One of the best-known couples in Hollywood history, the husband-and-wife
comedy team of "Burns and Allen" began on the New York stage and became an
unparalleled success in radio, television and feature films. Gracie Allen'
s high-pitched voice and scatterbrained comedic persona were balanced by
George Burns' mentally nimble straightman and their chemistry made a hit out
their popular radio weekly, "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show."
Later inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, the program was one of the first
shows to make the successful transition from radio to television. On the
CBS network "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show" ran for an amazing 239
episodes and garnered 12 Emmy nominations. Each episode ended with a
George Burns and Gracie Allen dialog reminiscent of their vaudeville
routines with Burns asking Allen to, "Say goodnight, Gracie," to which Allen
would obligingly turn to their audience and reply, "Goodnight, Gracie."
After their 38-year marriage ended in Gracie's passing, George Burns
recreated his career and became known for his roles in "Oh, God!", "Going in
Style," and at the age of eighty George Burns became the oldest recipient of
an Oscar for his role in "The Sunshine Boys" opposite Walter Matthau, also a
client of The Roger Richman Agency, Inc. Burns was the author of ten books
and also won a Grammy at the age of 79. In addition to being identified by
his trademark cigar and televised specials for his 90th, 95th and 100th
Birthday Parties, George Burns was a Kennedy Center Honoree and a fixture at
the legendary Friars Club Roasts.
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