George Burns

From Grokipedia

George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896 – March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, singer, and published author renowned for his nearly century-long career in entertainment, spanning vaudeville, radio, television, and film.

Born in New York City to Orthodox Jewish immigrant parents Louis Birnbaum and Dora Bluth, Burns was the ninth of twelve children and began performing as a child singer in a vaudeville quartet at age eight, later working as a roller-skater and dance instructor under various stage names before adopting "George Burns" in 1916.

In 1923, he formed a comedy duo with Irish-American performer Gracie Allen, whom he met while both were struggling in vaudeville; they married in 1926 and adopted two children, Sandra in 1934 and Ronald in 1935, while refining their act with Burns as the bemused straight man to Allen's scatterbrained comic persona, which propelled them to stardom.

The duo transitioned to radio with The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show from 1932 to 1950, achieving massive popularity that led to their CBS television adaptation from 1950 to 1958, where Burns innovated by breaking the fourth wall and integrating sponsors into the narrative; Allen retired due to a heart condition in 1958 and died of a heart attack in 1964, aged 62.

Burns revived his solo career in the 1970s, earning widespread acclaim for his role as faded vaudevillian Al Lewis in the 1975 film The Sunshine Boys, which won him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor at age 80—the oldest recipient at the time—and he later portrayed God in the Oh, God! film trilogy (1977, 1980, 1984), while continuing to perform live, release albums, and author ten books on longevity and happiness, including How to Live to Be 100—or More!: The Ultimate Diet, Sex, and Exercise Book (At My Age, Sex Gets Second Billing) in 1983.

He performed until days before his death from cardiac arrest in Beverly Hills, California, at age 100, leaving a legacy as one of the most enduring figures in American comedy.

In brief

George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896 – March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film, and television. His arched eyebrow and cigar-smoke punctuation became familiar trademarks. He and his wife Gracie Allen appeared on radio, television and film as the comedy duo Burns and Allen.

At age 79, Burns experienced a sudden career revival as an amiable, beloved, and unusually active comedy elder statesman in the 1975 film The Sunshine Boys, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.