David Burns (June 22, 1902 – March 12, 1971) was an American Broadway theatre and motion picture actor and singer.^[1][2]

Burns was born on Mott Street in Chinatown, Manhattan.^[3] He made his Broadway debut in 1923 in Polly Preferred and went to London with the show in 1924.^[4] His first musical was Face the Music in 1932,^[5] and Cole Porter's Nymph Errant (1933) was his London debut.^[6] He appeared in many comedies and musicals over an almost 50-year career.^[7]

He won two Tony Awards for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, for his performances as "Mayor Shinn" in The Music Man (1958) and as "Senex" in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1963).^[8][7]

Burns introduced the hit song "It Takes a Woman" from Hello, Dolly (1964) as the original "Horace Vandergelder".^[9][10]

Burns won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor – Drama Series for his role of Mr. Solomon in the 1971 TV special (Hallmark Hall of Fame) The Price by Arthur Miller.^[11]

Burns died on stage on March 12, 1971, of a heart attack in Philadelphia during the out-of-town tryout of Kander and Ebb's musical 70, Girls, 70.^[3]

• Oderman, Stuart, Talking to the Piano Player 2. BearManor Media, 2009. ISBN 1-59393-320-7.