Bob Hope and Jack Benny were so well established and popular at this point that even messing up most of this sketch just worked in their favor, and got even more laughs. Jack was usually thwarted whenever he tried to play his violin, so him doing so here was a big change from a long-running gag. There are lots of in-jokes. Jack mentions his infamously bad Hollywood film appearance in “The Horn Blows At Midnight” and says that “Mary” (his actual wife) will pack some sandwiches for when runs away with Rosemary.
despite the intentionally squeeky tone....Jacks REAL BRILLIANCE on the violin comes out in this....GREAT Jazz violin too...the look on his face right at the end---he KNOWS he KILLED it
The epitome of the perfect and clean humor, unlike the toilet trash we see and hear today. I grew up in the 1950s watching Hope and Benny and the rest of the great comedians and comics. Nothing today compares to their genius.
Milt Josefsberg told a story of the morning after the wedding. The LA Times said the wedding cost $25,000 and the LA Examiner pegged it at $50,000. Eddie Cantor phoned Jack and advised him to read the Times: "You'll save $25,000...." (Purportedly, 50 grand is the equivalent of nearly half a million today.)
So weird that flapper jazz was only thirty years old at the time, like Madonna's "Vogue" is in 2020. Now that great music of the 20's is coming up to its 100th.
My folks were kinda humorless, so I had to watch Jack, Groucho, Kovacs and Berl on the sly. IMHO, Hope could always deliver a line but even today, I don't sense his ability to ad lib on par with others. Great clip though!
This is what great comedians do. The worse the material is, the better they make it.
Love this!! Laughed out loud. The best part was when Jack Benny said 'This is the lousiest thing I've ever been on'
Jack Benny was so great very humble when he got sick with cancer he had just a few months to live Hollywood was really stunned r.i.p. u great man
Rosemary holds it together - she's right up there with them
One of the BEST moments in TV history!!!!!
totally agreed!!!
Bob Hope and Jack Benny were so well established and popular at this point that even messing up most of this sketch just worked in their favor, and got even more laughs.
Jack was usually thwarted whenever he tried to play his violin, so him doing so here was a big change from a long-running gag.
There are lots of in-jokes. Jack mentions his infamously bad Hollywood film appearance in “The Horn Blows At Midnight” and says that “Mary” (his actual wife) will pack some sandwiches for when runs away with Rosemary.
Still funny 64 years later!
This was hilarious!!! Pure fun! Ĺoved Jack on the violin in this one also.
The show must go on! And it did. . . Hope and Benny were the real thing--and they could not have done it without Rosemary. . . What a hoot!
I love how they cracked. This was too funny
despite the intentionally squeeky tone....Jacks REAL BRILLIANCE on the violin comes out in this....GREAT Jazz violin too...the look on his face right at the end---he KNOWS he KILLED it
Two Professionals working their craft beautifully, You won't see comedy like that today......
OH BOY, we don't have anything like that now...priceless !
Well, Rosemary Clooney was a hot one. This was a funny skit.
I love watching Rosemary Clooney crack up, what a beauty.
I love their ad-libs and put downs of each other!! LMAO
this was comedy when mistakes were made they went with it had fun and the audience had fun too, this was hilarious I love old comedy
Jack Benny - Oh Hell Yeah! A terror on the strings!
I don't see how ANYONE can put a thumbs down on sketches like this! It just goes to show that SOME people are brainwashed for the crap put out now.
Yeah, they probably love those animal-like Rappers. What a disgrace to humanity.
Knott’s Berry Farm😂 this is 68 years ago and it’s funnier than SNL has been in 20 years.
Love Jack Benny. Rosemary was a cutie back then.
@pete smyth Exactly my thoughts - not just any bloke but maybe a steel fixer or the like...
George Clooney's aunt Rosemary, you can see it in the eyes.
That was great!!! What a cool skit to wake up to!!! Loved all three of them totally n they are still awesome!!! Thanks for posting!!!!
That is so funny!!!! Those guys were great!!!!!
Legends, all of them, including the jazz band players
Wow ! Priceless!
The epitome of the perfect and clean humor, unlike the toilet trash we see and hear today. I grew up in the 1950s watching Hope and Benny and the rest of the great comedians and comics. Nothing today compares to their genius.
That was good humor!
Thanks for posting this. Smokin’ hot fiddle and hilarious as well.
Never knew JB could really play . Wow
classic comedy,brilliant
6:10- Jack's referring to his daughter Joan's wedding..........
Cost him $50,000. And the music came free. Loved to have heard it.
Milt Josefsberg told a story of the morning after the wedding. The LA Times said the wedding cost $25,000 and the LA Examiner pegged it at $50,000. Eddie Cantor phoned Jack and advised him to read the Times: "You'll save $25,000...." (Purportedly, 50 grand is the equivalent of nearly half a million today.)
This was hilarious. Rosemary was great
"I think the musicians just left," as Hope blows away the smoke.
Genius.
So weird that flapper jazz was only thirty years old at the time, like Madonna's "Vogue" is in 2020. Now that great music of the 20's is coming up to its 100th.
Hep cats with their hip jive long before the '60's imitators
Benny is much funnier when he has another comedian to work with.
Rosemary was a hot babe!
very funny. thanks.
Corny & funny So much better than what is on offer these days
Always entertaining tks
Anyone catch the real meaning of the Liberace quip? And in 1954, no less!
Dang. Rosemary Cloony was hot.
SHE IS George Clooney's Aunt: Rosemary Clooney.
This shit was hilarious.
What was the number they were playing? It really swung (although I'll never be able to hear it without remembering Jack's violin solo!)
I Found A New Baby
Doesn’t get any better than this! Do we know who plays the devil at the end of the scene?
It sure sounds like Stanley Adams, but he's to slim.
Peter Leeds
One of the dancers looks like Nanette Fabray. Could it be? How established was she by 1954? I know she would later work with Sid Caesar.
My folks were kinda humorless, so I had to watch Jack, Groucho, Kovacs and Berl on the sly.
IMHO, Hope could always deliver a line but even today, I don't sense his ability to ad lib on par with others. Great clip though!
BROOKLYN NEW YORK, Original Kings Of Comedy At There BesT
George Cloony's aunt.