George Burns was born on January 20, 1896. He was an American comedian, actor and writer.

Biography and Career

George Burns was a son of Louis and Dorothy Birnbaum, born in New York City. Burns joined show business full time in the fourth and quit school. He tried practically anything he could to entertain, including trick roller skating, teaching dance, singing, and adagio dancing in small time vaudeville.

Later in his career George Burns met Gracie Allen and the two immediately launched a new partnership with Gracie playing the role of the straight man and George delivering the punch lines as the comedian. After a Hoboken, New Jersey performance in which they tested the new style for the first time, Burns's hunch proved right. Gracie was the better laugh getter.

As a t eam both Gracie and George toured in vaudeville, in the same period of time Burn found himself falling in love with Allen, who was engaged to another performer at the time. After several attempts to win her over and finally they got married in Cleveland, Ohio on January 7, 1926.

Burn started working in motion pictures with a series of comic short films like, The Big Broadcast, International House released in 1933, Six of a Kind in 1934, The Big Broadcast in 1936, The Big Broadcast in 1937, A Damsel in Distress in 1937 in which they danced step for step with Fred Astaire, and College Swing released in 1938.

Burns and Allen first made it to radio as the comedy relief for bandleader Guy Lombardo, which did not always sit well with Lombardo's home audience. Later both Allen and Gracie found their own show and radio audience, first airing in 1932 and concentrating on their classic stage routines. Later on television, The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show put faces to the radio characters audiences had come to love.

A number of significant changes were seen in the show. From 1950 through 1958, The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show ran on CBS Television till Burns consented to Allen's retirement.

Burns continued to work well into his nineties, writing a number of books and appearing in television and films. One of his last films was 18 Again!

General Appearance

Birth Name: Nathan Birnbaum
Birth: January 20, 1896

Why do we like George Burns?

We like him because of his acting and comedy.

Why is George Burns Famous?

He is famous as a great American comedian and actor.

George Burns Lists

	1896 births
	1996 deaths
	American film actors
	American television actors
	American radio actors
	Best Supporting Actor Academy Award winners
	American stand-up comedians
	Vaudeville performers
	American buskers
	American Jewish people
	Jewish actors
	Jewish comedians
	Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)
	American centenarians
	People from New York City
	Saturn Award winners
	Grammy Award winners
	Kennedy Center honorees

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George Burns Pictures

 

George Burns Movies
Screen Snapshots: Memories of Famous Hollywood Comedians Screen Snapshots 7855: Pennies from Hollywood Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Beauty The Solid Gold Cadillac All About People A Look at the World of SOYLENT GREEN The Lion Roars Again The Sunshine Boys Movie Movie Going in Style A Century of Cinema Radioland Murders Dave Schwartz: Firsthand from the First Stand 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time Dinah Shore Chevy Show
George Burns Filmography

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Tags: 1896, capricorn, actor, new york city

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Category: Actors  - ( Actors Archive)

Date Added: 25 March '10

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