Burns and Allen are one of the most beloved couple in old time radio. They got started, like many of the greats of old time radio, in vaudeville, which is really just the touring popular entertainment in America prior to movies. Gracie was the sparkplug of the act, always the center of attention. George played the foil, the guy vainly trying to make sense of the ditzy world of Gracie. By the early 30s, Gracie was probably the best known woman on radio. Gracie often sang in a voice that showed she was also an excellent comedienne songstress.
By the early 1940's, Burns decided that their act needed a change.He decided that the audience knew Gracie's and his reactions well enough that it would be possible to play off them, and create situations something like screwball comedy, but with the Burns and Allen touch. Jack Benny and Burns and Allen worked much the same way with their comedy.Vaudeville's snappy patter and give and take jokes, good even if the audience didn't know you, could be developed into running gags and put-downs based on character. Burns was always astute when it came to comedy - he lead the brainstorming sessions that wrote the shows, and carefully edited his writers with the final word on what was cut and what stayed. Elvia Allman play Gracie's friend Tootsie Sagwell and Gale Gordon and Hans Conried made frequent appearances.
So in 1942, George and Gracie became, in their characters, the perfectly normal husband and wife that is, if Gracie's non sequiturs and impulsive behavior could be considered perfectly normal. For Gracie, of course, it was perfectly normal, and the American public continued their love affair with her.The shows had names after the sponsors, such as Maxwell House Coffee Time, or The Ammident Show - it was the Burns and Allen show to the public. Other fine radio actors were a part of the fun. Mel Blanc did the happy postman, and was also famous for his zany characters on The Jack Benny Show, and his own Mel Blanc Show. Elliott Lewis, a veteran of many radio "bit" parts on the Burns and Allen shows of the 40s.
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Please enjoy these 273 old time radio episodes:
Air Date | Title | Synopsis | Rating |
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05.13.1948 | gracies problem with salesmen |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. May 13, 1948. , AFRS rebroadcast. Is Gracie an easy touch? She can't s... | |
05.20.1948 | gracies mother |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. May 20, 1948. , AFRS rebroadcast. Gracie's mother is staying with the ... | |
05.27.1948 | spiritualism |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. May 27, 1948. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. Gracie is intereste... | |
09.03.1948 | guest james mason |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. November 15, 1954. CBS-TV net origination, syndicated rebr... | |
09.30.1948 | the new neighbors |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. September 30, 1948. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. The first show... | |
10.07.1948 | kleptomanics |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. October 7, 1948. , AFRS rebroadcast. Gracie's having Geor... | |
10.28.1948 | gracie wants money for a new dress |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. October 28, 1948. George asks Gracie to buy him some long underwear. G... | |
11.11.1948 | 15th wedding anniversary |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. November 11, 1948. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. It's the Burns'... | |
11.18.1948 | whos the boss |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. November 18, 1948. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. Who is the boss... | |
11.25.1948 | turkey swallows a wedding ring | ||
11.25.1948 | thanksgiving program |
+ The Burns and Allen Show. November 25, 1936. KHJ, Sponsored by: Campbell's Tomato Juice, Schaef... | |
12.16.1948 | guest james mason |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. February 17, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. Gracie tells gu... | |
01.06.1949 | guest gregory peck |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. January 6, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. Gracie sees a Gre... | |
01.20.1949 | cesar romero steals bills grlfriend |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. January 20, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. Gracie sees to i... | |
01.27.1949 | gracie plans a unique birthday present for george |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. January 27, 1949. , syndicated. George's birthday is coming up. Grac... | |
02.10.1949 | gracie sends sam spade to jail |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. February 10, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. West coast broa... | |
02.10.1949 | gracie and the girl scouts |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. February 10, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. West coast broa... | |
02.17.1949 | george collects alley cats |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. February 17, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. Gracie tells gu... | |
02.24.1949 | gracie wants george to become a doctor |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. February 24, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. Gracie voluntee... | |
02.24.1949 | gracie wants george to be a doctor |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. February 24, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. Gracie voluntee... | |
03.03.1949 | gracie smashes into a parked car |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. March 3, 1949. , syndicated. Gracie has had a traffic accident with ... | |
03.10.1949 | gracie the girl scout leader |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. March 10, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. The Girl Scouts ar... | |
03.17.1949 | george has a cold |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. March 17, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. George has caught ... | |
03.24.1949 | jayne wyman the academy awards |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. March 24, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. Gracie helps guest... | |
03.31.1949 | how jack benny became cheap |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. March 31, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. A fantasy about "... |
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Steve
Chris
Kelly
Sarah
Milven
Patrick
Jennifer
Gregory
Westfall
Linda
Vickie
Gary
Milven
Sandra
Ralph
Lynne
Gllen
Robert
Tom
Muhammad
Robert
Philip
Cindy
Antoinette
Kenny
Sunny
Janice
Treayvaughan
Treayvaughan
Patrica
stephanie
Elizabeth
Thomas
Nick
Bonnie
Sue
Philip
Sue
Edward
Denise
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Margarat
Carol
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Kevin
Bren
Rochelle
Lalo
Auntwendy
Sandra
Joyce
Sherry
Loren
Robert
Barbra
Betty
Juanita
Dwayne
Paul
Lisa
Mark
Vergell
Mike
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