GEORGE BURNS

January 20, 1896

George Burns was born Nathan Birnbaum on January 20, 1896 in New York City, the ninth of 12 children born to Jewish immigrants from Poland. He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film, and television. His arched eyebrow and cigar-smoke punctuation became familiar trademarks for over three-quarters of a century.

He got started in show business with the Pee-Wee Quartet singing on ferryboats, in saloons, in brothels, and on street corners. He formed a vaudeville act specializing in comedy, songs and dances with his first wife, Hannah Siegel.  The marriage lasted twenty-six weeks.

Burns’ second wife and famous partner in their entertainment routines was Gracie Allen. 

“I remember looking down at her, looking right into her green eye and her blue eye, and thinking what a pretty little girl she is. I was hoping she’d work with me.” ~ George Burns  

The pair had great success on radio and translated that success to film with a series of shorts for Vitaphone. The first was “Lambchops” in 1929. 

Their first foray into television brought their radio show to the small screen with “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show” (1950-58) completing 292 episodes on CBS TV, running concurrently with “I Love Lucy.”  The show co-starred Bea Benadaret, who had played Iris Atterbury on Lucille Ball’s radio show “My Favorite Husband.” Lucy and Desi offered her the role of Ethel Mertz, but Benadaret had already committed to Burns and Allen, so could only manage a single appearance, as Miss Lewis in “Lucy Plays Cupid.” 

In November 1952, George Burns and Lucille Ball appeared on the same show with “Stars in the Eye” a special celebrating the opening of CBS’s Television City.  The two did not share any scenes together. 

Lucy and George also appeared on the same bill for two television birthday shows: “The Jackie Gleason Show: At 65” (1957) and “A Tribute to Eleanor Roosevelt on Her Diamond Jubilee” (1959).

In August 1964 Burns’ life was shaken when Gracie Allen died of a heart attack at age 64.  

Lucille Ball opened the fifth season of “The Lucy Show” with a guest appearance by George Burns, playing himself. Burns wants to open an account at the bank, if Lucy will do an act with him! 

On March 20, 1968, George Burns did a one-line cameo in “Jack Benny’s Carnival Nights” a special which also featured Lucille Ball, although the two did not share the screen. Burns played Martine the Bearded Lady. He says that Mary [Livingstone, Jack’s wife] was supposed to do it, but he is Jack’s best friend. He corrects himself: was his best friend.  

In “Jack Benny’s New Look” (1969), the roles were reversed and it was Lucille Ball who did the uncredited cameo, with Burns joining Benny and Gregory Peck (center) in a song and dance routine. 

In addition, the two were also billed together (though did not interact) in the documentary film All About People (1967) and “The Dean Martin Christmas Special” (1968). 

In November 16, 1970, Lucy and George joined “The Bob Hope Show: Bringing Back Vaudeville” on NBC.  

A week later, Burns will did a cameo appearance on “Here’s Lucy”. Burns is only on screen for a minute in an episode that concentrates on guest star (and Burns’ pal) Jack Benny. 

And the week after that, they both (again without sharing any screen time) appeared on “Swing Out Sweet Land”, a patriotic special in which Ball voiced The Statue of Liberty and Burns did a cameo as himself. 

George, Lucy, and Carol Burnett were all in the interview chair on a February 23, 1971 installment of “The David Frost Show.”

In March, Burns and Ball were back with Benny on “Everything You Wanted to Know About Jack Benny But Were Afraid to Ask” aired March 10, 1971. Lucy plays a young starlet who climbs to the top of the show business food chain. Burns and Benny track their friendship began – although it is highly fictionalized! 

On “Circus of The Stars II” Lucille Ball was the ringmaster and George Burns performed magic, although once again, they were never on screen at the same time. 

Ball and Burns finally sat down together on screen in “CBS: On The Air” a celebration of fifty years of the network on March 26 & 27, 1978.   

On May 10, 1978, Ball and Burns took the dais for “The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Jimmy Stewart”. 

For the next ten years, George Burns an Lucille Ball appeared together (but not always together) on various Bob Hope specials, and tribute show, including 

• “Happy Birthday, Bob” (1978)
• “Bob Hope’s 30th Anniversary Special” (1981)
• “Bob Hope’s Road to Hollywood” (1983)
• “Happy Birthday, Bob!” (1983)
• “Bob Hope’s Who Makes the World Laugh? Part II” (1984)
• “Bob Hope’s Unrehearsed Antics of the Stars” (1984)
• “Bob Hope Buys NBC?” (1985)
• “America’s Tribute to Bob Hope” (1988)
• “Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute 50 Years with NBC” (1988)

In 1976 George burns career had a re-birth when he won an Oscar for playing one of The Sunshine Boys. He was also introduced to a new generation playing the title role in Oh, God! (1978) and its 1984 sequel Oh, God! You Devil.  

He died at the age of 100.  

“If you live to the age of 100, you have it made, because very few people die past the age of 100.” ~ George Burns