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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12.28.1943 | john garfield |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. December 28, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. George has wr... | |
12.21.1943 | playing santa claus |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. December 21, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. Gracie and gu... | |
12.16.1943 | kay kaysers blind date | ||
12.07.1943 | ida lupino plays a housewife |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. December 7, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. The program o... | |
11.30.1943 | charles boyer as tex |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. November 30, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. Gracie has a ... | |
11.23.1943 | secret lover of loretta young |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. November 23, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. Gracie has wr... | |
11.16.1943 | guest walter pidgeon |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. November 16, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. Guest Walter ... | |
11.09.1943 | blackmailing jack |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. November 9, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap, Spry. George h... | |
11.09.1943 | blackmailing jack benny |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. November 9, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap, Spry. George h... | |
11.02.1943 | gracie wants george to be on jacks show |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. November 2, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap, Spry. Gracie c... | |
10.26.1943 | guest hedy lamarr |
+ The Burns and Allen Show. October 26, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. Tootsie Sagwell is trying t... | |
10.19.1943 | gracie talks with miss pringle |
+ The Burns and Allen Show. October 19, 1943. CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. Guest Pat O'Bri... | |
10.15.1943 | the wrecked car |
+ Gracie asks George if she can take the car out but he is worried as she is not a good driver. He e... | |
10.12.1943 | eddie cantor stays for dinner |
+ The Burns and Allen Show. October 12, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. George meets guest Eddie Can... | |
10.05.1943 | cowboy love tales |
+ The Burns and Allen Show. October 5, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. Gracie suspects George is int... | |
09.28.1943 | guest ann sheridan |
+ The Burns and Allen Show. September 28, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. Is Bill Goodwin in love wi... | |
09.21.1943 | guest ray miland |
+ The Burns and Allen Show. September 21, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap, Vimms. Tootsie Sagwell is ... | |
09.14.1943 | guest brian donlevy |
+ The Burns and Allen Show. September 14, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap, Vimms. George tries to get... | |
09.07.1943 | shortage of husbands |
+ The Burns and Allen Show. September 7, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. Gracie discovers that there... | |
08.31.1943 | guest frank sinatra |
+ The Burns and Allen Show. August 31, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap, Vimms. The first show of the ... | |
06.29.1943 | amnesia |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. June 29, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. "The Happy Pos... | |
06.22.1943 | love potion |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. June 22, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. Gracie buys a lov... | |
06.08.1943 | gracie and tootsie work for millionaire playboy |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. June 8, 1943. CBS net origination, AFRS (Special Services)... | |
06.01.1943 | gracie appears in traffic court |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. June 1, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. Gracie gets a park... | |
05.25.1943 | george runs for the school board |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. May 25, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. George tries to ge... |
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Patrick
Jennifer
Gregory
Westfall
Linda
Vickie
Gary
Milven
Sandra
Ralph
Lynne
Gllen
Robert
Tom
Muhammad
Robert
Philip
Cindy
Antoinette
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Elaine
Margarat
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Kevin
Bren
Rochelle
Lalo
Auntwendy
Sandra
Joyce
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Loren
Robert
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Betty
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Lisa
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BURNS AND ALLEN
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