To Tell the Truth - Jack Benny's violin teacher; PANEL: Johnny Carson (Dec 12, 1960)

PANEL: Johnny Carson, Kitty Carlisle, Don Ameche, Polly Bergen
CONTESTANT #1: Larry Kurkjie (Jack Benny's violin teacher)
CONTESTANT #2: Lucy Chambliss (National Women's Pistol champion)
CONTESTANT #3: Rob Sagendorph (Publisher of the Farmer's Almanac)
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[@leannsherman6723]

“Now cut that out!” Excellent Jack Benny impression by Johnny!

[@retroguy9494]

Jack Benny was Johnny's idol and when he was a kid, he used to imitate Jack. He used to listen to Jack all the time on radio. From what I've read, when he first got Jack on The Tonight Show, he was as excited as a little kid on Christmas Day.

[@alanr4447a]

WELL!!

[@susiem44]

@@alanr4447a 🤣🤣🤣🤤

[@davidfritz1331]

Johnny Carson absolutely idolized Jack Benny. I will never forget his Tonight Show tribute the day Benny died.

[@retroguy9494]

He also co hosted a 2 hour long tribute TV special with George Burns (who was Jack's best friend) and Bob Hope (who was also a good friend of Jack's) 7 years after he died.

[@lelandfranklin3487]

60 year old show...and still makes me smile!

[@leannsherman6723]

Me too!

[@craigkdillon]

Such a simple show. Humorous and entertaining. Why can't such shows be made today?

[@enriquesanchez2001]

I guess because it would filled with obscenities and it might be harder to guess who with so much info out there nowadays.

[@michaelmiller1215]

I have Polly Bergen’s autograph! I met her in the early 1980s.

[@Eddie_Schantz]

This is the first time that I ever saw the panel go 0-12 in voting for the entire show. I loved it.

[@nancyhowell4505]

@Eddie_Schantz I loved their blitz too! I did get the first one right, he looked vaguely familiar to me, so I chose him. 🤔#2👏👍👍

[@robertbishop5357]

Gone are the days of wholesome, fun and funny shows like To Tell the Truth.

[@pechaa]

The UK has a very similar popular show called Would I Lie To You?

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

Or the Gong Show?

[@alihabib9904]

Polly bergen was a gorgeous lady .. R I P

[@klfrostmediallc334]

She was smokin…very accomplished

[@TheBatugan77]

She was a ridiculous attention whore.

[@maureentuohy9423]

Wow, I used to watch this program sitting on the floor, in front of the big counsole TV. So much fun.

[@catbriggs8362]

Right in front of the TV--and in spite of parental warnings, my eyesight is still wonderful!

[@missjoshemmett]

Me, too

[@vassilisdellas6871]

I like this episode with the violin teacher because it disproves the game's logic that not "remembering" something means that you don't know, so you are the imposter. That's not always the case.

[@jimwinchester339]

I heartily agree. If I were Jack Benny's real violin teacher, I would not necessarily follow him terribly closely. I certainly wouldn't allow people to judge me by how closely I follow the career of one of my students (e.g., his current address - why would I care?). Jack may have not even been particularly good on the violin anyway.

[@susiem44]

@@jimwinchester339 Jack was an accomplished violinist.

[@beepbeeplettuce5890]

That johnny guy is funny. They should give him a talk show

[@michaelmantle6043]

@Richard Starkey kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpfGqmRrj7p4aMU

[@moonglow1311]

They did, they did❗

[@kristabrewer9363]

HAHAHA Very funny (I assume that was a joke)

[@NotHarpoGroucho]

He’d never make it, imagine a show called “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson”, It just has no ring to it. It would never last

[@chrisfreeman9960]

Yea. That Carson kid.

[@jacquelinebell6201]

Polly bergen is hilarious! Id never heard her before.

[@dsscam]

Polly Bergen was a beautiful woman. In 2004, Bergen played Fran Felstein on HBO's The Sopranos, the former mistress of Johnny Soprano and John F. Kennedy. From 2007 to 2011, Bergen had a guest role in Desperate Housewives as Stella Wingfield, which earned her an Emmy Award nomination

[@mrpuniverse2]

Lester Cohen''s book was reissued in the 195's a s Stella and Joe He wrote quite a lot of Hollywood screenplays as well

[@zork999]

Lester Cohen wrote nine books and the stories for many movies, but unfortunately died of a heart attack in 1963 before Coming Home was made into a movie.

[@davewebbtheauthor]

Fantastic episode. Highly entertaining for a game show.

[@feralbluee]

Johnny does do Jack Benny. i knew from another episode. “Now cut that out,” is pure Benny. :) 🎻 🙃🌷

[@davidfritz2957]

Johnny Carson idolized Jack Benny. I remember his "Tonight Show" the night Benny died; he was devastated.

[@retroguy9494]

Well, he had been on The Tonight Show only 4 months before he died. Sadly, Johnny was not hosting that night as he was taking one of his famous month long vacations. Rich Little ( who Johnny HATED) was guest hosting. In fact, Benny even mentioned it was the first time he was on the show without Johnny. It would also be his last.

[@vaniam6430]

I think contestant #1 in the second round, “Alice Lee Boatwright” is “Boaty” Boatwright, who would later cast “To Kill a Mockingbird” and become a famous talent scout and agent at ICM. So cool to see her here. She had worked for Goodson/Todman before joining Universal, and this episode.

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

Funny, because she came off as quite stupid.

[@brucealvarez9263]

They needed Tom Poston that night. He was right more often than not and more often than the other panelists.

[@keithnaylor1981]

The panel may not have done well in this episode, but it was still one of the most entertaining, a lot of that due to Polly being so unpredictable and witty!

[@feralbluee]

Yup ! Polly Bergen is very good at what she does on this show :). She was also a very good dramatic actress! :) 🎭 🌷

[@TheBatugan77]

Polly was a ridiculous attention whore.

[@greencheek2745]

Thanks for compiling this, I love it.

[@JayTemple]

I would like to have asked the violin teachers, "Who plays your fictional counterpart on the show?" (It was Mel Blanc.)

[@stacymirba1433]

I'm stunned they were asking for Jack Benny's actual address. That doesn't seem like something you would put on the air.

[@tbec3011]

It's a different time. Keep in mind JB's home was on the tourist bus route.

[@retroguy9494]

tbec is right. It was a totally different and safer world in 1960. I've read of some stars on Roxbury Drive who would actually answer their doors when fans rang the bell and would sign autographs. But the real violin teacher was right. Benny's address really WAS 1002 Roxbury Drive. And Lucille Ball DID live next door at number 1000. And tour buses not only went by there, but would stop in front of Lucy's house to let people out. I read that some people would pack a lunch and disrespectfully sit on Lucy's front lawn to eat. It really pissed her off. Jimmy Stewart lived next door to Lucy on the other side. Once, when the tour bus people sat on HIS lawn to eat, he turned on the underground sprinklers and soaked them! 🤣

[@mtp4430]

@@tbec3011 In 1955, my mother was on one of those tours and Jack Benny was out in front of his house and waved to the bus. It was a different world back in 1955.

[@mtp4430]

@@retroguy9494In 1955, my mother was on one of those tours and Jack Benny was out in front of his house and waved to the bus. It was a different world back then.

[@retroguy9494]

@@mtp4430 Wow that's awesome! What a wonderful memory for your mother! From everything I've read about Jack Benny, he was a really nice guy. It was his wife Mary that many people did not like, including George Burns who was Jack Benny's best friend.

[@dollsvilleplushkin]

5:04 "39" Johnny Carson: "Now cut that out"😂

[@Yugi880]

His reaction he look like pee wee

[@keithnaylor1981]

THE BEST EDITION EVER OF THE SHOW!

[@93Jubilee]

Kitty Carlisle sounds like it's life or death in the way she talks, it's funnjy! Her colleauges on the panel once said something to that effect, too.:) But good heavens, Polly Bergen -- wanting them to know the sond she sang! -- she's often after recognition, and wanting to be center=stage.

[@iammenuru]

Three games in one episode where the panel were wrong on every vote. That seemed like a very rare occurrence during this era of the show’s run.

[@randysills4418]

I think that I have watched all of them and I only remember one other time when they got all of them wrong. Polly was on that panel and she announced to Bud Collier that they all wouldn't be back. I wish I remembered which episode it was...❤

[@1158scott]

Carson knew for sure #1 wasn't the pistol champion, but picked her & helped the panel get shut out so he could do a risque joke.

[@stevenroland7472]

Interesting Fact: Kiity Carlisle Co-starred with the Marx Brothers in Night at the Opera.

[@jasonhurd4379]

She also sang Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus at the Metropolitan Opera.

[@randysills4418]

She also sang excerpts of the same role at Beverly Sill's Farewell in 1980 which is on U-tube...

[@joeambrose3260]

How do I utilize that info to my advantage ?

[@stevenroland7472]

@@joeambrose3260 Use to pick up Women in Bars.

[@joeambrose3260]

@@stevenroland7472 I'm under house arrest, Einstein

[@leehart1498]

Wow, Polly was a doll. Holy crap.

[@judsonmusick3177]

Kitty Carlisle was usually knowledgeable about musical matters, but when she questioned Jack Benny's violin teacher she made a mistake. She thought Pierre Monteux was never a permanent conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, but he actually was. Monteux was permanent conductor of the BSO from 1919 to 1924, just before Koussevitsky took over the orchestra.

[@withonelook1985]

Not to mention Munch was the current conductor when this episode came out, and the brief said the guest had been with the Jack Benny Show for 20 some odd years.

[@balok63a40]

OTOH, asking about Harry (Ellis) Dickson, was a clever move.

[@randysills4418]

There was a conductor Karl Muck and one named Charles Munch...

[@zombie-process7025]

Technically agronomy DOES, indeed, have "something to do with hens." XD

[@philiplewis334]

i was surprised that the contestants skunked the panel 3 times.

[@r.rahman12]

these were shows. families had strong bonds. no bad words. even middle finger showing had no issues. life was so peaceful then.

[@Paul-lm5gv]

Wow! A young Johnny Carson on the panel???!!!!

[@jthepickle7]

Our first TV screen measured 8 x 10 inches. Had to sit pretty close - black and white, of course. Didn't spend a lot of time on the couch, what with channel changing and rabbit ear adjustment.

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

I always loved this show, such an original concept, the guests are so skillful.

[@miamidolphinsfan]

Never saw them get schtooped all 3 games before. That probably only happened 2 or 3 times in the whole run of the show.

[@randysills4418]

I remember when it happened one other time...I wish that I could find that episode again...

[@randysills4418]

On the other episode where the panel missed all three, they all got up and were walking away from their seats. It was an episode that Polly Bergen was on too...

[@leannsherman6723]

They couldn’t be giving out celebrities’ addresses on national television. Bud Collyer should’ve said something.

[@retroguy9494]

I think it's hysterical how none of them voted for the actual violin teacher!

[@skyedog24]

@11:59 she whips out her middle finger and says this is the finger I use to pull the trigger 😢😂❤ I'm willing to pitch this nice girl has never flipped anybody off in her life. Until Don ameche.

[@pgh45rpms]

They should have had Jack Benny at the end of the segment to pick out his teacher.

[@catbriggs8362]

They would have, but Jack refused to pay the cab fare to the studio. ===:>

[@nonadabove]

@@catbriggs8362 And the 1923 Maxwell wouldn't have made it across the country from Burbank.

[@alanr4447a]

Jack Benny (Benjamin Kubelsky)'s violin teacher would be a subject dear to Johnny, who idolized the miserly ol' skinflint!

[@snickpickle]

Who wasn't miserly or a skinflint in real life (he was known to single-handedly get major symphony orchestras out of debt by making appearances as a guest star -- with his Stradivarius violin that he could actually play! ...with a couple of comedy things, of course, like "NOT SO FAST!!!"). Well, two out of three ain't bad! Haha! (I'll give you a couple of seconds to see where I made my funny. ;-) )

[@waynehowell6160]

He legally changed his name to Jack Benny, so that was his real name.

[@alanr4447a]

@@waynehowell6160 I appreciate the information, but technically, since I made the comment 4 years ago, the statute of limitations on correcting what I said has run out!

[@studogable]

Carson was a HUGE Jack Benny fan.

[@retroguy9494]

Actually Jack was Johnny's idol growing up.

[@dsscam]

16:17 Marge Howell (#3) must've really liked Johnny Carson and went back and raved about him because 21 months later he was her new boss.

[@KarenYvette11]

She asked the wrong questions. They were not personal friends. He was the teacher

[@kenbrown438]

Polly is the most interesting questioner !!!!

[@dalemunkres6915]

That Don guy is a expert in the studies of the legendary BigFoot!

[@lissalives1]

Polly....wow! What a beauty. ♥️

[@orangehoof]

Polly is so adorable.

[@Bigwave2003]

11:53 Panelist flips the bird on TV.

[@michaeldanello3966]

Jack Benny's real name was Benjamin Kubelsky

[@JackNorth]

"Which finger do you use, show me." LOL

[@al4berry]

And the audience didn't react!

[@joeambrose3260]

He asked for it

[@bevh5590]

I couldn’t believe that!

[@cindyswimchick]

Wow! You can flip the bird on National TV in 1960????

[@balconi89]

"I chose number one.....she looked like the perfect 38." Johnny Carson was funny even then......

[@balconi89]

Also funny that number 3 in that second contestant game worked as a production assistant on the Jack Parr show, which Johnny would take over 2 years later........

[@paulm4172]

Yes, back in the day when late night TV was actually funny and entertaining.

[@lkj974]

Actually, I don’t think he comes over very well. Polly on the other hand, she would have made an exciting talk show host.

[@rosemarymagrino772]

How’d that lady get away with flipping the bird?!

[@jacquelinebell6201]

😅 Dont think it was that back in those days or I'm sure they would have said something lol.

[@TxJanna]

Yeah that made me giggle...so different now.

[@pechaa]

Yes the gesture did have the same meaning now as it does today, but the context mattered.

[@paulm4172]

Contestant #1 showed Johnny Carson exactly what she thought of his question.

[@darijoe1]

$3,000 in prize money given away in one episode? OUCH!

[@terrymckay9776]

#2 totally knows the weather in Las Vegas. lol

[@Tonetwisters]

Polly Bergen was flat gorgeous ...

[@kristabrewer9363]

um ok

[@cameronfielder4955]

Krista Brewer don’t be salty, she was

[@snickpickle]

@@cameronfielder4955 I don't know about "flat" gorgeous! But natural beauty or not, she seemed to be kind of grouchy and irritable in this show.

[@withonelook1985]

Lester Cohen wrote the screenplay for Of Human Bondage...

[@MikeMc442]

It's not often that an impostor on TTTT was prominent enough to have his own online bio, but #3 was. Here's Lester's story: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lester_Cohen

[@Kermit_T_Frog]

They really ought to remove that name plate from the moderator's podium. Or folks might start calling him Helene Curtis.

[@ronfontenot6993]

freaking priceless. i laughed so loud and for so long!!!

[@Kermit_T_Frog]

@@ronfontenot6993 It could be worse. Ex-lax?

[@michaelcox436]

Just incredible to me that they let Bergen ruin the show week after week for YEARS.

[@quizmaster85]

6:49 - *NONE OF THEM*

[@kristabrewer9363]

I didn't miss Polly "last week" AT all! (she always likes to be a know-it-all! and she absolutely can't STAND it unless she gets that last word in.

[@elvisobsessor]

Enjoyed this!

[@pechaa]

I’m curious to read Lester Cohen’s book.

[@randylovering24]

Polly voted none of them very good

[@NYNC88]

At least she spoke proper English.

[@blown22]

Helene Curtis filed for Chapter 11 after this show

[@tomitstube]

i've never seen polly in the #4 seat, wonder if she requested it, she always seemed perturbed when collyer would ask her if she was ready with the first vote.

[@kristabrewer9363]

Is this really te first episode you've seen in ages? You do know the set changed, right?

[@tomitstube]

@@kristabrewer9363 i haven't seen many, but the one's i have polly was in the first seat.

[@rlevitta]

What - no Mel Blanc? He was Jack's teacher on the show.

[@albertgray1814]

Unbelievable!!! All three games and the panel was wrong all the time! Never had seen that in my life!!!

[@feralbluee]

the real violin teacher was a complete surprise!!!!! :) i got the pistol champion!! :) don’t do that often! the panel was very entertaining on this episode, i think because they missed every time. LOL 😋🌷

[@bobbbxxx]

3:45 Seemed a bit cocky; there's a chance he may have enjoyed a few refreshments before the show.

[@kevinfitzmaurice4072]

In the seventies, the syndicated, Garry Moore version taped at NBC in New York. David Letterman later used the same studio and once pointed out a sign backstage: "Refreshments for To Tell the Truth personnel only."

[@robgrune3284]

Bergen was certainly a beauty.

[@leannsherman6723]

Don Ameche shouldn’t have been asking for a celebrity’s address and that should have been forbidden by the network to provide.

[@LEIMALOCCA]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THAT LAST GAME?! #TotallyStumped

[@MichaelSimmons.]

How funny was it, that they wanted to give out Jack Benny's address, on national television. Why didn't you just ask for his phone number, while you're at it.

[@wildbillhackett]

Tour buses went by his house every day. Anybody could have gotten his address.

[@trampwiggins5518]

Venom101002 %6

[@BroadcastJohn]

Many years ago, Audrey Meadows (Ralph Kramden's wife on the Honeymooners tv show from the 1950's) appeared on a game show. I was shocked when she revealed her social security number.

[@NotHarpoGroucho]

BroadcastJohn SSN are actually pretty worthless and easy to get. I’ve read they only go for literally 6 cents on the black market.

[@lkj974]

exactly. He doesn’t come off so well by more modern standards.

[@oscodains]

Lester Cohen died in 1963, so I wonder if his film My Body died with him.

[@philiphoward1731]

I think the lady in the middle gave the finger on national TV

[@al4berry]

And the audience didn't react!

[@WitoldBanasik]

Great set of celebrities on the panel chairs.

[@kristabrewer9363]

Except for the attention getter in the last seat, I agree

[@huskyjerk]

23:49 why is this guy reading from a prepared statement to state who he is and what he does?

[@snickpickle]

It was all part of the show. For one thing, the panel could look up at the contestants to see facial twitches or whatever. And also, it gave the panelists and the audience and the viewers a chance to hear a short biography of the real person. And the host's name was Bud Collyer. The quick biography was also a part of the 1970s reboot with Gary Moore.

[@93Jubilee]

Despite all her efforts, Polly Bergen never did succeed in being as "cute" as she tired to be.

[@mypham2788]

As soon as #3 mimicked air playing the violin I eliminated him. No violin player would hold a bow like that.

[@joeambrose3260]

I think I heard Polly squawking at the end, interrupting Buds' PSA

[@snootybaronet]

#3 of the pistol champions has a lovely smile!

[@doctorjames7454]

Polly is such a ditz.

[@krystonjones]

You probably believe in Santa Claus & the Easter bunny. Polly, Lucille Ball etc are in character for a ‘fun' TV show- no one finds intellectualism entertaining. Comedy requires intelligence.

[@al4berry]

On purpose ... provides comedy

[@waynehowell6160]

I was so sure that #1 was the violin teacher because most avid fans know that Jack pracied the violin hin the bathroom.

[@ocajer]

That Lester Collins guy looked pissed.

[@XMLarry]

Helene Curtis took a hit on this show to the tune of $3000

[@Timzart7]

I picked him. When he was gesturing, #3 did not move his arm the way a violinist would bow.

[@elliebellie7816]

What were they all so ferociously writing on their tablets at the beginning of the show.

[@citizenken7069]

Bud Collyer, who hosted the show in those days, was also the voice of Superman on the radio show and in the early movie cartoons. He also played did the voice on TV in "The New Adventures of Superman".

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

I also struck out on all the three.

[@googletaqiyya184]

Benny didn't live next door. They both lived on cross streets, across the smaller less travelled one of the two streets. Next door means the property lines are mutual. They were not and the divider was not an alley street. Each of them had only one next door neighbor. [left-right] They both were faced the same way as well, not back to back.

[@SunflowerSunflower101]

Polly Bergen - what a delight!

[@leannsherman6723]

I’m surprised there wasn’t a rule against asking for a celebrity’s address.

[@dogbarbill]

12:00 She is flipping the finger to everyone.

[@michaelmantle6043]

When Johnny Carson replaced Jack Paar as the host of the Tonight Show, Marge Howell remained on the staff of the show for the next 20 years.

[@zacharydunlap-tunnage2220]

What did she do on the Tonight Show again?

[@LoudCitizen]

Ha! She gave them the finger -- twice!

[@al4berry]

And the audience didn't react!

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

🤘

[@joeambrose3260]

@@al4berry Before the finger came to prominence

[@joeambrose3260]

@Liquid Eternity I've read in the '60s