KC TobacPack Hall of Fame
Not so long back the founders of the KC TobacPack decided to start a Hall of Fame of Cigar Smokers. Here is our first nominee and the presentation and vote is tonight during the Whiskey Wednesday festivities.
George Burns
Actually George Burns really needs no introduction or presentation to be included in any Hall of Fame; TV, Stage, Movies or Cigar. However here is some information I found during my research that I hope will be as interesting to you as it was to me.
Born Jan. 20th 1896 as Nathan Birnbaum, was an American comedian, award-winning actor, best-selling writer and noted cigar enthusiast.
He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, film, radio, and television. His arched eyebrow and cigar-smoke punctuation became familiar trademarks for over three-quarters of a century.
Won an Academy award in 1975 in the Sunshine Boys for Best Supporting Actor
Married his long time partner Gracie Allen in1926, which was somewhat daring for those times, considering Burns' Jewish and Allen's Irish Catholic upbringing
Gracie passed of a fatal heart attack in her home on August 27, 1964, at the age of 69. After burns slept in her bed as he said it was the only way he could sleep without her. He also visited her once a month until his death.
Burns suffered a head injury after falling in his bathtub in July 1994 and never fully recovered and all performances celebrating his 100th birthday were canceled. (which I can safely say we were all looking forward to)
In December 1995, when he was 99, Burns was well enough to attend a Christmas party hosted by Frank Sinatra, where he reportedly caught the flu, which weakened him further. On January 20, 1996, he celebrated his 100th birthday, but was too weak to perform or even attend a birthday party taking place that night and instead spent the evening at home. He released a statement joking how he would love for his 100th birthday to be "a night with Sharon Stone".
On March 9, 1996, 49 days after his centenary, Burns died in his Beverly Hills home of cardiac arrest
Upon being interred with Gracie, the crypt's marker was changed to, "Gracie Allen & George Burns—Together Again." George had said that he wanted Gracie to have top billing.
George Burns has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for TV (South side of the 6500 block of Hollywood Boulevard), for Live Performance (South side of the 6600 block of Hollywood Boulevard) and for Film (West side of the 1600 block of Vine Street).
George smoked 10 - 15 Cigars a day, usually El Productos (he liked them because they stayed lit on stage)
Hooters restaurants had signs which, prior to George's death, read, "We even card George Burns;" following his death, they were changed to say, "We even carded George Burns."
Quotes:
I love to sing, and I love to drink scotch. Most people would rather hear me drink scotch.
I smoke 10 to 15 cigars a day, at my age I have to hold on to something.
Sex is one of the nine reasons for reincarnation. The other eight are unimportant.
Actually, it only takes one drink to get me loaded. Trouble is, I can't remember if it's the thirteenth or fourteenth.
When asked in his late 90s if his doctor knew he still smoked, Burns said, "No ... he's dead.''
Happiness is a good martini, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman... or a bad woman, depending on how much happiness you can stand.
I could go on but that last quote along with my memories of the Great George Burns should be enough to get him into the TobacPack Hall of Fame
Cheers
The Professor
George Burns
Actually George Burns really needs no introduction or presentation to be included in any Hall of Fame; TV, Stage, Movies or Cigar. However here is some information I found during my research that I hope will be as interesting to you as it was to me.
Born Jan. 20th 1896 as Nathan Birnbaum, was an American comedian, award-winning actor, best-selling writer and noted cigar enthusiast.
He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, film, radio, and television. His arched eyebrow and cigar-smoke punctuation became familiar trademarks for over three-quarters of a century.
Won an Academy award in 1975 in the Sunshine Boys for Best Supporting Actor
Married his long time partner Gracie Allen in1926, which was somewhat daring for those times, considering Burns' Jewish and Allen's Irish Catholic upbringing
Gracie passed of a fatal heart attack in her home on August 27, 1964, at the age of 69. After burns slept in her bed as he said it was the only way he could sleep without her. He also visited her once a month until his death.
Burns suffered a head injury after falling in his bathtub in July 1994 and never fully recovered and all performances celebrating his 100th birthday were canceled. (which I can safely say we were all looking forward to)
In December 1995, when he was 99, Burns was well enough to attend a Christmas party hosted by Frank Sinatra, where he reportedly caught the flu, which weakened him further. On January 20, 1996, he celebrated his 100th birthday, but was too weak to perform or even attend a birthday party taking place that night and instead spent the evening at home. He released a statement joking how he would love for his 100th birthday to be "a night with Sharon Stone".
On March 9, 1996, 49 days after his centenary, Burns died in his Beverly Hills home of cardiac arrest
Upon being interred with Gracie, the crypt's marker was changed to, "Gracie Allen & George Burns—Together Again." George had said that he wanted Gracie to have top billing.
George Burns has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for TV (South side of the 6500 block of Hollywood Boulevard), for Live Performance (South side of the 6600 block of Hollywood Boulevard) and for Film (West side of the 1600 block of Vine Street).
George smoked 10 - 15 Cigars a day, usually El Productos (he liked them because they stayed lit on stage)
Hooters restaurants had signs which, prior to George's death, read, "We even card George Burns;" following his death, they were changed to say, "We even carded George Burns."
Quotes:
I love to sing, and I love to drink scotch. Most people would rather hear me drink scotch.
I smoke 10 to 15 cigars a day, at my age I have to hold on to something.
Sex is one of the nine reasons for reincarnation. The other eight are unimportant.
Actually, it only takes one drink to get me loaded. Trouble is, I can't remember if it's the thirteenth or fourteenth.
When asked in his late 90s if his doctor knew he still smoked, Burns said, "No ... he's dead.''
Happiness is a good martini, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman... or a bad woman, depending on how much happiness you can stand.
I could go on but that last quote along with my memories of the Great George Burns should be enough to get him into the TobacPack Hall of Fame
Cheers
The Professor
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