Abe Burrows facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abe Burrows
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| Born |
Abram Solman Borowitz
December 18, 1910 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | May 17, 1985 (aged 74) New York City, U.S.
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| Education | City College of New York New York University |
| Occupation | Author, composer, director |
| Spouse(s) |
Ruth Levinson
(m. 1938; div. 1948)Caron Smith Kinzel
(m. 1950) |
| Children | 2, including James Burrows |
Abe Burrows (born Abram Solman Borowitz) was an American humorist, author, and director. He worked in radio and on stage. Abe Burrows was born on December 18, 1910, and passed away on May 17, 1985. He won a special award called a Tony Award and was considered for two Pulitzer Prizes, winning one.
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Early Life and Education
Abe Burrows grew up in New York City. He went to New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn. After high school, he studied at both City College and New York University. While at NYU, he started working on Wall Street and also at an accounting firm. In 1938, he met Frank Galen. Together, they wrote jokes for a performer on a radio show hosted by Rudy Vallée.
A Career in Show Business
Radio Work
Abe Burrows became well-known in radio when he worked with Ed Gardner. Gardner was the writer and star of a popular radio show called Duffy's Tavern. Burrows became the head writer for the show in 1941. He said that working on Duffy's Tavern helped him create the unique characters for his famous musical, Guys and Dolls. He explained that the characters in Duffy's Tavern were like "New York mugs" who spoke politely, similar to the characters in Guys and Dolls.
Burrows also wrote for Danny Kaye's radio comedy show in the mid-1940s. He helped create funny material for Kaye and other stars. In 1945, he left Duffy's Tavern to work at Paramount Pictures, but he soon returned to radio.
He became popular at Hollywood parties by performing his own funny songs. These performances led to him having a nightclub act. He also appeared regularly on CBS radio programs. From 1947 to 1949, he even hosted his own radio program on CBS Radio. This was a 15-minute weekly comedy show that Burrows wrote and directed himself.
His show was popular with listeners and critics. However, the sponsor, Lambert Pharmaceutical, felt the show wasn't selling enough toothpaste. Burrows joked that his fans were "sneering at my toothpaste" while laughing at his jokes.
You can find many of Abe Burrows' radio shows at the New York Public Library. This includes The Abe Burrows Show (1947–48) and Breakfast with Burrows (1949).
Broadway Shows
Abe Burrows found great success in theater. He often said that his work with the famous theater director George S. Kaufman taught him a lot. Burrows used what he learned from Kaufman when directing his own shows.
Burrows wrote, fixed, or directed many famous Broadway shows. Some of these include Guys and Dolls, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Cactus Flower. With his friend Frank Loesser, Burrows won a Pulitzer Prize for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
He also wrote and directed the first Broadway musical based on a Jane Austen novel. It was called First Impressions, which was a new version of Pride and Prejudice. The show ran for 84 performances in 1959.
Burrows was also known as a "script doctor." This meant he was very good at fixing plays that needed help. When a producer said, "Get me Abe Burrows!", it meant a play needed serious changes. However, Burrows himself said he didn't fix as many shows as people thought. He believed that if a story was wrong from the start, fixing it later was very difficult.
Guys and Dolls was chosen to win the Pulitzer Prize in Letters. But because of some political issues Abe Burrows had with a group called the House Un-American Activities Committee, no Pulitzer Prize was given for Letters in 1951. The university that gives the award had the right to stop it.
Burrows also wrote the movie script for The Solid Gold Cadillac in 1956. He also produced TV shows like Abe Burrows' Almanac (1950).
In 1980, he wrote a book about his life called Honest, Abe: Is There Really No Business Like Show Business?. He also helped many other comedy writers, including Larry Gelbart (who wrote for M*A*S*H) and Woody Allen.
Television Appearances
For over 30 years, Abe Burrows appeared on many TV shows. He was a panelist on programs like This Is Show Business, What's My Line?, and To Tell the Truth, all on CBS. He also appeared on Call My Bluff on NBC. He helped create the ABC television series O. K. Crackerby!.
Recordings
Abe Burrows also recorded music albums.
- The Girl with the Three Blue Eyes and other typical type songs (1947)
- Abe Burrows Sings? (1950)
- Fun House! (1959)
Family Life
Abe Burrows was married twice. His son, James Burrows, became a very famous television director. James directed shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Cheers. His daughter, Laurie Burrows Grad, wrote cookbooks and hosted her own cooking show.
Abe Burrows passed away in New York City from Alzheimer's disease.
