>>Narration: It is getting harder and harder to walk around Hollywood
without stepping on George Burns.
He got his third star on the Walk of Fame this week
right next to the one given his late wife, Gracie Allen, so many years ago.
Along with the new star Burns has a new movie, Oh God You Devil
and we recently had the chance to play devil's advocate as we talked to this wonderful legend.
>>Q: How's life?
>>George Burns: As the devil?
>>In general.
>>It's just great [laughter] as the devil.
>>In general.
>>In general? It's great!
I'm fine. I uh, I'm here.
I get up every morning without any help.
I do my exercises.
I go to my office, do a little work, go to the club,
have lunch, play a little bridge,
come home, go to bed, get up about five-thirty,
have a couple of martinis.
I get out of bed very quietly.
I don't want to wake her up.
[laughter]
>>George how... >>I lie a lot. You know that.
>>no how, how do you handle the women?
You are a big star...
>>I don't handle any women
You want to find out about the women I handle?
Ask Trixie Hicks, or Elsie Uba, or Gertha Dufor, or Jean Lamont, or Lillie Delight.
Don't ask me.
>>But you've got, they come to your door. You're a sex symbol. You're...
>>I'm not a sex symbol
>>Sure you are.
>>I couldn't make a dollar from here down [laughter]
>>Do you watch? The show is on again.
The Burns and Allen Show is on television again.
Do you watch it?
>>Not very much.
>>Why not? >>It's on late
I'm in bed >>You could tape it
>>And I'm not too interested in things that I've done.
I've had Gracie for thirty-eight years
and don't forget, being married for thirty-eight years in show business
is not like another marriage.
For thirty-eight years Gracie and I slept together,
we ate together, we dressed together, and we worked together.
That's thirty-eight years.
See the husband gets up and says good night and goes to work,
comes back twelve hours later,
thirty-eight years and a great marriage.
We never worked too hard at being happy.
Came natural.
Well you're married for nineteen years, aren't you?
>>Yeah sure, something like that >>Yeah
You know, I think if you work too hard at anything it sweats a little bit
and I don't sweat.
>>Is that, do you think, good advice for most people to listen to?
>>I think so.
Don't try to be a great lover.
You can't do it after nineteen years.
After nineteen years when I went to bed with Gracie I sang her a few songs
'till she fell asleep.
I found out then it was much easier to sing.
>>What songs did you sing her George?
>>In the Heart of a Cherry.
>>How does that go? >>One of my favorites
Who knows? >>Oh, come on
>>I'm a liar [laughter]
>>In the Heart of a Cherry
Was there such a song?
>>Sure there was
[singing] In the heart of a cherry, [indistinct] heart of a cherry [indistinct]
Monkey Rag
>>Monkey, how does Monkey Rag go?
>>[singing] Way down in Africa, every evening in the bamboo trees
some chimpanzees, monkey banjos nightly would be strumming...
there's a song like that. >>Mm-hmm
Do you listen to popular songs now?
>>Yeah
>>Any that you like?
>>I don't, I don't like to applaud anything unless it can applaud back.
They listen to me, I listen to them.
>>Now, I know you're asked this all the time.
I want a good answer.
>>Alright
>>The incredible energy that you have
What, what is...
>>Well it's the same answer that I give everybody.
I love what I'm doing.
I enjoy people.
I love to entertain.
I love to sit and talk to ya.
I'm enjoying this interview.
I enjoy what I'm doing.
I'm in a wonderful business
and so are you.
We're both very fortunate.
I don't think I'd be sitting here if I was in the dress business.
>>Mm-hmm >>or making felt hats
I don't want to be successful in something I hate.
>>Mm-hmm >>I'd make a bad felt hat
>>Yeah, yeah
and of course to ask you even a question about retirement
would be a stupid question.
>>Oh no, I think nobody should retire
>>ever >>I don't care what business you're in
>>Yeah
>>What do you do when you retire?
Get out of bed and you sit there and play with your cuticles.
What is that? [laughter]
There's no money in that. I tried it.
>>You've also said that... >>It's not exciting
>>that people train to be old.
>>They do.
They get to be around seventy, they, they start to help themselves getting up. They
walk slower.
By the time they're seventy-five they're smashed.
They're now old.
They finally made it.
I don't want anybody to help me right now
although I, I faint twice a day.
[laughter]
Not true.
>>Just on principle >>Yeah [laughter]
>>Uh George, to people who are watching you right now
and wondering, well he must have some problems
He's gotta have something that bothers him or some... what
do you have an answer?
>>Everybody has little problems but they don't bother me
and if it's a real big problem
I've got a few dollars.
I let somebody else handle it.
I don't bother with problems.
I'm not interested in what I did yesterday.
I'm interested in what I'm doing now and tomorrow.
And uh had a, had a wonderful life
wonderful marriage
got a nice house
I know where my handkerchiefs are.
Got a nice cook.
If the soup is hot, I sing her a song.
If it isn't, she can sing to me.
[laughter]