Irving Fein
Manager/Producer
About This Interview
Irving Fein was interviewed for three-and-a-half hours in West Hollywood, CA. He speaks at length about his 28 years managing and producing for Jack Benny, as well as his years managing George Burns. Fein discusses his transition from motion picture publicity to producing for Benny in 1947 -- a path that led him from New York to California, back to New York, and finally back to California once more. He details the many years he spent publicizing both the radio and television versions of The Jack Benny Program, and shares tales of producing Benny's various specials for television. Fein describes Benny's real-life and television persona, his lasting legacy, and his grace as a comedian. Fein also recounts managing George Burns during the last years of the comedian's life -- securing for Burns several stand-up appearances, his Oscar-winning role in The Sunshine Boys, and an impressive gathering for his 100th birthday party. Sunny Parich conducted the interview on August 13, 1998.
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Chapters
- Chapter 1
- On his childhood in Brooklyn and his early influences; on coaching drama at summer camp and his early writing efforts
- On radio programs and movies he enjoyed as a youngster
- On his first job out of college in the Publicity and Advertising Department at Warner Brothers; on going to law school at night
- On moving to Hollywood to be a publicist at Warner Brothers; on the Great Depression; on publicity for movies in the 1930s and 1940s
- On planting stories for publicity; on television's debut at the 1939 World's Fair
- On becoming assistant to Samuel Goldwyn
- Chapter 2
- On leaving Warner Brothers for Samuel Goldwyn; on World War II and his role as Publicity Director for Samuel Goldwyn; on publicity stunts
- On the star system; On working for Columbia Pictures, getting drafted and going to work for a defense plant rather than going overseas
- On returning to Warner Brothers, then to Columbia again, and then leaving to become part of Jack Benny's new company, Amusement Enterprises
- Chapter 3
- On making Jack Benny #1 in radio; on doing publicity for several CBS radio programs including Lux Radio Theater, The Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy Show, and Amos 'n' Andy
- On the rise of television and Jack Benny's transition from radio to television
- On the writers of Jack Benny's radio and television programs and how they worked with Jack Benny
- Chapter 4
- On the staff of The Jack Benny Program; on moving to New York to take a job at CBS and leaving to return West and form a production company with Jack Benny - J&M Productions
- On returning to The Jack Benny Program; on series regulars Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Don Wilson, Dennis Day, Frank Nelson and Mel Blanc
- On live television and some of the program's regular and special guests; on playing up publicity for Jack Benny
- Chapter 5
- On President Harry Truman doing a special episode of The Jack Benny Program; on Billy Graham guest starring on the show
- On Jack Benny's sense of humor; on Benny's comedy contemporaries and how they would guest star on each other's shows
- On The Marge and Gower Champion Show for J&M Productions; on The Gisele MacKenzie Show
- On The Jack Benny Program becoming a weekly show; on moving to the Desilu lot and famous guests
- Chapter 6
- On his Emmy win for producing The Jack Benny Program; on the unsuccessful special that turned Jack Benny 40 years old, and the decision to age him back to 39
- On The Jack Benny Program moving to NBC and going off the air; on forming JB Productions and becoming Jack Benny's manager and producer
- On becoming manager for George Burns and Burns winning an Oscar for The Sunshine Boys; on George Burns' movie career later in life; on Burns' death
- Chapter 7
- On George Burns' burial; on the legacy of Jack Benny and George Burns
- On advice to aspiring managers; on how publicity and television changed over the years
- On how he'd liked to be remembered; on his thoughts on people with whom he's worked; on his wife
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