Gracie’s Whistle-Stop Schedule

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Wednesday, May 8, 1940 Los Angeles, CA Thursday, May 9, 1940 Riverside, CA San Bernadino, CA Yermo, CA Kelso, CA Las Vegas, NV Friday, May 10, 1940 Provo, UT Salt Lake City, UT Rock Springs, UT Rawlins, UT Saturday, May 11, 1940 Laramie, WY Cheyenne, WY Sunday, May 12, 1940 Cheyenne, WY

Monday, May 13, 1940 Greeley, CO La Salle, CO Brighton, CO Denver, CO Sterling, CO Julesburg, CO Ogallala, NE North Platte, NE Tuesday, May 14, 1940 Lexington, NE Kearney, NE Grand Island, NE Central City, NE Clarks, NE Columbus, NE Schuyler, NE Fremont, NE Valley, NE Omaha, NE

NPR Remembers Gracie’s Presidential Run

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In 1940, the United States was just emerging from the shadow of the Great Depression and war loomed in Europe.

Into these serious times stepped Gracie Allen, part of the popular comic duo Burns and Allen, who launched a campaign for president.

Allen’s Surprise Party began as a publicity stunt, but during a whistle-stop tour across the country the campaign took on a life of its own.

Gracie for President 1940

Gracie Allen, the female half of the runaway comedy team of Burns and Allen, announced one March evening over the radio her intention to compete for the presidency at the head of a new third party, the “Surprise Party.” Why the Surprise Party? As Gracie later explained, her mother was a Democrat, her father a Republican, and Gracie had been born a Surprise.

Gracie’s presidential bid had originally been conceived as a simple radio gimmick with the expectation of a short half-life. George Burns later recalled its moment of birth: “Gracie and I were at home in Beverly Hills with our children [when she] suddenly remarked, ‘I’m tired of knitting this sweater. I think I’ll run for president this year.'”

The idea wasn’t particularly new. Other radio personalities, notably Eddie Cantor and Will Rogers, had made slapstick runs in the direction of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Gracie’s unique campaign, however, acquired a unique momentum.