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Waukegan History

39 Important Dates in the Life of Jack Benny

Jack Benny.

1894: (February 14) Benjamin Kubelsky is born at Mercy Hospital in Chicago. The family lives at various addresses in Waukegan during his childhood, including several years at 224 S. Genesee St.

1900: Receives a half-size violin for his sixth birthday.

1900: (September 12) Sister Florence born.

1907: Graduates from South School, then located on Liberty Street between Utica and Oak.

1910: Obtains job playing the violin in the pit of the Barrison Theater, 25 S. Genesee St.

1911: Following a visit to the Barrison by the Marx Brothers, Benjamin is offered an opportunity to tour with them for $7.50 per week plus room and board. His parents decline the offer.

1912: Benjamin teams up with the pianist at the theater, Cora Salisbury, to form the vaudeville duo “Salisbury and Kubelsky: From Grand Opera to Ragtime.” Name changed to Ben K. Benny.

1913: Salisbury retires from the act and Benny teams up with Lyman Woods, forming the duo “Bennie and Woods: From Grand Opera to Ragtime.”

1917: Bennie and Woods perform at the famous Palace Theatre in New York.

1917: Returns to Waukegan to care for his ailing mother, who dies in November.

1917: Enlists in the Navy and is assigned to the Great Lakes Naval Station. Receives a small role in the Great Lakes Revue, and his career in comedy is launched.

1919: Creates solo vaudeville act, “Ben K. Benny: Fiddle Funology.”

1921: Act revised to eliminate most of the singing and music to focus on comedy. He is now billed as “Jack Benny: Aristocrat of Humor.”

1927: (January 14) Marries Sadie Marks of Vancouver at the Clayton Hotel located at the southwest corner of Sheridan Road and Clayton Street.

1929: Signs a five-year contract at MGM for $850 per week.

1932: (March 29) Appears on a fifteen-minute radio program hosted by Ed Sullivan. His first line was: “This is Jack Benny talking. There will now be a slight pause while everyone says, ‘Who cares?’”

1932: Signs contract to be emcee of The Canada Dry Ginger Ale Program on CBS. His wife has a small role in July which soon evolves into her role as Mary Livingstone.

1933: (March 3) Premiers his first radio show The Chevrolet Program, sponsored by General Motors.

1934: Adopts a two-week-old girl, Joan Naomi.

1934: (October 14) Premiers The Jell-O Program sponsored by General Foods. By the end of the first season, it is the third most popular program on radio.

1939: (June 25) Premiers his new movie, Man About Town, at the Genesee Theatre following a live broadcast of his Jell-O radio program from the theatre stage.

1940: Releases his movie Buck Benny Rides Again, based on a character from his radio program.

1942: Due to sugar rationing, the radio program becomes The Grape Nuts Show.

1944: (October 1) Benny’s new radio show, The Lucky Strike Program, debuts.

1945: Benny’s final starring appearance in a film, The Horn Blows at Midnight.

1950: (October 28) First episode of The Jack Benny Show on TV. His first line is “I’d give a million dollars to know what I look like!”

1954: Co-hosts Chrysler’s Shower of Stars with William Lundigan (until 1958).

1955: (May 22) Benny’s last radio program airs.

1957: Wins Emmy for best male performer in a comedy role.

1961: (October) Attends the dedication of the Jack Benny Middle School, 1401 Montesano Ave.

1965: (April 16) Benny’s last regular TV program airs.

1968: Pitches for Texaco with the slogan “I’ll try a gallon.”

1974: (April 24) In his final visit to Waukegan, he appears at the inaugural concert of the Waukegan Symphony Orchestra.

1974: (December 26) Dies at the age of 80 at his home in Beverly Hills, CA.

1975: The Music Center of Lake County is renamed the Jack Benny Center for the Arts. (The road in Bowen Park leading to the Center was renamed Jack Benny Drive in 1986).

1983: (June 30) Mary Livingstone dies.

2002: (June 8) Dedication of the Jack Benny statue in Benny Plaza.

2006: (February) Benny fans petition the United States Postal Service to put Benny’s image on a first-class stamp when postage is increased to 39 cents.

2006: (April 17) Benny’s home at 518 Clayton Street is designated a Waukegan landmark. The family rented this home during 1909 and 1910. It is the last home still standing in Waukegan in which he lived.

Sources:
International Jack Benny Fan Club, jackbenny.org
Waukegan Historical Society, John L. Raymond Research Library waukeganhistorical.org
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, wikipedia.org