Jack Burns
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Born Name:
John Francis Burns
Born Date: November 15, 1933
Born Place: Boston, Massachusetts
Died Date: January 27, 2020
Died Place: Los Angeles, California
Occupations: Comedian, actor, writer, producer
Brief Biography: John Francis "Jack" Burns was a prominent American comedian, actor, writer, and producer known for his significant contributions to television comedy, including his work on The Muppet Show, The Andy Griffith Show, and his partnerships with George Carlin and Avery Schreiber.
Early Life and Career:
Military Service: Served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1952 to approximately 1954, serving in Korea.
Radio Beginnings: Before entering comedy, he was a news director and broadcaster at WEZE in Boston.
Burns & Carlin (1959–1962): Formed a successful comedy team with George Carlin after they met in Fort Worth, Texas.
Burns & Schreiber (1960s–1970s): After splitting with Carlin, he joined Chicago's Second City troupe and partnered with Avery Schreiber. Known for their "taxi cab" sketches, the duo released albums and hosted The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour in 1973.
Television and Acting:
The Andy Griffith Show (1965–1966): Briefly played Deputy Warren Ferguson for 11 episodes, aiming to fill the void left by Don Knotts.
Voice Work: Provided the voice of "Vince" in the popular "Crash Test Dummies" PSAs (1985–1998) alongside Lorenzo Music. He also voiced Sid the Squid in Animaniacs and guest-starred on The Simpsons.
Saturday Night Live: Hosted a 1977 episode of SNL during its second season.
Writing and Producing:
The Muppet Show: Served as the head writer for the first season (1976), helping develop the show's style.
The Muppet Movie (1979): Co-wrote the screenplay with Jerry Juhl.
Fridays (1980–1982): Acted as a writer, announcer, and performer for the ABC sketch show, where he was involved in a famous on-air fight with Andy Kaufman.
Born Date: November 15, 1933
Born Place: Boston, Massachusetts
Died Date: January 27, 2020
Died Place: Los Angeles, California
Occupations: Comedian, actor, writer, producer
Brief Biography: John Francis "Jack" Burns was a prominent American comedian, actor, writer, and producer known for his significant contributions to television comedy, including his work on The Muppet Show, The Andy Griffith Show, and his partnerships with George Carlin and Avery Schreiber.
Early Life and Career:
Military Service: Served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1952 to approximately 1954, serving in Korea.
Radio Beginnings: Before entering comedy, he was a news director and broadcaster at WEZE in Boston.
Burns & Carlin (1959–1962): Formed a successful comedy team with George Carlin after they met in Fort Worth, Texas.
Burns & Schreiber (1960s–1970s): After splitting with Carlin, he joined Chicago's Second City troupe and partnered with Avery Schreiber. Known for their "taxi cab" sketches, the duo released albums and hosted The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour in 1973.
Television and Acting:
The Andy Griffith Show (1965–1966): Briefly played Deputy Warren Ferguson for 11 episodes, aiming to fill the void left by Don Knotts.
Voice Work: Provided the voice of "Vince" in the popular "Crash Test Dummies" PSAs (1985–1998) alongside Lorenzo Music. He also voiced Sid the Squid in Animaniacs and guest-starred on The Simpsons.
Saturday Night Live: Hosted a 1977 episode of SNL during its second season.
Writing and Producing:
The Muppet Show: Served as the head writer for the first season (1976), helping develop the show's style.
The Muppet Movie (1979): Co-wrote the screenplay with Jerry Juhl.
Fridays (1980–1982): Acted as a writer, announcer, and performer for the ABC sketch show, where he was involved in a famous on-air fight with Andy Kaufman.