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

Gisele MacKenzie and Jack Benny formed an instant mutual admiration society in the early 1950's as he assisted her in landing a starring role on the hit television series, Your Hit Parade. Gisele became a regular guest on Jack's television series and they co-starred in major night clubs and theaters across the United States with GREAT success. Gisele's manager at the time, against Gisele's wishes, let Jack know she was a classically trained violinist in addition to being one of the finest singers, pianists and dancers in the business. After that it was very rare when Gisele and Jack appeared together that they didn't bring their violins! Moments like the ones in this classic video made for some of the most memorable moments in television, night club and concert hall history!

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  Music

[JB1912JB]

There never was a greater two minutes of television.

[GiseleMacKenzieTunes]

This is a fact!

[Juliaflo]

Long live Benjamin Kubelsky and Gisele Marie Marguerite LaFleche.

[GiseleMacKenzieTunes]

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!"

[CarlDuke]

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

[GiseleMacKenzieTunes]

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

[krazycitizen]

we saw Gisele at the Ohio State Fair? not sure, i was about four or five years old, all i really recall quite clearly is my father lifting me up over the crowd and looking at a glamorous lady in a shimmering gown for a few seconds...must have been almost sixty years ago...just one of those things one remembers...

[Voiaman2]

Love it.

[Tom Barrister]

It was Charles Kuralt. See my comment below.

[Jim Aroo]

If you didn't love this, then I have bad news.....your cardio monitor flat lined 2 minutes and 24 seconds ago.

[Nick Cataldi]

Voice was that of George Fenneman who amongst other things had been Groucho's announcer on 'You Bet Your Life'. (I laugh every time also!!)

[Lilith MOON]

de que putas de rien alli al fondo!!

[phyzzique]

Me too, loved them both!

[Nick Cataldi]

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!!

[Tom Barrister]

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.

[BlueOsito]

Yes, Indeed.