Lester Alvin Burnette
| Sign | Pisces |
| Born | Mar 18, 1911 Summum, IL |
| Died | Feb 16, 1967 Encino, CA |
| Age | Died at 55 |
Smiley Burnette | |
| Job | Actor |
| Years active | 1933-1967 |
| Top Roles | Frog Millhouse, Frog Millhouse, Smiley, Singer, Rammer |
| Top Genres | Western, Action, Musical, Romance, Adventure, Comedy |
| Top Topics | Horses, Musicians, True Story (based on) |
| Top Collaborators | Gene Autry, Armand Schaefer (Producer), Joseph Kane (Director), Tom London |
| Shares birthday with | Edward Everett Horton, Robert Donat, Esther Minciotti see more.. |
Smiley Burnette Overview:
Character actor, Smiley Burnette, was born Lester Alvin Burnette on Mar 18, 1911 in Summum, IL. Burnette died at the age of 55 on Feb 16, 1967 in Encino, CA .
MINI BIO:
In the days when every "B" western star had comic-books devoted to their imaginary adventures, only two "sidekicks" were awarded the accolade of a comic to themselves. One of these was George "Gabby" Hayes; the other was tubby Smiley Burnette, with his flapjack black stetson, and manic humor. Living up to his nickname by always grinning, Burnette came on like a chubbier version of Eddie Bracken, coming into films with his friend Gene Autry (whose radio vocals he had backed on guitar). He remained one of the most popular "B"-westerners, with a number of partners, through the 1930s and 1940s, sticking with the genre until it petered out in 1953. When appearing as a regular on the TV comedy series Petticoat Junction, Burnette learned that he had leukemia, the disease that killed him at 55. Also a prolific songwriter.
(Source: available at Amazon Quinlan's Film Character Actors: an Illustrated Directory).HONORS and AWARDS:
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He was honored with one star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the category of Motion Pictures.
BlogHub Articles:
Smiley Burnette Quotes:
Jason Fox: Do you have to do that?
Smiley: No, I'm not getting paid for it, if that's what you mean... but I'm just practicing. You know what they say about practice - practice makes perfect. Say, I wish you could hear the Smiley Burnette Silver Cornet Band. We can really play, I mean. I been all the way back to Indianapolis Indianapus to get us some uniforms. Here, just look at that.
[he pulls out a band hat]
Smiley: Boy, ain't that like downtown? Ain't that ritzy? Oh, I forgot, I was going to quit talking, wasn't I, so you could get some sleep.
[starts playing his trumpet loudly and off-key]
[Frog tries to keep a bunch of cattlemen from breaking through his checkpoint]
Frog Millhouse: I'm warnin' you. If you take any cattle across this line, I'm going to blast you with this smokestick - and it ain't loaded with beans!
[Gene and his friends chase away a would-be murderer]
Shorty: You shoulda shot the polecat when you had a chance!
Smiley: Yeah, but I ain't got no huntin' license.
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