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140 pages

English

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I Love Her, That's Why! first published in 1955, is an entertaining look at the earlier life and career of comedian George Burns and his wife Gracie Allen. From humble beginnings in New York, Burns and Allen went on to become much-loved stars of stage, radio, television, and the big-screen, one of the few entertainers to be successful in each venue. The book begins with Burns' childhood and early struggles in vaudeville before he meets Gracie Allen. Burns then details his efforts to win her affections; their marriage and adoptions of two children; radio, film, and TV productions (including the script for their television series). Included are 16 pages of illustrations.

Sujets

Performing Arts

Biography

Entertainment

Autobiography

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Publié par	eBookIt.com
Date de parution	01 février 2021
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781456636425
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	2 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0050€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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I Love Her, That's Why! An Autobiography
by George Burns
Subjects: Autobiography -- Actors; Entertainers; Comedians

First published in 1955
This edition published by Reading Essentials
Victoria, BC Canada with branch offices in the Czech Republic and Germany
For.ullstein@gmail.com
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except in the case of excerpts by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

I LOVE HER, THAT’S WHY !
An Autobiography

by George Burns

with Cynthia Hobart Lindsay

PROLOGUE
MY NAME is Jack Benny. I am an actor, a comedian, and a frustrated violinist. I am not a writer. I have a bunch of fellows who generally do this for me very well. But this particular job I wanted to do myself because I am what you might call an authority on the subject. George Burns is my closest friend. He may deny this, but it’s true.
As I say, it is difficult for me to express myself in writing, for usually when I’m on-stage I emphasize a joke or story by pausing and looking at the audience. As I cannot very well do this with you readers, I thought I might use a device to indicate a pause. Like this: Now about George Burns; I haven’t read the book yet, but I know what’s in it. It’s an old story to me, with a few new twists. George never tells a story the same way twice. This is to lull you into a false sense of security so you won’t think you’ve heard it before and stop him. Knowing George as well as I do, I could almost have written this book myself. Almost , meaning that I probably should have. Some of the episodes I am sure are true. Some of them will have a basis of truth and then will develop into the damnedest lies you have ever read. The reason for this is, he has told these stories so many times to the same people that he has to embellish each episode and find a new finish. Some of the stories will be completely true, but they didn’t happen to him; they happened to somebody else. George Burns is the greatest offstage actor I know. Sometimes at a party when he is telling a long story about me, he is so convincing that I have to take him in the other room and say, “Did that really happen to me?” He says, “Of course not. It was Harpo Marx, but Harpo isn’t here and you are ”
The things you will no doubt read about George’s mother—and his eleven sisters and brothers—are true, because nobody could make up anything so fantastic. But the anecdotes you will read about me are the ones I told you will be basically true and then drift into fantasy.
I don’t have to enumerate these lies about me specifically, because the truth will be brought out at the trial in case I have to sue him. You must remember I haven’t read the book yet, but I have an attorney in the bullpen.
Even though this is an autobiography, he will naturally include his source of income. I am referring to his wife—Gracie Allen. I wouldn’t be presumptuous enough to venture an opinion on whether the chapters on Gracie are true or not. That close a friend I’m not. But I’m sure they must be true, because Gracie, even though professionally a zany character, in real life is a very capable and intelligent woman and won’t stand for any nonsense. She is also a deeply talented actress, has natural beauty and a wonderful sense of humor. If you think that’s a prejudiced statement, you’re right. Why? I also love her, that’s why.
Then of course there are a few situations that are lies right from the chapter number. I know all this, and I repeat: I haven’t read the book. I am going to read it as soon as I finish the prologue. As a matter of fact, if I make the prologue long enough, Simon and Schuster may prefer it to the book—and with my usual business acumen, I can either sell it to them or peddle it elsewhere.
The book should be very interesting because in his short life (when wearing his toupee he’s two years younger than I am) George has known everybody from Al Jolson to Al Capone. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was still corresponding with Valeska Surat, Judge Crater, Powers Elephants, Lefty Louie, The Avon Comedy Four, Gyp the Blood, Flipper the Seal, and the end girl in Jesse Lasky’s Redheads. Oh brother, the stories George tells about her—but that’s another book.
As comedians George and I have something in common. Neither of us was discovered by Gus Edwards or Eddie Cantor, and our careers didn’t start at Grossinger’s. We came up the hard way, and knowing each other didn’t make it any easier.
Of course, George had it real tough. Some people are born with a silver spoon in their mouth. George had a cigar.
In conclusion let me say this about George Burns: I love the guy. I have a reputation for being his easiest audience, I make constant resolutions that I’m not going to laugh at him any more—the hell with it. Then I’ll walk into a party and he’ll flick cigar ashes on the lapel of my new two-hundred-and-fifty-dollar suit, or he’ll point at me in Romanoff’s Restaurant and say, “Mr. Benny will take the check,” and I’m gone again. What a clown!
However, I must say that of all the people I know, he has the finest qualities a man can possess. He is meticulous in his work. He is creative. He is generous to his enemies and magnanimous to his friends. To coin someone else’s phrase, “He is a gentleman and a scholar.”
So even though I am as big a liar as he is, I am proud to have him as my closest friend.
Now read the book and enjoy yourself. I am sure you will find it the kind of book you can’t put down. I know I won’t be able to. At three cents a day from the lending library I find myself a very fast reader.
JACK BENNY

EARLY PROFESSIONAL LIFE

The Pee Wee Quartette. Left to right: George, Heshy Weinberger, Moish Friedman (he posed for Toda, who couldn’t be located for the picture), and Mortzy Weinberger.

George and Flipper in the very early act, “Flipper and Friend.”

“Larry and Co.” From left to right: Gracie’s sister Hazel, Larry Reilly, Gracie, and sister Bessie.

Gracie, when she was with Larry Reilly.

The picture of Gracie that appeared in the front theater during the run of Lambchops .

Georg in Lambchops . Another front-of-theater picture.

George and Gracie together in Lambchops .

Benny Fields, Blossom Seely, Gracie, and George.

George, at about the time of Lambchops .

Backstage at the Palace. From left to right: George, Gracie, Eddie Cantor, George Jessel, and Janet Reed. Photo by White Studio .

George and Gracie with Mary Boland and W. C. Fields in the Paramount picture Six of a Kind.

THE FAMILY

Gracie as a baby.

George and Gracie in 1934. “We were doing pretty well. I can tell by the dress.”

Gracie with Sandra as a baby.

An early picture with Sandra and Ronald.

The family without George.

Ronnie, Gracie, and Sandra in 1953.

George and son.

Back row : Ronnie, Gracie, George. Front row : Sandra Burns Wilhoite holding Laurie, and her husband, Jim,

Feasting from left to right: Danny Kaye, William Paley, Gracie, a Mr. Jack Benny, George Jessel, and George.

THE PRESENT

Author Burns and authoress Lindsay.

George with a Mr. Jack Benny in Hawaii.

Gracie explaining politics to Senator Alben Barkley.

Gracie (for President) throws her hat into the ring

George and Gracie (Romeo and Juliet) backstage at a benefit with Isabel Jewell.

George, Frank Sinatra, a Mr. Jack Benny, Groucho Marx, and Danny Kaye.

George with a Mr. Jack Benny acting as a substitute Gracie on TV.

Bing Crosby, a Mr. Jack Benny, and George.

Backstage at a benefit: Eddie Cantor, a Mr. Jack Benny, and George.

At a testimonial dinner for a real old-timer called Jack Benny: William Paley, George Jessel, George, the guest of honor, Fred Allen, and Adlai Stevenson.

1. THE PEE WEE QUARTETTE
SO SHE puts the salt in the pepper shaker and the pepper in the salt shaker because then if she gets mixed up she’s right. And she shortens the electric cords on the lamps and irons in the house to save electricity. And she always drives with the emergency brake on so if she runs into an emergency she’s ready for it. Of course that’s the character she plays.
I must run into about a dozen people a week who always ask the same question and always get the same answer. Question: “George, you’ve been married all these years. How can you take it? Why do you—?” Answer: I love her. That’s why.
I guess you might say my life never really began until I met her. Of course, there were a few things—like being born. This happened January 20, 1896, at 95 Pitt Street, New York City. (And I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t let this get around—keep it under your hat. I tell everybody I’m fifty-eight,). They named me Nathan Birnbaum. When I was born I was the youngest in my family, but this position didn’t last long. There were more to come. Before Mother got through there were twelve—seven girls and five boys. If I can remember the order, they came like this: Morris, Annie, Isadore, Esther, Sarah, Sadie, Mamie, Goldie, Nathan (that’s me), Sammy, Theresa, and Willie.
I can’t remember much about the first two years of my life, except that I had long curls. In fact, I had them until I was five because we didn’t have the price of a haircut. When I was five we moved to 259 Rivington Street, a four-story building with four apartments on each floor and a butcher shop and grocery store downstairs. Mother was always hiding us from the welfare people because they didn’t seem to think our apartment was big enough for fourteen people. I don’t know why—we had three rooms. We had a front room with two windows, a kitchen with a skylight, and a bedroom with no windows at all. N