Gracie Allen had two different colored eyes, one blue and one green, though you can't tell in a black & white movie like this. What's weird here is George without a cigar. I don't know if I ever saw that before.
Wow, were they young here! So charming....no wonder they stayed popular right through stage, motion pictures, radio and television. Gracie began as an Irish dancer which is why she dances so well.
thank God for Youtube so that younger generations will have the luxury of being able to view such great comic talent like Burns and Allen. The amazing thing is that during their long career neither Mr. Burns nor Miss Allen had to resort to using profanity to make their audiences laugh.
This was George & Gracie's initial appearance on film {staged at the VItaphone studio in Brooklyn}. Fred Allen was supposed to star in this short, but was unavailable at the last minute. George immediately accepted the studio's offer to substitute for Allen- so fast, in fact, that he didn't even have time to put his toupee on [this is why he keeps his hat on during the entire short]....
...and to justify the fact this film was originally intended to take place in someone's living room, George devised the business at the beginning of him and Gracie looking around for the audience, before he notices "us", informs Gracie "we're" watching, and goes right into their routine.
Interesting short - B & A danced with Fred Astaire in his movie "A Damsel in Distress" and I remember them dancing a little on their TV show in the 50s.
It seems like Burns had just as many funny lines as Allen, even though he was supposed to be the straight man. I liked the way they delivered their lines and the way they acknowledged the audience in the beginning. The ending was charming, too. An excellent film debut.
These two were brilliant. It's no wonder that they enjoyed the fame they did. It's fascinating to see what brought them (eventually) to their TV fame decades later. It's not just the material; it's the delivery! They're so wonderful together... Thanks for posting this!
Gracie Allen had two different colored eyes, one blue and one green, though you can't tell in a black & white movie like this. What's weird here is George without a cigar. I don't know if I ever saw that before.
RRaquello 2 days ago
Beautiful.
PJBGORDON 2 days ago
Wow, were they young here! So charming....no wonder they stayed popular right through stage, motion pictures, radio and television. Gracie began as an Irish dancer which is why she dances so well.
Lampshade51 1 week ago
This is over 80 years old and still funny.
MattTheSaiyan 1 month ago
Gracie was so darling. George had to be thankful every day he found her, or his career would never have been what it was! Love watching them.
cards0486 1 month ago
Researching for the expansion of TV Trope's page on the National Film Registry.
Best Job Ever.
GargusSCP 2 months ago
thank God for Youtube so that younger generations will have the luxury of being able to view such great comic talent like Burns and Allen. The amazing thing is that during their long career neither Mr. Burns nor Miss Allen had to resort to using profanity to make their audiences laugh.
newbeginxyz 3 months ago 2
Best clip on youtube tonight for me. I'm a fan of B&A!
mrscardinal1 3 months ago
We will never see great talent like this again. Simple, but Classic!!
ldFlorida 3 months ago
@nutsaboutclara
Our loss.
blacsouljah 4 months ago
An incredible piece of history..thank you
MarkLemonds 4 months ago
The music that introduced this short was a popular tune at the time, "In the Hush of the Night".
fromthesidelines 4 months ago
This is precious! Gracie is a Doll! Thanks for posting.
GPa2010 5 months ago 2
@PhantomMistress2 same gere, 18 in less than a month.
OldTelivisionRocks 5 months ago in playlist My Blog
Genius, in the simple honest way that only these two could give us... BRAVO for Gracie Allen's first appearance. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
RogerBarrettLives 6 months ago
So young, the both of them!
DelilahThePig 6 months ago
when I was a kid the BBC braodcast their radio show, we loved it, this was in England in the 50's
we had a Tv about 1954 and I seem to remember them from Tv too./ but later on.
brilliant!
bluedoris88 7 months ago
CLASSIC!!!!! Thanks!!!!!
585michael 7 months ago
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This was George & Gracie's initial appearance on film {staged at the VItaphone studio in Brooklyn}. Fred Allen was supposed to star in this short, but was unavailable at the last minute. George immediately accepted the studio's offer to substitute for Allen- so fast, in fact, that he didn't even have time to put his toupee on [this is why he keeps his hat on during the entire short]....
fromthesidelines 7 months ago
...and to justify the fact this film was originally intended to take place in someone's living room, George devised the business at the beginning of him and Gracie looking around for the audience, before he notices "us", informs Gracie "we're" watching, and goes right into their routine.
fromthesidelines 7 months ago
George isn't that bad at singing. ;) But a comedian needs to beat himself up somehow.
OldTelivisionRocks 7 months ago
Interesting short - B & A danced with Fred Astaire in his movie "A Damsel in Distress" and I remember them dancing a little on their TV show in the 50s.
WSenator1 9 months ago
Gracie had such a pretty singing voice.
Setebos 9 months ago
Gracie is a splendid singer! Good dancer! PERFECT delivery of her lines!
tomtowle 10 months ago
Gracie's just so adorable!
Veggieman87 1 year ago 16
It seems like Burns had just as many funny lines as Allen, even though he was supposed to be the straight man. I liked the way they delivered their lines and the way they acknowledged the audience in the beginning. The ending was charming, too. An excellent film debut.
jfab64 1 year ago 2
I'd cook your favorite dish gefilte fish or Irish stew... Forget me nuts.... Anything that wasn't nailed down... LAMB CHOPS!!@LOL
rustydog1236 1 year ago
These two were brilliant. It's no wonder that they enjoyed the fame they did. It's fascinating to see what brought them (eventually) to their TV fame decades later. It's not just the material; it's the delivery! They're so wonderful together... Thanks for posting this!
ClarasBeau 1 year ago 11
@ClarasBeau They were also famous on this thing called radio before TV was invented...
AndrewGilmore1986 4 months ago 2
@ClarasBeau DITTO!!!!! =D
nuts4clara 2 months ago
Exquisite -3
shimmeroflight 1 year ago