Jack Benny and the Elke Sommers interview

Elke Sommers was born:Elke Baronesse von Schletz, a beautiful blue eyed blonde of german origin , and sex symbol of the 1970s, the night she appeared on the Tonight show, she followed Jack Benny ( Carsons' Idol) Benny who was 79 and already getting sick from the cancer that would take his life within the year stayed for her interview and even got involved in the interview.Earlier on the Shoe Benny had told carson about his performances in Europe and how happy he was, and proud to have done them, and to still be perfuming in front of appreciative crowds, he also talked about his wife of 49 years who he still called after all those years: doll.

JC: Elke Sommers is with us tonight, and she will be appearing in "Shot in the dark" in Norfolk Virginia, well, there is a Norfolk Nebraska, beginning Tuesday, that's true, maybe she's playing in my home town. And she will be in Tampa in September and October, will you welcome please Miss Elke Sommers.

Elke comes out from behind the curtain and sits down between Jack Benny and Carson.

JC:" Hello beautiful structure.

Elke: Hello.

JC: How are you tonight?

Elke: I'm fine thank you. ( turns to Benny and says " you look marvelous)

they talk about Norfolk Virginia

JC: A lot of people in our business only think there is a New York and a Los Angeles. Let me ask you something that i never asked before, Is Elke Sommers you're real name?

Elke: " my real name is Elke Schletz, and when i first got to America i thought maybe i had some relatives here, who came over , but no.."

Johny tries to pronounce her name but has trouble.

Elke: " No not Schlitz, Elke Schletz"

JC:" When you're having more than one" said in a kind of Groucho tone.

Elke and the audience laugh.

both Benny and Carson keep trying to pronounce her last name

JC:" do you get tired, because you are a very pretty women, do you get tired of compliments, i mean is there a right way to give a compliment and a wrong way, do men often say the wrong thing at the wrong time

Elke: Well, I personally like shy men, I don't like men who come on strong and say 'Hi its nice to meet you and ITS VERY NICE TO MEET YOU" and raise an eyebrow. I like shy people , I like people who i have to draw out, I mean emotionally, I don't like the Playboy type, a man who goes up to girls and saying 'Hey you,how about the two of us.. I like shy men who are nice and elegant who are helpful and polite and who appreciate a women."

Benny:" How would you like if i said that i wanted nothing to do with you." audience laughs

Elke: " I would say that i don't believe you."

JC: ' Is your husband a jealous man?"

Elke:" Yes, very Jealous. especially about all the pictures where I have to kiss my leading man.He won't go see.

JC: Well that's taking it too far."

Elke: " He is very old fashioned and very nice, but still he very good to me, so i can't complain too much."

JC: " Are you jealous of other women, are you possessive ?"

Elke: "yes, extremely so, I think I give a lot so I want a lot, because I think I am entitled to it. If I didn't give a lot I wouldn't be jealous and very possessive. i give all of me, totally. "

JC: in a singing voice:" You gotta give a little ...to get a little..."

Audience breaks out laughing

JC:"I think i got that wrong..you gotta give a little ..whats the next line?...take a little."

Audience starts laughing again

JC:" I don't remember lyrics to songs......" back to Elke " are you more comfortable being in the presence of women or men."

Elke: " I like Women very much , I think Women are more open to me, but personally I prefer being with Men because I am quite spoiled, and most of the things I like to do with Women i can't do."

Benny:" wait a minute, I want to hear that again. Most of the things you like to do -Women don't do."

Elke: " Horse-back riding, sports, tooling around in race Cars and things like that. I wasn't thinking about THAT when i said that."

Benny: " I WASN'T EITHER, I WASN'T EITHER."

Carson asks Elke about the story where she saved her Husbands life.

Elke: He got very sick, a fever, the thermometer didn't go any higher, i was doing picture in Spain, and he go very sick on the drive back, I did 200 miles in 2 hours, over country roads, pushing other cars out of the way, because I was scared to death, the Doctors said if I had gotten him there any later he would have died."

Elke and Carson begin to talk about Tennis, and Benny excuses himself politely and says he is going to leave."

Carson: " But you're going to miss the Orgy later."

Benny leaves and both Johny and Elke say how much they admire him. I believe this was Jack Benny's last appearance with the man who grew up Nebraska listening to him on the radio, copying his style, learning as he sat mesmerized, by a genius of comedic pauses and Timing, the very thing that Carson himself would be noted for.A young Johny Carson sat there staring up at the Radio as the voice of Jack Benny emanated from a million radio sets all across the country , entertaining a nation, 30 years later Carson would be on top of his profession and he never forgot the influence Benny had on his life.Two legends who make us pause and wonder where does the time go. I wonder If Johny looked at Jack Benny's life, a man who worked till he died, and said that wasn't going to be him, 79 years, appearing on the show of a devoted fan, while the Audience tries to remember who he was, and what he did, his timing , his marvelous timing all but gone, hos jokes going over like lead balloons, fumbling with the Curtain trying to figure how to get out. Maybe Johny just said-They are not going to see me age, they are going to remember me at my best, If I am going out, I am going out on top, and I am not going to ever worry again if the Audience doesn't get the joke, or understand the importance of a legend.