Ronnie Burns (actor)

Ronald Jon Burns (July 9, 1935 – November 14, 2007) was an American television actor. He is primarily remembered as the son of comedians George Burns and Gracie Allen and a regular cast member of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950–58) on CBS.

Ronnie Burns
Burns with actress Jacqueline Beer from the Burns and Allen television show, 1956
Born
Ronald Jon Burns (name given after adoption)

(1935-07-09)July 9, 1935
Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
DiedNovember 14, 2007(2007-11-14) (aged 72)
Pacific Palisades, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1950–61
Spouse(s)
Peggy Lyon
​
​
(m. 1965; div. 1972)​

Janice Powell
​
​
(m. 1977)​
Children3
Parent(s)George Burns
Gracie Allen

Biography

Born in Evanston, Illinois,[1] Ronnie Burns was five weeks old when he was adopted in Chicago September 27, 1935, by George Burns and Gracie Allen. His older sister, Sandra Jean, had been adopted the year before and was then 13 months old.[2] According to George Burns, Ronnie had been the most sickly baby up for adoption from the agency, and Gracie chose him because she particularly felt he needed their help.[3]

On October 10, 1955, Burns joined the cast of the CBS television series, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show,[4] playing himself but cast as a novice actor and college student studying drama who tended to look askance at his parents' comedy style. He first appeared on the show on October 18, 1954 as the bridegroom on the episode "Gracie Gives a Wedding in Payment of a Favor" (Season 5, Episode 3). Upon joining the show full-time, numerous episodes revolved around the fictional Ronnie Burns' dating and social life. His good looks and popularity helped the show gain the attention of younger viewers in its final years. Later he appeared on The George Burns Show (1958–59), a short-lived series produced after his mother retired from show business.[5]:281

Burns starred in the 1960–61 NBC comedy series Happy, in which he and Yvonne Lime Fedderson played Chris and Sally Day, the parents of a talking baby. He played the manager of the Palm Desert Hotel in Palm Springs. Lloyd Corrigan, Doris Packer, and Burt Metcalfe had supporting roles.[5]:311

He made an uncredited appearance as Wallace on the "Young at Heart" episode of The Honeymooners, which featured Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason) trying to roller skate with disastrous results. Burns made a cameo appearance on Bachelor Father starring John Forsythe.

Never comfortable with celebrity,[1] Burns left acting. He produced a situation comedy, Wendy and Me (1964–65), in which his father starred.[5]:815 He then went into real estate investment and raised horses at a ranch he owned in Santa Ynez, California.[1] He had three sons: Brent, Brad, and Bryan Burns.[1]

Ronnie Burns died November 14, 2007, of cancer, at his Pacific Palisades home.[1]

References
  1. "Ronnie Burns, 72, Who Played Role in Parents' Show, Is Dead". The New York Times. Associated Press. November 17, 2007. Retrieved 2014-11-12.
  2. "Burns and Allen Adopt Boy". The New York Times, September 28, 1935.
  3. Burns, George. Gracie: A Love Story.
  4. Adams, Val. "News of Television". The New York Times, September 25, 1955.
  5. Brooks, Tim, and Earle Marsh, The Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows 1946–Present. New York: Ballantine Books, 1988 (fourth edition), ISBN 0-345-35610-1
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