# Ronnie Burns (actor)
**Ronnie Burns** (full name Ronald Jon Burns; July 9, 1935 – November 14, 2007) was an American actor, the adopted son of comedians [George Burns](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-burns) and [Gracie Allen](https://www.edgepedia.org/gracie-allen), who played himself as a regular cast member on their CBS sitcom *The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show* in the 1950s.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html) • [2](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/ronnie-burns)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | July 9, 1935, Evanston, Illinois, USA[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122863/) |
| Died | November 14, 2007 (aged 72), Pacific Palisades, California, of cancer[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html) |
| Parents | Adopted as an infant by George Burns and Gracie Allen[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html) |
| Signature role | Himself on *The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show* (1951–1958, 125 episodes)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122863/) |
| Other series | *The George Burns Show* (1958–1959, 23 episodes); starred as Chris Day in *Happy* (1960–1961, 16 episodes)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122863/) |
| Films | *Bernardine* (1957), *The Helen Morgan Story* (1957), *Anatomy of a Psycho* (1961)[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html) • [4](https://www.archytele.com/person/ronnie-burns) |
| After acting | Boat racing, real estate investment, his parents' merchandising, Arabian horse breeding in Santa Ynez, California[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html) |
## Family and adoption
Burns and Allen adopted Ronnie a few months after his birth on July 9, 1935, about a year after they adopted his sister, Sandra.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html) An Associated Press obituary gives the adoption at three months old, while a syndicated question-and-answer column gives two months; the two accounts differ on the exact interval.[5](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/ronnie-burns) • [6](https://vindyarchives.com/news/2014/aug/13/ask-mr-know-it-all-whatever-happened-to-/) His sister, Sandra Jean Burns (1934–2010), worked briefly with her adoptive parents before leaving acting to raise a family.[6](https://vindyarchives.com/news/2014/aug/13/ask-mr-know-it-all-whatever-happened-to-/)
He grew up in Beverly Hills at the height of his parents' fame, and his wife described his childhood as a happy one filled with "parties, pony rides, a typical old-style Hollywood lifestyle."[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html) According to friends and family, he preferred a more low-key life than his surroundings suggested.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122863/)
## Television career
**Burns and Allen.** Burns played himself on *The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show*, in which George Burns and Gracie Allen appeared as versions of themselves, a show-business couple living in Beverly Hills. The son joined the supporting cast, which also included [Bea Benaderet](https://www.edgepedia.org/bea-benaderet) as neighbor Blanche Morton and announcer Harry von Zell playing himself.[7](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Encyclopedias/Archive-Encyclopedia-of-Television/Encyclopedia-of-Television-Vol-1.pdf) He appeared in 125 episodes between 1951 and 1958, credited under variant character names including Jim Goodwin and Mr. Evans.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122863/) The show ran on CBS from 1950 to 1958, ending when Allen retired from show business.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html)
After Allen's retirement, George Burns starred in his own NBC program, *The George Burns Show*, with many of the regulars from the earlier series, including his son.[8](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/hall-fame/george-burns-and-gracie-allen-hall-fame-tribute) Ronnie appeared as himself in 23 episodes in 1958–1959; the program ran for one season.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122863/) • [1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html)
**Own and guest roles.** Burns studied acting at the [Pasadena Playhouse](https://www.edgepedia.org/pasadena-playhouse).[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html) In 1960 he headlined his own short-lived NBC series, *Happy*, playing Chris Day in 16 episodes broadcast in 1960–1961.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122863/) His guest appearances in the 1950s and early 1960s included *The Honeymooners*, *The Jack Benny Program*, *Playhouse 90*, *Shotgun Slade*, *The Deputy*, *The Millionaire*, and *The Red Skelton Show*.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html) • [2](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/ronnie-burns) • [9](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/146319/ronnie-burns) He also made one-episode appearances as himself on variety programs, including *The Jack Benny Program*, *The Steve Allen Show*, and *Bachelor Father*.[2](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/ronnie-burns)
**Films.** His film roles were few. He played Marvin Griner in the 1957 comedy *Bernardine*, Bobby Talbot in *The Helen Morgan Story* (1957), and Mickey in the low-budget crime film *Anatomy of a Psycho* (1961).[4](https://www.archytele.com/person/ronnie-burns) • [2](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/ronnie-burns)
## Leaving show business
Burns was never comfortable with fame, his wife said, and he quit acting in the early 1960s.[5](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/ronnie-burns) He made one later return behind the camera, doing production work on *Wendy and Me*, a 1964–65 sitcom starring his father.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html)
After growing tired of the limelight he left the entertainment business and turned to racing boats; he had been an avid surfer in his youth and later took up sailing.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html) • [5](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/ronnie-burns) He then invested in real estate using money he had made from acting, oversaw merchandising related to his parents, and bred Arabian horses at a ranch in Santa Ynez, California.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html) • [5](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/ronnie-burns)
## Personal life and death
Burns had three sons with his first wife, Peggy.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html) That marriage ended in divorce in 1972, and he married Janice Powell in 1977; the couple remained married until his death.[10](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/ronnie-burns.html) • [1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html)
He died of cancer on November 14, 2007, at his Pacific Palisades home, at the age of 72.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html) His mother, Gracie Allen, had died in 1964 of a heart attack, and George Burns died in 1996 at the age of 100.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html)
## References
1. [Ronnie Burns, 72; TV actor played himself on parents' comedy show, Los Angeles Times (Nov. 16, 2007)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-16-me-passings16.s1-story.html)
2. [Ronnie Burns, Plex](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/ronnie-burns)
3. [Ronnie Burns, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122863/)
4. [Ronnie Burns: Movies, TV Shows & Biography, Archytele](https://www.archytele.com/person/ronnie-burns)
5. [Ronnie Burns Obituary (AP), Legacy.com](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/ronnie-burns)
6. [Ask Mr. Know-It-All: Whatever happened to Burns and Allen's children?, Vindy Archives (2014)](https://vindyarchives.com/news/2014/aug/13/ask-mr-know-it-all-whatever-happened-to-/)
7. [Burns, George, The Encyclopedia of Television](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Encyclopedias/Archive-Encyclopedia-of-Television/Encyclopedia-of-Television-Vol-1.pdf)
8. [George Burns and Gracie Allen: Hall of Fame Tribute, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/hall-fame/george-burns-and-gracie-allen-hall-fame-tribute)
9. [Ronnie Burns, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/146319/ronnie-burns)
10. [Ronnie Burns, Famous Birthdays](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/ronnie-burns.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1940s to 1960s › Surnames Br to C*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license