The Burns & Allen Show - Thanksgiving

When The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, aka The Burns and Allen Show, began on CBS Television October 12, 1950, it was an immediate success. The show was originally staged live before a studio audience (during its first three months, it originated from the Mansfield Theatre in New York, then relocated to CBS' Columbia Square facilities in Los Angeles). Ever the businessman, Burns realized it would be more efficient to do the series on film (beginning in the fall of 1952); the half-hour episodes could then be syndicated. From that point on, the show was shot without a live audience present, however, each installment would be screened before an audience to provide live responses prior to the episodes being broadcast. With 291 episodes, the show had a long network run through 1958 and continued in syndicated reruns for years. The sets were designed to look like their real-life residence, often using an establishing shot of the actual house at 312 Maple Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Although extensively remodelled, that house still exists today—including the study over the garage where George would "escape" from Gracie's illogical logic. Burns lived in that house for the rest of his life.

One running gag of the TV show involved a closet full of hats belonging to various visitors to the Burns household; guests would slip out the door unnoticed, leaving their hats behind, rather than face another round with Gracie. The format had George watching all the action (standing outside the proscenium arch in early live episodes; watching the show on TV in his study towards the end of the series) and breaking the fourth wall by commenting upon it to the viewers. Another running gag was George's weekly "firing" of announcer Harry Von Zell after he turned up aiding, abetting or otherwise not stopping the mayhem prompted by Gracie's illogical logic.

Tonight's Story Thanksgiving
Gracie is having friends over for Thanksgiving dinner, including Harry Morton's business partner and his wife, Linda Lee. As it happens, a horse that Harry is betting on is also named Linda.

Cast
George Burns ... George Burns
Gracie Allen ... Gracie Allen
Harry von Zell ... Harry von Zell / Announcer
Bea Benaderet ... Blanche Morton
Fred Clark ... Harry Morton
Charles Lane ... Joe Crawford
Gerry Cameron ... Linda Lee
James Warren ... Casey

Directed By Ralph Levy
Written By Sid Dorfman, Harvey Helm William Burns, Paul Henning
Executive Producer George Burns
Produced Ralph Levy
Cinematography By Philip Tannura
Assistant Director Joseph Depew

Details
Original Air Date November 22, 1951
Season 2, Episode 5
Filming Locations Mansfield Theater, New York City
Production Co Columbia Broadcasting System, McCadden Productions

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