Jack Benny at 39

[radiolady]

In what year did Jack Benny start to tell people as part of his act that his age was 39...and when was the last time he is known to say he was 39?

[Roman]

Jack made a number of jokes about his age almost from the beginning. On his birthday show in 1946, he told Don and the cast that he was 37, which was 15 years younger than his real age. He advanced a year for the next two years and then settled into 39 for its long long run. I remember Jack saying he was 39 on his 1970s TV specials. Of all Jack's jokes about his cheapness, vanity, and insecurities, his insistence that he was 39 was my favorite.

[Alan]

On at least a couple of occasions, i believe i have heard comebacks to his age claims (primarily from Mary, but possibly Phil as well?) that seemed to be consistant(sp?) with his actual age at the time (ex--not comparing him to Honest Abe), but comments along the lines of "yeah, 54."

[bboswell]

In one radio episode Phil was playing pool and someone asked what Jack's real age was. Phil said:

"I'm sorry, that's one thing I can't answer. It's part of my contract. Now, the 54 ball in the corner pocket."

[Maxwell]

I remember an episode of the Danny Thomas show in which Danny's TV son Rusty Hamer makes some comment about Jack's age, and Jack asks, "Well, how old do you think I am."

Rusty replies, "64!"

[Brad from Georgia]

In one of the TV shows, Jack is (I think) about to board an airplane. Frank Nelson, acting as the flight announcer, says over the P.A. "We are now boarding the flight to New York at Gate 39."

Jack smiles and says, "Thirty-nine...what a coincidence."

And Nelson's voice comes back with, "It's really gate 64. We have our little secrets, too."

[bboswell]

There was bit with Polly. Polly kept saying she was 39 and Jack corrected her. She gave out Jack's correct age at one point too. (I forget the details of this one too!)

[athimmel]

In 1947/48 season, Jack finally reached the age of 39. Before that, he had been 38 for awhile, and the running gag was that anywhere he went, someone would eventually ask his age; particularly at the doctor's office. "Weight, height, eyes...oh, they're blue aren't they?...age - 38...pause....more questions....age....38." As Jack left the office, the nurse asked again...age? 38.

Anyway, when he reached the 47/48 season, he finally allowed himself to be 39 and never left it.