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- Verified Buyer
Couldn't find a reasonable copy of this book for whatever reason, but finally did here via a third-party seller. Not a great copy, but the book itself is terrific and highly recommended. Jack Benny was, for me, the funniest man who ever lived. This is an affectionate, sweet, and funny book.Buck Benny's review was dead-on. Terrific inside stuff by one of Jack's best writers. Lots of photos, too. Worth every penny if you're a Benny and the gang fan.For anyone who ever enjoyed his TV show, or had the luck to listen to tapes of his radio show, this gives wonderful insight into Jack as a person and his evolution as a performer. Told from a writer's perspective, it gives a real feel into what made the shows work. Coupled with Sunday Nights at Seven, and you have a pretty complete bio of Jack Benny.I found this by accident, and it was well worth the price. Josefsberg lets us know what it was like working with Benny from a writer's point of view, which we'd never known. An absolutely wonderful read, and a true treasure.What a treat...if you like Jack Benny or just "show biz" stories about that period of time. This is a real treat.Very pleasant nostalgic product--enjoyable!The book covers Benny's career from 1910's to the very end in 1974. It includes his relationship with his father and mother as well.Written by one of his writers who worked with him from the mid-forties and on, whom Jack confided in.It includes Benny's vaudeville, movie, radio, and television experience as if Benny was writing an autobiography.Published in 1977 when most of the people written about were still alive. While punches are thrown, they are delivered with a velvet glove.On the plus side, it gives a complete realistic description of Benny as a person, which is why so many people liked him. It also shows how radio and early television worked in those days.It gives a good insight of the Fred Allen vs. Jack Benny "feud" and a good character of Fred Allen himself.On the negative side, with the exception of Jack's wife Mary Livingstone, it basically ignores the other people who worked with him.Not an essential read, but a good addition to those wanting to know more about Jack Benny, particularly the real man himselfBy the way, why does Amazon include a 'NO' in 'was this review helpful to you?'. People are only human and don't like opinions that differ from themselves, thus the 'NO' makes it too easy express such displeasure.Are they trying to discourage negative reviews, hence not purchase the CD. Such reviews only help a person in not being dissatisfied a product that received positive reviewsPerfect. Josefberg is an excellent writer, a man with great humor and his tales with Benny are terrific. Any suggestion otherwise is from someone who was not a Jack Benny fan nor a fan of the shows Milt Josefberg worked on. He was the best. Check for his book, Comedy Writing for Television and Hollywood. You'll learn a lot more about TV sitcoms and humor than you thought you already knew.