Although his comic personna had him play a tightwad, it was never associated with his being Jewish. In my opinion, Benny's greatest comedic assets was his timing, his facial expressions, and he was always willing to give other actors the funny lines, usually at his expense. He was a master violin player and his off key playing was strictly for laughs. For many years his sidekick was Eddie "Rochester" Anderson who played his man servant but Rochester always got the upper hand in the dialogue. So Benny not only had a minority as a regular performer, but he let him have the funny lines, showing that Jack Benny recognized talent regardless of skin color which was taking a risk in some radio markets in the 1930s and 1940s. His biggest fan was probably the late Johnny Carson who wept openly when Benny passed away. Jack Benny was a great comic, a pioneer in both radio and television, his program was a showcase for talent, and he was loved by fans and celebrities alike.
