Burns and Allen scripts and recordings collection, 1939-1959

Collection context

Summary

Title:
Burns and Allen scripts and recordings collection
Dates:
1939-1959
Creators:
Burns & Allen (Comedy team), Allen, Gracie, 1902-1964, and Burns, George, 1896-1996
Abstract:
This collection contains papers and recordings reflecting the work of radio and television personalities and actors George Burns (1896-1996) and Gracie Allen (1902-1964) from 1931-1959. Collection consists of scrapbooks, clippings, publicity, photographs, publications, audio recordings, 16mm films of the Burns and Allen show, radio scripts, television scripts for The Burns and Allen Show, as well as miscellaneous scripts from stage, radio, and television shows featuring Burns and Allen.
Extent:
109.75 Linear Feet 84 boxes
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Box/folder no. or item name], Burns and Allen scripts and recordings collection, Collection no. 2024, Cinematic Arts Library, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection is currently unavailable for access.

This collection contains papers reflecting the work of radio and television personalities and actors George Burns (1896-1996) and Gracie Allen (1902-1964) from 1931-1959. Collection consists of 82 volumes of radio scripts (1932-1950); 57 volumes of television scripts (1950-1958) for The Burns and Allen Show, as well as miscellaneous scripts from stage, radio, and television shows featuring Burns and Allen; 12 scrapbooks and 11 boxes of clippings, publicity, photographs, magazine articles, and cartoons of "Gracie Allen: I Always Say," which appeared in the New York Evening Journal (1936-1937); approximately 600 disc recordings; approximately 220 16mm films of The Burns and Allen Show donated by the couple's son, Ronnie Burns.

Biographical / historical:

George Burns (1896-1996) and Gracie Allen (1895-1964) were a husband and wife comedy team who began their performing career in Vaudeville, then transitioned to film and radio productions, and eventually had their own television sitcom, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950-1958).

Burns, known for his philanthropy, made numerous contributions to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The hospital is located at the intersection of George Burns Road, dedicated in 1986, and Gracie Allen Drive, dedicated in 1995. The George Burns–Gracie Allen Chair in Cardiology was established in 1989. The Burns and Allen Research Institute was dedicated in 1996.

Allen has an award named after her: The Gracie Award, presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWM). AWM celebrates and honors programming created for women, by women, and about women, as well as individuals who have made exemplary contributions in media.

Acquisition information:
Gift, May 29, 1968. AV recordings donated by Ronnie Burns, George Burns and Gracie Allen's son.
Processing information:

This collection is unprocessed.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Marissa Chavez Sarah Jardini for History Associates Incorporated
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2022-11-11 11:53:51 -0800 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is currently unavailable for access.

Terms of access:

Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Cinematic Arts Library at ctlibarc@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Cinematic Arts Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Preferred citation:

[Box/folder no. or item name], Burns and Allen scripts and recordings collection, Collection no. 2024, Cinematic Arts Library, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Location of this collection:
Cinematic Arts Library
Doheny Memorial Library, Room G4
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0185, US
Contact:
(213) 740-8383