Jack Benny (February 14, 1894 –
December 26, 1974), born Benjamin Kubelsky, was an American comedian,
vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film. Widely
recognized as one of the leading American entertainers of the 20th
century, Benny played the role of someone comically "tight" with his
money, insisting on remaining 39 years old despite his actual age, and
often playing the violin badly.
Benny was known for his comic timing and his ability to get laughs with
either a pregnant pause or a single expression, such as his signature
exasperated "Well!" His radio and television programs, tremendously
popular in the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s were a foundational
influence on the situation comedy.
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