There are hundreds of people who worked for the Benny show over the years both on-screen and off. Here are some of the names you might come across with Jack and his work...
Fred Allen
Fred's popular radio program, "Town Hall Tonight" was not only the target of a Benny satire (April 5, 1934's "Clown Hall Tonight") but was also the pulpit where Fred started his feud with Jack criticizing Jack for, among other things, his lack of skill as a violin player.
Eddie Anderson
Rochester, played by gravel voiced Eddie Anderson, joined the program in 1937. His character was originally a one-show-only appearance, but as a train porter he was so well received that he ended up staying on as Jack's personal valet.
Artie Auerback
The occasional character on the show Mr. Kitzel was played by Artie. The character made repeat appearances singing the catcy little song, "A pickle in the middle with the mustard on the top, just the way you like it and they're all red hot."
Kenny Baker
Kenny was an immensly popular tenor on Jack's radio show beginning in 1935. When he left in 1939, there were fears that Jack's rating would drop signifigantly, however Kenny's replacement, Dennis Day, turned out to be equally, if not more popular, than Kenny had been. Ironically, he left Jack to be the tenor on Fred Allen's show.
George Balzer
When Jack sponsor changed to Lucky Strike, George was hired along with Sam Perrin, George Balzer, John Tackaberry, and Milt Josefsberg as writers. He stayed with the show until its end on radio, then continued as a writer when it moved to television.
Michael Bartlett
The tenor Michael Bartlett stayed with the program only a few weeks, being hired as Frank Parker's replacement mid-1934. He was replaced by Kenny Baker.
Ed Beloin
Ed was a writer hired to replace Harry Conn in 1936 along with Bill Morrow, Sam Perrin, and Arthur Phillips. Morrow and Beloin stayed on for eight years as the primary writers of the Benny radio show.
Don Bestor
Don was orchestra leader for the program for two years, beginning in 1934. He left when the program moved from New York to the West Coast at the end of the 1935-36 season.
Jack Benny
The star! Need more be said?
Joan Benny
Jack's daughter, adopted in 1934. In 1990 she published "Sunday Nights at Seven - The Jack Benny Story".
Seymour Berns
Seymour replaced Ralph Levy (who left the show due to illness) as director of the television show and stayed on for two years. He also took Hilliard Mark's place as producer when he left the program around the same time.
Frank Black
Frank was the orchestra leader for the radio show while Chevrolet was the sponsor. He was replaced by Don Bestor.
Mel Blanc
Originally, Mel was hired for the show during its radio days to make the growl of Carmichael, but as the show moved to television, his role became more and more visible and he created a number of popular characters including Sy, who's very limited vocabulary resulted in strange conversations with Jack, and Professor LeBlanc, Jack's long suffering violin teacher.
Myrt Blum
Jack's business manager in the mid 1930's.
George Burns
Jack's real-life best friend, fellow comedian, and a contemporary on radio and televison with his wife, Gracie Allen.
Carmichael
Carmichael is Jack's pet polar bear who arrived as a birthday present in 1939. (see Trudy)
Ronald and Benita Coleman
Known as a dramatic actor in real life, on the radio and television Ronald along his wife were Jack's next door neighbours. They were in fact almost Jack's real neighbours, living just a few blocks away from him.
Harry Conn
Harry was Jack's first radio writer. He quit the show in 1936 feeling he was due more money and respect than he was receiving. If Jack's later writers had the same feelings about their boss, they never admitted them publicly!
Bob Crosby
Bob became Jack's orchestra leader in 1952 replacing Phil Harris. Reportedly, this was done as a cost-saving measure.
Dennis Day
Dennis was hired to replace Kenny Baker. Dennis was actually his stage name, his real one being Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty. He debued on October 8, 1939, with his mother not far behind. (see Verna Felton)
Fred deCordova
When Seymour Berns left the show to work soley on Red Skelton (he had been working on both Jack and Red's show), Fred was hired as the new director and remained with the program until its finish.
Dennis's Mother
see Verna Felton
Paul Douglas
Paul, along with Alois Havrilla and George Hicks, was an announcer for the program while Jack was being sponsored by Canada Dry.
Irving Fein
Jack's personal manager and stage producer for 28 years.
Verna Felton
When the unknown talent of Dennis Day first came to the Benny show, he was replacing the immensly popular Kenny Baker. Unsure whether or not Dennis would be a strong enough character, his mother, played by Verna Felton appeared with him. As it turned out, the naive Dennis did wonderfully and his mother disappeared after a few months.
Al Gordon
With Hal Goldman, Al was the "new writer", hired to help out when Jack began doing television broadcasts in addition to his weekly radio show. Along with Sam Perrin, George Balzer, and Hal Goldman he remaind with the program until it left the air.
Hal Goldman
Hired at the same time as Al Gordon, he too stayed with the program until it left the air.
Johnny Green
Johnny was an early orchestra leader, replacing Don Bestor. He was replaced by Phil Harris in 1936.
Phil Harris
Jack's lush orchestra leader, he was portayed on the show as always womanizing, always drinking, and always knowing where the best party was to be found. He was also the only person with the nerve to call Jack "Jackson!".
Alois Havrilla
Alois, along with Paul Douglas and George Hicks, was an announcer for the program while Jack was being sponsored by Canada Dry.
Sam Hearn
Sam played the occasional character on the show of Shlepperman. Other occasionals were played by Artie Auerback and Frank Nelson.
George Hicks
Paul, along with Alois Havrilla and Paul Douglas, was an announcer for the program while Jack was being sponsored by Canada Dry.
Milt Josefsberg
Milt joined the program as a writer with George Balzer, Sam Perrin, and John Tackaberry when Jack's sponsor changed to Lucky Strike.
Mary Kelly
From 1922 to 1926, years before the radio show (and before the other Mary), this Mary was Jack's love interest.
Mr. Kitzel
see Artie Auerback
Emma Kubelsky
Jack's mother. Sadly, she died in 1917, not surviving long enough to see her son became a star.
Florence Kubelsky
Jack's younger sister.
Meyer Kubelsky
Jack's father. Meyer was born in Lithuania and came to America in 1889.
Professor Pierre LeBlanc
see Mel Blanc
Ralph Levy
Ralph was the director of Jack's television show for its first seven years, while Hilliard Marks was producer.
Mary Livingstone
The character of Mary first appeared on the radio program as the president of the Jack Benny Fan Club in 1932. Auditions were held for the part, but in the end it was played by Jack's real-life wife, Sadie Marks. Her wild laugh and sharp wit made her such a popluar character on the show that eventually she became inseperable from it and changed her real name from Sadie to Mary. Along with her brother Hilliard Marks, she published a biography of Jack in 1978.
Arthur Lyons
Jack's agent in the mid 1940's.
Babe Marks
Mary's sister.
Sadie Marks
see Mary Livingstone
Hilliard Marks
Hilliard was Jack's brother-in-law (Mary's sister) and producer of Jack's television show while Ralph Levy was director. Along with Mary, he published a biography of Jack in 1978.
Mahlon Merrick
Mahlon was the musical director for the Benny program on television.
Bill Morrow
Bill was a writer hired to replace Harry Conn in 1936 along with Ed Beloin, Sam Perrin, and Arthur Phillips. Morrow and Beloin stayed on for eight years as the primary writers of the Benny radio show.
Frank Nelson
Frank was seen doing many different things on the Benny show, but besides insulting Jack, he would usually respond to any question asked of him with a long drawn out, "Yeessssss?", to which Jack would reply, "You again?!"
George Olsen
Before being replace by Ted Weems, George was the band leader for the radio show while Chevrolet was the sponsor.
Frank Parker
The first of Jack's popular tenor singers, Frank left the program in 1934 to start his own show.
Sam Perrin
Along with Arthur Phillips, Sam was hired to replace Harry Conn in 1936 as a radio writer, and stayed for one year. He came back to the program when Jack's sponsor changed to Lucky Strike, and continued with George Balzer, Al Gordon, and Hal Goldman with the television show until it left the air.
Arthur Phillips
Arthur and Sam Perrin were hired together to replace Harry Conn in 1936 as a radio writer, and stayed for one year. Arthur didn't return to the Benny show.
Frank Remley
Frank was the left-handed guitarist in Phil Harris's orchestra on the radio and a personal friend of Jack's.
Rochester
see Eddie Anderson
Benny Rubin
An occasional character on the show (along with others played by Artie Auerback and Frank Nelson) who would always answer "I don't know" to whatever question Jack would ask him.
Cora Salisbury
Jack's first stage partner when he was only 18, the Cora and Jack performed as Sailsbury and Kubelsky, a travelling vaudeville show.
Shlepperman
see Sam Hearn
Ethel Shutta
Ethel was an early regular on the radio program during the time that Chevrolet was sponsor.
Sy
see Mel Blanc
Sportsmen Quartet (The)
The Quartet (consisting of Bill Days, John Rarig, Thirl Ravenscroft, Max Smith, and Marty Spurzel) were added to the radio show in the mid 1940's as singing spokesmen for Lucky Strike's.
John Tackaberry
John joined the program as a writer with George Balzer, Sam Perrin, and Milt Josefsberg when Jack's sponsor changed from Grape Nuts to Lucky Strike.
Trudy
Trudy was Jack's pet ostrich around the same time he had Carmichael the polar bear.
Howard Snyder
Howard was a writer with Hugh Wedlock, Sam Perrin, and Arthur Phillips immediatly following Harry Conn's departure. He only stayed with the program a few weeks.
Isaac Stern
Mr. Stern was a concert violinist who performed with Jack on stage during many of his concerts and became his un-offical agent for them.
Larry Stevens
Larry was hired to temporarily replace Dennis Day as tenor while Dennis serving in WWII.
Hugh Wedlock
Along with Howard Snyder, Sam Perrin, and Arthur Phillips, Hugh was a writer for the Benny program. He only stayed with it for a few weeks.
Ted Weems
Ted was the orchestra leader for the radio show while Chevrolet was sponsor. He was replaced by Frank Black.
Dale White
Played by Dale White, Harlow Wilson was Don Wilson's overweight son on the television show. Don was training his son to be a television announcer, just like he was.
Don Wilson
Don was hired for the program in 1934 as its announcer and stayed with the program through its radio and television days. Despite the fact that he couldn't act, couldn't sing, and couldn't dance, he was a great ad-man and gave Jack endless comedic material about his no-so-svelt physical shape.
Harlow Wilson
see Dale White
Lyman Woods
Lyman was Jack's second stage partner (after Cora Salisbury). On the road, he performed with Jack as "Woods and Benny - From Grand Opera to Ragtime".