Enduring Hollywood Romance

George Burns and Gracie Allen

They may not have the onscreen sizzle of Bogie and Bacall, but for my money George Burns and Gracie Allen take the cake for the most romantic, enduring Hollywood couple. I know, I know. Unusual choice, but bear with me. 

George Burns and Gracie Allen first paired in 1922 when both were in need of a new partner for their vaudevillian act. A mutual colleague suggested the partnership. Match made in heaven? Not at first. They weren't a hit until George decided to switch up the act and let Gracie get the laughs. Although it takes two to make a double act work (the straight man and the goof), George always gave Gracie credit for the success that followed--a testament to how much he loved and admired her. Their pairing didn't exactly yield love at first sight though. Burns had a crush on Allen, but she was in a romantic relationship with another performer. Eventually George convinced Gracie to marry him, and on January 7, 1926 they began their greatest partnership to date. As husband and wife, they conquered radio, movies, and television in addition to vaudeville. 

When Gracie could not conceive, George agreed to adopt two children (see my Adoptive Fathers post for more on that). Their marriage lasted 38 years until her death in 1964. However, that was not the end of their romance. Their love endured beyond the grave. Forget poetry, George wrote a book, Gracie: A Love Story (1988), devoted to the love of his life. George never remarried. He visited Gracie's grave at least once a month to discuss the latest news, tell her a joke, or ask for her advice. When at last it was his time to go, he made arrangements to ensure that her name came first on the crypt--he wanted her to have top billing.  

Burns and Allen--Love doesn't get much better than that!

Resources

Cullen, Frank, Florence Hackman, and Donald McNeilly. Vaudeville, Old and New: An Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America. Vol. 1. New York: Routledge, 2004. Google Books. Web.   

"George Burns and Gracie Allen Remembered." Larry King Live. CNN. Los Angeles. 4 July 2003. Web. Transcript.

Dueling Divas: Crosby and Hope

Or is it Hope and Crosby??? 

When it comes to dueling divas, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope are probably not the first pair that come to mind. However, during their Road movies, the two got into plenty of "duels" - 

over money,

over women--Dorothy Lamour in particular,

and over who delivered the best line.

Nod to Adoptive Fathers

Nowadays it seems one can’t go far without hearing about a celebrity adoption. However, adopting children is nothing new. While most will think of famous actresses who were adoptive parents (think Joan Crawford a.k.a. Mommy Dearest), there are many celebrity fathers who have adopted children throughout the years. Since it is Father's Day, I thought it would be a good time to honor a few of these famous adoptive fathers. 

1. Jimmy Stewart 

Stewart and family - courtesy of
Jimmy Stewart: A Biography by Marc Eliot

A search for "Jimmy Stewart with family" results in images and references of Stewart in a number of fatherly roles: It's a Wonderful Life, The Glenn Miller Story, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation...the list goes on. He seemed to slip easily into these roles, but what many may not know is that Jimmy Stewart first became a father at 41 when he adopted his wife Elaine's children, Ronald and Michael. He and Elaine eventually had their own children, twins Judy and Kelly. All reports point to him as being a wonderful father regardless of whether his children were biological or adopted. 

2. George Burns

George and Gracie Burns with their
adopted children in 1938.

This famous comedian and his equally famous wife and comedic partner, Gracie Allen, adopted a daughter, Sandra, in 1934 and a son, Ronnie, in 1935 when they could not have children due to Gracie's congenital heart defect. According to George, Gracie chose Ronnie because he appeared sickly and needed their help the most. George supported his wife, whom he loved very much, and the result was a beautiful, loving family both on and off paper. When the children were in their teens, they joined the cast of their parents' television program, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950-1958), and Ronnie went on to act in a few more programs in the early '60s.   

3. Walt Disney

Disney reading to his daughters.

Ironically, the man renown for entertaining millions of children with his cartoons, films, and theme park did not enter into fatherhood easily. This was not because he did not want children; rather his wife Lillian experienced miscarriages and later birth complications that interfered with her ability to conceive. They had one daughter, Diane, naturally and then adopted a second daughter, Sharon. In a 1956 Saturday Evening Post article, Diane describes how her father would complain about being the only man in the house; however he was merely clowning around. He loved his little girls.