Rochester's Toupee

[speedy]

In the course of checking around various web sites, I noticed that in later episodes of the Jack benny TV show, Rochester is clearly wearing a toupee. I've posted a link to a photo below:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y283/w ... f53088.jpg

Contrast this with the photo in the link below from 1941:

http://www.movieactors.com/photos-stars ... urns-1.jpg

The irony of this is obvious, given the merciless ribbing that Jack endured from Rochester in the radio days over Jack's supposed use of a toupee. As far as I know, Jack never really wore one. Typical of Jack's kindness, no humorous hay was ever made out of Rochester's decision to wear a rug on the show. I assume that Rochester was self conscious about losing his hair (he is often pictured wearing a hat in many stills), and Jack would never want to pursue comedic advantage if it was at the expense of hurting someone's feelings. Especially someone as close to him as Eddie Anderson was.

[helloagain]

Jack actually did wear a toupee in most of his movies. That's probably where the jokes started, since he was making fun of his character. At that time, bald was not fashionable as it is today. Most leading men and supporting players covered their baldness, sometimes at the insistance of the studio. So Rochester's hairpiece may not have been his own idea. Looked good on him, though.