Want to know the best George Burns movies? How about the worst George Burns movies? Curious about George Burns box office grosses or which George Burns movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which George Burns movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences and which got the worst reviews? Well you have come to the right place….because we have all of that information.
George Burns (1896-1996) was an Oscar® winning American actor and comedian. He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film and television. His arched eyebrow and cigar-smoke punctuation became familiar trademarks for over three quarters of a century. Burns’ IMDb page shows 56 acting credits from 1929 to 1994. This page will rank 23 George Burns movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. Television shows, shorts, cameos and movies that were not released in North American and a handful of his movies that we could not find box office on, were not included in the rankings.
George Burns Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.
Year
Movie (Year)
Rating
S
Year Movie (Year) Rating S
1977
Oh, God! (1977)
1937
A Damsel in Distress (1937)
1956
The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956)
1975
The Sunshine Boys (1975)
AA Best Supp Actor Win
1939
Honolulu (1939)
1979
Going in Style (1979)
1932
The Big Broadcast (1932)
1933
International House (1933)
1936
The Big Broadcast of 1937 (1936)
1935
The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
1934
We're Not Dressing (1934)
1933
College Humor (1933)
1938
College Swing (1938)
1934
Six Of A Kind (1934)
1936
College Holiday (1936)
1984
Oh, God! You Devil (1984)
1934
Many Happy Returns (1934)
1935
Love in Bloom (1935)
1980
Oh, God! Book II (1980)
1979
Just You and Me, Kid (1979)
1978
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)
1988
18 Again! (1988)
1994
Radioland Murders (1994)
George Burns Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.
- Sort George Burns movies by his co-stars
- Sort George Burns movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost.
- Sort George Burns movies by yearly domestic box office rank
- Sort George Burns movies how they were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each George Burns movie received.
- Sort George Burns movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
| R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Actual B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | B.O. Rank by Year | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | S |
| 1 | Oh, God! (1977) | Teri Garr | 57.30 | 321.2 | 321.20 | 8 | 66 | 01 / 00 | 93.5 | |
| 4 | A Damsel in Distress (1937) | Fred Astaire & Joan Fontaine |
4.00 | 194.2 | 281.70 | 41 | 65 | 02 / 01 | 93.3 | |
| 3 | The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956) | Judy Holliday | 7.10 | 162.3 | 162.30 | 34 | 74 | 02 / 01 | 92.9 | |
| 5 | The Sunshine Boys (1975) AA Best Supp Actor Win |
Walter Matthau & Richard Benjamin |
21.80 | 133.0 | 133.00 | 31 | 76 | 04 / 01 | 91.0 | |
| 5 | Honolulu (1939) | Robert Young & Eleanor Powell |
5.40 | 241.3 | 241.30 | 26 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 89.5 | |
| 7 | Going in Style (1979) | George Burns & Art Carney |
26.90 | 133.8 | 133.80 | 35 | 72 | 00 / 00 | 87.9 | |
| 7 | The Big Broadcast (1932) | Bing Crosby & Stuart Erwin |
2.30 | 129.9 | 129.90 | 23 | 72 | 00 / 00 | 87.4 | |
| 8 | International House (1933) | W.C. Fields | 1.80 | 98.6 | 98.60 | 42 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 84.0 | |
| 9 | The Big Broadcast of 1937 (1936) | Ray Milland | 3.00 | 148.3 | 148.30 | 62 | 56 | 00 / 00 | 83.6 | |
| 11 | The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935) | Gracie Allen | 2.70 | 142.3 | 142.30 | 38 | 56 | 01 / 00 | 82.7 | |
| 11 | We're Not Dressing (1934) | Bing Crosby & Carole Lombard |
1.80 | 98.3 | 98.30 | 63 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 79.6 | |
| 12 | College Humor (1933) | Bing Crosby & Jack Oakie |
1.80 | 95.5 | 95.50 | 47 | 65 | 00 / 00 | 79.3 | |
| 13 | College Swing (1938) | Bob Hope & Betty Grable |
2.10 | 97.2 | 97.20 | 111 | 63 | 00 / 00 | 78.6 | |
| 13 | Six Of A Kind (1934) | W.C. Fields | 1.50 | 80.8 | 80.80 | 77 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 77.6 | |
| 15 | College Holiday (1936) | Jack Benny | 2.10 | 105.4 | 105.40 | 95 | 54 | 00 / 00 | 73.5 | |
| 16 | Oh, God! You Devil (1984) | Ted Wass | 21.50 | 80.1 | 80.10 | 47 | 54 | 00 / 00 | 64.7 | |
| 18 | Many Happy Returns (1934) | Ray Milland & William Demarest |
1.30 | 71.8 | 71.80 | 86 | 54 | 00 / 00 | 61.8 | |
| 17 | Love in Bloom (1935) | Gracie Allen | 0.90 | 48.6 | 48.60 | 139 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 60.6 | |
| 19 | Oh, God! Book II (1980) | Suzanne Pleshette | 14.50 | 69.7 | 69.70 | 54 | 52 | 00 / 00 | 56.9 | |
| 20 | Just You and Me, Kid (1979) | Brooke Shields | 2.60 | 13.1 | 13.10 | 97 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 37.6 | |
| 22 | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) | Steve Martin | 20.40 | 108.9 | 108.90 | 35 | 26 | 00 / 00 | 30.3 | |
| 21 | 18 Again! (1988) | Charlie Schlatter & Tony Roberts |
2.60 | 7.8 | 7.80 | 152 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 27.8 | |
| 23 | Radioland Murders (1994) | Brian Benben & George Lucas |
1.30 | 4.0 | 4.00 | 185 | 51 | 00 / 00 | 16.1 |
Live from Traverse City, Michigan it’s George Burns’ stats. George was never on the Oracle of Bacon Top 1000 Center of the Hollywood Universe list. These are the people on the December 15, 2018 list he appeared with.
29 NED BEATTY Radioland Murders (1994)
68 CHRISTOPHER LLOYD Radioland Murders (1994)
75 DONALD PLEASENCE Oh, God! (1977)
75 DONALD PLEASENCE Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)
92 CHARLTON HESTON All About People (1967)
127 BURT LANCASTER All About People (1967)
143 F. MURRAY ABRAHAM The Sunshine Boys (1975)
163 JAMES CROMWELL Oh, God! You Devil (1984)
176 STEPHEN TOBOLOWSKY Radioland Murders (1994)
230 JEFF COREY Oh, God! (1977)
241 AKIM TAMIROFF The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
257 PAUL SORVINO Oh, God! (1977)
297 HENRY FONDA All About People (1967)
303 MARK MARGOLIS Going in Style (1979)
346 MICHAEL MCKEAN Radioland Murders (1994)
348 KEITH CARRADINE Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)
375 TERI GARR Oh, God! (1977)
382 ROBERT DOWNEY JR. A Century of Cinema (1994)
409 MICHAEL LERNER Radioland Murders (1994)
418 JEFFREY TAMBOR Radioland Murders (1994)
492 DYLAN BAKER Radioland Murders (1994)
495 BO HOPKINS Radioland Murders (1994)
501 RAY MILLAND Many Happy Returns (1934)
501 RAY MILLAND The Big Broadcast of 1937 (1936)
501 RAY MILLAND We’re Not Dressing (1934)
504 WILFRID HYDE-WHITE Oh, God! Book II (1980)
512 KEYE LUKE Just You and Me, Kid (1979)
546 STEVE MARTIN Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)
555 WALTER MATTHAU The Sunshine Boys (1975)
601 LARRY MILLER Radioland Murders (1994)
725 BARRY SULLIVAN Oh, God! (1977)
782 EDWARD G. ROBINSON All About People (1967)
786 CORBIN BERNSEN Radioland Murders (1994)
969 BRION JAMES Radioland Murders (1994)
HM (975) DAVID OGDEN-STEIRS OH, GOD! (1977)
HM (976) BROOKE SHIELDS Just You and Me, Kid (1979)
George worked with 14 Oscar winners.
ART CARNEY Going in Style (1979)
BING CROSBY College Humor (1933)
BING CROSBY The Big Broadcast (1932)
BING CROSBY The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
BING CROSBY We’re Not Dressing (1934)
BURL IVES Just You and Me, Kid (1979)
BURT LANCASTER All About People (1967)
CHARLTON HESTON All About People (1967)
F. MURRAY ABRAHAM The Sunshine Boys (1975)
HENRY FONDA All About People (1967)
JESSICA TANDY A Century of Cinema (1994)
JOAN FONTAINE A Damsel in Distress (1937)
JUDY HOLLIDAY The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956)
LIZA MINNELLI A Century of Cinema (1994)
RAY MILLAND Many Happy Returns (1934)
RAY MILLAND The Big Broadcast of 1937 (1936)
RAY MILLAND We’re Not Dressing (1934)
RED BUTTONS 18 Again! (1988)
WALTER MATTHAU The Sunshine Boys (1975)
Hey Dan from Traverse City, Michigan. Just looked up Traverse City…..the internet (so it has to be true) says it is a four-season playground for anyone who loves the Great Outdoors with over 180 miles of beaches. Sounds like a good place to be.
Thanks for the lists of trivia on George Burns…his career makes both lists cover 7 decades of time. Looks Robert Downey, Jr. will keep him connected to the Oracle list for awhile. Ray Milland looks his most frequent co-star on both lists. 14 Oscar winning co-stars is pretty good for such a small amount of movies. Good stuff as always….I especially appreciate the comment while you are on vacation. Enjoy your time.
Hi bruce.
I’m sure the true greats do make mistakes but in a court of law this wouldn’t constitute proof!!!
Hey Bob….thankfully I have only found a few in “the book”.
Hi bruce
As you know I take the view that that book casts a Svengali like spell that blinds all who look straight at it. Like the gorgon it should be looked at only by standing with ones back to it and holding a mirror to the back of ones head!
Funny stuff Bob. Did the book travel with you to France? Or did you abandon it?
NO the book would have been too bulky to include in the suitcases W o Bob packed with her own stuff! However I made notes of where I would consult it on my return so that any suitable references could be included in my ultimate finished posts. You will see quite a few of those references in the posts concerned that you manage to read including ones to Steve.
By the way congrats on reaching the 20 million mark. However you must keep going: as Gene Hackman’s Gimme More-type lawyer daughter [played by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio-whatever happened to her?] in the 1991 Class Action said to Ray the barman when he congratulated her on the big bucks she earned “There’s NEVER enough Ray!”
The book is sad that it did not go to France…..it might finally give up and completely fall apart on your now….keep some duct tape nearby…lol. Thanks for the kudos on 20 million. FYI….In advance….I put together our Top 50 most popular pages…and each of those pages got a Top 50 Icon on it…your boy Marlon…made the list….but barely coming in at number 49. On July 31st he had a 347 view lead over number 51 Robin Williams.
https://www.ultimatemovierankings.com/top-50-ultimate-movie-rankings-webpages/
Hmmm there’s only two films on that chart that I’m pretty sure I’ve seen – Damsel in Distress and The Big Broadcast of 1938, and they’re both in my movie collection.
I haven’t seen any of the Oh God! series, maybe a few scenes here and there.
There was a time I would have said ‘100 years old wow that’s amazing’ but Kirk and Olivia passed that milestone a few years ago and are still with us. But it is amazing Burns reached that age smoking those big fat cigars.
Nice work Bruce. Vote Up!
Hey Steve….thanks for the visit, comment and tally count on George Burns. Only 2….and you skipped his entire comeback career? Going in Style, The Sunshine Boys and Oh God 1 are worth seeing. I, on the other hand have not seen a single movie from his 1930s movies. Tally count…Flora and myself at 8….and you at 2.
I think 100 is still pretty awesome….yes Kirk and Olivia and do not forget Norman Lloyd are over 100….heck they are almost halfway to 110 when looking at decades. George played a show in Vegas on his birthday….his last show was on his 99th birthday….he sadly could not make it on his 100th birthday (assuming my memory remembers correctly…lol). Good feedback as always.
I have seen 8 George Burns movies.
The HIGHEST rated movie I have seen is Oh, God!
The highest rated movie I have NOT seen is International House.
The LOWEST rated movie I have seen is College Swing.
Favuorite George Burns Movies:
A Damsel in Distress
The Solid Gold Cadillac
Oh, God!
The Big Broadcast of 1936
Other George Burns Movies I Have Seen:
The Sunshine Boys
Honolulu
College Humor
College Swing
Hey Flora….I am right there with you in seeing 8 George Burns movies. Granted almost all of the ones I have seen are after his comeback for The Sunshine Boys. I have seen two of the eight you have seen. Oh, God! would be one of my favorites as well. I saw Oh, God 2 and Just You and Me Kid in theaters. I have seen Radioland Murders but I do not remember his role at all. Good stuff as always.
“George Burns is warm, honest and likable in real life, and these qualities come through on the screen. It only makes one regret the gap of over thirty years between Two Girls and a Sailor (1944) and his comeback film, The Sunshine Boys. George Burns retains the same sharp qualiies in his octogenarian career as he possessed in his younger days; a slow-burn wit and disarmingly precise delivery.” – Rating The Movie Stars Book (1983)
4 Star George Burns Performances According To Rating The Movie Stars
The Sunshine Boys (1975)
Oh, God (1977)
Going in Style (1979)
Hey Joel…..always good to see your thoughts on this website.
Hey Bob……a mistake by Joel and his crew here….George Burns was not in Two Girls and a Sailor….Gracie Allen is in that movie but not George Burns. So even the greats can make mistakes…lol.