a gifted violinist. This is the first television clip I have seen where he demonstrates some of his musical talent. All the other clips I have seen are of him making fun of himself on the instrument.

[@deborahkelly1489]

Thanks for the history it makes things even more interesting. I knew Mr.Benny was a prodigy ( my mother told me ) but I didn't know the rest of the story. This concert was mind blowing, as the younger generation would say .

[@KevinDee007]

He was a master of the Pregnant Pause..

[@floydriggle857]

I have always loved Jack Benny. I have made many searches of his old radio show and TV for times when he 'really' placed the violin. This was one. But I remind myself when I listen and remind others, yes Jack could play the instrument, but he could play it badly also. By that I mean the musician knew how to play. The comedian also knew how to play and WHEN to make it bad. Next time you listen to a JB show and he ends up hitting bad notes, realize that the Musician knew how to make the bad notes, but the comedian knew when to do it. Jack was a master of timing and the violin sketches proves what a good musician he was.

[@Brace67]

This bit of video was absolutely wonderful. I remember the Hollywood Palace but had never seen the performance before. Jack Benny used to clown around with his violin playing but he did actually take playing it very seriously and would practice frequently. This was really a joy to watch. Thank you for posting it.

[@leonmaliniak]

WOW...always thought it was a big joke but Jack can really, really play and that is not just a patronizing remark. He is very, very relaxed and competent throughout this very difficult piece. Weird that he always made a joke of it.

[@MegaTimmy56]

He is damn good to play like that

[@windstorm1000]

Wow Jack Renaissance man!!!

[@susanford2388]

Jack Benny was a brilliant violinists. He knew it that is why he was able to behave like a dunce. the two of them performed beautifully. How many of us wish we could play a musical instrument. Instead of mucking about on the internet i really ought to pick up the violin.

[@richardmessina9475]

🎻Great to watch those two souls perform!🎻

[@behnamzadeh1936]

Jack shine like star woman was unbelievable perfect.thanks

[@johnnowakowski4062]

Jack was like the Victor Borga of the violin

[@windstorm1000]

Just gonna say!

[@Jasper7182009]

Nope, other way around. Borga was like the Jack Benny of the piano. Jack Benny was decades earlier of Victor Borga.

[@mdowden]

INCREDIBLE!!!!

[@thomasthomas2418]

My God, it just seizes your breath! What virtuosity.

[@artwallace9323]

Awesome!

[@allenjones3130]

Great job, Jack and Gloria!

[@cohenshcohen]

Brilliant...

[@thephantom1946]

Yes, Jack Benny could really play the violin quite well, This is one of the rare times on video that he really showed that he can, instead of using it as his comedy schtick. He was so well loved by everybody and his peers, and really missed.

[@billace90]

Mr. Benny in reality was a classically trained and an accomplished violinist. But he chose comedy.

[@fromthesidelines]

It was when he decided to appear with symphony orchestras giving fund-raising concerts, beginning in the mid-1950's, that he decided to start practicing again in earnest, as he hadn't really played the violin seriously in years. He originally received lessons from the concertmaster in Mahlon Merrick's studio orchestra, Larry Kurkdjie. And some of Jack's fingers were a bit stiff. But he was determined to play as well as he could. For the rest of his life, he practiced regularly....and he did quite well as a result.

[@retnavybrat]

Even before I ever heard him play the violin for real, I suspected he must've been a decent violinist. I felt that he must've been good to play so bad.

[@winifredtrout1]

That's when Heifetz did an awesome mockery of a 🎻 audition too!!!!

[@angelicacapone9211]

i love it !!!!

[@BillAlpert]

This video is a great find; thanks for posting!

[@arnefogel3256]

Actually, Mr. Duca, The song "Love In Bloom" was not connected with "Night At The Opera", but instead was featured in the film "She Loves Me Not", which starred Kitty with Bing Crosby. Bing and Kitty sang it in the picture, which produced the same hopes on Kitty's part as you describe. The song was a hit for Bing too. Many years later, when BIng and Jack appeared on radio together, Bing asked Jack if he'd ever "played the tune". Jack's snide response was, "Played it? I MADE it!!"

[@matthewmattson7584]

Wow!!! Wonderful

[@kennethhuber3658]

Fantastic!

[@billace90]

Mr. Benny did own a Strad. And was a classically trained violinist, but chose comedy.

[@philipclock]

Wow!!!

[@jws1948ja]

I fill elevated.

[@harlow743]

This will make Mel Blanc very happy

[@TheJTMcDaniel]

There was always a clue that he was better than he generally let on. He'd hit all those sour notes, but if you were paying attention, they were usually the same sour notes every time.

[@juliar65]

The very talented often have more than one skill.

[@JennyLi]

Jack actually did this only once on his television series, in 1953. The sketch was the "60 Piece Orchestra Skit" and was the only time he performed seriously on his own show (he played Love in Bloom and spent $6000 to hire the orchestra, and rehearsed the performance over 20 times). I think that episode has been lost to time (I'm still trying to find at least a kinnie), but there are news clippings about it. In benefit concerts he gave in the late 50s to 70s, he always played the best he could.

[@jextejt]

Jenny Li o

[@carolvogelman5261]

God's gift to us all a Valentine of a man, born 14 February!

[@OldTelivisionRocks]

Yes, when he was younger he was about to run away to play but later he discovered the act did better when he purposely played bad for laughs.

[@ひはひ]

4:22 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@amusicment4829]

Wow to the cigarette commercial, too 😲

[@davidtyndall8880]

Why aren't there any entertainers like this today?

[@jamesmcinnis208]

Demand, unfortunately.

[@TheMaestroBrad]

So Jack could play the violin after all! I suppose it got more laughs to be a pretentious and terrible violinist as opposed to a half-assed and serious one. This is a real treasure! I think this is the only time he has ever performed in this fashion.

[@uranrising]

No. There is also a video of him playing the Bach double violin concerto (in part) with Isaac Stern.

[@andiplastic]

Kids today just have no idea!

[@tomservo56954]

@jenny1340 Because she sang the song in A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, Kitty Carlisle expected "Love in Bloom" to be HER signature...only to be there when an orchestra struck up the tune as a joke when Jack Benny entered.

[@millerforester3184]

Jack, I never knew you had it in you...….

[@mjl1966y]

Twoset could learn a thing or two here...

[@nidurnevets]

I remember a program Benny did with Michael Rabin. I wonder if that is available.

[@newstart2009]

@jenny1340 I imagine the footage exists .. currently CBS refuses to restore its library of Jack Benny Shows, I guess they figure they won't make any money off the effort.

[@floydriggle857]

I may be wrong, but I understand that Jack's Estate left much of his TV stuff to UCLA. They control what can and can't be released. I would love to see the other items also

[@delroyroberts9244]

Who was Isaac Stern? It's like trying to tell the difference between butter and margarine. This was fabulous!

[@windstorm1000]

Famous violinist

[@lilliehalumi8770]

I'm trying to find the composer and title of this piece with no luck. Can anyone help?

[@karenkoe7096]

Pablo de Sarasate, Zigeunerweisen Op.20 Jack and his teacher only played a snippet of it. The part they played was in the last 1/2 to 1/3. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5esnYKOjbKkqZI

[@jamesmarshall8836]

@Lillie Halumi Zigeunerweisen by Pablo de Sarasate

[@robdewey317]

👍

[@tomrdee]

Loved to see Jack Benny play so well, but playing lousy paid a lot more money

[@joselysylva9455]

OQUE?

[@turnthepaigebrooklyn2951]

I’m certain that with effort in researching a superior copy exists. Or at least take what they have upgrade it to 4 K. I’ve seen turn of the 20th Century barely watchable video turned into pristine material. That could be done here so why hasn’t it been? Do it right or don’t bother to begin with 🙄🤨

[@joselysylva9455]

OQUE?

[@joselysylva9455]

OQUE?