Benny and Burns

Famous comedians and famous BFF duo: Jack Benny and George Burns

"People have often asked me if Fred Allen and I were really friends in real life. My answer is always the same. You couldn't have such a long-running and successful feud as we did, without having a deep and sincere friendship at the heart of it."

-Jack Benny

"The happiest people I know are the ones that are still working. The saddest are the ones who are retired. Very few performers retire on their own. It's usually because no one wants them. Six years ago Sinatra announced his retirement. He's still working."

— George Burns

I wrote a blog a few weeks ago on famous BFFS and the influence they have had on me and my own personal perspectives on friendship. The back story is that I wrote the entire blog and accidentally deleted it. I was so irritated at myself! So I rewrote the blog and forgot such an important duo that I felt, I guess I am meant to write an entire blog dedicated to their friendship! After all, it is a very famous friendship.

Both men had very successful careers, making it into show business. Before television and "motion pictures" (that was the word for movies back then folks o__O) there was vaudeville. The two men worked they way into the industry and then with the reign of Lucille Ball, who made television popular, the two men made their way to television making them very popular.

For over fifty years these two men were the best of friends. Everyone who ever watched them knew of this dynamic duo and could see the love and affection they had for each other, but worked magically together professionally as well. I used to watch old shows and videos with them, and seeing them together was always a huge laugh.

It was reported that Jack Benny only needed to look at George Burns and he would bust out into laughter! Burns was known for his cigars in hand, and Benny for his awful violin playing. Everyone in the industry had a George Burns-Jack Benny anecdote. When George Burns had troubles with his wife and professional partner, Gracie Allen, he confided only to his best friend Jack Benny. When Jack Benny's health was failing, he gave his work to George Burns. Even in life, they tag teamed for each other.

They say George Burns had two loves in his life. His wife, Gracie Allen, who always got the laughs in their professional act that lasted so many years. Her unexpected death was a grave trauma for Burns. The other was Jack Benny. When Benny died in 1974 at the age of 80, George Burns reportedly said "Now life is really going to get lonely.." Burns couldn't even finish his eulogy at Benny's funeral, breaking down in the middle and couldn't go on.

The story that Jack Benny told about George Burns on hundreds of stages throughout the world and the one that seemed to tickle him most went like this:

"I was living at the Radisson Hotel in Minneapolis and George Burns was following me into the theater there. He closed in Chicago a day early, and one Saturday morning, my closing day, he arrived at the hotel and phoned up from the lobby. Now George could always make me laugh, and I could never make him laugh, so I wracked my brains trying to think of something funny to do. I took off my pajamas and stood on top of the bed absolutely nude....and I put a book on top of my head, held a glass of water in out outstretched hand and a rose in the other. Now, wouldn't you think that would make a funny picture and George would have to laugh? Well, he must have suspected something because when I heard a knock on the door and said, 'Come in,'..., he sent the maid in! Now, how do you tell a maid that you're waiting for George Burns? Until I opened my mouth she thought I was a lamp...an Italian lamp...an old Italian lamp...."

Here is an excerpt from a book written by Irving Fein about how the two always had a good laugh together:
"When the Jack Benny show and the Burns and Allen show became leading radio programs, the four stars moved to Hollywood, where they could star in motion pictures at the same time. They quickly became a part of the Hollywood social set and were invited to all the leading parties. Even there George always played his little pranks on his friend. One time they were at a party given by Louis B. Mayer, the head of MGM studios. After dinner the guests were told to come to the music room, where chairs had been set up and MGM's singing star, Jeanette MacDonald, was to perform. As they entered the room, George whispered to Jack, "Now remember, Jack, when Jeanette MacDonald starts to sing, it would be very impolite if you were to laugh." Jack started to bite his lip to keep the giggles from escaping. As Miss MacDonald approached the piano, George continued to mouth his admonition while staring directly at Jack, and at the first note there was a loud roar from Jack, who rushed out of the room followed by George, who also collapsed in the hallway.

"In 1961, he did it again. Jack and George flew to England for a command performance which was attended by the queen mother. The stars were to meet the royal family after the performance, and as they lined up for the presentation, George leaned over to Jack and whispered, "Now when you meet the queen mother, be sure you don't laugh when you shake her hand."

"As the queen mother walked down the row of stars, Jack tried his best to look away from George's riveted look, but those fixed eyes were like a magnet, and poor Jack started to bite his lip as the royal lady approached. She extended her hand to Jack and said, "I enjoyed your performance very much, Mr. Benny," and miracle of miracles, Jack didn't laugh. He was so intent on biting his lip that he couldn't even thank her for the compliment."

Another one of my favorites was when Jack Benny was on the Dean Martin Roast. In his final speech, he acknowledged how everyone knew his best friend was George Burns and they have been friends for so long. He tells a story about how he and George watched an X-rated movie. And they both fell asleep. But then when they went to go see The Sound of Music they sat on the edge of their seats and hand in hand walked out of the theater humming the tunes. You can't help but laugh.

Best friendships like this are precious and dear. And they do exist. These two were masters in their trade, fantastic professionally, but kept a true and loving friendship together. I used to love watching them together when I was young. And it's admirable to know of such a well-known friendship like theirs. Keep the best of your friendships strong and pure like these two. Be there in the worst of times, share the best of times, hold true the most important values, and always make time to get good hearty laughs in together.

Yours in service,
MASTER TRENTO

P.S Look at this video from the Dean Martin Roasts, where you can see first hand this beautiful friendship, only the first 3 minutes: