Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-03-03

~ lND1NG the 1OTluld IOE oaCA
Benny's enormous success on
the radio during the last few
years-a success reflected in the
recent poll of the Nations radio
editors, who voted him their favorite
comedian and his show the most popu-
lar of the last years. not difficult
after a visit to one of his broadcast
performances. Attend one Of his
broadcast shows, as the writer did the
other night. and, even if you are not
already a Benny fan, you will readily
discern why the radio editors Of Main
street joined Broadway's in heaping
their encomiums upon Jack Benny.
You find him and his troupe in one
Of the medium sized, and thus more
Intimate studios. amid the magnificence
that Is Radio City. There are not more
than $50 spectators in the studio, all
seated. 1t is 10 minutes before the
show goes on. Jack Benny Is clutch
ing a script, partially burned but
unlighted cigar clenched between his
teeth. He is nervously pacing the
slightly elevated rostrum on which
most of the cast and orchestra are
sitting or standing. the principals all
likewise with scripts in hand.
Jack raises his right arm, with the
other yanking the cigar from his
mouth. He grins broadly, an infectious
grin, and the audience chuckles. We
are still not on the air, and we wonder
at the need for the hush that follows.
II want you to meet the members Of
our cast" Jack says, and with appro-
pirate joshing he introduces Mary
Livingstone, Frank Parker, Don Will
son. Don Bestor and Sam Hearn. who
. Is the Mr.. Shlepperman" of many
other dialects besides his better known
Yiddish.
Actors Loosen Up, Too.
All Of the actors have been intently
studying their scripts. but they take
their bows-all grinning Then they
return to a. serious perusal OF their
scripts, for o'clock is fast approach
ing
You wonder next why Jack Benny
has to deliver himself of his ensuing
peroration. Il want you all to enjoy
yourselves" he tells the studio audi
ence. and you don't need to be afraid
to laugh and applaud as loudly as you
like" An invitation for background
noise" to stimulate the artists, If not
impress the unseen audience? It
seems so, and you are a bit disap-
pointed at such artificial tactics.
At precisely Z o'clock the orchestra
signs on, Announcer Wilson delivers
himself of his blurb over the musical
background, he finishes and the Or
chestra breaks into crescendo. The
usual wisecracking introduction by
Wilson and discordant blare of the
band, and Jack himself addresses the
microphone. He engages in repartee
with the chubby Wilson, whose moon
face is all smiles and whose rotund
form often shakes with laughter.
Benny has the microphone at the
left, Wilson being at another about IL
feet to the right. The rest Of the cast
breaks in at one or the other mikes in
the well-known manner of that partic-
ular show, according to their parts In
the script. Everyone laughs, of course,
but why do the performers themselves
laugh so heartily. and especially why
Is the orchestra literally convulsed?
There you have the secret of Jack
Benny's show, quite aside from the
excellence Of the script. Cast and
orchestra are enjoying the perfor-
nance even more than the seen and
unseen audience, and there is no
question about the spontaneity Of
their enjoyment. You learn why
after the show when you can talk
above whispers to your host, a studio
attache, and then talk to Jack Benny
himself.
The performers, with the exception
of Benny Of course, saw the script
for the first time that morning. They
rekearsed it for only three or four
hours, studied their lines through the
afternoon, perhaps puzzled to them
selves how some of those lines could
pull q laugh"-and returned to the
studio at $50 relatively fresh for the
show. All Of them are experienced
troupers or radio artists, yet all are
as nervous and eager as for any first
night performance.
The orchestra members, you also
learn, had been barred entirely from
the rehearsals! Thus the written
lines are utterly new to all Of them
but their leader, Don Bestor. who
has some script parts. The result is
that every laugh from the orchestra
Is wholly unaffected.