Background
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 (1950-1958) on Columbia Broadcasting System.
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 (1950-1958) on Columbia Broadcasting System.
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.
Ronald Jon "Ronnie" Burns (July 9, 1935 – November 14, 2007) was an American television actor. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Ronnie Burns was five weeks old when he was adopted in Chicago September 27, 1935, by George Burns and Gracie Allen. He first appeared on the show on October 18, 1954 as the bridesgroom on the episode "Gracie Gives a Wedding in Payment of a Favor" (The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show - Season 5 - Episode 3).
Upon joining the show full time, numerous episodes revolved around the fictional Ronnie Burns" 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 (1958-1959), a short-lived series produced after his mother retired from show business.
Burns starred in the 1960-1961 National Broadcasting Company 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 Maine (1964-1965), 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 his Pacific Palisades home.