Benny and Durante?

[helloagain]

Another of my favorite entertainers is Jimmy Durante. Although he and Jack were comedians from the same era, I don't recall ever hearing or seeing them perform together. Was there a reason for this? Did they not like one another, or did their comedy styles clash? Does anyone know anything about their relationship?

[Yhtapmys]

Another of my favorite entertainers is Jimmy Durante. Although he and Jack were comedians from the same era, I don't recall ever hearing or seeing them perform together. Was there a reason for this? Did they not like one another, or did their comedy styles clash? Does anyone know anything about their relationship?

They did on a Christmas edition of Command Performance; at least they were on the same broadcast. Sara Berner, Mel Blanc and Bea Benaderet appeared, too. It was 1948.

Durante was sponsored by Camels for a time in the 40s and 50s so Jack would not have contractually been allowed to appear. And Durante's Rexall shows either featured Victor Moore as a regular guest star or Garry Moore. There just simply might not have been room for him.

But it seems Jack was more comfortable bringing on his old Hillcrest buddies where he could work in "remember-in-vaudeville" bits and all make age and hair jokes. Or he'd have guests connected with his movies. Or guys like Bing or Frank who were walking punch-lines who showed up on everyone's shows.

I just can't see Jack and Durante meshing very well. Jack's relationship with others was based on put-downs relating to his character traits. Durante wasn't a put-down comedian.

Interesting question.

Yhtampys

[Jhammes]

This is just off the top of my head: other than that, ..."I dunno"...
The Livingston/Marks/Borie/ biography has a nice picture of Benny and Durante. Both wear tuxedos, apparently some sort of performance. They both look pretty much like they did circa early '50's (?).

[helloagain]

Thanks for the input...makes sense. I know Jimmy and Eddie Cantor were good friends, so I thought there might be a connection there. I kinda figured the reason was more professional than personal.

[Gerry O.]

I have an episode of Fred Allen's radio show from the WWII era with Jimmy Durante as a guest, and the first time I heard it, I was amazed at how well Fred and Jimmy worked together....That's a combo that on first glance you wouldn't think would work at all, but it did. I later discovered that Fred and Jimmy were close friends in real life.

[helloagain]

From what I've heard, both Durante and Benny were loved by almost everyone in the business. Too bad they didn't work together. I think they would have played off eachother very well. Jack always came up with something funny when a cast member flubbed a line, and Jimmy did that quite often.

[Gerry O.]

Jack always came up with something funny when a cast member flubbed a line, and Jimmy did that quite often.

Bob Hope worked with Durante quite often (both on radio and on television). I heard one radio broadcast....I THINK that it was one of the Christmas "Command Performance" shows.....where Hope and Durante were doing a routine and Durante kept flubbing line after line in the script. Finally Hope ad-libbed, "Oh, you would have LOVED the third grade!", which completely cracked up Jimmy! Hope and Durante had real comedy chemistry together.

[helloagain]

I liked some of Hope's early movies, but I never cared too much for him on radio or TV. And from some of the books I've read about him, he seemed to really be like the character that Jack Benny only portrayed.

[Jhammes]

Just adding to the mystery, did they ever perform together:

"The Legends: Twelve All-Time Great Entertainers" was published back in 1976. The entertainers are given their own chapter. Within each chapter two pages of photographs, with entertainer and friends.

Either the Benny or Durante chapter ( I dunno) has a different photo from the same event found in the Livingston/Marks/Borie/ biography: However, instead of just posing for the camera, Benny is playing and concentrating on his violin, while Durante is serenading to the audience.
They both look somewhat pensive (Durante did sing serious as well as silly).

Don't know if this was a theater or television performance, or even a series of publicity photos?
So the mystery continues...

[helloagain]

Since I posted this question, I have uncovered a few photos of the two together, but no recordings of them performing together. Does anyone know if such a performance exists?

[helloagain]

I just listened to the Benny program of 5-4-52 and heard Dennis do the most perfect, dead on impersonation of Jimmy Durante that I ever heard. I could have fooled even a long time Durante fan like myself. So for a moment we hear what it may have been like if Jack and Jimmy had performed together. Dennis sounds exactly like him. Jack comments that he got Durante on for nothing.

[Jhammes]

"Everybody wants to get into the act":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JHc36vm35A