Burns & Allen on Antenna TV

[Gregg]

I'm pleased to see Antenna TV is now running Burns & Allen, the 1950's sitcom, every weekday. Two episodes air back to back at 3pm Eastern.

Burns & Allen were George Burns and Gracie Allen, a husband and wife vaudeville team who first got a radio show in the 40s and successfully made the transition to TV in the 50s. I know I Love Lucy was a bigger hit but I always thought Burns & Allen was funnier. I don't remember it from its primetime run but growing up, WPIX 11 NYC would run Burns & Allen as one of its many off-network repeats as an independent station. (Ironic that the show comes back on Antenna TV, a subchannel of WPIX in NYC.)

Gracie Allen was a gem. Her comic timing was excellent and to this day, a TV award honoring women in Television is called a "Gracie" after her. Burns & Allen was one of several TV sitcoms in its day where the lead actors basically played themselves (like Jack Benny). George and Gracie had a TV show but we only saw them at their suburban home. Their neighbors were Harry & Blanche Morton (Larry Keating or Fred Clark and Bea Benederet who later starred in Petticoat Junction). Also playing himself was George's announcer, Harry Von Zell. (This created the oddity of two characters on the show with the same first name. I assume Von Zell was made a character in the show as the series went on, often unwittingly becoming part of one of Gracie's scheme.)

Gracie took everything told to her quite literally, creating most of the comedy. She also told silly stories about odd relatives of hers, a feature left over from the couple's vaudeville act. George was a straightman to Gracie's antics. He also gave a monologue during the show, which I thought was a weak aspect but one I'm sure he didn't want to give up.

Like many shows of its day, even though these people were relaxing at home, the men always wore suits and the women were always well-dressed, even wearing pearls while cooking dinner. There's one scene where George is painting a railing in his yard yet he still has a tie on under his smock. Why did they think this was necessary?

The show is so old that everyone is gone now, even the Burns' adopted son Ronnie who was in his 20s during the show and would frequently be dating young women as part of the plot. Thanks Antenna TV for bringing this classic show back.


Gregg
[email protected]

 

[landtuna]

I once saw an interview by Tony Dow ("Wally" on Leave It To Beaver). The same question was posed to him regarding how the cast dressed at home (June Cleaver was almost never seen in anything but dresses and pearls and Ward Cleaver wore his suit and tie or a sweater). Tony's answer was that the writers were under pressure to present a "typical? American household formally for the purpose of convincing unnamed foreign powers (*ahem* - the USSR) how well-off Americans were in comparison. Sounds silly now but that is what he said.

But if you think back to all those crime movies of the 30's and 40's virtually all the good and bad guys played their parts in suits and ties. Even in the serials this was true.

 

[cd637299]

B&A 5x a week now? Cool....I will have to tape it, because I leave for work before then.

As to the dress code, look at crowds at sporting events filmed in the 50s. A far cry from today. Men even wore hats. (Living near Miami, I cannot fathom this during modern Marlins games, with all the humidity!)

Sometimes I (at 52) wonder if people actually wore T-shirts in public back then....I sure don't see that in old documentary films & such.

I suppose that's a thread of its own.

cd

 

[landtuna]

Sometimes I (at 52) wonder if people actually wore T-shirts in public back then....I sure don't see that in old documentary films & such.

I grew up during the 50's and the "uniform of the day" for males was t-shirt and jeans. I started wearing shirts with collars in high school but still wore jeans.

 

[Markxxx]

As much as I adore Gracie Allen and respect George Burns, this TV show is nothing compared to their radio show

If you like this TV show, go to here to the Archive.Org look around and download their radio shows. You can also Google to find more of their Old Time Radio shows.

I guarantee you if, you have a passing interest in the TV show, you will laugh yourself silly at their radio shows. Especially in 1940, when Gracie ran for President.

George) Then there's Roosevelt
Gracie) Who's that?
George) He's the guy you're running against
Gracie) Oh poor guy, what's he gonna do for a living

 

[Gregg]

As for the dress code on 50s sitcoms, I did notice when we'd see a shot of the audience attending a taping of Password or You Bet Your Life, the men in the audience were dressed in jackets and ties. And remember the men on What's My Line wore not just jackets and ties but tuxedos.

I suppose you'd never think to attend a Broadway show without a jacket and tie in those days. I've never worn a jacket and tie to a Broadway show or a game show taping. In fact, when I was a contestant on Millionaire, I simply wore a nice shirt and black slacks.


Gregg
[email protected]

 

[BRNout]

As for the dress code on 50s sitcoms, I did notice when we'd see a shot of the audience attending a taping of Password or You Bet Your Life, the men in the audience were dressed in jackets and ties. And remember the men on What's My Line wore not just jackets and ties but tuxedos.

I suppose you'd never think to attend a Broadway show without a jacket and tie in those days. I've never worn a jacket and tie to a Broadway show or a game show taping. In fact, when I was a contestant on Millionaire, I simply wore a nice shirt and black slacks.


Gregg
[email protected]

Up until the mid 1970s, people dressed up (men in jacket and tie) to take a flight on a commercial airliner.

And yes, they dressed up to go to ballgames too - but that ended during the 60s. I know that the ballgame dress code had changed by 1971 because my dad took me to a World Series game in Baltimore and nobody wore a suit.

On the other hand, I vividly remember these hippies who headed up the stairs past us - to the top of the top of the stadium. The guy had long hair and a long beard with a vest and no shirt and his girlfriend was dressed in the stereotypical hippie style. He sounded like Shaggy from Scooby Doo - "whoa man, these seats are in the sky!"

Anyhow, I didn't see too many people in ties on that warm day......

 

[radioman148]

I gotta check out B & A. Haven't seen it in years.

 

[cd637299]

They are into 1953 as of this writing....

Commercial time has butchered the show, to say the least. I don't know if it started later in the run or not, but wasn't there always the "epilogue" where George & Gracie ham it up in front of a curtain? ("Say goodnight, Gracie"/"Goodnight, Gracie")---that is not on these episodes----right into the closing credits.

cd

 

[easttxtv]

I've seen several old clips of local foot traffic in different downtowns from the Burns-Allen era, and most everyone was dressing up to go shopping or to visit a movie theatre, much less traveling by train or plane. It's too f-in hot around my area to be dressing up for shopping or traveling now!

Regarding nice clothing in public, one of the times I was struck by it was through clips of the 1963 pilot ep of Let's Make a Deal shown during E's True Hollywood Story of the game show. I couldn't believe anyone saved the pilot, to start with, but everyone in the near and far audience was in suits/ties/nice dresses, no costumes, no signs. Fortunately, the stodgyness of that early ep wore off with time, otherwise I don't think LMAD would have lasted half as long.

 

[cd637299]

I've seen several old clips of local foot traffic in different downtowns from the Burns-Allen era, and most everyone was dressing up to go shopping or to visit a movie theatre, much less traveling by train or plane. It's too f-in hot around my area to be dressing up for shopping or traveling now!

Regarding nice clothing in public, one of the times I was struck by it was through clips of the 1963 pilot ep of Let's Make a Deal shown during E's True Hollywood Story of the game show. I couldn't believe anyone saved the pilot, to start with, but everyone in the near and far audience was in suits/ties/nice dresses, no costumes, no signs. Fortunately, the stodgyness of that early ep wore off with time, otherwise I don't think LMAD would have lasted half as long.

The LMAD pilot was shown on GSN and is on YouTube. Story went that LMAD had no plans for costumes, but one day somebody showed up in costume, Monty picked her/him, and folk noticed and decided that *that* was the way to get picked---the rest is history.

cd

 

[azumanga]

The LMAD pilot was shown on GSN and is on YouTube. Story went that LMAD had no plans for costumes, but one day somebody showed up in costume, Monty picked her/him, and folk noticed and decided that *that* was the way to get picked---the rest is history.

Actually, the story went that it started with someone carrying a sign asking Monty to pick that contestant. When everybody began to carry signs, someone wore a funny hat. And when everyone wore funny hats, it went to costumes. And from there, the rest is history.

 

[cd637299]

The LMAD pilot was shown on GSN and is on YouTube. Story went that LMAD had no plans for costumes, but one day somebody showed up in costume, Monty picked her/him, and folk noticed and decided that *that* was the way to get picked---the rest is history.

Actually, the story went that it started with someone carrying a sign asking Monty to pick that contestant. When everybody began to carry signs, someone wore a funny hat. And when everyone wore funny hats, it went to costumes. And from there, the rest is history.

Fair enough....

cd

 

[bpatrick]

They are into 1953 as of this writing....

Commercial time has butchered the show, to say the least. I don't know if it started later in the run or not, but wasn't there always the "epilogue" where George & Gracie ham it up in front of a curtain? ("Say goodnight, Gracie"/"Goodnight, Gracie")---that is not on these episodes----right into the closing credits.

cd

I used to watch Burns and Allen on the Family Channel in the '80s and never remember Gracie saying anything but "Goodnight," absolutely straight, when George said, "Say goodnight, Gracie." Maybe at one time in vaudeville or radio she said "Goodnight, Gracie," but I always associate that particular comeback with Rowan and Martin; Dan Rowan would say, "Say goodnight, Dick," and Dick Martin would answer, "Goodnight, Dick."

For a time George and Gracie would do a short bit standing on what I suppose was their back porch; later these were expanded into full-fledged routines in front of a curtain, wherein Gracie would talk about one of her bizarre "relatives." Before the commercial that ran before their routine, Yvonne Lime would always say, "Yes, they'll be right back and do one of their routines for you."

 

[The King Bee]

George: "Gracie, didn't kleptomainiacs run in your family?"
Gracie: "They had to!"

You'd best listen to Burns and Allen really closely...their timing was so impeccable you'll miss five jokes, then roar with laughter when your brain catches up with them!

 

[Tim L]

The LMAD pilot was shown on GSN and is on YouTube. Story went that LMAD had no plans for costumes, but one day somebody showed up in costume, Monty picked her/him, and folk noticed and decided that *that* was the way to get picked---the rest is history.

Actually, the story went that it started with someone carrying a sign asking Monty to pick that contestant. When everybody began to carry signs, someone wore a funny hat. And when everyone wore funny hats, it went to costumes. And from there, the rest is history.

Fair enough....

cd

I just listened today to a recent archive interview Monty Hall did with Stu Shostak of Shokus Internet Radio..That was exactly how the costumes came about..Hall is nearing 90 years of age, and he sounds as sharp as ever..

BTW, Go to shokusradio.com and check out their archive..Lots of great 2-hour interviews about TV, Cartoons, Game Shows, etc. dating back to late 2006..

 

[Markxxx]

Up until the mid 1970s, people dressed up (men in jacket and tie) to take a flight on a commercial airliner.

And yes, they dressed up to go to ballgames too - but that ended during the 60s. I know that the ballgame dress code had changed by 1971 because my dad took me to a World Series game in Baltimore and nobody wore a suit.

On the other hand, I vividly remember these hippies who headed up the stairs past us - to the top of the top of the stadium. The guy had long hair and a long beard with a vest and no shirt and his girlfriend was dressed in the stereotypical hippie style. He sounded like Shaggy from Scooby Doo - "whoa man, these seats are in the sky!"

Anyhow, I didn't see too many people in ties on that warm day......

Remember the I Love Lucy episode and Lucy gets a loving cup stuck on her head. And Ethel says she can't go on the subway in her blue jeans. And Lucy explains with a loving cup on her head it'd be highly unlikely anyone would notice her blue jeans. And Ethel replies she's never been on the subway in her blue jeans and isn't about to start now.

 

[Markxxx]

They are into 1953 as of this writing....

Commercial time has butchered the show, to say the least. I don't know if it started later in the run or not, but wasn't there always the "epilogue" where George & Gracie ham it up in front of a curtain? ("Say goodnight, Gracie"/"Goodnight, Gracie")---that is not on these episodes----right into the closing credits.

cd

I used to watch Burns and Allen on the Family Channel in the '80s and never remember Gracie saying anything but "Goodnight," absolutely straight, when George said, "Say goodnight, Gracie." Maybe at one time in vaudeville or radio she said "Goodnight, Gracie," but I always associate that particular comeback with Rowan and Martin; Dan Rowan would say, "Say goodnight, Dick," and Dick Martin would answer, "Goodnight, Dick."

You're correct. I read the books by George Burns and he gives two different versions of why that joke wasn't used. He said in one book that the reason Gracie never said, "Goodnight Gracie" was simply no one ever thought of it. Kind of hard to believe but that is the reason he gave.

In another book George Burns said the reason Gracie never said, "Good Night Gracie" was at the end of the show she stopped being a character and was herself. And Gracie Allen wouldn't say something that stupid.

I am a big fan of Burns and Allen, and I have listened to every radio show of theirs I can find and I never heard her say "Goodnight Gracie," even in accident.

 

[Markxxx]

George: "Gracie, didn't kleptomainiacs run in your family?"
Gracie: "They had to!"

You'd best listen to Burns and Allen really closely...their timing was so impeccable you'll miss five jokes, then roar with laughter when your brain catches up with them!

From their radio show.

Gracie) You know George my uncle invented a burglar alarm.
George) Was it successful?
Gracie) Oh yes, every day it woke him up at midnight to go to work