classic benny

This is a Jack Benny Christmas episode (part 1) that I found on youtube. It is the first of three parts, and worth watching the entire episode. This is classic Jack Benny. For those of you who don't know the premise behind most of Jack's stories is that he's cheap - real cheap.

Jack fancied himself a great violinist on his show. In the show he was terrible at it. In real life he was a great violinist. real life.

Mel Blanc is featured in this episode. Mel is the voice behind all the Warner Brother's cartoons (Bugs Bunny, Daffy, Porky Pig, et more) we grew up loving. Mel was funny fellow and I always enjoy seeing him in action.

Jack Benny is among my very first impersonations. I could also do a pretty good Don Wilson. Decades ago, while doing my Jack Benny voice - my Dad joined in with a great Rochester. I never new dad to do an impersonation before. I had tried to figure out that voice prior and didn't know how to get Eddie "Rochester" Anderson's gravely voice. Dad told me how he did it and in a few minutes I had that voice nailed as well. It was the only impersonation I had ever heard my father to do before or since.

How do you do Rochester's voice? Dad told me to breath in while talking. His Rochester was better than mine because Dad had a little more gravel to his voice.