Amazon.com reviews for
"The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show" (1950)

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Burns and Allen Christmas - Company for Christmas / Christmas in Jail (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: George Burns and Gracie Allen are perhaps the most charming duo in the history of television. Even those not familiar with the straight-man routine of George or the hilariously dimwitted antics of Gracie will warm to these episodes. In the first show, George and Grace are spending Christmas with their ever-present neighbors, the Mortons. The confusion begins when Harry Morton books a room for his father (whom his wife, Blanche, cannot stand), just as Blanche Morton is enlisting Grace to help book a room for her brother (whom Harry cannot stand). As is bound to happen when Grace becomes involved, everything becomes muddled and soon there is no room and two guests coming. The highlight of this episode is Grace's foray into service, dressing up as a maid in a misguided attempt to secure an extra room. The second episode, funnier and more charming than the first, finds George in the "pokey." As the narrator of the events of the few days before, George recounts an almost Shakespearean comedy of errors. Blanche and Gracie conspire to trick their husbands into buying exactly what they want for Christmas, a jeweled watch and a pearl necklace. Yet again, George is caught in the whirlpool of confusion when Gracie does a favor for her son. With elegantly timed precision, Grace Allen delivers her lines, as George expertly provides the material that will spark Gracie's humor. These episodes are the perfect Christmas treat, but are sure to make you laugh year round. Say "Merry Christmas," Gracie. --Amanda Powter

The Burns and Allen Show, Vol. 1 - Meet George & Gracie (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: Husband and wife team George Burns and Gracie Allen kept America laughing through much of the 1950s. Now a new generation can discover their wonderful program, The Burns and Allen Show, in this first volume of the three-volume set. Meet George and Gracie contains two episodes. The first is "Columbia Doing Burns and Allen Story," in which Columbia Pictures decides to make a movie on the life story of the couple (a tremendous disappoint to Gracie; she prefers Paramount because they put more butter in their popcorn). Things go awry when Gracie thinks that George has a wife and four sons living in San Diego. "Gracie Doing a Picture Without George" continues the performance theme when Gracie finds on old telegram asking George to do a Broadway show without his partner. Not realizing it's 30 years old, Gracie tries to force George to leave in one of the most ridiculously funny scenes ever presented on television. Burns and Allen is a show that defies explanation; one must watch it to truly appreciate Burns's subtle routine and Allen's outrageous performances. As an interesting bonus, the original show sponsorships are left on the video, giving us a glimpse of the advertising world of the 1950s. --Jenny Brown

The Burns and Allen Show, Vol. 2 - Gracie and the Mob (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: Husband and wife team George Burns and Gracie Allen kept America laughing through much of the 1950s. Now a new generation can discover their wonderful program, The Burns and Allen Show, in this second volume of the three-volume set. Gracie and the Mob contains two episodes. The first is "George and Gracie Hear a Burglar," in which Gracie is convinced that a robber is roaming around outside. Detective Sawyer despairs at another phone call from the Burns household, but comes over to investigate. "Gracie Sees a Holdup--Johnny Velvet" has Gracie as a witness to a bank stickup headed by a Mob boss. When they kidnap her to keep her from testifying, they can't seem to get rid of her fast enough. Instead they decide to steal George away, but plenty of mistaken identities ensue. Gracie as the fumbling kidnappee is absolutely hysterical, and you can't miss the cameo appearance by the man who at the time was known only as an actor, Ronald Reagan as himself. As an interesting bonus, the original show sponsorships are left on the video, giving us a glimpse of the advertising world of the 1950s. --Jenny Brown

The Burns and Allen Show, Vol. 3 - Gracie Knows Best (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: Husband and wife team George Burns and Gracie Allen kept America laughing through much of the 1950s. Now a new generation can discover their wonderful program, The Burns and Allen Show, in this final volume of the three-volume set. Gracie Knows Best contains two episodes, the first of which is "Gracie Buying a Ranch for George." After a weekend on Fred Astaire's ranch, Gracie is determined to buy George a ranch, despite his having no desire to live on one. The second episode, "Von Zell's Girlfriend Between Trains," has Gracie posing as Harry Von Zell's wife, after he tells an old sweetheart that he's married. Gracie is at her finest as she tries to remember her name is Mabel Von Zell. In one memorable exchange of dialogue, sweetheart Dorothy says, "I imagined your wife would be taller," to which Gracie responds, "Oh, sometimes I am. In the winter, when the days are shorter, I'm taller." For some reason when Gracie delivers complete nonsense, it seems quite reasonable. As an interesting bonus, the original show sponsorships are left on the video, giving us a glimpse of the advertising world of the 1950s ("Carnation, the milk from contented cows"). --Jenny Brown

The Burns and Allen Show - Collection (vhs):

Amazon.com Essentials: For a generation too young to know that George Burns had a career long before Oh, God!, this Burns and Allen collection will be a wonderful discovery. This boxed set contains six episodes of the show that ran from 1950 to 1958, featuring George Burns as the straight man (believe it or not) and his scatterbrained (to put it nicely) wife, whose constant flubs and misunderstandings create laugh-out-loud scenarios. You would think her shtick would get old, but the more episodes you watch, the more you realize just how smart Gracie is, and in all her confusing ways, she gets exactly what she wants; she only gets funnier along the way. The first tape includes "Columbia Doing Burns and Allen Story," in which Columbia Pictures decides to make a movie on the life story of the couple (a tremendous disappoint to Gracie; she prefers Paramount because they put more butter in their popcorn). Things go awry when Gracie thinks that George has a wife and four sons living in San Diego. "Gracie Doing a Picture Without George" continues the performance theme when Gracie finds on old telegram asking George to do a Broadway show without his partner. Not realizing it's 30 years old, Gracie tries to force George to leave in one of the most ridiculously funny scenes ever presented on television.

The second video contains "George and Gracie Hear a Burglar," in which Gracie is convinced that a robber is roaming around outside. Detective Sawyer despairs at another phone call from the Burns household, but comes over to investigate. "Gracie Sees a Holdup--Johnny Velvet" has Gracie as a witness to a bank stickup headed by a Mob boss. When they kidnap her to keep her from testifying, they can't seem to get rid of her fast enough. Instead they decide to steal George away, but plenty of mistaken identities ensue. Gracie as the fumbling kidnapee is absolutely hysterical, and you can't miss the cameo appearance by the man who at the time was known only as an actor, Ronald Reagan as himself.

The final video contains "Gracie Buying a Ranch for George." After a weekend on Fred Astaire's ranch, Gracie is determined to buy George a ranch, despite his having no desire to live on one. The second episode, "Von Zell's Girlfriend Between Trains," has Gracie posing as Harry Von Zell's wife, after he tells an old sweetheart that he's married. Gracie is at her finest as she tries to remember her name is Mabel Von Zell. As an interesting bonus, the original show sponsorships are left on the video, giving us a glimpse of the advertising world of the 1950s. --Jenny Brown