Jimmy Durante and Eddie Jackson 1955

[TheForrestal]

These old showmen came up from the vaudeville stage and took some of the same style to their television shows.

You can see that on many of the television shows of the 50's.

I think those years were the best of television but then,those are the years in which I grew up and spent so many nights with my family watching t.v. We laughed together at so many of those shows, Gleason, Burns and Allen, Sid Ceasar, Jack Benny, Red Skelton and others.

Oh well ! Time changes everything and we move on.

[WytZox1]

Loved when Jimmy and Eddie did "Rufus Rastus Johnson Brown" ...☺

[kerrybush000]

I would like to find out more about Eddie Jackson. I is a common name so it is difficult to search online. Anyone know a good resource?

[hartley252]

Stupedious!

[photowhoseit1]

bchfront. I had similar Halloween experience in 1959 with Heddie Lamar. She didn't hug me but she did dump a whole bowl of candy in my bag because it was getting late and very few kids had come to her door. I absolutely love Jimmy Durante!

[whittlinwill]

@bchfront, GREAT story!! Thanks! My mom LOVED Durante, & i have a personally autographed photo he signed to her when she was young. Jimmy may have had "a million of 'em", but i wouldn't take a million for mine!! God rest him, Lou, & Eddie! GREAT entertainers, from the best time in entertainment, VAUDEVILLE!!

[bigloualbany]

God what great talent.So much better than the garbage that tries to pass as talent today.

[15162231]

Where did all the talent like this go. Miss them all.

[aurelius54]

Man, this is really good! Great old tune, Bill Bailey. I love the way Jimmy stiff-legs his way out at the end.

[railwayed]

I didn't know who Eddie Jackson was until today when I came across a newspaper from 30 years ago (July 17, 1980) announcing his death. What a performer! I've only found two clips on YouTube so far and they were both worth watching.

[dmar5143]

the masters of the floor show..the greatest ever..theres only ONE durante.

[MegaGravyboy]

Laugh till you cry. Cry till you laugh! Brilliant!!

[StaceyJordanTaylor]

Eddie Jackson was my grandmother's father. What a thrill to be able to show this video to my daughters. When I was a little girl, I remember my father took me to the Museum of TV and Radio in order to see clips of Eddie Jackson perform. Thank you, YouTube, for allowing me to bring this piece of family history right to my home.

[Chesterton7]

Retrod, Thanks for posting this.

[thestoryplease]

These guys were roaring through burlesque and vaudeville before Sintatra could tie his shoes.

Hut ch-ch-chaaa ...!

[chevychase]

Dear Jesus they don't make showmen like that anymore. Back then music made you feel GOOD.

[vlchnc3]

I have this in my favorites folder. When I am blue or when I am especially happy, I play this video; it delights and never disappoints! I LOVE THIS VIDEO! ! !

[tomkes100]

the great Jimmy and eddie. I have this 55 episode on VHS ,a great series, a great comedian singer dencer ONE &ONLY This man was IMMORTAL radio,tv fikms,stage vaudeville he did all. Him & Eddie Cantor best of friends. Durante Jackson &Clayton the best in their day. Thanks Jimmy 1893-1980 we love ya. That nose. Tomkes film tv historian.

[MultiDKenny]

If that aint SHOWMANSHIP, I don't know what is!!

[poorringo]

The strut they were doing as they exited the stage, was that a part of the act. I've seen Frank and the Rat Pack do that, is that where they got it from?

[15162231]

@poorringo 

[joehancock01]

lool he did the same act with old al jolson. i got it on my mp3.

[sickkat44]

they're not young or good looking... not polished or musicians, but they are a couple of the greatest entertainers ever!  r.i.p true talent

[hipponius]

Wow! Jackson and Durante were way before my time, but I can't help but wish entertainment was still this genuine and classy. Thank you so much for posting! Hopefully these old acts will continue to be appreciated and enjoyed.

[horarwgt]

No wonder those girls at the piano are smiling. Pure fun. This kind of entertainment is sorely missed today. Compare this to the crap on the Grammy Awards.

[amig90]

That was pretty explosive. I've just started getting to know the 40s and 50s. They seem like good times.

[captainclayman]

yeah except for the whole mass murdering of millions of jews and all.

other than that, a ok.

[amig90]

Hitler didn't have many good shows. He lost the light as got into the 40s. I still got some of his albums, though. I even got his post card designs. Too bad he got high on the whole Jew killing and world domination stuff or else he woudl've been a good artist.

[trajan75]

I don't think that either Jackson or Durante were responsible for the holocaust. Are you nuts?

[kpls72]

Hey bchfront...thanks so much for that sweet remembrance of JD. Me, I was absolutely enthralled with Durante and Jackson on b/w tv in the early fifties, Durante pounding that piano while Jackson strutted his stuff with top hat and cane. Real showbiz entertainers the likes of which we'll never see again.

[Ivor662]

Looks like Jagger picked up some of his strut moves from Jackson.

[stefakamelpash]

Durante and Jackson were a great vaudeville act; the spirit and enthusiasm that radiates from them is truly uplifting. I do so miss that period of "innocence," if you want to call it that. I prefer to think of it as a period of genuine talent that was honed virtually from childhood by the great vaudevillians, playing for countless thousands of people, year after year, and endlessly learning and improving. Compare that to some of the overnight wonders that go on TV today.

[4OSouth]

I've got this song sung between Jimmy and Eddie from the 1950 LP, Club Durant, but until now I never realised they also recorded it in front of the cameras. Pure magic from the bygone era which we will never see the likes of again.

[CarlDuke]

This is from Jimmy's TV show of the 50s. The Club Durant version is from a radio show. Jimmy and Eddie grew up together on the lower Eastside of N. Y. and worked in a restaurant where Jimmy played the piano and Eddie was a singing waiter. Eddie said that his two best friends were Jimmy and Georgie Jessel.

[bchfront]

When I was a very little boy, I used to go "trick-or-treating" every Halloween to all the neighbors' homes in Beverly Hills. In my total innocence, I thought that all of these major-celebrities would answer the door themselves! I rang Lucille Ball's door. The butler would answer -- gave me a piece of candy off a silver dish. Jack Benny's. Butler. Dish. Then, Jimmy Durante's, who actually answered the door himself! "I can imitate you" I said. "Hot cha-cha"! Laughing,he threw his arms around me!

[DirkJefferson]

That's a wonderful tale. Says a lot about Jimmy.

[fredorulz1]

@bchfront fantastic. what a great memory of jimmy.

[tomkes100douchebag]

@bchfront THAT is a fantastic recollection!

[heathbradford]

@tomkes100douchebag like a mid 1950's variety show. he was the guy that dies at the start of "its a mad mad mad mad mad mad world"

[tomkes100douchebag]

@heathbradford Yes, of course, but the more you see of him the more you realize he was much much more. My generation only knew Durante as a really old man who kept performing almost until he died. But the further back you go you get a glimpse of how really dynamic, talented, and most of all lovable this man was in real life. A truly great "entertainer" in every sense of the world.

[heathbradford]

@tomkes100douchebag im betting to make it back then...ya had to do it all. maybe vaudville was a place to polish the skills on the way up. i dont even know the definition of 'vaudville' i'd have to look it up

[tomkes100douchebag]

@heathbradford I think the form of presentation was vaudeville, but that they had lower houses in bum fuck towns where you practiced your schtick in the hope of making it in the big time, New York, Chicago, etc., but that you were still "in vaudeville" when you made it to the top. You tried to develop your own unique act, whatever that was. If people liked it, you were made.

[Bruce947]

@bchfront evertyone loved him and his acts were "clean"

[fromthesidelines]

You're welcome, 'eller'.

[gshurik]

who knows the name of this don, I love it

[earthmother]

4:01 of pure entertainment!!

[5150McLogan]

One of the greats from my childhood.

[sexbrain]

There's nothing that compares with real talent! Love you Jimmy!

[fromthesidelines]

This was one of Jimmy's filmed "TEXACO STAR THEATER" episodes {at Desilu}, 'eller', although he basically appeared "live" during the two years Texaco sponsored him on NBC's Saturday night schedule [9:30-10pm(et)]...Durante filmed a handful of shows whenever he wanted to take time off, or appear in Las Vegas (as he did in the spring and summer of '55). Those were repeated on CBS [for Lorillard's Old Gold cigarettes] in the summer of 1957.

[ellerboda]

Thanks for the reply, Barry..

[ellerboda]

It´s sort of fun to see the dark girl at the piano squatted, (at 2:51) when she thought Jimmy was going to throw that pice of wood too early - she remained at a low position in case of....

Was this a live production on television ?

Thank for posting retrod1 !

[LILSONIC88]

Eddie: I'm only Human

jimmy: Sorry I show no mercy

[Jeffrey1344]

It gets better every moment,

[johnny76nav]

LOVE THES GUYS STILL

[fromthesidelines]

Jimmy's protege {and composer of "special musical material" for this series}, Jackie Barnett, once portrayed him in "The Eddie Cantor Story" (1952). George Burns said Warner Bros. created a miracle by making Cantor's life "boring" in that movie- no doubt, in part, to Keefe Brasselle's mediocre portrayal. I don't know of ANY actor around these days who could capture the essence of the "Schnozz" today, 'fool'....

[fromthesidelines]

Acording to George Burns, it was Lou Clayton who urged Durante to go into TV, shortly before his death in 1950- "and he listened to whatever Lou told him", said Burns. And he was right!

[fool1shmortal]

If thy made a movie about Jimmy, who should play him? Do you think Leslie Nielson or Steve Martin could do it? The latter has definitely done drama well and he has done the long nose thing (laughing). Then there is James Cromwell, who might be able to have the look with an attached nose appendage. If his story has any big ups and downs, dramatic actors can surprise you in being funny.

[sb6613]

Marvellous to watch

Many thanks

[LeDude]

Well, I will be smiling all week now!!!!!  :)

Thank you whoever put this masterpiece up for us.

[DANDOLO45]

This is a truly fabulous clip. These guys are fantastic. Jimmie is the greatest.

[diddymuck]

absolutely charming!

[DrCrabfingers]

Oh ok that's the whole song. Ha Ha the jokes on me.

[DrCrabfingers]

I love the song that Durante sings at the beginning. I remember seeing him sing it in a film. I'd love to hear the whole song. Fantastic!

[stefakamelpash]

Jimmy Durante was a great man. He was completely unselfish, and very grateful to those who helped him. Besides the well known instance of Mrs. Calabash, there is the case of Eddie Jackson himself. Agents urged Durante for years to drop Jackson, and he steadfastly refused to do so. He was loyal to the end. A great man.

[flapper27]

What a shame, Lou Clayton had passed away in 1950. It would have been great to see him in one of his dance routines on television. But, I have a feeling, that Eddie's dancing was a small tribute to the great Lou Clayton.

[bbxx44]

Terrific. I got to see Durante and Jackson onstage when I was a kid. The same act for years but always fun.

[Kind67]

That is fantastic, thank you so much for posting this, as I've only heard Eddie Jackson on the radio and this was my first time seeing him perform! He is considered by some a second banana to Jimmy but in this clip you get to see how talented he really was in his own right!

[bagelman18]

what a beautiful tribute to two great performers

[jedimickey]

Funny, when he threw that piece of wood at the drummer, I was expecting him to say his famouis catchphrase "Everybody want's ta get inta the act!"

[JunkVid]

Ha-cha-cha!

[Featureman]

That is great.

[jimbo92107]

Good lord, what a bunch of talented lunatics!

[howiekim25]

What terrific showmen.....!!!!!!

[BeeMichael]

what great energy and synergy !!!