Customer Reviews

100 Years, 100 Stories

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I bought this book with the intention of reading one or two stories a day. I couldn't put it down. I was laughing out loud and my children begged me to read them what was so funny. I would read them some and they enjoyed it as much as I did. What started out as a month or so of giggles turned into an afternoon of belly-laughs.

It seems that no matter what he writes about, from the introduction about getting older to his nurse readjusting his toupee, he does it so very well with humor. (I did not even know that he wore a toupee!)

These are really short one to two page stories of incidents that had occurred during his lifetime. It may or may not have you laughing out loud. It will at the very least, bring a smile to your face.

This little book contains anecdotes about the people in his life, and published shortly his 100th birthday. It contains accounts of his silliness in vaudeville theaters,where he used an assortment of names as he joined different acts. He appeared at the Shubert Theatre in Chicago with Fanny Brice of Ziegfield Follies fame; she was Baby Snooks character on radio. At the Chicago World's Fair, he was on the same bill with Sally Rand who had become famous for the fan dances she perfected in her flesh colored leotards. It wasn't naughty, only an illusion. He filled in for her and nobody noticed.

Betty McGrath at the Dewey Theater liked his "after shave" lotion (which incidentally smalled like fish); he loved to tell about his girls before becoming a team with Gracie Allen. He wrote 'Gracie: A Love Story' after her death. He knew famous stars of the day, like Al Jolson, following Carusa, "Folks, you ain't heard nothing yet." He calls Al the best entertainer of all time, and George Jessel as the funniest ad-libber. When he and Gracie took their show to California, they used the Artie Shaw band with Tony Martin as lead singer. They made some musicals with big name casts. Later he made movies, "The Sunshine Boys," "Oh, God!" and "Going in Style."

These are the remembrances of a very funny guy; on t.v. he was a riot. He wrote about Eddie Cantor, Jack Benny, Groucho Marx at the William Morris Christmas parties. One Christmas Eve he was appearing at one of the nightclubs in Las Vegas with Ann Margaret who was allowed to use his phone to call her mother in Sweden; talked for over an hour at his expense. He told a few off-color jokes about his friends and siblings in his inimitable manner.

No where near the full 100 stories and its just not the same with out Georges own voice. Buy the paper copy and hear George in your mind.

This came out almost the day Burns passed away. This is a very funny anecdotal review of George Burns' entire life -- many of the stories go back to his childhood. (His one-liner when the tough Irish kids in his neighborhood demanded to know if he was Catholic is priceless! Good thing he was a fast runner....)

He was a very funny guy, and the book reads as though you could bring him back for a day and hang out while he just sits and tells stories. A lot of fun -- too bad it seems to be out of print.

Received item in an appropriate amount of time and it was in great condition. Very happy.