Jack Benny, Mary Livingston, Rochester
Widely recognized as one of the leading American entertainers of the 20th century, Benny played the role of the comic penny-pinching miser, insisting on remaining 39 years old on stage despite his actual age, and often (although an accomplished violinist) playing the violin – poorly!
Benny was known for his comic timing and ability to get laughs with either a pregnant pause or a single expression, such as his signature wave of the hand with an exasperated “Well!”
His radio & television programs, tremendously popular from the 1930s to the 1960s, were a foundational influence on the situation comedy genre.
