The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show

Back in the days before supermarket tabloids, there was a story that most Hollywood insiders already knew. George Burns and Gracie Allen, two stage performers who had made their names in the post-vaudeville era, loved each other. For real. Keeping in mind that this wonderful show is often contrasted to I LOVE LUCY -- where the stars ended up in one of the most public divorces Hollywood has ever seen -- that fact is worth remembering. Also worth remembering is that Burns basically played himself. And in his case, playing himself meant playing of the most charming, talented, and gifted storytellers in the world. George Burns practically invented comic timing. And he was a well-liked individual. (So well liked that years later when they were casting the role of GOD, giving him the part was a no-brainer!). Also interesting is the use of the hidden camera to watch the other characters. Not only a "show inside a show," but anticipating a trend that was decades away. Marshall McLuhan was a young man when this show aired, but somehow you know he watched it. Bottom line, not merely a show, a piece of history. With commercials. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

There is something which has baffled me for years...why didn't this get into the syndication game from the start? We might never know for sure. But I am emphatically sure of is that THE GEORGE BURNS AND GRACIE ALLEN SHOW was and still is: the Best Comedy of All Time!

Yes, and it is all about Gracie. George Burns was a genius to impart the most wonderfully funny lines to Gracie. Gracie brought the most wonderful rendition of the "Dumb Dora" characterization to its zenith.

Her delivery of the most convoluted lines and the daffiest situations will never be equaled. She never broke character saying the most over-the-top dialogues. Having watched each of the almost 300 episodes several times and have come away with the most delightful laughter, I feel healthier.

If I get to reach old age, I will know that it was Gracie's character that has unequivocally been my fountain-of-youth medicine.

Now that the shows are everywhere online, I seldom go to my practically comprehensive DVD collection of the matchless classics. It is almost a daily obsession for me to get a dosage of this remarkable program.

Publicly, I want to acknowledge just how wonderful this program has become...and I want to thank the memories of George Burns and Gracie Allen for bringing so much delightful laughter and happiness to my life.

I'm sure that Rose, the character that Betty White played in Golden Girls , was based on Gracie Allen.

This show was, please don't kill me for saying this, even better than "I Love Lucy". Lucy was good, but this was better. Gracie and Blanche(Bea Benederett, voice of Betty Rubble and original choice for Ethel Mertz) would pull one crazy stunt after another. Meanwhile Bill Goodwin(later replaced by Harry Von Zell) would attract all the girls, and George would step out of the scene to narrate(A technique now used in the Disney cartoon show "The Weekenders"). Gracie's "Illogical logic", as George called it, cracks you up every time. By the way, the radio version featured music of Meredith Wilson(famous for writing "The Music Man").

I love to watch the Burns and Allen show as it is one to the unique shows that we had. Gracie and George were the perfect couple. You had to laugh as she took things so to there meaning and it worked perfect. I sometimes watch the 70's show and in a way Red and Kitty almost seem to be them in another era but still not exactly the same. I just find that their looks like Kitty's hair and Red even has a similar look like George. Back to George and Gracie now. I would love to have all their shows, especially the ones with that TV that could George could see what was going on in the show. That is something that really was to cool. I hope to see them release all their shows as I have only a few and wish that all were on DVD. One more thing I feel that if the show was aired more often and some people would show it to their children, it could bring a new light. I know this as when I show it on DVD to my kids they are older like 17 and up really start to get into it after a few shows. Hurry for Burns and Allen, and also their neighbors too.