In the years before television, the superstars of radio dominated the airwaves. Jack Benny, George Burns and Fred Allen were all made their names in the hey day of radio, before making the eventual jump to television.

While the names of a number of these men have lived on through the decades, many had female companions and partners who stood out as strong, sassy and independent performers in their own right. These are the fierce leading ladies of radio.

Jack Benny was a staple on the radio starting in the 1930s until the 1950s when his show moved to television. For much of the series, Benny was surrounded by a talented cast of supporting performers, led by his wife Mary Livingstone.

Livingstone’s real name was Sadie Marks (sometimes Marx depending on the source), and she was Benny’s wife before they shared the stage. According to the Livingstone’s New York Times obituary, the couple had been on again/ off again for years (having first met when she was 12 years old) before they married in 1927. At the time, Benny was a vaudeville comedian, spending much of his time on the road. However, in 1932 Benny debuted his radio program which would remain on the air (in various incarnations) until 1955.

The character of Mary Livingstone (the name Sadie Marks would later adopt) was an early addition to Jack Benny’s comedy routine. In fact, the role fell in Mrs. Benny’s lap largely by mistake. Versions of the story report that Sadie only took the role after another actress dropped out at the last minute. The character quickly became popular, and before long Mary became a regular cast member working alongside her husband.

Jack Benny Show Cast

(from left) Dennis Day, Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Phil Harris, Mary Livingstone, Jack Benny, Don Wilson, Mel Blanc.

Mary Livingstone was a regular character, appearing alongside the stable of Benny regulars: Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, band leader Phil Harris and announcer Don Wilson. Voice actor extraordinaire Mel Blanc and tenor Dennis Day were later additions as the show developed and matured.

As the show grew in popularity, Mary quickly became a stand-out character, developing her own razor sharp wit to play off her husband. Throughout the run of the series, Mary is best described as a comic foil for Jack. Their humor didn’t revolve around their marriage, their relationship or their family. Rather, Mary was closer to Jack’s wise-cracking co-worker. They often went toe to toe, with Mary not only setting up Benny’s trademark humor, but also getting laughs herself:

Mary: Hello Jack, get a load of you. What a tan you’ve got. 

Jack: Haven’t I though? Yes, Mary, I look just like those toasty brown Grape- Nuts flakes.

Mary: Yeah, but you still shake like Jello. 

Jack:  I do not. I’m the picture of health. Gosh, I’ve been outdoors all week.

Mary: Well, why didn’t you get a room?

Furthermore, Mary often had solo comedy bits. This allowed her to take over the microphone for even a few minutes at a time. Sometimes she would read a comedic letter from her “Mother”, other times it would be a limerick about current events. However, Mary established that she possessed the sharpness and comedic timing to work opposite some of the greatest comedians of the era.

Mary remained a member of the cast throughout much of the radio run. However, as the show transitioned to television, she stepped into the background. For most of her career, she performed with a severe case of stage fright. As such, she only appeared in a fraction of the televised episodes of The Jack Benny Program.

With the passage of time, the stars of radio’s golden age have began to fade into obscurity. However, the medium was full of vibrant and interesting women like Mary Livingstone. Mary served as an important part of The Jack Benny Program cast for much of its’ two decades on the radio. She wasn’t simply a “straight man” or a sidekick. Mary Livingstone was individually funny in her own right, holding her own against the comedians around her.

 

Kimberly Pierce
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