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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10.10.1944 | george wants to buy a lot |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. October 10, 1944. Program #51. CBS net origination, AFRS r... | |
09.23.1940 | george writes a newspaper column |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. September 23, 1940. Sponsored by: Spam, Hormel Chili Con ... | |
09.05.1946 | georges allergies | ||
09.19.1946 | georges birthday |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. September 19, 1946. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee, Birdseye Foods... | |
05.09.1944 | georges door to door campaign | ||
02.21.1946 | georges job in washington |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. February 21, 1946. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee, Jell-O (with th... | |
05.22.1940 | georges malady |
+ The Hinds Honey and Almond Cream Program. May 22, 1940. Sponsored by: Hinds Honey and Almond Crea... | |
08.05.1940 | georges movie |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. August 5, 1940. Sponsored by: Spam, Hormel Chile Con Carn... | |
01.11.1950 | getting a movie contract |
+ The Ammident Show. January 11, 1950. Sponsored by: Ammident, Minipoo Shampoo. Gracie tries to get... | |
11.07.1946 | getting frank sinatra |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. November 7, 1946. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee, Birdseye Foods. ... | |
02.22.1950 | going to the races |
+ The Ammident Show. February 22, 1950. Sponsored by: Ammident, Minipoo Shampoo. A visit to the rac... | |
08.12.1940 | gold rush gracie |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. August 12, 1940. Sponsored by: Hormel. The first tune is,... | |
02.02.1943 | good help is hard to find |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. February 2, 1943. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. Despite the la... | |
02.28.1940 | government jobs |
+ The Hinds Honey and Almond Cream Program. February 28, 1940. Sponsored by: Hinds Honey and Almond... | |
05.19.1949 | gracie adopts mickey rooney |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. May 19, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. Gracie has decided t... | |
10.17.1946 | gracie and current events |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. October 17, 1946. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee, Birdseye Foods. ... | |
04.28.1949 | gracie and the county fair |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. April 28, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. George has been ba... | |
02.10.1949 | gracie and the girl scouts |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. February 10, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. West coast broa... | |
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... | |
12.02.1936 | gracie as a dramatic actor |
+ The Burns and Allen Show. December 2, 1936. Sponsored by: Campbell's Soup. Tony sings, "It's Love... | |
12.12.1946 | gracie baby sits |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. December 12, 1946. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee, La France Bluin... | |
11.17.1942 | gracie buys a live turkey |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. November 17, 1942. Sponsored by: Swan Soap, Spry. Tootsie... | |
02.27.1947 | gracie didnt pay the bills |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. February 27, 1947. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. Gracie decides ... | |
N/A | gracie cons george |
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BURNS AND ALLEN
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