The ageless comedian George Burns once told how a church amateur contest started him in show business more than 90 years ago. When he was only seven years old he and three other Jewish kids from the neighborhood organized a singing group and called themselves "The PeeWee Quartet."

In those days growing up in New York City a large department store, Siegel and Cooper, used to hold an annual picnic. The highlight of the festivity was an amateur contest involving churches throughout the city. Near where George lived was a small Presbyterian church. This particular year the congregation had no one to represent them in the amateur contest. The minister asked George and his PeeWee Quartet to sing for them. That Sunday the four Jewish boys represented the Presbyterian church, and their opening song…