Ronnie Burns
- November 14, 2007
- 72 years
- cancer
About Ronnie Burns
Ronnie Burns, 72, American actor, adopted son of George Burns and Gracie Allen, cancer.
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Full Biography
|Ronald Jon Burns (July 9, 1935 – November 14, 2007) was an American television actor. He is primarily remembered as the son of comedians George Burns and Gracie Allen and a regular cast member of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950–58) on CBS.
Biography
Born in Evanston, Illinois, Ronnie Burns was eleven weeks old when he was adopted in Chicago on September 27, 1935, by George Burns and Gracie Allen. His older sister, Sandra Jean, had been adopted the year before by Burns and Allen, and was then 13 months old. According to George Burns, Ronnie had been the most sickly baby up for adoption from the agency, and Gracie chose him because she particularly felt he needed their help.
Burns and his sister Sandra had roles as themselves in the March 15, 1951, episode "The Vanderlips' Dinner Party" CBS television series The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. On October 10, 1955, Burns joined as a regular cast member playing himself but cast as a novice actor and college student studying drama who tended to look askance at his parents' comedy style. He first appeared on the show on October 18, 1954, as the bridegroom on the episode "Gracie Gives a Wedding in Payment of a Favor" (Season 5, Episode 3). Upon joining the show full-time, numerous episodes revolved around the fictional Ronnie Burns's dating and social life. His good looks and popularity helped the show gain the attention of younger viewers in its final years. Later he appeared on The George Burns Show (1958–59), a short-lived series produced after his mother retired from show business.
Burns starred in the 1960–61 NBC comedy series Happy, in which he and Yvonne Lime Fedderson played Chris and Sally Day, the parents of a talking baby. He played the manager of the Palm Desert Hotel in Palm Springs. Lloyd Corrigan, Doris Packer, and Burt Metcalfe had supporting roles.
He made an uncredited appearance as Wallace on the "Young at Heart" episode of The Honeymooners, which featured Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason) trying to roller skate with disastrous results. Burns made a cameo appearance on Bachelor Father starring John Forsythe.
Never comfortable with celebrity, Burns left acting. He produced a situation comedy, Wendy and Me (1964–65), in which his father starred. He then went into real estate investment and raised horses at a ranch he owned in Santa Ynez, California.
Ronnie Burns died November 14, 2007, of cancer at age 72, in his Pacific Palisades home. He was survived by his wife, Janice, three sons from his first marriage: Brent, Brad, and Bryan Burns, six grandchildren, and his sister, Sandra.
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_Burns_(actor)
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Ronnie Burns's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what city was Ronnie Burns born?
- A.Pacific Palisades, California
- B.Santa Ynez, California
- C.Evanston, Illinoiscorrect
- D.Chicago, Illinois
The biography explicitly states that Ronnie Burns was born in Evanston, Illinois.
Source: Biography section
2.On what date was Ronnie Burns adopted by George Burns and Gracie Allen?
- A.July 9, 1935
- B.November 14, 2007
- C.October 18, 1954
- D.September 27, 1935correct
Ronnie Burns was adopted in Chicago on September 27, 1935.
Source: Biography section
3.What was the name of the sister of Ronnie Burns?
- A.Janice
- B.Sandra Jeancorrect
- C.Doris Packer
- D.Yvonne Lime
The text confirms that Ronnie Burns's older sister was named Sandra Jean.
Source: Biography section
4.What was the primary reason Gracie Allen chose to adopt Ronnie Burns?
- A.She was looking for a playmate for Sandra
- B.She wanted a child who looked like George
- C.She wanted a child who was already a performer
- D.She felt he particularly needed their helpcorrect
Gracie Allen chose to adopt Ronnie Burns because she felt he was a sickly baby who particularly needed their help.
Source: Biography section
5.In which episode of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show did Ronnie Burns first appear?
- A.Gracie Gives a Wedding in Payment of a Favorcorrect
- B.The Vanderlips' Dinner Party
- C.Bachelor Father
- D.Young at Heart
Ronnie Burns first appeared on the show on October 18, 1954, in the episode titled Gracie Gives a Wedding in Payment of a Favor.
Source: Biography section
6.What character did Ronnie Burns play in the NBC comedy series Happy?
- A.Ralph Kramden
- B.Chris Daycorrect
- C.Sally Day
- D.Wallace
In the series Happy, Ronnie Burns played the role of Chris Day, the father of a talking baby.
Source: Biography section
7.Which television show did Ronnie Burns produce that starred his father, George Burns?
- A.The George Burns Show
- B.Wendy and Mecorrect
- C.Happy
- D.Bachelor Father
After leaving acting, Ronnie Burns produced the situation comedy Wendy and Me, which starred his father.
Source: Biography section
8.What profession did Ronnie Burns pursue after leaving his acting career?
- A.Real estate investmentcorrect
- B.Hotel management
- C.Television producing
- D.Comedy writing
Following his career in acting and production, Ronnie Burns went into real estate investment and ranching.
Source: Biography section
9.Where was the ranch located that Ronnie Burns owned while raising horses?
- A.Pacific Palisades, California
- B.Evanston, Illinois
- C.Palm Springs, California
- D.Santa Ynez, Californiacorrect
Ronnie Burns raised horses at a ranch he owned in Santa Ynez, California.
Source: Biography section
10.What was the cause of death for Ronnie Burns?
- A.Heart failure
- B.Pneumonia
- C.Cancercorrect
- D.Natural causes
Ronnie Burns died on November 14, 2007, from cancer at the age of 72.
Source: Biography section
11.Who was the actor that played Ralph Kramden in the episode of The Honeymooners where Ronnie Burns made an appearance?
- A.Burt Metcalfe
- B.Jackie Gleasoncorrect
- C.John Forsythe
- D.George Burns
Ronnie Burns appeared in The Honeymooners episode that featured Jackie Gleason as Ralph Kramden.
Source: Biography section
12.What was the name of Ronnie Burns's wife at the time of his death?
- A.Yvonne Lime Fedderson
- B.Janicecorrect
- C.Gracie Allen
- D.Doris Packer
At the time of his death in 2007, Ronnie Burns was survived by his wife, Janice.
Source: Biography section
13.How many sons did Ronnie Burns have from his first marriage?
- A.Threecorrect
- B.Four
- C.Two
- D.One
Ronnie Burns was survived by three sons from his first marriage: Brent, Brad, and Bryan.
Source: Biography section
14.What was the age of Ronnie Burns at the time of his death?
- A.71
- B.73
- C.70
- D.72correct
Ronnie Burns was 72 years old when he died in 2007.
Source: Biography section
15.What role did Ronnie Burns play in the 1960–61 NBC comedy series Happy?
- A.A novice actor studying drama
- B.A bridegroom
- C.The manager of the Palm Desert Hotel
- D.The father of a talking babycorrect
In the series Happy, Ronnie Burns played the role of a father to a talking baby.
Source: Biography section
16.On which television show did Ronnie Burns make a cameo appearance as himself?
- A.The George Burns Show
- B.Bachelor Fathercorrect
- C.The Honeymooners
- D.Wendy and Me
Ronnie Burns made a cameo appearance on the television show Bachelor Father, which starred John Forsythe.
Source: Biography section
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