Gracie Allen for President 1940

by William Carroll

As a gag for "The George Burns and Gracie Allen" radio show, it was announced that flaky housewife Allen was running for President of the United States of America as a member of The Surprise Party. The joke snowballed and a reluctant Allen found herself embarking on a cross-country political campaign tour via train. The stunt became so epic that Mrs. Burns actually received some write-in votes in that year's election, making her the first contender for female President of the United States. Here journalist William Carroll amasses the original train schedules and various itineraries with a collection of photos taken at stops during their political rallies (focusing more on the people and places along the way than on Burns & Allen), along with the text from Charles Lofgren's "How to Become President," an ephemeral promotional book which was credited to Allen.