The George Burns Show February 1959 sweeps, the format was changed to a live sketch-comedy/variety show in the style of "The Jack Benny Program", in an attempt to improve the ratings. The ratings didn't improve, however, so they reverted to the sitcom format. The series ended after 25 episodes. <nowiki>*</nowiki> Unknown The George Burns Show The George Burns Show is a short-lived comedy television program that aired on NBC for one season (1958–59). The program was sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive. "The George Burns Show" immediately followed the eight-season run of "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show", which had aired on CBS, and shared continuity
Variety show honed their skills in music hall sketches include Charlie Chaplin, Stan Laurel, George Formby, Gracie Fields, Dan Leno, Gertrude Lawrence and Marie Lloyd. Most of the early top performers on British television and radio did an apprenticeship either in stage variety, or during World War II in Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA). In the UK, the ultimate accolade for a variety artist for decades was to be asked to do the annual Royal Command Performance at the London Palladium theatre, in front of the monarch. Later known as the "Royal Variety Performance" (from 1919), it continues today. In the 1940s,