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Birthday:
11-15-1933
Deathday:
01-26-2020 (86 years)
Birthplace:
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Francis Burns (November 15, 1933 – January 26, 2020) was an American comedian, actor, voice actor, writer, and producer. During the 1960s he was part of two stand-up comedy partnerships, first with George Carlin and later Avery Schreiber. By the 1970s he had transitioned to working behind the camera as a writer and producer on such comedy series as The Muppet Show and Hee Haw.
John Francis Burns (November 15, 1933 – January 26, 2020) was an American comedian, actor, voice actor, writer, and producer. During the 1960s he was part of two stand-up comedy partnerships, first with George Carlin and later Avery Schreiber. By the 1970s he had transitioned to working behind the camera as a writer and producer on such comedy series as The Muppet Show and Hee Haw.
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Their works
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The Night They Raided Minsky's
Act like Candy Butcher
event1968 star_border 5.6
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Rachel arrives in New York from her Amish community intent on becoming a dancer. Unfortunately Billy Minsky's Burlesque is hardly the place for her Dances From The Bible. But the show's comedian Raymond sees a way of wrong-footing the local do-gooders by announcing the new Paris sensation "Mme Fifi" and putting on Rachel's performance as the place is raided. All too complicated, the more so since her father is scouring the town for her and both Raymond and his straight-man Chick are falling for Rachel.
Sour Grapes
Act like Eulogist
event1998 star_border 5.6
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The bond between cousins is tested when one wins a fortune with the other's money at Atlantic City.
Don Knotts: Tied Up with Laughter
Act like Himself
event2011
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The beloved, Emmy-winning comic actor Don Knotts, best-known for his roles as the bumbling deputy Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show and the lecherous landlord Mr. Furley on Three's Company, presents a series of side-splitting stand-up routines and skits in rare performances from the 1960s-1970s. A master at playing nervous and neurotic characters, Knotts is also able to milk major laughs with his portrayals of romantically-challenged underdogs possessing oversized egos. In this special comedy collection, he is joined by singer-actress Joey Heatherton, actress Jane Powell, former Dallas Cowboys player Lance Rentzel, comic Jack Burns, Knott's Love God movie co-star Maureen Arthur and the legendary Jimmy Durante.
Goldstein
Act like Truck Driver / Policeman
event1965 star_border 5
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GOLDSTEIN, the feature film debut of talented director Philip Kaufman, is an early example of American independent filmmaking from the early 1960s. A fable about an old man with an odd effect on those he encounters, the film is a funny, warm-hearted postcard from an important moment in American cinema. GOLDSTEIN, starring veteran character actor Lou Gilbert, shared the Prix de la Nouvelle Critique at the 1964 Cannes Film Festival with Bertolucci’s Before the Revolution. Cinema deity Jean Renoir called the film "the best American film I have seen in 20 years."
Sunday Pursuit
Act like Taxi driver
event1990 star_border 4
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Thomas Wilkins has faithfully worked his entire life on Saville Row. Suddenly he is fired by his boss Mr Gerald, who wants a younger man with new ideas. Thomas advertise under "Lonely Hearts" and receives an answer.
The Andy Griffith Show
Act like Warren Ferguson (10 ep.)
event1960 star_border 7.6
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The Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom first televised on CBS between October 3, 1960 and April 1, 1968. Andy Griffith portrays the widowed sheriff of the fictional small community of Mayberry, North Carolina. His life is complicated by an inept, but well-meaning deputy, Barney Fife, a spinster aunt and housekeeper, Aunt Bee, and a precocious young son, Opie. Local ne'er-do-wells, bumbling pals, and temperamental girlfriends further complicate his life. Andy Griffith stated in a Today Show interview, with respect to the time period of the show: "Well, though we never said it, and though it was shot in the '60s, it had a feeling of the '30s. It was when we were doing it, of a time gone by."
The series never placed lower than seventh in the Nielsen ratings and ended its final season at number one. It has been ranked by TV Guide as the 9th-best show in American television history. Though neither Griffith nor the show won awards during its eight-season run, series co-stars Knotts and Bavier accumulated a combined total of six Emmy Awards. The show, a semi-spin-off from an episode of The Danny Thomas Show titled "Danny Meets Andy Griffith", spawned its own spin-off series, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., a sequel series, Mayberry R.F.D., and a reunion telemovie, Return to Mayberry. The show's enduring popularity has generated a good deal of show-related merchandise. Reruns currently air on TV Land, and the complete series is available on DVD. All eight seasons are also now available by streaming video services such as Netflix.
The Simpsons
Act like Edward Christian (voice) (1 ep.)
event1989 star_border 8
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Set in Springfield, the average American town, the show focuses on the antics and everyday adventures of the Simpson family; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, as well as a virtual cast of thousands. Since the beginning, the series has been a pop culture icon, attracting hundreds of celebrities to guest star. The show has also made name for itself in its fearless satirical take on politics, media and American life in general.
Love, American Style
(1 ep.)
event1969 star_border 6
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An anthology comedy series featuring a line up of different celebrity guest stars appearing in anywhere from one, two, three, and four short stories or vignettes within an hour about versions of love and romance.
Beauty and the Beast
(1 ep.)
event1987 star_border 7.5
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Beauty and the Beast is an American drama series which first aired on CBS in 1987. Creator Ron Koslow's updated version of the fairy tale has a double focus: the relationship between Vincent, a mythic, noble man-beast, and Catherine, a savvy Assistant District Attorney in New York; and a secret Utopian community of social outcasts living in a subterranean sanctuary. Through an empathetic bond, Vincent senses Catherine's emotions, and becomes her guardian.
The Merv Griffin Show
Act like Self (1 ep.)
event1962 star_border 5.6
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The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, September 20, 1965 to August 15, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 at 11:30 PM ET weeknights on CBS and again in first-run syndication from February 14, 1972 to September 5, 1986.
The Pitts
Act like Mystery Man #1 (1 ep.)
event2003 star_border 5
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The Pitts is a short-lived FOX sitcom that aired 7 half-hour episodes between March and April 2003. It is about a family and their bad luck. It was a satire on typical American sitcoms with over-the-top sight gags.
Nanny and the Professor
(1 ep.)
event1970 star_border 6
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Nanny and the Professor is an American fantasy situation comedy created by AJ Carothers and Thomas L. Miller for 20th Century Fox Television. During pre-production, the proposed title was Nanny Will Do.
Wait Till Your Father Gets Home
Act like Ralph Kane (48 ep.)
event1972 star_border 6.2
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Wait Till Your Father Gets Home chronicles the lives of the Boyles, your average 1970's American family. Harry Boyle, the father, owns a restaurant supply company. His wife Irma portrays the typical housewife, with an occasional independent flare. Harry and Irma have three children: Chet, Alice, and Jamie. Chet, who is 22, is a college dropout, who spends most of his time sleeping. Alice is a rather robust 16-year-old, who teams up with her mother, to display the independence of women, in the 70's. Jamie is the Capitalist of the family, even though he is only 9. The show is set in the suburbs of Los Angeles, on Elm Street, to be precise. During the 1973 season, the show was host to many celebrity voices, including: Don Knotts, Phyllis Diller, Bea Arthur and many more (many of these guests were carried over from The New Scooby-Doo Movies, which were recored at this time).
Getting Together
(14 ep.)
event1971 star_border 5
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Getting Together is an American musical situation comedy, which aired on the ABC television network during the 1971-72 season. It stars Bobby Sherman and Wes Stern as Bobby Conway and Lionel Poindexter, a songwriting duo. The pilot for the series had aired the previous spring the first season finale episode of The Partridge Family named "A Knight in Shining Armor", where Lionel and Bobby were introduced to each other by the Partridges.
Sherman and Stern's characters were reportedly based on the real-life songwriting team of Boyce and Hart, who had written hits for The Monkees, Jay and the Americans, and others. New music of course was a staple of the series, provided by much of the same team that created the Partridge Family songs and records. Most of these songs were from two Bobby Sherman albums -- Getting Together and Just For You.
The Dean Martin Show
(1 ep.)
event1965 star_border 7.3
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The Dean Martin Show, also known as The Dean Martin Variety Show, is a TV variety-comedy series that ran from 1965 to 1974 for 264 episodes. It was broadcast by NBC and hosted by entertainer Dean Martin. The theme song to the series was his 1964 hit "Everybody Loves Somebody."
The Flip Wilson Show
Act like Self (3 ep.)
event1970 star_border 4.8
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The Flip Wilson Show is an hour long variety show that aired in the U.S. on NBC from September 17, 1970 to June 27, 1974. The show starred American comedian Flip Wilson; the program was one of the first American television programs starring a black person in the title role to become highly successful with a white audience. Specifically, it was the first successful network variety series starring an African American. During its first two seasons, its Nielsen ratings made it the nation's second most watched show.
The show consisted of many skits over an hour. It also broke new ground in American television by using a 'Theatre-in-the-Round' stage format, with the audience seated on all sides of a circular performance area.
Wilson was most famous for creating the role of Geraldine Jones, a sassy, modern woman who had a boyfriend named Killer. Flip also created the role of Reverend Leroy, who was the minister of the Church of What's Happening Now!. New parishioners were wary of coming to the church as it was hinted that Reverend Leroy was a con artist. Wilson popularized such catchphrases as "What you see is what you get", and "The devil made me do it!".
That's Life
(1 ep.)
event1968 star_border 6
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That's Life is a musical comedy series that appeared on the ABC television network in 1968–69, starring Robert Morse and E. J. Peaker as Bobby and Gloria Dickson.
The series focused on the lives of Bobby and Gloria, from their first meeting through their marriage, as their lives progressed, through Gloria's pregnancy and childbirth, as well as Bobby's work experiences at the Miller Chalk Company. Characters often broke into song, in the manner of musical plays and movies. Songs included well-known numbers and original tunes written for the program itself. Well-known stars often guest-starred in one-time roles. Kay Medford had a recurring role as Gloria's mother, Mrs. Quigley, who was often antagonistic to Bobby.
Saturday Night Live
Act like Self - Host (1 ep.)
event1975 star_border 6.9
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A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.
Fridays
Act like Self - Announcer (21 ep.)
event1980 star_border 5
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Fridays is the name of ABC's weekly late-night live comedy show, which aired on Friday nights from April 11, 1980 to April 23, 1982.
The Detectives
Act like Bouncer (1 ep.)
event1993 star_border 6.7
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The absurd adventures of two defective detectives, who - despite unbelievable incompetence - somehow manage to solve their cases (or be nearby when the cases are solved) and retain their jobs.
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Act like Self (2 ep.)
event1962 star_border 7.4
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The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.
The Ghost & Mrs. Muir
Act like Frank Donaldson (1 ep.)
event1968 star_border 6.4
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Derived from the 1947 movie with the same name, a house is haunted by a deceased sea captain who wreaks havoc with the new tenants who were not advised of his existence.
Brothers
Act like Duke (1 ep.)
event1984 star_border 7.2
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Two conservative men support their younger brother when he comes out as gay, and help him navigate being openly homosexual in 1980s Philadelphia.
The Mike Douglas Show
Act like Self (1 ep.)
event1961 star_border 5.1
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The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia.
CBS Summer Playhouse
Act like Bud Stone (1 ep.)
event1987 star_border 6.3
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CBS anthology series airing unsold television pilots during the summer season.
The Dick Cavett Show
Act like Self - Guest (1 ep.)
event1968 star_border 6.6
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The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks.
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
Act like Parent in PTA meeting (1 ep.)
event1969 star_border 5.8
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The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour is an American network television music and comedy variety show hosted by singer Glen Campbell from January 1969 through June 1972 on CBS. He was offered the show after he hosted a 1968 summer replacement for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Campbell used "Gentle on My Mind" as the theme song of the show. The show was one of the few rural-oriented shows to survive CBS's rural purge of 1971.
Kraft Music Hall
Act like Self (2 ep.)
event1958 star_border 4.4
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Kraft Music Hall is an umbrella title for several television series aired by NBC in the United States from the 1950s to the 1970s in the musical variety genre, sponsored by Kraft Foods, the producers of a well-known line of cheeses and related dairy products. Their commercials were usually announced by "The Voice of Kraft", Ed Herlihy.
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