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Page 22 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE November 7, 1986
Arts & Entertainment
CONGREGATION B’NAI TORAH
cordially inuites you and your guests
to attend an
ART EXHIBITION & AUCTION
to be held at
Congregation B’nai Torah
700 Mt. Vernon Hwy.
Saturday, November 22, 1986
Exhibition: 8:00 p.m. Auction: 9:00 p.m.
Donation: $ 3.50 per person
Wine & Cheese will be served
A piece of fine art given as Door Prize
Checks for art purchased are made payable to:
CONGREGATION B’NAI TORAH
George Burns
Getting better with age
NOW OPEN
SANDY SPRINGS
FAVORITE CHINESE
TO GO-NOW
220 SANDY SPRINGS CIR.
NOW ENJOY ALL
YOUR FAVORITES FROM OUR
EXPRESS DELIVERY MENU
50%
OFF
BUY ONE DINNER
GET SECOND ONE
V* PRICE—DINE-IN ONLY
SECOND DINNER
EQUAL OR LESS
EXPIRES 11/30/86
MON.-SAT. 11-1 OP.M.
SUNDAY 3-10 P.M.
1
FREE DELIVERY
(LIMITED AREA)
MIN. ORDER:
LUNCH $ 7 00 DINNER s 10 00
by Gerry Morris
JT A
—TORONTO
You might say that George
Burns is the Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb
and Joe Dimaggio of the enter
tainment world. He is a standout
in every department—radio, tel
evision, movies, records, night
clubs—and is the author of six
best-selling books.
Burns hasn’t just improved with
each of his 90 years, he has
blossomed.
Possessing impeccable timing.
Burns manages skillfully not to
cross the fine line that separates
the naughty old man from the
dirty one, although sometimes he
comes perilously close.
Like so many old-time Jewish-
American comedians and song
writers, Burns began on the
sidewalks of New York. Born
Nathan Birnbaum, he grew up
on the Lower East Side of Man
hattan and left school after the
fourth grade.
His pious father, a part-time
cantor and synagogue function
ary who emigrated from Poland,
died when George was 7. “If 1
said my father was the worst
provider in the world, I’d be
lying,” recalled George, “but only
a little. It wasn’t that he didn’t
love us, because he did, very
much so, but trifles like food,
rent and clothing never even
crossed his mind.”
The family survived, Burns said,
because “my mother was a re
markable lady, with a great sense
of humor, and she had a way of
solving problems and you didn’t
even know she was doing it.” The
young Burns also helped. “When
I was a kid, I had to hustle to
make money for my family,” he
remembered. “I was the bread
winner in a family of 12. I went
into show business and the oth
ers went to school.” In fact, he
began singing in the streets, sa
loons and ferry boats at age 7
with the Pee Wee Quartet.
He struggled with a constantly
changing act until 1923, when he
teamed up with Gracie Allen,
then an unemployed 17-year-old
Irish-American actress and
daughter of a song-and-dance
man. They performed five times
a day on vaudeville, living out of
a trunk.
Initially, Burns was the comic
and Gracie “the straight man,”
but they reversed roles after the
first performance—when she drew
all the laughs. Burns, with his
raspy voice and dry delivery, and
the scatterbrained Gracie were
perfect foils. They were married
in 1926.
They first entered the develop
ing medium of radio as guests on
Eddie Cantor’s program in 1931.
She freed her husband from Dachau,
saved her son's life, speahs 7 languages
and maxes great chicken soup.
Spend an euening with hen
Her name is Annulla. Join her in
her North London kitchen for an
evening of history, humor and
humanity. At the Alliance Studio,
through November 22.
For tickets and information call
892-2414. Performance times:
Tuesday through Friday, 8 p.m.
Saturday, 8:30. November 8 & 15
matinees at 4 p.m. November 9
& 16 shows at 2:30 and
7:30. Ticket prices are
$11-17. Order now.
Sponsored by:
cu uy. ^
ivt
northern
telecom
THE
ALLIANCE
STUDIO
Annulla, An Autobiography.
bv Emily Mann. November 5-22.
Their audience appeal was great,
and they were signed to appear
on the Rudy Vallee and Guy
Lombardo shows. The next year,
they signed for their own CBS
program, and they were regulars
on radio and TV until Gracie
retired in 1958.
Her death, as well as that of
comedian Jack Benny, were the
biggest blows in Burns’ life. “Jack
was my best friend for 55 years.
He was always great,” Burns said.
Benny had reciprocal feelings.
“Everything George says makes
me laugh. He is one of the funni
est men in show business,” he
said.
Ironically, Benny’s death was
indirectly responsible for the re
surgence of Burns’ career, for it
was Burns who inherited from
Benny the role of A1 Lewis in the
1975 movie “The Sunshine Boys.”
For his performance as the old-
time vaudevillian. Burns became
the oldest winner of the Oscar for
best supporting actor.
Next came the title role in “Oh,
God” in 1977. The Warner Broth
ers smash won him a new genera
tion of young fans. He played in
two other “Oh, God” movies,
which prompted him to wave his
ever-present cigar and remark, “I
played God three times without
makeup.”
How does the doctor feel about
his smoking 10 cigars a day?
“The doctor died,” replied Burns.
His best selling book “How To
Live To Be 100 or More” is dedi
cated to the widows of his last six
doctors.
Will Burns retire? “Never,” he
declared. “What are you gonna
do except sit there and play with
your cuticles? I retired during
those years 1 worked with Gra
cie,” he said. “Comedians don’t
quit. If they hear one laugh they
keep going, which is exactly what
I intend to do.”
Burns said he hasn’t quit any
thing. “1 haven’t quit smoking
cigars, I haven’t quit drinking
martinis and I’m going to stay in
show business until I’m the last
one left,” he said. “Don’t you see?
I’m making old age fashionable.
People can’t wait to get old.”
He is already booked to appear
at the London Palladium on Jan.
20, 1996, his 100th birthday. “1
can’t afford to die,” he said, “Not
when I’m booked.”
Gerry Morris, a freelance wri
ter, profiles major celebrities.
Caricature is by A l Hirschfeld.
Correction
The Ohad Naharin dance
performances will be on Nov.
14, 15 and 16—Friday, Sat
urday and Sunday evenings
(not Thursday, as reported
last week)—at 8 p.m. at the
Dancer’s Collective Theatre,
1105 Euclid Avenue.
On Sunday evening the
audience is invited to a recep
tion followingthe concert to
meet the Israeli artist.