THE US mourned one if its greatest heroes of hum our yesterday as news of the death of George Burns on Saturday left people recalling the days of radio and early television and his re emergence as a movie star of the 1980s.
From Hollywood to the White House, long time friends and fans paid tribute to the legendary comedian, actor and author who died peacefully in his Beverly Hills home less than two months after celebrating his 100th birthday.
President Clinton hailed Burns as "one of the great entertainers of all time," saying his "sense of timing and captivating smile touched the hearts and funny bones of more than three generations."
"He enabled us to see humour in the toughest of times and laugh together as a nation," Mr Clinton said during a trip to California. "We will miss him greatly."
Fellow comedian Jackie Mason called him "the greatest comedian of all time."
Milton Berle (87), a comedian and television pioneer, said his cigar chomping, wisecracking contemporary was probably "up there in heaven speaking to St Peter and doing one liners on whim. To me, he's still living. He is still one of my all time favourites. I think we've lost a heavyweight, an icon. There will never be another one like George Burns."
Burns, who had been in ailing health since a fall in Las Vegas in 1994, died at 10 a.m. at his home in Los Angeles only one hour after a doctor said his heart was "extremely weak".
Only hours after he died fans festooned his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with flowers and a wreath. Dozens gathered outside Mann's Theatre, where Burns's footprints, handprints and a cigar print are accompanied by the inscription: "I'm going in style."
The former president, Ronald Reagan, and his wife, Nancy, said in a statement that he was "one of a kind" and "will be sorely missed by everyone."
Burns, who celebrated his centenary on January 20th charmed audiences for decades on the vaudeville stage and movies and later in radio and television.
For much of his career, he did a double act with his wife, Gracie Allen.
He became a big screen success in 1975 as an ageing comedian in the movie, The Sunshine Boys, for which he won an Academy Award in 1976 for best supporting actor. He followed it up a year later at the age of 80 with his irreverent rendition of God in a series of Oh, God films beginning in 1977.
Marlo Thomas, who said Burns convinced her father, comedian Danny Thomas, to let her go into show business, said: "At last he's back with Gracie. He's been dreaming about that for a long time."