“The most important thing in acting is honesty. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”
— George Burns
I feel so fortunate that I am old enough to remember George Burns as still being a public figure and entertainer. He died in 1996 at the age of 100 years old, and he worked right up to the end. An old vaudeville warhorse … the changes he saw in his own profession … and how he adjusted … and yet how he still kept his own style … It’s sad to think that all those who remember vaudeville, who were THERE … are gone.
Happy birthday, George!
Back in the day, I read his biography (was it called, “Say good night, Gracie”? I don’t remember. Anyhoo.) and there’s the funniest story about how he would have little “flings” with starlets, then feel so guilty he would buy Gracie a piece of silver for her collection. When Jack Benny’s wife asked her why she didn’t confront him, or put a stop to it, Gracie said, “Well, I would, but I need a new centerpiece.”
Haahahahaahaaha!
Come on Sheila! You use a Hirschfeld drawing to anchor the Happy Birthday post, but it’s not big enough for us to count the Ninas.
Don’t you realize you have people trying to slack off from work reading this? On a Friday, no less?
The nerve!
(Opens MS Outlook to read scintillating work-related email.)
Lisa, that’s a great story. Some people just don’t have to work at being funny.
And speaking of funny…imagine being a fly on the wall at a gathering where George, Gracie and Jack Benny are standing around shooting the sh*t…
While I am old enough to remember Geoge being still being in the public eye, sometimes I wish I was old enough to remember George and Gracie.
If you read some of the old stuff they did, it’s amazingly. Gracie was so smart and so sharp and so good at playing dumb. If you’ve ever read up on her “political campaign for president” you get some idea of her genius. The pair were outstanding.
I feel obligated to make sure my kids know who these people are. In the same way my dad made sure we knew who John Wayne was.
Love the quote you picked. HA!
Cullen – yeah, I’m a little bit sorrowful that I don’t remember the two of them together as well. So amazing!
george Burns explained their act this way, “I just asked her questions and Gracie talked for forty years.”
Alex – hahahaha
But doesn’t he normally sign it with a little number next to his name so we know how many Ninas to look for?? In this drawing, I didn’t see the number … hmmmmmm
You’re right, Sheila, but based on the story of the Ninas in Hirshfeld’s wiki bio, he may have only added the number to his sig when there was more than one Nina present. If this George Burns drawing only has one Nina, then I found it.
Hirschfeld’s drawings are so great.
the old episodes of the Burns and Allen show are soooooooo good…pre-Seinfeld(wayyy)sit-com about nothing…favorite exchange…George and Gracie were sitting in their living room …i think he was reading the paper and she was knitting..it was silent..until:
Gracie: George.
George: Yes, Gracie?
Gracie: Remember when i had my tonsils out?
George: Yes I do Gracie..what about it?
Gracie: ‘Member?
…back to silence with a brief, unadorned glance right at the camera from George.
I think i saw that 20 something years ago..never forgot it. Also i saw George Burns in concert at the Warwick Musical Tent(‘member that place Rhode Islanders?) with my grandmother…Connie Stevens and her daughters (with Eddie Fisher) were his opening act. George was brilliant..jokes, cigar, songs, soft-shoe…like an old friend in ur living room…Connie and her daughters did a never-ending version of Take It to the Limit by the Eagles…all wearing different Easter-egg colored versions of the same clingy 70’s dress…pure. liquid. joy.
who was cooler than bessie??? she took you to see all the greats! you’re so lucky!
i loved our dates! Tom Jones,Sammy Davis,Rich Little,Englebert Humperdink,Liberace with Andrea McCardle as an opener,Barbara Mandrell, Steve and Eydie…all the greats!
I’m old enough to remember Burns and Allen on TV. We watched them every week. My grandfather, who was in vaudeville even looked somewhat like George Burns. He (Burns) was definitely one of a kind. His devotion to Gracie, even after her death, was very touching.