Great Robert Benchley Article

[Nathan Dodge]

Here's a fine entry by Matthew Coniam of the excellent Movietone News blog. It's about as thorough a retrospective as we'll ever get on the late, *great* Robert Benchley.

The Magnificent Mr. Benchley

 

[Nathan Dodge]

No Robert Benchley fans here?

The Warner Archive has a 3-disc set of Benchley's MGM short films.

 

[The Wolf]

I'm a huge Benchley fan. Well, 5'11' anyhow.
Kino video put out a DVD of Benchley and a couple other members of the Algonquin Round Table. Most of it was shorts by our man Benchley.
http://www.kino.com/video/item.php?film_id=258

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[lolly_loisides]

He is great fun. TCM Australia often plays his short films in between movies.

 

[LizzieMaine]

"How To Sleep" is one of the greatest comedy shorts ever made. And also one of the most true to life.

 

[Nathan Dodge]

"How To Sleep" is one of the greatest comedy shorts ever made. And also one of the most true to life.

"It's funny because it's true" was never more appropriate than when discussing a Benchley bit! How to Sleep is an Academy-Award winning short and deservedly so; it's laugh-out-loud hilarious!

I love his gentle humor and self-deprecating manner. My wife says that Benchley is "adorable."

What a shame he died so young (aged 56 in 1945).

 

[sixties.nut]

Looking At Nathan's Movietone link

Benchleys story on Movietone Blog mentions 'Pete Smith Specialties' these were the funniest loops ever to hit TV, even up to now.

Not to be confused with 'Frackured Flickers' which were almost as funny, but just missed the mark of the commentary gags of the PS specialties.

Fractured Flickers can be found on DVD, but do any of you vintage videolaphiles know where to snag a set of Pete's work. Last time I looked into it, I came up short.:eusa_booh

 

[dhermann1]

Office software is blocking the article. I'll read it at home. But, yes, I'm a huge Benchley fan as well. Starting with the hilarious "Sex Life of the Polyp", and right on through.
I assume everybody knows he's the father of Nathaniel Benchley, well known writer, and grandfather of Peter Benchley, author of the one and only "Jaws".

 

[The Wolf]

Disney has the released the short of "The Reluctant Dragon" on VHS and DVD but sadly not the feature The Reluctant Dragon.
It is a funny Benchley movie, a look at how a Disney cartoon is made and has a surprising cameo of Alan Ladd.

Sincerely,
The Wolf