Behind every successful radio and TV comic of Hollywood’s Golden Age was a hard-working writer—or a platoon of them—who toiled in anonymity. Jack Benny was virtually alone in his outspoken appreciation of the men behind the pen. “Jack never forgot he had writers. But his success was due to his own talent,” said writer George Balzer.
Joe Penner is as obscure as Jack Benny is renowned. Where Penner brought his offbeat style of comedy to a relative handful of films and never had the opportunity to appear on television—dying tragically young when the medium was in its infancy—Benny perpetuated his brand of mirth far and wide, becoming the clown prince of almost all media. Yet Penner enjoyed huge popularity in the early days of radio, before Benny overshadowed him.
Benny (1894-1974) influenced the likes of Jerry Seinfeld and Kelsey Grammer by turning the spotlight on his talented supporting cast and making himself the butt of the joke. George Balzer, who wrote for the comedian 25 years, reminisces in this ebook about the “I can’t stand Jack Benny” contest he dreamed up, the classic “Your money or your life?” routine, and the show with opera singer Dorothy Kirsten that got the longest laugh in the history of the show.
Bob Weiskopf, a staff writer for “The Fred Allen Show” and “I Love Lucy,” recalls how Benny and Allen would work off of each other, and discusses the phony feud between the comedians that increased the ratings of both their shows.
Penner (1905-1941) was a burlesque and vaudeville comic who became famous for the catch phrase, “Wanna buy a duck?” Parke Levy—who worked for him before he went on to write for “My Friend Irma” and create “December Bride”—talks about the comedian’s failure to understand his appeal to children, his envy of Benny’s success, and the personal appearance tours Penner made to cash in on the popularity of his radio show.
Hal Kanter recalls ghostwriting for Penner before working for Bob Hope and Danny Kaye, and how the famed catch phrase short-circuited his career.
“Writing for Jack Benny and Joe Penner” is Vol. 6 in a set, excerpted from the author’s acclaimed book, “The Laugh Crafters: Comedy Writing in Radio and TV’s Golden Age,” which features a dozen writers discussing their work in the prehistoric days of broadcasting—the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s.
Other volumes include: Writing for “I Love Lucy” and Other Funny Stuff (Vol. 1); Writing for Groucho Marx and Fred Allen (Vol. 2); Writing For “Amos ‘n’ Andy” and “Duffy’s Tavern” (Vol. 3); Writing for Al Jolson and Fanny Brice (Vol. 4); and Writing for Jimmy Durante and Sid Caesar (Vol. 5).
Joe Penner is as obscure as Jack Benny is renowned. Where Penner brought his offbeat style of comedy to a relative handful of films and never had the opportunity to appear on television—dying tragically young when the medium was in its infancy—Benny perpetuated his brand of mirth far and wide, becoming the clown prince of almost all media. Yet Penner enjoyed huge popularity in the early days of radio, before Benny overshadowed him.
Benny (1894-1974) influenced the likes of Jerry Seinfeld and Kelsey Grammer by turning the spotlight on his talented supporting cast and making himself the butt of the joke. George Balzer, who wrote for the comedian 25 years, reminisces in this ebook about the “I can’t stand Jack Benny” contest he dreamed up, the classic “Your money or your life?” routine, and the show with opera singer Dorothy Kirsten that got the longest laugh in the history of the show.
Bob Weiskopf, a staff writer for “The Fred Allen Show” and “I Love Lucy,” recalls how Benny and Allen would work off of each other, and discusses the phony feud between the comedians that increased the ratings of both their shows.
Penner (1905-1941) was a burlesque and vaudeville comic who became famous for the catch phrase, “Wanna buy a duck?” Parke Levy—who worked for him before he went on to write for “My Friend Irma” and create “December Bride”—talks about the comedian’s failure to understand his appeal to children, his envy of Benny’s success, and the personal appearance tours Penner made to cash in on the popularity of his radio show.
Hal Kanter recalls ghostwriting for Penner before working for Bob Hope and Danny Kaye, and how the famed catch phrase short-circuited his career.
“Writing for Jack Benny and Joe Penner” is Vol. 6 in a set, excerpted from the author’s acclaimed book, “The Laugh Crafters: Comedy Writing in Radio and TV’s Golden Age,” which features a dozen writers discussing their work in the prehistoric days of broadcasting—the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s.
Other volumes include: Writing for “I Love Lucy” and Other Funny Stuff (Vol. 1); Writing for Groucho Marx and Fred Allen (Vol. 2); Writing For “Amos ‘n’ Andy” and “Duffy’s Tavern” (Vol. 3); Writing for Al Jolson and Fanny Brice (Vol. 4); and Writing for Jimmy Durante and Sid Caesar (Vol. 5).
