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Benjamin Kubelsky (1894-1974) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

️Thu Mar 28 2024

Biography

Jack Kubelsky is Notable.

Comedian Jack Benny was born Benjamin Kubelsky, in Waukegan, Illinois.

He was the son of Meyer Kubelsky and Emma Sachs Kubelsky. Meyer was a Jewish saloon owner, and later a haberdasher, who had emigrated to America from Poland. Emma had emigrated from Lithuania.

He served in World War I and attained the rank of Musician 1c in the US Navy. ^[1]^[2]

A violin prodigy, he hoped for a concert career, but by 17 was playing in vaudeville, where he discovered he was not only musical, but also very funny. His NBC radio program, The Jack Benny Show, began in 1932 and ran weekly for 23 years. His onstage character was a sour, exceedingly stingy person, a remarkably awful violin player, and perpetually 39 years old.

He married Sadie Marks in 1927.She changed her name to Mary Livingstone.

On 16 April 1930, Jack and Sadye lived in Apartment 511 in the Chalfont Apartments at 720 S. Normandie Avenue in Los Angeles. They rented for $100 a month and did not have a radio. Jack was an actor in motion pictures.^[3]

In 1940, Jack Benny, wife Mary Livingston, adopted daughter Joan Benny, and servants Enno R. and Lillian Dreher lived at 1002 Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, California. Jack was listed as an actor in radio and motion pictures and Mary was a radio actress. Enno was a chauffeur and Lillian was a maid. Actor Eddie Cantor lived a few houses away.^[4]

On 19 April 1950, Jack, Mary, and daughter Joan, maids Anna Snell and Lucy Dace, cook Rosita King, butler Thomas Welby, and secretary Julia Vallance lived at 1002 Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills. Jack and Mary were radio actors. Danny Kay lived nearby.^[5]

He died in 1974.^[6]

His funeral was attended by Bob Hope, George Burns, Milton Berle, George Jessel, Groucho Marx, Henry Fonda, Dinah Shore, and Gregory Peck.^[7]

Sources

↑ "United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPTJ-G5LP : 3 September 2021), Ben Kubelsky, 17 Feb 1919; citing Military Service, NARA microfilm publication 76193916 (St. Louis: National Archives and Records Administration, 1985), various roll numbers.
↑ The Daily Sun, (Waukegan, Illinois) 27 Nov 1918, p. 6, col. 1. clipping.
↑ 1930 Census: "1930 United States Federal Census"
Year: 1930; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Page: 27A; Enumeration District: 0196; FHL microfilm: 2339875
Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6224 #89956826 (accessed 26 September 2022)
Jack Benny (36), married, Actor, head of household at 720 South Normandie Ave, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA. Born in Illinois.
↑ 1940 Census: "1940 United States Federal Census"
Year: 1940; Census Place: Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California; Roll: m-t0627-00220; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 19-36
Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2442 #69793547 (accessed 26 September 2022)
Jack Benny (46), married, Actor, head of household in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California. Born in Illinois.
↑ 1930 Census: "1930 United States Federal Census"
Year: 1930; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Page: 27A; Enumeration District: 0196; FHL microfilm: 2339875
Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6224 #89956826 (accessed 26 September 2022)
Jack Benny (36), married, Actor, head of household at 720 South Normandie Ave, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA. Born in Illinois.
↑ "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPHL-DKQ : 26 November 2014), Benjamin Kubelsky, 26 Dec 1974; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
↑ Jack Benny gets friends' farewell. Morning News (Wilmington, Delaware), 30 December 1974, p. 10, columns 1-3.