Gisele MacKenzie & Jack Benny: legendary violin duet "Getting to Know You"

[TheGOTHICMOON91]

de que putas de rien alli al fondo!!

[jaytlr9]

I realized at the end of this that I'd been smiling the whole way through it.

[phyzzique]

@jaytlr9 Me too, loved them both!

[dsflood]

I have watched this a hundred times in the last two days and laugh out loud ever time he says 'fool with me sister!' I'm going to guess that this clip was taken from CBS news after he died, because the voice at the beginning sounds like Walter Cronkite saying 'just to see him one more time...'

[cyrus287]

@dsflood It sounds more like Charles Kuralt doing the intro.

[Juliaflo]

@cyrus287 It is.

[TomBarrister]

@dsflood Actually, it was a one-hour CBS news special aired on December 29th, 1974, three days after Mr. Benny's death, and on the day of his funeral. Charles Kuralt, who did many on-location reports for CBS (his "On the Road" series aired on CBS News for many years) was the host.

[ve2so]

Ce duo fut historique!

[Pickinbuddy]

You can really tell the flawless violin technique they each have--by watching their right hand bowing grip and wrist 'armature'. Two OUTSTANDING performers...

[ToledoWingNut]

Why are my eyes tearing up? It's just such a joy to watch Benny underplay the skit and when he finally explodes, it's comedic magic. I've seen this at least 50 times over the years and still laugh out loud.

[Nickcat5]

@ToledoWingNut Same Here!!!! Show this to my daughter who didn't even know who Jack Benny was and she got a real kick out of it too!!

[jb478000]

I rember watching this 40+ years ago and what can I say, talent at it's best!!

[peppersax]

No cussing, no flashy props, girls in bikini's or anything like that. Just pure raw talent. Wow!

[1959heaven]

This is such a classic! You just don't see talent like this anymore!

[Juliaflo]

Who will be able to duplicate this standard today? I wonder.

[fantubelicious]

I LOVE this duet! I've never heard of these two before...way before my time,,,but now I can't get enough. LOL I just watched this clip 15 times today. I'm going out tomorrow to search for CD's & any DVDs of Jack Benny Show and Gisele Mackenzie. Thanks for posting this and introducing me to two wonderful performers.

[JB1912JB]

There never was a greater two minutes of television.

[GiseleMacKenzieTunes]

@JB1912JB This is a fact!

[gollytim]

Could not agree more! Anyone younger than maybe age 50 misses the the self-effacing Jack Benny demeanor and is at a disadvantage as to how brilliant

this clip is.

Benny Hill's first name was Alfred, but adopted "Benny": in

homage to Jack Benny.

Jack and Gisele were apparently best friends and loved to banter. Supposedly Jack requested of Gisele

that if anyone asked if the pair ever had an affair, "don't tell them we

did" . . "and don't tell them we didn't."

Classic stuff!

[BlueOsito]

@JB1912JB

Yes, Indeed.

[Juliaflo]

Long live Benjamin Kubelsky and Gisele Marie Marguerite LaFleche.

[GiseleMacKenzieTunes]

@Juliaflo You're good! Once Jack Parr asked Gisele what her real name was, and she rattled off Gisele Marie Marguerite LaFleche MacKenzie Shuttleworth (her married name at the time, and she included her stage name of MacKenzie).  Parr laughed and replied "well your parents certainly got EVERYONE in there!"

[frbjoern]

@Juliaflo  Amen!!

[dnt9217]

Fool around with me sister!!!!! My favorite part!

[TsukasakunDaisuki]

ahahaha very cute :3

[VigVix]

"oh shut up!"

hahahaha!

[retreat51]

Two consumate professionals, both at the peak of their careers!  Benny's line, "Fool around with me, sister!" still evokes the same laughter as it did over 50 years ago. Current tv & film comedy doesn't even come close to the standards as seen in this short piece.

[CarlDuke]

Great stuff. Do you have her songs The Star You Wished Upon Last Night and Hard to Get?

[GiseleMacKenzieTunes]

@CarlDuke I do have it but not on any video. I don't recall Gisele ever singing that on one of her TV appearances.

[3456Jeep]

This guy is still one of the greats!

[jfs78]

Sad what comedy has become...I miss this so.....Something called talent!

[Jm4steam]

Classic!!

[OldMrMemories]

Still as funny all these years later and much better than anything on TV today. What class!! Please tell me Mrs MacKenzie is still alive today?

[GiseleMacKenzieTunes]

@OldMrMemories We sadly lost the lovely Miss MacKenzie to colon cancer in September 2003.

[OldMrMemories]

@GiseleMacKenzieTunes , I am so saddened to hear of her passing. A wonderful talent that I'm sure cannot be replaced. God rest her soul

[iTerpy]

Brilliant!

[Mical2508]

Omg i totally love the way Gisele MacKenzie stares at Jack Benny lololol

[GiseleMacKenzieTunes]

Gisele was a master of comedic timing as well as singing, violin, piano, cooking...well you name it. She was right up there with THE best!

[Mical2508]

agreed! she's really really awesome!

[GShea]

The song is "Getting to Know You".

[GiseleMacKenzieTunes]

Yes, just like it says in the video's title.

[tamberinee]

i could watch this over and over and over! (:

[CardiHack]

Hey, mates! That was something like own improvisation? Or this piece have name? Because i really want to find somewhere sheets ... help guys!

[masstax]

Getting to know you is the name of this tune. A true classic.

[GShea]

The song is "Getting to Know You".

[humnmum]

i recall groucho telling dick cavett that the best compliment he ever received came from a stranger on the street; the woman came up to him and said "don't ever die!"

ditto for jack and gisele, and all the other wonderful talents of that era.

[CardiHack]

Hey, mates!

Is that possible to get the sheets somewhere? They are amazing!

[binglejack]

This is sublime. Benny is in complete control of this sketch, comically and musically, and Gisele masterfully supports. Its brilliance is in its simplicity, and its simplicity is breathtakingly beautiful.

[SanAntonioCrooner]

This is absolutely fabulous! So darned funny - and yet the artistry is stellar! Thank you!

[humnmum]

a joy forever!

[Hendo56]

Benny was very good about letting himself be "upstaged" by his guests. But that was the humor and the charm of the man.

[GiseleMacKenzieTunes]

This little clip is certainly a PRIME example of perfect comedy timing on both Jack & Gisele's part...from that first little glance of dispair that Jack gives Gisele...to Gisele's loving look at Benny even after being told to "shut up." Here are two good friends and masters working with perfect timing.

[OurKrazyKulture]

I find it so funny that even today so many people think that Jack couldn't play the violin worth a flip. All you have to do is listen to this clip. Except for the moment when he tried to one-up Giselle, be played VERY well. I've tried to tell people, "It was just an act!" But he acted so well that people really believe that he couldn't play and that he was stingy. (Nobody really believed that he was 39 though! Go figure!)

[phyzzique]

Absolutely the best!! Loved them both. Two very talented people who are terribly missed. Thank you YouTube!

[kevinj1376]

I remember this kind of show as a child. Clean cut family entertainment. I would NEVER imagine Jack Benny having to drop an F Bomb to get a laff.

[GiseleMacKenzieTunes]

Sooooooooooo true!!!

[Brendababe1]

Loved this...good skit...both very talented....

[JJNZ]

Just by playing the violin and having a facial expression he could make you laugh, this is comedy...

[GiseleMacKenzieTunes]

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellllll­lllll

[jonthom11702]

The fact that he was willing to let her one-up him just shows what a class act he was. And Gisele was unbelievably talented. A female performer with a broad range of skills like that? The world needs more performers like Jack and Gisele.

[jimbogs1]

this is so funny,super video........

[floralparkkid]

As good as it gets. Simple and hilarious routine. Jack and Giselle worked so great together. Thanks for posting.

[DRGeoduck]

This put the biggest smile on my face...

[moviebuff006]

poor jacks always being upstaged. :)

[Alstheman37]

This guy knew how to make people laugh, you don't see comedy like this anymore

[norfolk03]

Will watch this again and again! Thanks so much!

[GiseleMacKenzieTunes]

Keep your eyes on your local PBS TV station. They're showing "Comedy in Bloom", a bio of Mr. Benny, which features several clips of Gisele and Jack, along with some nice newer commentary by Miss MacKenzie.  Also featured are Carol Burnette, Johnny Carson, George Burns, etc.

[81zed]

Don't fool around with ME, Sister!!! What a riot!!! Loved Jack, George, Phil Harris and all those other guys! Never see talent like that again....ever!

[animeluvrandkjtdrama]

so cute!!! that was funny.

[zarkoid]

There was real talent in that skit. You don't see that so much these days.

[zarkoid]

This is wonderful!

[GiseleMacKenzieTunes]

Isn't it!!?? It's THE best routine to come out of television...perfect comedy timing by THE two masters! Gisele and Jack radiated their appreciation for each other...something that lasted until Mr. Benny's passing, although they didn't see each other often in later years. When Jack was in the hospital, he and Gisele planned to have lunch together...he called her "Doll Face"...but, sadly, their final lunch date never happened and we lost Mr. Benny.

[kcnaq]

This is great! Thanks for the laugh.

[brianstillwater]

I'm 35 yrs old and "discoverd" Jack Benny and the gang a few years ago. There is nothing like it available today. They make me laugh out loud ! Love the clip - thanks for posting - brian

[SSBN608B]

A simple concept so brilliantly executed. Talent that can't be defined. So much fun to watch them--and so poignant after all these years.

[bkmolady]

This is brilliant!!!

[GiseleMacKenzieTunes]

Isn't that a fact! What a splendid and ingenious performance by two of the greatest showbiz personalities EVER!!