Bob Burns
Encyclopedia
Bob Burns was an American radio and film comedian during the 1930s and 1940s. Burns, who early in his career was billed as Robert Burns, coined the word bazooka
.
. When he was three years old, his family moved to Van Buren, Arkansas
. As a young child, Burns was playing trombone and cornet in the Queen City Silver Cornet Band. At 13, he formed his own string band. Practicing in the back of Hayman's Plumbing Shop one night, he picked up a length of gas pipe and blew into it, creating an unusual sound. With modifications, this became a musical instrument
he named a bazooka (after "bazoo", meaning a windy fellow, from the Dutch bazuin for "trumpet"). A photograph shows him playing his invention in the Silver Cornet Band.
During World War I
Burns enlisted in the United States Marine Corps
. He sailed to France
with the 11th Regiment, U.S. Marines, AEF, and as a sergeant became the leader of the Marine Corps's jazz band. he became known for his "bazooka" - made from stove pipes and a whiskey funnel.
Following the war, Burns played his novelty instrument on radio programs. Functioning like a crude trombone
, his musical bazooka had a narrow range, but this was intentional. Burns used it as a prop when telling hillbilly
stories and jokes. During World War II
, GIs borrowed the name for their handheld anti-tank rocket launcher
s.
(1806–74), composer of the popular fiddle tune, "The Arkansas Traveler".
After performing on a Los Angeles radio station, Burns reached a national audience in 1935 by appearing on the Paul Whiteman
and Rudy Vallee
radio programs. he then became a regular on Bing Crosby
's Kraft Music Hall
, telling tall tales about his fictional hillbilly relatives, Uncle Fud and Aunt Doody. He remained with the Kraft Music Hall until 1941, when he his own radio series, The Arkansas Traveler (1941–43) and The Bob Burns Show (1943–49).
(1931), Young as You Feel (1931), Lazy River (1934) and 19 more movies throughout the 1930s. In 1940, he was seen in Alias the Deacon and Comin' Round the Mountain. His last film was the Technicolor musical Western Belle of the Yukon (1944), set in the Canadian Gold Rush. Burns was top-billed with Randolph Scott
, Gypsy Rose Lee
and Dinah Shore
.
From 1936 to 1940, Burns wrote a newspaper column, "Well, I'll Tell You," a column filler with brief homespun anecdotes. The daily feature was syndicated to 240 newspapers.
Burn's television appearances in the 1950s included Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town (January 30, 1955). A wealthy man from his land investments, Burns' final years were spent on his 200 acre (0.809372 km²) model farm in Canoga Park, California.
He died from kidney cancer
in Encino, California at the age of 65.
Bazooka
Bazooka is the common name for a man-portable recoilless rocket antitank weapon, widely fielded by the U.S. Army. Also referred to as the "Stovepipe", the innovative bazooka was amongst the first-generation of rocket propelled anti-tank weapons used in infantry combat...
.
Early years
He was born Robin Burn in Greenwood, ArkansasGreenwood, Arkansas
Greenwood is a city in and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States, perhaps best known locally for its Arkansas high school football...
. When he was three years old, his family moved to Van Buren, Arkansas
Van Buren, Arkansas
Van Buren is the second largest city in the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area and the county seat of Crawford County, Arkansas, United States. The city is located directly northeast of Fort Smith at the Interstate 40 - Interstate 540 junction...
. As a young child, Burns was playing trombone and cornet in the Queen City Silver Cornet Band. At 13, he formed his own string band. Practicing in the back of Hayman's Plumbing Shop one night, he picked up a length of gas pipe and blew into it, creating an unusual sound. With modifications, this became a musical instrument
Bazooka (instrument)
The bazooka is a brasswind musical instrument several feet in length and incorporates telescopic tubing like the trombone. Often, people construct very simple bazookas with scavenged materials like pipes and funnels...
he named a bazooka (after "bazoo", meaning a windy fellow, from the Dutch bazuin for "trumpet"). A photograph shows him playing his invention in the Silver Cornet Band.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Burns enlisted in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. He sailed to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with the 11th Regiment, U.S. Marines, AEF, and as a sergeant became the leader of the Marine Corps's jazz band. he became known for his "bazooka" - made from stove pipes and a whiskey funnel.
Following the war, Burns played his novelty instrument on radio programs. Functioning like a crude trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, his musical bazooka had a narrow range, but this was intentional. Burns used it as a prop when telling hillbilly
Hillbilly
Hillbilly is a term referring to certain people who dwell in rural, mountainous areas of the United States, primarily Appalachia but also the Ozarks. Owing to its strongly stereotypical connotations, the term is frequently considered derogatory, and so is usually offensive to those Americans of...
stories and jokes. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, GIs borrowed the name for their handheld anti-tank rocket launcher
Bazooka
Bazooka is the common name for a man-portable recoilless rocket antitank weapon, widely fielded by the U.S. Army. Also referred to as the "Stovepipe", the innovative bazooka was amongst the first-generation of rocket propelled anti-tank weapons used in infantry combat...
s.
The Arkansas Traveler
Burns became known as The Arkansas Traveler and The Arkansas Philosopher. His radio personality was a self-effacing, rustic bumpkin with amusing stories about "the kinfolks" back home in Van Buren. His character was patterned after Sanford FaulknerSanford Faulkner
Colonel Sanford C. 'Sandy' Faulkner was an American teller of tall tales, fiddle player, and composer of the popular fiddle tune "The Arkansas Traveler", which was the State song of Arkansas from 1949–1963....
(1806–74), composer of the popular fiddle tune, "The Arkansas Traveler".
After performing on a Los Angeles radio station, Burns reached a national audience in 1935 by appearing on the Paul Whiteman
Paul Whiteman
Paul Samuel Whiteman was an American bandleader and orchestral director.Leader of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s, Whiteman's recordings were immensely successful, and press notices often referred to him as the "King of Jazz"...
and Rudy Vallee
Rudy Vallée
Rudy Vallée was an American singer, actor, bandleader, and entertainer.-Early life:Born Hubert Prior Vallée in Island Pond, Vermont, the son of Charles Alphonse and Catherine Lynch Vallée...
radio programs. he then became a regular on Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
's Kraft Music Hall
Kraft Music Hall
The Kraft Music Hall was a popular variety program, featuring top show business entertainers, which aired on NBC radio and television from 1933 to 1971....
, telling tall tales about his fictional hillbilly relatives, Uncle Fud and Aunt Doody. He remained with the Kraft Music Hall until 1941, when he his own radio series, The Arkansas Traveler (1941–43) and The Bob Burns Show (1943–49).
Movie appearances
Burns made his film debut in Up the River (1930), and followed with Three Rogues (1930), Quick MillionsQuick Millions
Quick Millions is a 1931 Pre-Code crime film directed by Rowland Brown. The film involves a truck driver and the wealthy woman that he covets, and also features George Raft and Leon Ames in supporting roles.-Cast:...
(1931), Young as You Feel (1931), Lazy River (1934) and 19 more movies throughout the 1930s. In 1940, he was seen in Alias the Deacon and Comin' Round the Mountain. His last film was the Technicolor musical Western Belle of the Yukon (1944), set in the Canadian Gold Rush. Burns was top-billed with Randolph Scott
Randolph Scott
Randolph Scott was an American film actor whose career spanned from 1928 to 1962. As a leading man for all but the first three years of his cinematic career, Scott appeared in a variety of genres, including social dramas, crime dramas, comedies, musicals , adventure tales, war films, and even a few...
, Gypsy Rose Lee
Gypsy Rose Lee
Gypsy Rose Lee was an American burlesque entertainer famous for her striptease act. She was also an actress, author, and playwright whose 1957 memoir was made into the stage musical and film Gypsy.-Early life:...
and Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore was an American singer, actress, and television personality...
.
From 1936 to 1940, Burns wrote a newspaper column, "Well, I'll Tell You," a column filler with brief homespun anecdotes. The daily feature was syndicated to 240 newspapers.
Burn's television appearances in the 1950s included Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town (January 30, 1955). A wealthy man from his land investments, Burns' final years were spent on his 200 acre (0.809372 km²) model farm in Canoga Park, California.
He died from kidney cancer
Kidney cancer
Kidney cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the cells in the kidney.The two most common types of kidney cancer are renal cell carcinoma and urothelial cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis...
in Encino, California at the age of 65.
Selected filmography
- Quick MillionsQuick MillionsQuick Millions is a 1931 Pre-Code crime film directed by Rowland Brown. The film involves a truck driver and the wealthy woman that he covets, and also features George Raft and Leon Ames in supporting roles.-Cast:...
(as Robert Burns) (1931) - Young as You Feel (1931)
- Lazy River (1934)
- Rhythm on the RangeRhythm on the RangeRhythm on the Range is a 1936 Paramount Pictures musical film directed by Norman Taurog.-Plot:Doris Halliday is the daughter of wealthy banker Robert Halliday. She is about to marry a man she doesn't love, so the family will become richer...
(1936) - The Big Broadcast of 1937 (1936)
- Waikiki WeddingWaikiki WeddingWaikiki Wedding is a 1937 musical film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Bing Crosby. Bing plays the part of Tony Marvin, a PR man charged with extolling the virtues of Hawaii. The female lead is Shirley Ross....
(1937) - Mountain Music (1937)
- The Arkansas Traveler (1938)
- Tropic HolidayTropic HolidayTropic Holiday is a 1938 American musical film directed by Theodore Reed and starring Bob Burns, Dorothy Lamour and Ray Milland.The film was nominated for the Academy Award's Best Original Score.-Cast:* Bob Burns as Breck Jones...
(1938) - I'm from Missouri (1939)