MovieChat Forums > The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950) Discussion > Can anyone explain George's TV?

Can anyone explain George's TV?

posted 11 years ago by fugazzi49
8 replies | jump to latest

Thanks to Antenna TV I'm finally seeing the Burns & Allen show for the first time since I was a small child in the 50's. I don't quite understand George's TV. At first I thought he had cameras around the house, which would have been very advanced for its day but still within possibility; and it wouldn't be unreasonable for a star to have home surveillance. But now I see he watches anything all around town, which makes it an element of science fiction in an otherwise real world based series.

So, was there ever any explanation given for this TV or was it just thrown in as a new way to create comic situations and you just accept it. It's a unique thing in a comedy series.

[–] rycki1138 11 years ago

was it just thrown in as a new way to create comic situations and you just accept it.

Mostly this, but it sometimes explained that he's watching The Burns & Allen Show as it's airing so that he can see what's happening in scenes he's not in, even though this show wasn't aired live after season 2.

Every once in a while he'll also change the station to see what is playing opposite the Burns & Allen Show. Usually it's the same clip of a western with cowboys chasing Indians. I guess this is to show the audiences that nothing much exciting is happening on the other channel.

(knock,knock,knock) Penny (knock,knock,knock) Penny (knock,knock,knock) Penny

[–] VinnieRattolle 11 years ago

In the past few weeks I've been seeing the show for the first time and I LOVE George's TV. If you apply logic the gag doesn't work at all, but it was a pretty clever way of breaking the fourth wall, involving George in stories where he didn't belong, and getting him to screw with friends and family in unique and interesting ways.

As for the westerns, I don't think it was so much to show that there wasn't anything going on on the other channels as it was a wry commentary which no longer plays. Many of the comedies and live shows from the first half of the decade had been wiped out to make room for more westerns, which were dominating the entire prime time TV schedule. In addition to the TV bits, Harry Von Zell donned cowboy attire a few times and Ronnie's Texan girlfriend, Bonnie Sue, kept popping up throughout the season. In 1958 it was all probably really funny, but half a century later the setup for the joke's been forgotten.

[–] rycki1138 11 years ago

George didn't get his "magic" TV until season 7 and before that he often broke the fourth wall talking to the audience and always seemed to know what was going on in scenes he wasn't in. Sometimes he would use the joke he knows what's going on in those scenes because "(He) read the script".

(knock,knock,knock) Penny (knock,knock,knock) Penny (knock,knock,knock) Penny

[–] Honora 10 years ago

When I was little I loved George's TV. Now that I'm older I appreciate it even more.

He really needed to keep an eye on his so called "friends". They were always talking about how much money George had and how cheap he was, and how to get him to buy something they wanted (a boat) or invest in some scheme with them (supplying the bulk of the money while they invested little).

Luckily George was always one step ahead of them, and usually came out the winner.

It's amazing how many times he "fired" Harry Von Zell. (Of course he didn't mean it.)
I'm surprised Harry still had a job after some of these shenanagans.

[–] Moon_Doggie 10 years ago

There were some surreal elements to this show, just as there were some in the Jack Benny Show (but nothing as weird as George's TV). I don't know if the writers were just ahead of their time, or if they were stoned part of the time, or both. But when I saw this in the 1950s as a kid, I always looked forward to that TV in the later episodes.

But even before the TV was introduced, George was still "omniscient"--he would often break the fourth wall to recap for the audience the action in scenes where he had never appeared.

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.-- Mark Twain

[–] DarkVulcan29 8 years ago

I don't think it's was meant has a magic T.V., it was meant has a running gag. Like George is watching his own show.

[–] dmahnarch 8 years ago

Spaceballs: The Movie!

"When is this?"
"It's now, sir."
*waves hand*

____________________________
Kerbal Space Program:
Failure is not an option. It's a requirement!

[–] bobbakerpuppetmaker 8 years ago

The TV went thru many changes in the last 2 seasons I believe the TV in the livingroom had also made use of this magic feature
The first episode to use the TV had the Philco logo on it and turned on and off with the switch on top But the ensuing
episodes showed different TVs The net result was that George was watching the show along with the general viewing audience.
Only one aspect of this show is puzzeling Its the migration of the telephones and the inconsistency of the number of
digits dialed. Many very wealthy people of the day had auto telephone systems in their homes. Which would explain Georges ability
to dial into the different rooms of his home.
George Burns broke with tradition and talked to the audience as he slipped in and out of character
For a better understanding of the show look at You Tube and see the first two seasons as well as several episodes that modern day TV wont show Especially the one where the cast revives some old vaudevill acts in black face.
AntennaTV has shifted the show times including recently replacing it in the 2AM slot here in LA with Ugh Doogie Howser
Its only on the weekend in the 2AM 2:30 AM slot. Burns and Allen are a national treasure their shows should be treated
with more respect .... Especiall since the story lines and situations are now standard for todays copycat sitcoms.