George Burns’ 91st Birthday Party : Cedars-Sinai Bash Honors the Fund-Raising Comedian

Actors are notorious for shaving a few years off their age, but there is at least one veteran performer who doesn’t mind a 21-gun salute every time a birthday rolls around.

George Burns has made a mini-career of his birthdays. He just passed his 91st, and he’s still telling jokes with the flawless touch of a man half his age.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center honored him Saturday with a black-tie birthday bash that drew about 800 people (paying $500 each) to the Beverly Hilton. Burns has been Cedars’ ally since the medical center began its $90-million endowment fund campaign a year ago, in conjunction with Burns’ 90th birthday. So far a little more than $51 million has been raised; the party Saturday brought a plea for more funds (especially contributions of five figures and more), as the yearlong Phase II campaign was officially launched.

Aswarm With Friends

The guest of honor was surrounded by people from the second he set foot inside the cocktail reception. Photographers, TV cameras and Burns’ friends swamped the diminutive comedian until he was all but swallowed up.

“What can I do about it?” Burns replied when asked if he was bothered by the fuss made over his birthdays. “Nobody noticed my birthdays from the time I was 7 until 27. Then I met Gracie. She made up for it. But, you know, Cedars is trying to get $90 million. And they took care of me when I had heart surgery. I think they do a good job. And if they only get $51 million then I’ll have to give them the other $39 million. In silver.”

Those who came to help Burns celebrate included Danny and Rose Marie Thomas, June Lockhart, Connie Stevens, Bob and Dolores Hope, Jimmy Stewart, art collector Marcia Weisman, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Tova and Ernest Borgnine, Peggy Lee in her trademark platinum pageboy do, emcee Walter Matthau and entertainment headliner Pia Zadora.

Zadora, visibly pregnant in her maternity jump suit, smiled dreamily as photographers clicked away while she posed with husband Meshulam Riklis. Later she and Phyllis McGuire of the singing McGuire sisters compared diamond rings, each one the size of a walnut.

After half an hour of informal photographs there was the official photo opportunity, where everyone climbed on a platform while at least 50 photographers snapped away.

“Everybody loves birthdays,” Matthau said after the photo session broke up. “Especially when a guy hits 91. Very few people reach 91. And,” he added with a mock philosophical tone, “very few people die when they’re 91 because . . . they die before that.”

After dinner there was a short film about Cedars-Sinai narrated by Kirk Douglas. Irving Feintech, dinner committee chairman, brought out a letter from President and Mrs. Reagan that read, “Your creativity seems to increase and improve with your longevity--that is quite an achievement! However, your public image of comedian and raconteur is a bit of a cover for the private man who is deeply concerned about the well-being of his fellow man. We applaud your wonderful wit and, especially, your caring heart.”

Roared With Laughter

Bob Hope was called on stage to do his benefit dinner shtick (“You’ve heard of the George Burns doll? Wind it up and it takes a nap”) for an appreciative audience who roared with laughter and thumped the tables.

Then Burns was presented with a birthday gift, a print by local artist Billy Al Bengston, commissioned for this event. The 91st print of the series will go to Burns, the original to Cedars’ permanent modern art collection. Guests also received one of the numbered posters.

Loretta Young was introduced (while the orchestra played “A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody”) and flirtatiously told Burns to “come very close. Not too close.”

And to that Burns replied, “I’ll pay ya.”

“To the young you are a goal to live for,” Young said. “And to the rest of us, a realization that life is to be lived to its fullest.”

George Burns Day

She announced another present for the birthday boy: Mayor Tom Bradley has declared Jan. 20 (his actual birthday) George Burns Day, forever and always, in Los Angeles.

“When I got to be 90 I got such a nice gift from the board of governors of Cedars-Sinai,” Burns told the crowd with perfect deadpan. “For my 90th birthday they said you’re going to help us raise $90 million. I didn’t know what to say. I never got such a nice gift. When I’m 100 maybe they’ll let me raise $100 million. I’ll be around when I’m 100. I’ve got to stay around. I’m booked. I’ve got to stay alive or I’ll lose a fortune.”

Grabbing shopping bags stuffed with party favors--Zadora’s latest album, the ubiquitous bottles of Giorgio perfume, mini-address books and the poster--guests headed out into the chill night air, some vowing to come back for yet another birthday party.