 His radio and television programs, popular from 1932 until his death in 1974, were a major influence on the sitcom genre.Benny often portrayed his character as a miser, who obliviously played his violin badly, and ridiculously claimed to be 39 years of age, regardless of his actual age.Benny was born Benjamin Kubelsky in Chicago on February 14, 1894, and grew up in nearby Waukegan.