Kristen Ferguson

Professor Rohler

Rhetoric of Popular Culture

George Burns and Gracie Allen had the most enduring acts in the history of show business. They were headliners in vaudeville in the 1920’s, on radio in the 1930’s and 1940’s, and for almost a full decade on television in the 1950’s. The format of the TV Burns and Allen Show was simple enough. It was set in the Burn’s home, and cast George in the dual role of on-screen narrator of the proceedings and straight man for Gracie’s scatterbrained but delightful involvement’s with various people and situations. Gracie’s cohort in many of her predicaments was neighbor Blanche Morton, whose long-suffering accountant husband Harry was infuriated by the girls’ escapades as George was tolerant. George was unflappable. He would simply turn to the cameras, cigar in hand, and philosophize to the audience.

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, which premiered

on October 12, 1950, was one of the first comedy series to make the successful transition from radio to television. Similar to the format of the radio program in which George Burns and Gracie Allen played themselves, the CBS domestic comedy was set in their home, the first television series to depict the home life of a working show business couple.

The half hour series was broadcast live for the first two seasons. The first six episodes were broadcast from New York, but the show soon moved to Hollywood, making it only the third CBS series to emanate from the West Coast. In Burns’ insistence, the show was broadcast on alternate weeks in order to provide sufficient time for rehearsals and alleviate some of the pressures of live broadcasts. During its bi-weekly period, the series alternated with the anthology series Starlight Theater and, later, with the Star of the Family. After two seasons of live performances, the series switched to a weekly filmed broadcast. Although not filmed before a studio audience, the final filmed product was previewed to an audience and their reactions recorded.

Like other television pioneers such as Desi Arnaz and Jack Webb, George Burns must also be credited for his contributions behind the scenes. Burns and Allen incorporated a number of television " firsts," although Burns noted that "television was so new that if an actor burped, everyone agreed it was an innovative concept and nothing like it had ever been done on television before." Still, he was the first television performer to use the theatrical convention of "breaking the fourth wall" between the audience, then rejoined the story. This convention was later imitated by others, but not used effectively until Its Garry Shandling’s Show in the 1980s.

The staff writers for the series were those who had written for the Burns and Allen radio program or worked with the team in vaudeville, including Paul Henning (who later created The Beverly Hillbillies), Sid Dorfman (who later wrote for M*A*S*H and produced Good Times for Norman Lear), Harvey Helm, and William Burns, George’s younger brother. To keep dialogue and situations consistent with the characters’ personalities and ages, the writers adhered to policies and practices establishes during their radio show. The stories stayed away from topical humor, fantastic characters, and absurd situations and focused instead on more universal aspects of daily life. Plots were simple, for example, Gracie trying to learn Spanish, and like their vaudeville shows, the comedy derived from Gracie’s uniquely skewed interpretation of the world and the resulting confusion. Burns played the quintessential straight man to the giddy, scatterbrained Allen.

Each episode began with Burns standing, trademark cigar in hand, before the proscenium surrounding their living room set. There he presented a brief monologue, then offered the audience a few comments regarding the situation they were about to see.

Allen’s success, and her enormous popularity, derived from her ability to underplay her character. Her convincing sincerity makes illogical premises, such as sewing buttons on her husbands shirttails so no one would notice if he lost one, seem logical.

Episodes ended with a Burns and Allen dialog reminiscent of their vaudeville routines. At the conclusion, of every episode Burns would turn to Allen and close, "Say goodnight, Gracie," to which Allen would obligingly turn to their audience and fondly bid them "goodnight."

Although Burns and Allen was never among the top-rated series, it maintained constantly high ratings throughout its eight seasons. The show garnered a total of twelve Emmy nominations: four for the best comedy series, six for Allen as best actress and comedienne, and two for Bea Benaderet as best supporting actress.

The series ended on September 22, 1958 with Allen’s decision to retire from show business. Burns continued working in a new version of the show. The George Burns Show, which aired on NBC from October 21, 1958-April 14, 1959, in which he played himself again, now in the role of a theatrical producer. The series only lasted one season.

Burns returned to series television again in 1964 as producer and star of Wendy and Me, in which he played an apartment building owner who narrated and commented on the action. He did many other shows and finally ended his career in 1985, at age 89, Burns hosted the short-lived half hour comedy anthology series George Burns Comedy Week for only five months.

In conclusion, some facts that are unknown to the public are taken from KNX1070’s Drama Hour Facts, which consist of The Burns and Allen Show first airing on the BBC in London in 1929. Other facts consists of:

1) The show had a long run on both CBS and NBC. Generally it ran on CBS from 1932-1937, 1938-1940, 1942-1945, 1949-1950. In the intervening years it ran on NBC.

2) Gracie Allen wasn’t as dumb as she appeared on the show. For example, she appeared on the intellectually challenging quiz show, "Information Please" in 1939 and did quite well.

3) Gracie was born in San Francisco on July 26, 1905. And that was her real name. She got her start in show biz by appearing with her father in a song-and-dance act.

4) She met George Burns when she was visiting a girl friend who was appearing in a local vaudeville show in New Jersey. George was a young comic at the time.

5) George Burns was born on January 20, 1896 in New York. His real name was Nathan Birnbaum. Like Gracie, he started early in show business( age 7) and sang in taverns and saloons as part of a schoolboys’ group, "The Peewee Quartet."

Works Cited Page

http://www.knx1070.com/program/Dramafacts/FactBurns.html

Lacayo,R.:Morton,D.(1996)Into That Good Night.People.

Vol.45 Issue 12.EbscoHost.

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