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JOAN BENNY Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for JOAN BENNY
5 Entries
Teresa (Dodge). Atkinson
June 24, 2021
Alll my love and big hugs to her family. I never had the pleasure of meeting her but her father was a HUGE part of my life and my heart so... she is too as she was a part of him and his LOVE and legacy.
Jay Clark
June 24, 2021
I have kept Joan´s address and meant to write for the last several years. I just want led to write her and tell her how much her dad meant to me in the comedy world. I regret not writing that note. Rest In Peace, Joan.
Jeff Harnar
June 23, 2021
Joan and I met on a Cunard Sea Goddess cruise in the 1990’s. I was about to make my entrance and she was standing in the doorway, unwilling to commit to taking a seat. “Are you the singer?” she asked looking at me warily. I said that I was, that I was singing Cole Porter and encouraged her to take a seat. “Oh, I’m not sure I’m staying so I’ll watch from here.”
I got the message.
As I made my exit at the end of the show she was still in the doorway. Amazed, I exclaimed, “You stayed!”
“You were very good. I love Cole Porter. My father was in entertainment.”
“Would I know his name?”
“Jack Benny.”
“THE Jack Benny?!”
“That’s the only one I know,” she said with a laugh.
We stayed friends ever since, sharing two more cruises together, sharing theater nights (she treated me to center orchestra seats when “Hamilton” was new I treated her to “Spamilton” at The Triad. She was always calling with song suggestions - her knowledge of popular song was extraordinary.
She was dry, funny and brutally frank with her “reviews” of my shows, for better and for worse. I knew which show of mine was her favorite (Cy Coleman) and which one made her recoil (50’s Gold). Her opinions were fascinating to me because they came with great context and insight.
Best of all was reading her autobiography and being able to ask questions about her rarified Hollywood childhood.
Sadly she is suddenly gone - pancreatic cancer - and I’m blindsided by the news. Putting these photos together and writing some words is helpful right now.
I’m grateful she came back to New York last October for a mid-pandemic visit so we could have what would be our last dinner at Donahue’s. Those were my favorite nights together. So, I’ll take comfort that we said our last goodbyes someplace so special - and hold on to my own rarified memories with her.
Ellen Tuchman
June 20, 2021
My late mother, Jane Gordon Oristano, was a close friend and I am so sad that Joan will no longer share stories of their youthful hijinks. Much love to Joanna, her other children, their families and her many friends scattered around the world. May her life be a blessing to all.
Joe Michael Pierce
June 19, 2021
I read her book many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. May she rest in peace.
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