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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10.28.1940 | george tries to get out of doing broadcast |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. October 28, 1940. Sponsored by: Spam, Hormel Chili Con Ca... | |
10.17.1944 | george thinks he dented the car fender |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. October 17, 1944. Program #52. CBS net origination, AFRS r... | |
09.26.1944 | george the plumber |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. September 26, 1944. Program #49. CBS net origination, AFRS... | |
03.21.1944 | george the genius |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. March 21, 1944. CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. Geo... | |
11.01.1945 | george the butler |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. October 25, 1945. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee, Jell-O Pudding. ... | |
11.14.1944 | george sings at a bond rally in boston |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. November 14, 1944. CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. ... | |
03.14.1946 | george sells chicken farm |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. March 14, 1946. Gracie decides to start a matrimonial bureau. Last w... | |
04.15.1948 | george sees green eyed monster |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. April 15, 1948. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. George is worried ... | |
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... | |
06.25.1945 | george prepares to entertain troops |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. June 25, 1945. Sponsored by: Swan Soap. George and Gracie... | |
09.09.1940 | george owes money |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. September 9, 1940. Sponsored by: Spam, Hormel Chili Con C... | |
05.12.1949 | george on television |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. May 12, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. Guest Marie McDonald... | |
09.16.1940 | george needs a guest |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. September 16, 1940. Sponsored by: Spam, Hormel Chili Con ... | |
08.19.1940 | george late for show |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. August 19, 1940. Sponsored by: Hormel. George is "late" f... | |
11.08.1945 | george lands movie part as wolf |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. November 8, 1945. Program #96. , AFRS rebroadcast. George becomes conv... | |
11.08.1941 | george lands a movie role | ||
04.22.1948 | george is talked out of buying roses for gracie |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. April 22, 1948. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. Gracie performs de... | |
09.02.1940 | george is on trial |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. September 2, 1940. Sponsored by: Spam, Hormel Chili Con C... | |
09.30.1940 | george is kidnapped |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. September 30, 1940. Sponsored by: Spam. George is still o... | |
04.29.1948 | george is finally getting a new car |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. April 29, 1948. , syndicated. After a three-year wait, George's new ... | |
11.22.1945 | george inherits five thousand dollars |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. November 22, 1945. , AFRS rebroadcast. Uncle Marvin has left George $5... | |
03.17.1949 | george has a cold |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. March 17, 1949. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. George has caught ... | |
11.29.1945 | george goes to college |
+ Maxwell House Coffee Time. November 29, 1945. NBC net, KFI, Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee, ... | |
04.02.1945 | george goes rabbit hunting | ||
12.09.1940 | george gets a black eye |
+ The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. December 9, 1940. Sponsored by: Spam, Hormel Chili Con C... |
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Gregory
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Lynne
Gllen
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Robert
Barbra
Betty
Juanita
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Lisa
Mark
Vergell
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BURNS AND ALLEN
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