Laughter's Gentle Soul: The Life of Robert Benchley

I could not have come up with a better title for this book if I had tried. There's just something about Benchley - be it the writer or the man - that , to me, has always been irresistable. He is the personification of American wit! The short films he produced for Paramount and MGM between 1928 and 1945 are treasures in the history of American Humor. All of them should be released on DVD. As of this writing, only a handful of Paramounts are now commercially available. Altman's fine biography is a sympathetic look at the man and what shaped him into being who he was. Particularly of interest is the death of his older brother in the Spanish American War in 1899 and the effect it had on Benchley as a child. This book could have been better, no question about it. But until a better one comes along (don't hold your breath), it is as fine a reference as any ever written. Sixty-one years after his death, no one has replaced him. He was a real S.O.B. Sweet Old Bob! God rest his merry soul. Tom Degan Goshen, NY [...]

We have many people alleging to be humorists these days butnobody who could ever compare with the delightful Robert Benchley.Previous books about him failed to capture the essence of the man, but in this enjoyable biography, Billy Altman brings Benchley into clear focus. Exhaustively researched, and drawing commentary from Benchley's diaries and personal letters, the reader gains insight into Benchley's love-hate attitude towards his (very successful) movie career. In an age when curmudgeons are accepted as humorists and sardonic late-night hosts pass as "wits," Bob Benchley's gentle humor is clearly missed and, we sadly realize, impossible to duplicate. Thanks to Billy Altman's loving portrait, Robert Benchley delights us again. --Edward Watz