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August 1941. "Movie theater. Saginaw, Michigan." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
I think all Mr Benny's appearances on UK tv have been wiped, which is such a shame, however there is so much to enjoy online.
I saw him at my high school a few years before he died in 1974. He was of my grandparents’ generation and was a majorly famous guy. Until then, the only famous people I’d seen with my own eyes were Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, so this was a big deal. He was not there to perform but to be honored somehow. I forget (or never knew).
Undoubtedly related to the August 1941 release of "Charley's Aunt," starring Jack Benny and Kay Francis. This was at least the fifth American movie version of the 1893 play by Brandon Thomas.
Seeing Jack Benny's name here literally in lights reflects how popular he was, primarily for his radio show (and later TV), though he also appeared in a good many movies. Not well known is that Benny was to have played one of the leads in the 1975 movie of "The Sunshine Boys," but his fatal illness led to the casting of George Burns, who won an Oscar.
This looks to be the beautiful Temple Theatre, home of the Saginaw Bay Symphony. Even the fire escape hasn't changed a bit.
1) I like the Shorpy placement, up in the shade.
2) The brawny guy at left -- has his face been blacked out?
[His face? That's his cap. - Dave]
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