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01
Most people did not know her birth date because her birth certificate was lost in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. She was evasive about her age, sometimes claiming to have been born in 1906, and would cheekily respond when corrected: Well, it was an awfully big earthquake. Her family guessed her birth year as 1902 for her death certificate, but the true 1895 date was confirmed later by census records.
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02
She had one blue eye and one green eye.
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03
Although she was in love with another man when they first met, George Burns carried a ring in his pocket until she finally agreed to marry him.
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04
The words Together Again are engraved on her and George Burns’ crypt at the Freedom Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California. The original inscription read Good Night, Gracie before George’s death. She is interred to the left of George, not above him, despite reports that he wanted her to have top billing.
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05
As a child, she accidentally spilled boiling water on her arm, leaving a scar she concealed for life. Her one big wish was to wear a strapless evening gown without gloves.
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06
She had a driver’s license under her married name Grace Burns. A policeman once thought it was fake because the last name wasn’t Allen.
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07
She suffered migraines that could last days; a tight bandana and bed rest were the only relief.
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08
In the early 1940s, George Burns had a brief extramarital affair. He bought her an expensive silver centerpiece out of guilt, but she never mentioned it. Years later, she told a friend: I wish George would cheat on me again. I’d really like a new centerpiece for the table.
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09
She feared water and drowning, so she secretly took swimming lessons to be able to teach her children.
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10
Her first performance with George Burns was at the Hill Street Theatre in Newark, New Jersey, in 1922, for which they were paid $5 per day. George saw the audience loved her character and changed the act to give her all the funny lines.
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11
George Burns called her Googie; she called him Natty.
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12
The 1939 film The Gracie Allen Murder Case was written especially for her by S.S. Van Dine, creator of Philo Vance. It was one of the few times she appeared on screen without George, though he was on set to support her.
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13
In 1949, she missed a radio show for the only time in over 35 years of performing, due to a severe migraine. She was replaced by Jane Wyman, who had just won the Best Actress Oscar.
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14
She began having mild heart attacks in the late 1950s, which continued until her death in 1964.
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15
The Burns & Allen Show 1934–1950 was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1994.
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16
She is pictured with George Burns on a 44-cent U.S. commemorative postage stamp issued August 11, 2009, as part of the Early TV Memories series honoring The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.
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17
She declined only one photo session request in her career: to pose outside a mental hospital. George Burns compared it to having Mae West pose outside a brothel.
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18
She began her performing career in an Irish dancing group called The Allen Sisters with her three older sisters Bessie, Hazel, and Pearl.
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19
Her father left the family when she was five; she never spoke of him again.
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20
While attending secretarial school, a roommate invited her to Union Hill, New Jersey, to audition for a vaudeville act that was splitting up. The act was George Burns and Billy Lorraine; she chose George.
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21
She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6672 Hollywood Boulevard.
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22
In 1940, she staged a mock presidential campaign; the theme of her campaign speech appeared to be My girdle is killing me.
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23
Running gags on the show included Gracie’s endless relatives, the search for her missing brother who actually left town due to publicity, her infatuation with matinee idol Charles Boyer, and her enthusiasm for George’s singing.
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24
When she started working with George Burns, she was engaged to another man. It took four years for George to change her mind, but they became one of Hollywood’s most remembered couples.
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25
She and George Burns are interred together at Forest Lawn Glendale in the Freedom Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Heritage.
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26
She and George Burns adopted two children: Sandra Burns and Ronald John Ronnie Burns.
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27
Her idol and first childhood crush was Charles Chaplin.
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28
During her run on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, she stood only 5 feet tall and weighed 100 pounds.
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29
In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, two humpback whales are named George and Gracie, and are cared for at the Cetacean Institute near San Francisco.
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30
A rose named Rosa WEKuyreg is called the Gracie Allen rose.
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31
The annual Gracie Allen Awards are presented by American Women in Radio and Television to programs by, for, and about women.
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32
S.S. Van Dine featured her in his Philo Vance mystery novel The Gracie Allen Murder Case. Allen said: S.S. Van Dine is silly to spend six months writing a novel when you can buy one for $2.95.
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33
She graduated from Star of the Sea School for Girls in San Francisco; the ceremony was held at the Columbia Theatre on June 19, 1914.
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34
She was profiled in the book Funny Ladies by Stephen Silverman.
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35
She and George Burns became the comedy team of Burns and Allen in 1922; she played the daft one. They remained partners until her death.
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36
During World War II, she served in the American Women’s Voluntary Service, catering to coast watchers, visiting military hospitals, and entertaining at Army camps.
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37
She and George Burns were inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1988.
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38
Co-star Bea Benaderet said of Allen in 1966: She was probably one of the greatest actresses of our time.
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39
From 1948 to 1953, she and George were celebrity spokespersons for Paper Mate Ballpoint Pens.
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40
She is mentioned in the song Daydreams 1981.
