The upcoming presidential campaign spotlight turned to perhaps the unlikeliest, but certainly the most entertaining, candidate of all gracie allen. Based on a premise that supposedly surfaced during a. Comedian gracie allen made her run for the white house in 1940. Well this stunt was as memorable to me as a radio program as the wc fields charlie mccartney feud and the fred allen jack benny feud was. Before political correctness and the restraints of. Gracie allen for president 1940 video episodes gracie allens 1940 presidental campaign gracie allen, the female half of the runaway comedy team of burns and allen, announced one march evening over the radio her intention to compete for the presidency at the head of a new third party, the surprise party.
In the 1940, gracie allen threw her hat into the presidential ring as a publicity stunt on the george burns and gracie allen radio shows. Grace ethel cecile rosalie allen was an american vaudevillian and comedian who became. As part of the gag, allen in reality, the burns and allen writers published a book, gracie allen for president, which included. As a gag for the george burns and gracie allen radio show, it was announced that flaky housewife allen was running for president of the united states of america as a.
Gracie allen still steals the show the new york times. Gracie allen, the female half of the runaway comedy team of burns and allen, announced one march evening over the radio her intention to compete for the. For the radio season this was one of the great plotstory lines. As part of the gag, allen in reality, the burns and allen writers published a book, gracie allen for president, which included photographs from their nationwide campaign tour and the surprise party convention. Allen received an endorsement from harvard university. Back in 1940 gracie ran for president of the united states as the candidate of the surprise party. In 1940 gracie allen spoofed presidential campaigns of franklin d. Gracie allens campaign book the george burns and gracie. So started the 1940 presidential campaign of gracie allen. Gracie allen s tongueincheek advice on how to become president by one of radios favorite and bestloved radio personalities. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. A love story, burns later explained that he noticed allens straight lines were. Politics was perfect for gracies particular brand of logical illogic. America fell in love with gracie allen as soon as she hit the airwaves playing ditzy gracie to burns straight man in the longest comedy collaboration in show business history burns and allen.
In her 1940 book how to become president, she gives her sassy explanation that franklin d. Gracie allen has some free advice on running for president. Roosevelt should happily give his seat in office to. Based on a premise that supposedly surfaced during a weekly writers conference for their radio show, gracie allen for president 1940 is a treasury of nostalgic entertainment centered around gracies whistlestop campaign for the presidency, during which an estimated 300,000 people across the nation came out to meet the train and hear her speak. She held a press conference and announced that her. Gracie allens tongueincheek advice on how to become president b.
He is currently writing a book on an event in illinois history. As hillary clinton becomes the first female presidential nominee of a major party. How to become president gracie allen, charles lofgren on. Join the hilarity, and the throngs of supporters, as george burns, gracie, and their entire cast embark on a whistlestop tour all the way to the surprise partys national convention in omaha, nebraska. George burnsthats mister allenwas saying the other day that to be president of the united states you also have to have brains, integrity, ability and intelligence, but i think he was just trying to talk me into it. Allen and burns crossed the country and allen published a book called how to. Gracie allen for president 1940 by william carroll goodreads. Gracie allen for president 1940 the george burns and.