David Burns

David Burns (June 22, 1902 – March 12, 1971) was an American Broadway theatre and motion picture actor and singer. Burns was born on Mott Street in the Manhattan Chinatown of New York City. He made his Broadway debut in Face the Music in 1932, Cole Porter's Nymph Errant (1936) was his London debut, and he appeared in many comedies and musicals over an almost 50 year career. He won two Tony Awards for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, for his perf... more

David Burns (June 22, 1902 – March 12, 1971) was an American Broadway theatre and motion picture actor and singer. Burns was born on Mott Street in the Manhattan Chinatown of New York City. He made his Broadway debut in Face the Music in 1932, Cole Porter's Nymph Errant (1936) was his London debut, and he appeared in many comedies and musicals over an almost 50 year career. He won two Tony Awards for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, for his performances as "Mayor Shinn" in The Music Man and as "Senex" in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Burns introduced the hit song "It Takes a Woman" from Hello, Dolly as the original "Horace Vandergelder". David also won an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor – Drama Series for his role of Mr Solomon in the 1971 TV episode (Hallmark Hall of Fame) "The Price". He died on stage, of a heart attack, in Philadelphia during the out-of-town tryout of Kander and Ebb's musical 70, Girls, 70. less