surfresearch

Introduction
There are many examples of Hollywood stars involvement with surfing, some of the more famous including Marilyn Monroe, Peter Lawford, and James Arness, father of the 1970 world champion Rolf.
George Burns and Gracie Allen's children were adopted, Sandy in 1934 and Ronnie the following year.
Here, in his first book, Burns recalls the children's teenage years in California.

wikipedia: George Burns
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Burns

Page 182

Anyway, the children got older, and Sandy began to be surrounded by giants.
All of them, every one of the boy friends, were absolute giants.
There was one in particular- his name was Red; I used to run, but not fast enough, when I saw him.
He always shook hands with me, and always nearly broke my hand.
I finally took to keeping my hand in my pocket when he was calling, but that didn't stop him: he reached right in my pocket, grabbed my hand, and I was a southpaw again.

While Sandy was busy with her giants, Ronnie was going steady with a surfboard.
He always has been beach-happy.
As his grades in school went down, the sand content of our rugs went up.
If they ever decide that sand is valuable and start to can it, we've got a corner on the market.
Being worried about Ronnie's spending too much time at the beach, I decided to speak to him about it one day.
I went at it kind of backhanded, as I always do when I'm trying to get something serious across.
I didn't want him helping me with the lecture, and I figured if I could keep him confused until I got to the point, it would keep him off my side.

Page 183

"Ronnie," I said, "I think we've been making a mistake.
Education is no good.
Trying to learn something, so that when you go out to earn a living you are prepared for life, is a lot of nonsense.
I don't think you should waste any more time in school.
At the present you're devoting your time to something far more important, and if you continue this way your grandchildren will have something to be proud of.
Just think - I can see it now. . . . When you're seventy-five years old they'll be saying, 'That's my grandfather—he's the oldest surfboard rider in the world!'"
Ronnie didn't say much, but you could see it had affected him.
The next day, he never even took his surfboard out of the garage.
He went skin-diving instead.

George, Sandy, Ronnie and Gracie Allen,
en-route to Hawaii,
Matson flagship Lurline, 1938.

A Mr. Jack Benny and George Burns,
Hawaii, circa 1950.