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Main Characters:
George Burns as George Burns, Gracie's rational,
albeit denying husband.
Gracie Allen as Gracie Allen, George's ignorant
and naïve wife.
 
Overview:
Nominated for 9 Emmys, the 'Burns and Allen'
show was a breakthrough for its time. Predating the infamous
lady of laughter, Lucille Ball, Gracie Allen 'graced' the
stage with what would become the stock type of the 'dumb
blonde' and emerge the first major comedienne of Classic
TV. Done with panache, however, Gracie's ignorance became
the driving force for the comedic series as George stands
idly by, observing and commentating on his wife's foreseen
tragedies spurn by her naiveté and flippancy.
"The George Burns and Gracie Allen" show is
structured so that a uniform format always contrives the
expected comedic humor. The show generally commences with
a pontificating Burns who is usually doing his manly deeds
of smoking a cigar and reflecting on Gracie's most recent
or upcoming snafu. Generally this section, the opening of
the show, is structured as an interactive dialogue between
the audience and Burns and he consistently uses trite phrases,
one-liners, etc. to evoke laughter from the audience on
behalf of his unveiling of Gracie's latest mishap. This
section of the show is very much resonant to the stand-in
comedy shows and performances of TV; think the Apollo staged
on a set: the dialogue is scripted but the delivery seems
improv and conversational.
Next the show generally pans to Gracie who
is either engaging in, or planning her latest scheme to
meddle in other's lives. From her decision to find her seamstress
a fiancée for a trip to Hawaii, who coincidentally happens
to be a happily married woman (and of course Gracie knows
this but thinks nothing of it), to her acquiescing her neighbors
important work documents, Gracie is constantly getting in
the way of things by means of her naïve, overly bubbly,
good intentioned, albeit dumb-blonde persona. In a word,
Gracie spells D-I-T-S-Y.
As George returns sporadically to comment
and expand his dialogue with the audiences, so too does
he leave the guests awaiting his conversations with his
wife. Now much of the humor evoked from their interactions
of course is the observance that Gracie, though dumb, mousy,
and sweet as sugar, seems to hold this imaginary yet tangible
power over her rational, successful, seemingly confident
husband, George. In a sense, George is absolutely terrified
of upsetting her and or steers clear, as often as possible,
of trying to logically reveal to Gracie the 'stupidity'
of her actions. Nevertheless often fireworks, chaos, and
a witty, albeit peroxide-infused dialogue of puns, intended
misinterpretations and other word play conventions ensues
between Burns and Allen in their depiction of bourgeois
marital bliss.
Another primary component of the show is sponsorship.
Being the highly popular show that it was, Carnation got
in on the marketing aspect of the series and made Burn's
character an employee of the Carnation Company. In every
episode there is a classic 1950's add for Carnation evaporated
milk (promoted as the first breakthrough baby formula),
and often either Burns, a coworker, etc. will make a reference
to the company throughout the shows airtime. Though not
intended as a hefty portion of the plot, nor ever, generally,
referred to in a comedic way, Carnation was nevertheless
a pervasive element of the 'Burns and Allen' show.
Another dominant figure in the show was Blanche
Morton (Bea Benaderet) who figures as the nosy, occasionally
uptight, neighbor and primary female figure to contrast
with Gracie. Often the episodes focus on Blanche and Gracie's
union as they embark on some ridiculous escapade much to
the demise of their embarrassed husbands.
Though Gracie may be hard to swallow for today's
modern woman, so too can she be an absolute enjoyment if
one so chooses to revel in feeling superior, which one might
argue was the intended construction of her character, over
Gracie's ditsy, clueless, meddling persona. This of course
is where the genius and wit of the 'Burns and Allen' lay;
in Gracie's smooth, incessant, graceful, even effortless
portrayal of the fast-talking, nonsensical, ignorant domestic
housewife interested above all in the goodly doctrines of
conservative female domesticity. In fact, often, her plans
to reinforce the roles of 'good housewife' fail, and by
failing, undermine the philosophical doctrines of the cult
of domesticity which is a very brilliant, though subtle
way for the show to expose itself as a revolutionary series
of its time. Through humor, wit, adherence, and even the
promotion of (even if it is a bit tongue and cheek) cultural
norms of the time, the 'Burns and Allen' show was able to
humorously critique certain societal expectations all the
while having the audience laugh at its own 'great' expectations
being flip-flopped, silly-sallied, and bamboozled all the
same.
Awards:
Nominated for 9 Emmys:
1957- Best Continuing Performance by a Comedienne
in a Series (Gracie Allen)
1956- Best Actress-Continuing Performance
(Gracie Allen)
1955- Best Actress Starring in a Regular Series
(Gracie Allen) / Best Supporting Actress in a Regular Series
(Bea Benaderet) / Best Situation Comedy Series
1954- Best Series Supporting Actress (BB)
/ Best Situation Comedy
1953- Best Situation Comedy
1952- Best Comedy Show
Minor Characters and Credited Cast:
Doris Packers as Mrs. Sohmers/ Millicent Sommers
Robert Ellis as Ralph
Jack Benny as Jack Benny
Ralph Dumke as Mr. McAfee
Robert Easton as Brian McAfee.
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