Some roots of comedy are found right here in Illinois.

You might have heard the name Jack Benny before, but if you haven’t, here’s why you should.

Benjamin Kubelsky was born in Chicago and grew up in Waukegan. His parents started him in violin at a young age, which ended up being a prominent prop in his future career. He was one of the first major radio personalities to make it big in television and eventually had his own show on CBS that ran for 15 years.

He was well known for his comic timing and catchy one liner, “Well!” and often played his violin in his skits. His characters had personality traits that were opposite of himself and people that he knew, basically everything they were not: cheap, sly, and self-congratulatory, to name a few. He would make people laugh by showcasing his own flaws.

Benny was a musician, comedian and a movie star. He appeared in Academy-Award winning movies like “The Hollywood Revue” of 1929 and “Broadway Melody” of 1936, as well as other films.

Learn more:
International Jack Benny Fan Club
Visit Jack Benny’s childhood home