David Burns (June 22, 1902 – March 12, 1971) was an American Broadway theatre and motion picture actor and singer.[1][2]
David Burns | |
|---|---|
 Burns in 1967 | |
| Born | June 22, 1902 Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Died | March 12, 1971 (aged 68) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1918–1971 |
| Spouse | Mildred Todd |
Life and career
editBurns was born on Mott Street in Chinatown, Manhattan.[3] He made his Broadway debut in 1923 in Polly Preferred and went to London with the show in 1924.[4] His first musical was Face the Music in 1932,[5] and Cole Porter's Nymph Errant (1933) was his London debut.[6] He appeared in many comedies and musicals over an almost 50-year career.[7]
He won two Tony Awards for Best 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).[8][7]
Hello, Dolly! on Broadway (1964)
Burns introduced the hit song "It Takes a Woman" from Hello, Dolly (1964) as the original "Horace Vandergelder".[9][10]
Burns won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor – Drama Series for his role of Mr. Solomon in the 1971 TV special (Hallmark Hall of Fame) The Price by Arthur Miller.[11]
Death
editBurns 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.[3]
Selected credits
editStage
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1923 | Polly Preferred | Mr. B | |
| 1931 | Wonder Boy | Harry Rich | |
| 1932 | Face the Music | Louis | Credited as "Dave Burns" |
| 1935 | Them's the Reporters | Cassady | Credited as "Dave Burns" |
| 1939–1941 | The Man Who Came to Dinner | Banjo | |
| 1940–1941 | Pal Joey | Ludlow Lowell | |
| 1943 | Oklahoma! | Ali Hakim | |
| 1943 | My Dear Public | Walters | |
| 1945-1946 | Billion Dollar Baby | Dapper Welch | |
| 1947 | I Gotta Get Out | Bernie | |
| 1948-1949 | Make Mine Manhattan | Nick/"The Good Old Days" Performer/Taxi Driver/ Mr. Rappaport/Customer | |
| 1948 | Heaven On Earth | H.H. Hutton | |
| 1950 | Alive and Kicking | Dr. Frisbee/Dr. Allen Drawbridge/Army | |
| 1950-1951 | Cole Porter's Out of This World | Niki Skolianos | |
| 1952-1953 | Two's Company | Stanley/Strombolini/Melvin/Dudley Dawson | |
| 1953 | Men of Distinction | Daniel Gaffney | |
| 1955 | Catch 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 Runway | Ambassador Raymond Wilkins | [12] |
| 1970–1971 | Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen | Colonel Wainwright Purdy III |
Film
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes[13] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | The Imogene Coca Show | Regular |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Tony Award | Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical | The Music Man[7] | Won |
| 1963 | A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum[7] | Won | ||
| 1966 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | The Trials of O'Brien[11] | Nominated |
| 1971 | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Won | ||
| Tony Award | Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical | Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen[7] | Nominated |
Further reading
edit- Oderman, Stuart, Talking to the Piano Player 2. BearManor Media, 2009. ISBN 1-59393-320-7.
References
edit- ^ Sandra Brennan. "David Burns – Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos – AllMovie". AllMovie.
- ^ "David Burns". BFI. Archived from the original on August 6, 2016.
- ^ a b "David Burns, 69, Star In Musicals" The New York Times, March 13, 1971.
- ^ The Broadway League. "David Burns – IBDB: The official source for Broadway Information".
- ^ Face the Music ibdb.com. Retrieved October 12, 2017
- ^ Nymph Errant sondheimguide.com. Retrieved October 12, 2017
- ^ a b c d e "David Burns Broadway" Playbill. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ^ "Search Past Tony Award Winners and Nominees – TonyAwards.com – The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards – Official Website by IBM". TonyAwards.com. Archived from the original on August 31, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
- ^ The Broadway League. "Hello, Dolly! – IBDB: The official source for Broadway Information".
- ^ Hello, Dolly! Playbill. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ^ a b "David Burns Emmy" emmys.com. Retrieved October 14, 2017
- ^ Barnes, Clive. "Theater: Art Buchwald's 'Sheep on the Runway' " The New York Times, February 2, 1970
- ^ "David Burns Films" tcm.com. Retrieved October 12, 2017
External links
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