Larry Gelbart: He always looked like he had been sucking on a lemon. He had this real literally sour puss. He was very literate and we’re in a very post-literate society now. He was about words. He was primarily an author who was best, the best interpreter of his own words. He wouldn’t survive for a second in today’s you know, stampede toward wherever we’re heading so quickly. He was an acquired taste. You didn’t turn him on and say I like this guy. You turned him on and said I like what this guy is saying.

Larry Gelbart: If you want to hear my favorite George Burns story, one of my first writing partners was a man named Sid Dorfman. And when Sid and I ended our association, Sid went to work with George Burns and he worked for Burns for about seven or eight years and then, he finally handed in his notice to George’s brother Willy and Willy said, “George is gonna want to talk to you.” So when he talked to George, George said, “Sit down Sid. I understand you’re leaving.” And he said, “Yes I am George.” And he said, “You know, Gracie and I love you as a son.” And Sid who had a very low tolerance for any sentimentality, he, he, his eyes went to the floor. And George said, “The son we never had.” He said, “It’s not like someone’s leaving the staff. It’s like someone’s running away from home. And Sid,” and George finally said, “Sid, if you don’t look at me, I can’t work.” He just never stopped being in show business.