David Burns (June 22, 1902 – March 12, 1971) was an American Broadway theatre and motion picture actor and singer. He appeared in many comedies and musicals over a career of almost 50 years."David Burns Broadway" Playbill. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
Life and career Burns was born in Manhattan. He made his Broadway debut in 1923 in Polly Preferred and went to London with the show in 1924. His first Broadway musical was Face the Music (1932),Face the Music ibdb.com. Retrieved October 12, 2017 followed by Cole Porter's Nymph Errant (1933), staged in London.Nymph Errant sondheimguide.com. Retrieved October 12, 2017
David Burns remained in London and was featured in many motion pictures there. His New York speech pattern was distinctive and exotic to British audiences, and he lent American color to a string of comedies, musicals, and mysteries. He came back to America in 1935 for two William Powell features at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, but returned to England where there was far less competition for "New York" character roles. His most famous British screen credit is probably The Saint in London (1939), released as part of RKO's American Saint series of mysteries, with George Sanders as adventurer Simon Templar and David Burns as his New York sidekick. As World War II approached, making working conditions in England uncertain, Burns returned to New York in 1940. He made no further films until 1951, when he was hired for Fourteen Hours, produced on location in New York.
Stage honors Burns won two Tony Awards for Best Supporting or Featured Actor in a Musical, for his performances as "Mayor Shinn" in The Music Man (1958) and as "Senex" in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1963).
Burns introduced the hit song "It Takes a Woman" from Hello, Dolly (1964) as the original "Horace Vandergelder".Hello, Dolly! Playbill. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
In 1969 David Burns was featured in "Happiness Is a Rich Uncle," a musical-comedy episode of The Honeymooners on The Jackie Gleason Show. Burns's energetic comic turn as an 83-year-old millionaire, complete with facial mugging and wild movements, caused Gleason to break up during the live performance, and the script even gave Burns the final punchline. During the curtain call, Gleason complimented his pal "Davey Burns" for making him laugh so much. The show was broadcast on November 8, 1969.
Burns won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama for his role of Mr. Solomon in the 1971 TV special (Hallmark Hall of Fame) of The Price by Arthur Miller.
Death Burns died on stage on March 12, 1971, of a heart attack in Philadelphia during the out-of-town tryout of Kander and Ebb's musical 70, Girls, 70. He had just finished what the Philadelphia Inquirer described as a "rather strenuous dance step" during the musical number "Go Visit Your Grandmother," at the end of Act Two, when he collapsed during the audience applause. He was carried offstage. His lines were read by actress Lillian Roth for the remainder of the performance."David Burns, 69, Star In Musicals" The New York Times, March 13, 1971.
He was survived by his widow, Mildred.
Selected credits Stage Year Title Role Notes 1923 Polly PreferredMr. B1931Wonder BoyHarry Rich1932Face the MusicLouisCredited as "Dave Burns"1935Them's the ReportersCassadyCredited as "Dave Burns" 1939–1941 The Man Who Came to Dinner Banjo 1940–1941 Pal Joey Ludlow Lowell 1943 Oklahoma!Ali Hakim1943My Dear PublicWalters 1945-1946 Billion Dollar BabyDapper Welch1947I Gotta Get OutBernie 1948-1949 Make Mine ManhattanNick/"The Good Old Days" Performer/Taxi Driver/ Mr. Rappaport/Customer1948Heaven On EarthH.H. Hutton 1950 Alive and Kicking Dr. Frisbee/Dr. Allen Drawbridge/Army 1950-1951 Cole Porter's Out of This WorldNiki Skolianos 1952-1953 Two's CompanyStanley/Strombolini/Melvin/Dudley Dawson1953Men of DistinctionDaniel Gaffney1955Catch a Star!Max Dillingbert 1957 A Hole in the Head Max 1957-1961 The Music Man Mayor George Shinn 1960–1962 Do Re Mi Brains Berman 1962-1964 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Senex 1964 Hello, Dolly! Horace Vandergelder 1968–1969 The Price Gregory Solomon 1970 Art Buchwald's Sheep on the RunwayAmbassador Raymond WilkinsBarnes, Clive. "Theater: Art Buchwald's 'Sheep on the Runway' " The New York Times, February 2, 1970 1970–1971 Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen Colonel Wainwright Purdy III
Film Year Title Role Notes"David Burns Films" tcm.com. Retrieved October 12, 2017 1918 De Luxe Annie Joe/Grocery Clerk 1934 The Queen's Affair Manager 1934 The Path of Glory Ginsberg 1934 Romance in Rhythm Mollari 1935 Rendezvous German-Speaking Bellhop uncredited 1936 The Great Ziegfeld Clarence uncredited 1936 Crime Over London Sniffy 1936 Strangers on Honeymoon Lennie 1937 Spring Handicap Amos 1937 Smash and Grab Bellini 1937 The Live Wire Snakey 1938 Just like a Woman Pedro 1938 The Return of Carol Deane Nick Wellington 1938 Sidewalks of London Hackett 1938 Hey! Hey! USA Tony Ricardo 1938 The Sky's the Limit 'Ballyhoo' Bangs 1939 The Gang's All Here Beretti 1939 So This Is London Drunk uncredited 1939 A Girl Must Live Joe Gold 1939 I Killed the Count Diamond 1939 A Gentleman's Gentleman Alfred 1939 The Saint in London Dugan 1939 She Couldn't Say No Chester 1951 Fourteen Hours Cab Driver uncredited 1954 Deep in My Heart Lazar Berrison, Sr. 1955 It's Always Fair Weather Tim 1957 Four Boys and a Gun Television man 1958 Once Upon a Horse... Bruno de Gruen 1960 Let's Make Love Oliver Burton 1967 The Tiger Makes Out Mr. Ratner 1969 How to Commit Marriage 1970 Move Doorman 1971 Who Is Harry Kellerman Leon Soloway Posthumous release
Television Year Title Role Notes 1955 The Imogene Coca Show Regular 1969 The Jackie Gleason Show Uncle Howard musical comedy with The Honeymooners
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1966 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama The Trials of O'Brien 1971 Hallmark Hall of Fame 1958 Tony Awards Best Supporting or Featured Actor in a Musical The Music Man 1963 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum 1971 Best Leading Actor in a Musical Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen
Further reading Oderman, Stuart, Talking to the Piano Player 2. BearManor Media, 2009. .
References
External links
Who's Who in Musicals