GEORGE BURNS - AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED CHECK 12/02/1942 CO-SIGNED BY: DAVID KLEIN, PAUL "POPS" WHITEMAN - HFSID 83384

GEORGE BURNS, PAUL WHITEMAN and DAVID KLEIN
George Burns signs a check from his business account to Paul Whiteman and David Klein.
Check signed: "George N Burns", 8¼x3. Beverly Hills, California, 1942 December 2. Check No. 1990, drawn on the account of George N. Burns and Grace Allen Burns, Care Business Administration Co., at the Bank of America, Wilshire at Beverly Drive Branch, payable to Paul Whiteman for $881.94. Endorsed: "Paul Whiteman" and "David T Klein" on verso. Also signed: "Wm. Gray" for Business Administration Co. In the year this check was signed, Burns' radio show, The Burns & Allen Show, which co-starred his wife, the zany Gracie Allen, became a situation comedy and would run until 1950, when it moved to television for an eight-year run. It is possible that this check is for Whiteman's participation on The Burns & Allen Show. In 1942, Whiteman had returned to the recording studio, recording two sides for Capitol Records. Shortly after, he disbanded his orchestra, forming a new group in 1944. GEORGE BURNS (1896-1996), the star of vaudeville, radio, television and motion pictures, died in 1996 seven weeks after his 100th birthday. He co-starred with his wife Gracie Allen until her retirement in 1958(she died in 1964), then continued performing in television, theater and nightclubs as a solo act. When he returned to films in 1975 after a 30-year hiatus, Burns won the 1975 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (The Sunshine Boys). He later starred in the title role in Oh, God (1977) and appeared in Going in Style (1979) and 18 Again! (1988). The comedian, who was honored in television specials celebrating his 90th and 95th birthdays, also wrote Gracie, A Love Story (1988) and 100 Years, 100 Stories (1996). Bandleader PAUL WHITEMAN (1890-1967) led a U.S. Navy band before forming his own group in San Francisco. In 1920, a year after he began recording, Whiteman had his first hit with "Whispering". In 1924, he introduced George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue", which was specially arranged for Whiteman's 35-piece orchestra. Known as "The King of Jazz", Whiteman starred in a film of the same name in 1930. The film featured one of his newest discoveries, singer Bing Crosby, one of the many crooners who got their start with Whiteman's orchestra. Whiteman and his orchestra also appeared in Strike Up The Band (1940), Rhapsody in Blue (1945) and The Fabulous Dorseys (1947). From 1949-1952, he hosted The Paul Whiteman Goodyear Revue. Lightly creased with folds, not at signatures. Bank stamp touches the "N" and "B" of Burns' signature. Bank cancellations, not at signatures. 1/8-inch tear at lower blank margin. Overall, fine condition.