Dylana Jenson, age 9 This was for one of the first video cassettes for home viewing. Join Dylana Jenson's Exclusive Performance Training group: / 639331827649269
In 1962, Benny played a charity concert in Atlanta, and I was 12, and I was in a front row seat. In some of his dialogue, he discussed some of the latest trends in swimsuits, and asked the rhetorical question (and I quote!!), "Now who would want to be seen in a one-piece suit?" I pointed to myself; he saw me, and in a split second gave me a dirty look, then continued his dialogue! For me, it was a memorable concert on several fronts!
She’s really good. I bet all grown up now she’s even more extraordinary a violinist. What an honor it must’ve been to play with him. It’s a joy to watch him play with young musicians at the time.
Here is her at 15: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-CTw2AxPkhDc.html. This is a few years later: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-o7zwIFLY-vw.html
You can't help but enjoy this vid the first time you watch it. Then after a couple gags and breaks in his playing you eventually realize his perfect timing when he joins back into the duet .Watch it again ,it's so smooth you probably never realized how good his timing was.
I listen to Jack Benny's radio broadcasts every day for the past 15 years and they never cease to bring a smile to my face. The man was a comedic giant, but never acted that way in real life unless he was making fun of himself. Thanks for the post.😊
Very mature to play Jack Benny’s foil/straight man, and also to wisecrack while not taking his ‘insults’ personally. Not every kid, especially gifted musicians, have the understanding of such humour. Very impressive all around.
This is a wonderful bit of video and practically a duplicaction of two others Jack did years before on his television show. The first was the original with Gisele Mackenzie in which she displayed her prowess on the violin and "upstaged" Jack while they played "Getting to Know You". He then did this wonderful bit a second time with a twelve year old girl named Toni, and now finally with this nine your old young lady Dylana Jenson. All three performances were almost identical and all were very funny.
He also did it on the special "Jack Benny in Australia" (1964) with Cynthia O’Brien, who pretended her name was Toni, for the autograph bit repeated from the Toni Marcus appearance.
Dylana, what a delightful performance. After I watched this I started looking for your videos. I found several of you in concert and I throughly enjoyed them. The first time I heard this I must have watched it a dozen times . It took days before I could get that tune out of my head . Anyway, thank you for sharing your talent.
If Jack Benny passed away in 1974, when did he do this? That early 1960's episode from his show was SO LMAO HILARIOUS, where it shows him doing a violin duet with this 13-y.o. prodigy named Toni. As they're playing along, she sucks up to him with "Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm getting just as good as you" LOL LOL LOL His response? He ad-libs, "Roses are red, carnations are white, you are fired as of tonight!" LMAO X-D OMG, how Jack HATED to be upstaged by someone younger than him! Such a classic!
@socal rocks Really? Here Jack looked as though he hardly aged in this clip, and by that I'm not referring to his so-called "age of 39". But just plain bizarre anyway when this was made.
Dylana, Very nice job, you nailed it! I have never seen this piece of video, would you mind posting what this experience was like for you, working with Mr. Benny?
In Jack's final TV show with Mel Blanc as his violin teacher, he does play well at Professor Le Blanc's psychiatrist's office. Since it's a filmed episode the audio of the music is dubbed, so I don't know if Jack dubbed his own violin number or if someone else did it. But he then makes the same comment to the psychiatrist (Herbert Rudley) abut using the bad playing for comedy as he does at the start of this video -- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-TPtDbHXkDp4.html
What year was this? Did you work with Mr. Benny other times, too? Did you become a professional musician? This was so wonderful. Thank you for sharing with us!!
