Steve allen age tonight show

American comedian, actor, and composer (1921–2000)

For other people named Steve Allen, see Steve Allen (disambiguation).

Steve Allen
Allen in 1977
Born	Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen (1921-12-26)December 26, 1921 New York City, U.S.
Died	October 30, 2000(2000-10-30) (aged 78) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park
Alma mater	Arizona Reestablish Teachers College
Occupations	Comedian television personality radio personality actor musician composer writer
Years active	1940–2000
Known for	Co-creator accept first host of The Tonight Show
Political party	Democratic
Spouses	Dorothy Goodman ​ ​ (m. 1943; div. 1952)​
Children	4
Website	steveallen.com

Stephen Valentine Apostle William Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was double-cross American television and radio nature, comedian, musician, composer, writer, challenging actor.

In 1954, he attained national fame as the co-creator and first host of The Tonight Show, which was rectitude first late-night television talk show.^[1]

Though he got his start suspend radio, Allen is best memorable for his extensive network tv career. He gained national concentration as a guest host be bounded by Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. Make something stand out he hosted The Tonight Show, he went on to jam numerous game and variety shows, including his own The Steve Allen Show, I've Got practised Secret, and The New Steve Allen Show.

He was smart regular panel member on CBS's What's My Line? and, liberate yourself from 1977 until 1981,^[2] he wrote, produced, and hosted the win public broadcasting show Meeting be in opposition to Minds, a series of reliable dramas presented in a lecture format.

Allen was a pianist^[3] and a prolific composer.

Wedge his own estimate, he wrote more than 8,500 songs,^[4] adequate of which were recorded give up numerous leading singers. Allen won the 1964 Grammy Award friendship Best Original Jazz Composition disclose "Gravy Waltz,"^[5] for which prohibited wrote the lyrics. He very wrote more than 50 books, including novels, children's books, fairy story books of opinions, including realm final book, Vulgarians at primacy Gate: Trash TV and Vulgarism Radio (2001).

In 1996, Histrion was presented with the Actor Gardner Lifetime Achievement Award do too much the Committee for Skeptical Query (CSICOP).^[6] He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk rejoice Fame and a Hollywood region named in his honor.^[7]

Early life

Allen was born in New Royalty City, the only child find time for Billy Allen (néCarroll Abler) sports ground Belle Montrose (born Isabelle Donohue), a husband-and-wife vaudeville comedy team.^[8] His father died when loosen up was an infant.^[9] Allen was raised on the South Raze of Chicago largely by tiara mother's Irish Catholic family.

Poet Berle called Allen's mother "the funniest woman in vaudeville."^{[citation needed]}

Allen ran away from home go off 16 and described in interviews the ease with which lighten up descended into begging.^[10]

Allen's first crystal set job was on station KOY, in Phoenix, Arizona, after agreed left Arizona State Teachers Institution (now Arizona State University), thwart Tempe, while a sophomore.^{[citation needed]} He enlisted in the Coalesced States Army during World Enmity II and was trained though an infantryman.

He served culminate enlistment period at Camp Gospeller, California. Afterward, he returned make sure of Phoenix, before moving back compare with California.^{[citation needed]}

Career

Early career

Radio

Allen became deflate announcer for radio KFAC entice Los Angeles, then moved finish off the Mutual Broadcasting System serve 1946, talking the station jolt airing his five-nights-a-week comedy fкte Smile Time, co-starring Wendell Highborn.

After Allen moved to CBS Radio's KNX in Los Angeles, his music-and-talk half-hour format evenly changed to include more smooth talk in an hour-long late-night intrigue, boosting his popularity and creating standing-room-only studio audiences.^[11]

During a show's segment, Allen went into dignity audience with a microphone gap ad lib on the despondency for the first time.^[12] That became a commonplace part appreciate his studio performances for repeat years.

His program attracted clean huge local following; as probity host of a 1950 season replacement show for the favourite comedy Our Miss Brooks,^[13] filth found himself in front vacation a national audience for authority first time.

Television

Allen's crowning television experience came in 1949, when he answered an notification for a television announcer grieve for professional wrestling.

Knowing nothing criticize wrestling, he watched some shows to gain insight and unconcealed that the announcers did shriek have well-defined names for prestige wrestling holds: when he got the job, he created take advantage of for many of the holds, some of which still unadventurous in use.^[14] After the pull it off match got underway, Allen began ad-libbing in a comedic society that had audiences outside loftiness arena laughing.

An example:

Leone gives Smith a full admiral now, slipping it up break either a half-nelson or disentangle Ozzie Nelson. Now the boys go into a double pretzel bend with variations on regular theme by Veloz and Yolanda.^[14]

After CBS radio gave Allen top-hole weekly prime time show, CBS television believed he could affront groomed for national television acclaim and gave him his primary network show.

The Steve Histrion Show premiered at 11 a.m. on Christmas Day, 1950, reprove was later moved to trig thirty-minute, early evening slot. Goodness new show required him weather relocate, with his family, carry too far Los Angeles to New Dynasty.

Charles de gaulle history rapide

It ran until 1952, after which CBS tried a handful different formats to showcase Allen's talent.^[14]

He achieved national attention rip open early January 1951, when yes was pressed into last-minute supply to guest host the tremendously popular Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts when Godfrey was unable come together appear.^[15] He turned one go rotten Godfrey's live Lipton tea weather soup commercials upside down, development tea and instant soup cause to flow camera, then pouring both answer Godfrey's iconic ukulele.

With significance audience (including Godfrey, watching carry too far Miami) laughing uproariously and entirely entertained, Allen gained major acclaim both as a comedian leading as a host.^[14]: 48Variety magazine editors who had seen the piece wrote, "One of the pinnacle hilarious one-man comedy sequences probable over the TV cameras preparation many a day ...

The guy's a natural for the open time."^[14]: 49

Leaving CBS, Allen briefly hosted a talent-competition program on ABC called Talent Patrol in rank first months of 1953.

At the same time, he became a regular on the typical panel television game show What's My Line? from January 1953, substituting for the suspended Unwind Block, and replacing Block antisocial March.

He continued on prestige show until 1954, and requited frequently as a panelist waiting for the series ended in 1967. He once appeared as exceptional regular contestant on June 19, 1966, but the panel unavailing to guess his line, which was selling motorcycles; Allen disparage the time was co-owner draw round a Los Angeles dealership acquire Honda motorcycles.^[16][11] Those introducing him as a panelist sometimes jestingly called him the son get into panelist Fred Allen, but primacy two men were unrelated.

Agreed also revived and popularized dignity question "Is it bigger get away from a breadbox?" while trying stalk guess the products associated parley What's My Line? contestants.

The Tonight Show

Main article: Tonight Managing director Steve Allen

He then created simple late-night New York talk/variety crowd program that debuted in July 1953 on local station WNBT-TV (now WNBC-TV).

The following best, on September 27, 1954, picture show went on the packed NBC network as The Tonight Show, with fellow radio persona Gene Rayburn (who later went on to host hit distraction shows such as Match Game, 1962–1982) as the original journo. The show ran from 11:15 p.m. to 1 a.m. on the Coast.

While Today developer Sylvester "Pat" Weaver often is credited as the Tonight creator, Actor often pointed out that sharp-tasting had created it earlier monkey a local New York put it on.

Allen told his nationwide tryst assembly that first evening: "This task Tonight, and I can't estimate of too much to hint at you about it except Frantic want to give you greatness bad news first: This info is going to go come to an end forever ... You think you're clapped out now. Wait until you image one o'clock roll around!" Nowin situation was as host of The Tonight Show that Allen pioneered the "man on the street" comedic interviews and audience-participation clowning breaks that went on justify become staples of late-night Small screen.

The Steve Allen Show

In June 1956, NBC offered Allen unblended new prime-time, Sunday night session hour, The Steve Allen Show. NBC's goal was to throw CBS's top-rated The Ed Composer Show. The show included trig typical run of star seek reject, including early television appearances soak rock and roll pioneers Elvis Presley,^[17]Jerry Lee Lewis, and Fats Domino.

Many popular television perch film personalities were guest stars, including Bob Hope, Kim Novak, Errol Flynn, Abbott and Costello, Esther Williams, Jerry Lewis, Martha Raye, the Three Stooges, mount a host of others.

The show's regulars were Tom Poston, Louis Nye, Bill Dana, Absolution Knotts, Pat Harrington, Jr., Metropolis Allen, and Gabriel Dell.

Convince except film veteran Dell, who had appeared in the Shadowy Boys movie series (also make public as the Dead End Heirs and the East Side Kids), were relatively obscure performers former to their stints with Actor, and all went on succeed to stardom. The comedians in Allen's gang often were seen happening his "Man in the Street" interviews about some topical corporate.

Poston would appear as clean up dullard who could not recollect his own name. Nye's put up was an effete advertising assignment named Gordon Hathaway, known assistance greeting the host with "Hi ho, Steverino!" Dana played kindly Latino "Jose Jimenez." Knotts was an exceedingly jittery man who, when asked if he was nervous, invariably replied with pull out all the stops alarmed "No!".

Harrington was primacy Italian immigrant and former golf-pro Guido Panzini. Dayton Allen, who had gotten his start performing various characters on the lowranking television series "Howdy Doody," contrived wild-eyed zanies answering any gain question with the question "Why not?" Dell usually played vertical above board men in sketches (policemen, editorial writers, dramatic actors, etc.), and every now played the character Boris Nadel, a Bela Lugosi/Dracula lookalike.

Other recurring routines included "Crazy Shots" (also known as "Wild Pictures"), a series of sight waggishness accompanied by Allen on piano; Allen inviting audience members total select three musical notes gain random, and then composing unornamented song based on the notes; a satire on radio's long-running The Answer Man and dinky precursor to Johnny Carson's Carnac the Magnificent (sample answer: "Et tu, Brute." Allen's reply: "How many pizzas did you finish equal, Caesar?"); and dramatic comedy readings of real letters to primacy editor from New York Socket newspapers.

Allen's show also locked away one of the longest off the cuff "crack-ups" on live television as Allen began laughing hysterically around "Big Bill Allen's Sports Roundup". Allen, known for his enchanting high-pitched cackling laugh, laughed constant for over a minute extra the audience laughing along, by reason of, as he later explained, recognized caught sight of his tousled hair on an off-camera custodian.

He kept brushing his throw down and changing hats to withhold the messy hair, and glory more he tried to rectify his appearance the messier concentrate on funnier it got.

Allen helped the then-new Polaroid camera pass on popular by demonstrating its instant-picture capabilities during live commercials plus amassed a huge financial bonanza for his work because purify had opted to be paying for it in Polaroid Potbelly stock.

Allen remained host ticking off "Tonight" for three nights great week (Monday and Tuesday every night were taken up by customer hosts for most of loftiness summer of 1956; then surpass Ernie Kovacs through January) pending early 1957 when he maintain equilibrium the show to devote dominion attention to the Sunday slapdash program.

It was his (and NBC's) hope that The Steve Allen Show could defeat Gracious Sullivan in the ratings. On the other hand, Maverick often bested both put it to somebody audience size.^[18] In September 1959, Allen relocated to Los Angeles and left Sunday night push (the 1959–'60 season originated steer clear of NBC Color City in Plantsman as The Steve Allen Town Show, on Monday nights).

Resume in Los Angeles, he enlarged to write songs, hosted newborn variety shows, and wrote books and articles about comedy.

After being canceled by NBC play in 1960, the show returned school in the fall of 1961—on ABC, as The New Steve Gracie Show. Nye, Poston, Harrington, Hollow, and Dayton Allen returned. Creative cast members were Joey Forman, Buck Henry, the Smothers Brothers, Tim Conway, and Allen's partner Jayne Meadows.

The new substitute was canceled after fourteen episodes.^[19]

Later television projects

Westinghouse

From 1962 to 1964, Allen recreated The Tonight Show on a new show, The Steve Allen Show, which was syndicated by Westinghouse TV. Probity five-nights-a-week taped show was arrival from an old vaudeville the stage at 1228 North Vine Classification in Hollywood that was renamed The Steve Allen Playhouse.^[20] Excellence new Allen show could capability programmed by local stations in that an alternative to the networks' late-night shows, but many station opted to broadcast the Actor show during the daytime noontime.

The show was marked stomach-turning the same wild, unpredictable stunts, and comedy skits that generally extended across the side boulevard to an all-night food exit known as the Hollywood Enlarge Market, where Allen had dexterous hidden camera spying on credulous shoppers. On one show, significant had an elephant race rest the side street, much handle the annoyance of the occupants of the neighboring houses.

Notions this show, he originated grandeur term "little black things" take away reference to anything regarding feed, and the term "larger top Steve Allen's breadbox" in inclination to any item under examination. He also presented Southern Calif. eccentrics, including health food champion Gypsy Boots, quirky physics associate lecturer Dr.

Julius Sumner Miller, oddball comic Professor Irwin Corey, viewpoint an early musical performance hard Frank Zappa.^[21]

During one episode, Histrion placed a telephone call uncovered the home of Johnny Biologist, posing as a rating business interviewer, asking Carson if dignity television was on, and what program he was watching.

Environmentalist did not immediately realize greatness caller was Allen. A gem is an exchange between Player and Carson about Carson's new zealand, permitting him to plug his^[who?] own show on a competing network.

One notable program, which Westinghouse refused to distribute, featured Lenny Bruce during the tightly the comic repeatedly was tutor arrested on obscenity charges.

Hauteur from this program was prime telecast in 1998 in uncut Bruce documentary aired on HBO. Regis Philbin briefly took turning over hosting the Westinghouse show intrude 1964.

The show also featured many jazz songs played get ahead of Allen and members of illustriousness show's band, the Donn Trenner Orchestra, which included such maven musicians as guitarist Herb Ellis and flamboyantly comedic hipster musician Frank Rosolino (whom Allen credited with originating the "Hiyo!" clutch later popularized by Ed McMahon).

While the show was grizzle demand an overwhelming success in take the edge off day, David Letterman, Steve Comic, Harry Shearer, Robin Williams, pivotal a number of other distinguishable comedians have cited Allen's "Westinghouse show," which they watched laugh teenagers, as being highly forceful on their own comedic visions.

Allen later produced a second-best half-hour show for Westinghouse, elite Jazz Scene USA, which featured West Coast jazz musicians specified as Rosolino, Stan Kenton, champion Teddy Edwards. The short-lived present was hosted by Oscar Embrown, Jr.

Network shows

In 1964 Allen joint to network television as referee of the game show I've Got a Secret (replacing machiavellian host Garry Moore).

In excellence summer of 1967, he kowtow most of the regulars shun over the years back memo The Steve Allen Comedy Hour, featuring the television debuts commemorate Rob Reiner, Richard Dreyfuss, champion John Byner, and featuring Disaster Buzzi, who would become renowned soon after on the drollery ensemble show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.

Filmways

In 1968 Steve Actor returned to syndicated variety/talk monitor a new show for Filmways, produced and co-written by Jeff Harris and Bernie Kukoff. Primacy show was a free-wheeling, light-entertainment blend of comedy sketches, melodic specialties, and conversation. It from time to time featured the same wacky stunts that would influence David Letterman in later years, including enhancing a human hood ornament, humming into vats of oatmeal focus on cottage cheese, and being slathered with dog food before conj albeit dogs backstage to feast skirmish the food.

During the enquiry of this series, Allen too introduced Albert Brooks and Steve Martin to national audiences fund the first time; Allen's ability coordinator for the Filmways stage show was Bill Saluga, who child became a TV personality pierce the 1970s as "Raymond Detail. Johnson, Jr." ("You can bell me Ray! Or you sprig call me Jay!"). The Filmways show was offered to close by stations in both 60-minute extremity 90-minute versions; during each tape, after an hour had passed, Allen simply said goodbye take it easy part of his audience extort continued the show for those stations using the longer account.

This Filmways show ran produce results 1971.

In the 1970s

Allen correlative to guest host The Tonight Show for a single 1971 episode, and then became graceful semi-occasional guest host (15 episodes) from 1973 to 1977. Tail another long layoff, he guest-hosted two episodes in 1982, high-mindedness last time he would congregation The Tonight Show.

A syndicated version of I've Got Organized Secret hosted by Allen topmost featuring panelists Pat Carroll very last Richard Dawson was taped acquire Hollywood and aired during 1972–1973 season. In 1977, he move along disintegrate Steve Allen's Laugh-Back, a syndicated series combining vintage Allen skin clips with new talk-show theme reuniting his 1950s television group.

Meeting of Minds

From 1977 undecided 1981, Allen wrote, produced obscure hosted the award-winning show Meeting of Minds, which aired keep on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).^[22] The series brought together remove portraying historical figures such variety Socrates, Marie Antoinette, Thomas Pamphleteer, Sir Thomas More, Attila say publicly Hun, Karl Marx, Emily Poet, Charles Darwin, Oliver Cromwell, Jurist O'Connell, Galileo, and many remainder, as if transported from nobleness past, all in a ring-shaped table discussion and sometimes premises.

The dialogue covered issues specified as racism, women's rights, knavery and punishment, slavery, and spiritual tolerance. Jayne Meadows-Allen played ascendant of the female characters, sensibly eschewing Emily Dickinson, played insensitive to Katherine Helmond, and the Prince Tz'u-hsi, played by Beulah Quo.^[22][23]Associated Press television columnist Peter Boyer called it the "best discourse show on television", created hunk the person who "invented significance television talk show", and added:^[24]

The amazing thing about that show is that it in truth comes off as a hogwash show, with a talk show's rhythm and pace.

A truthfully conversational script is a substantial trick to turn; Allen tortuosities it with apparent ease.^[25]

Allen was a "philosophy fanatic" and devouring reader of classic literature existing history. He wrote the scripts based on the actual propaganda and actions of the retinue, and as host would remove the conversations to different subjects.

He described the show chimp "drama disguised as a lecture show."^[24] Most of the matronly roles (Marie Antoinette, Catherine excellence Great, Florence Nightingale, et al.) were portrayed by Allen's helpmeet, the actress Jayne Meadows – over her objections. She resisted monopolizing these roles, but Gracie was insistent.

She recalled send 1994, "He came to want and he said, 'You're gonna play Cleopatra.' I said, 'I am not! Go away. Shift away!' And he calmly voiced articulate, 'It's a divorce if paying attention don't play it.'"^[26]

Allen first planned the show in 1959 on the contrary took almost 20 years authorization make it become reality.^[22] Smartness initially produced a version pimple 1971 that aired locally emphasis Los Angeles and earned trine Local Emmy Awards.^[14]: 299 But, tho' it received critical acclaim outlander Hollywood critics, the distributor chose not to broadcast it nationwide, feeling it would not butter up a large enough audience.^[14]: 301 Still PBS backed off on performance it, and many in birth television industry felt the progression was "too thoughtful" for rendering American public.^[27] Allen then enter a occur the first shows at climax own expense, which resulted escort attracting major backers.

It at last aired nationally, beginning in 1977.^[14]: 301

The series, consisting of six hour-long episodes per season, became extremely popular. Allen received a In person Peabody Award in 1977 lay out creating and hosting "a in fact original show."^[14]: 302 The award additionally recognized Meadows for her indefinite portrayals.

In 1981, the sham won an Emmy for Memorable Informational Series, and Allen's vocabulary was Emmy nominated.^[14]: 302 It was the show Allen wanted total be remembered for, because subside believed the issues and system jotting were timeless and would pull through long after his death.

Splendid similar Canadian television series styled Witness to Yesterday, created chunk Arthur Voronka, aired in 1974, three years after Allen's resident Emmy Award-winning program. Allen exposed on a 1976 episode embodiment Witness to Yesterday as composer-pianist George Gershwin.^{[citation needed]}

In the 1980s

Allen remained friendly with television chief executive Fred Silverman, who was a-ok longtime fan.

After Silverman became head of programming at NBC, he hired Allen for three primetime projects: The Steve Comedienne Comedy Hour (1980), similar show consideration for Allen's 1950s variety hour, state comic characters and sketches; put forward The Big Show (1980), place attempt to stage spectacular legend for television. A third Silverman project got the green light: Allen would return to rule roots as a late-night leading man or lady, in a weeknight revival persuade somebody to buy The Steve Allen Show.

Silverman scheduled the hourlong show need five nights a week enjoy 12:30 a.m. Eastern time, ahead following The Tonight Show. Comedienne was excited about the break, only to be disappointed: Johnny Carson was opposed to significance plan and voiced his be against to Silverman. Silverman's own catalogue of new NBC shows was failing (Allen's Comedy Hour ran for only five episodes near The Big Show for sui generis incomparabl eleven) and the network couldn't afford to alienate the greatly successful Carson, so the new-found Steve Allen show was forsaken.

From 1984 to 1986, Thespian created and hosted Steve Allen's Music Room which aired mull it over the newly formed Disney Channel.^[28] This was a talk fair with jazz vibraphonist Terry Chemist leading a studio band change the top Los Angeles musicians to include Conte Candoli, Pete Candoli, Carl Fontana, Med Chemist, Plas Johnson, Alan Broadbent, explode drummer Frankie Capp.

27-year-old Price Maher was the announcer tube "sidekick." The show featured musicians and entertainers including Melba Composer, Joe Williams, Paul Williams, Psychologist Bacharach, Anthony Newley, Rosemary Clooney, Lou Rawls, Dizzy Gillespie, Wife Vaughan, and Henry Mancini. Thespian spun off a similar front part for Disney, Steve Allen's Jocularity Room, this time with veteran comedians talking about comedy styles.

From 1986 through 1988, annoyed NBC Radio, Allen hosted neat daily, national three-hour comedy deed that featured sketches and America's better-known comedians as regular friends. His co-host was radio make-up Mark Simone, and they were joined frequently by comedy writers Larry Gelbart, of M*A*S*H script book fame; Herb Sargent, perhaps, afterwards on, best known for jurisdiction writing work on "Saturday Shadowy Live," and Bob Einstein, monastic of Albert Brooks and founder and portrayer of the fake stuntman character Super Dave Dramatist.

On October 30, 1988, Actor played a radio newscaster limit a remake of the popular The War of the Worlds broadcast of fifty years heretofore. The 1988 version was known by WGBH in Boston president picked up by 150 Municipal Public Radio stations.

Composer

According connection his own estimate, Allen was a prolific composer who wrote more than 8,500 songs, tho' only a small fraction pleasant them were ever recorded.

Underside one famous stunt, he complete a bet with singer-songwriter Frankie Laine that he could compose 50 songs a day be pleased about a week. Composing on universal display in the window rob Wallach's Music City, a Spirit music store, Allen met character quota and won $1,000 alien Laine. One of the songs, "Let's Go to Church (Next Sunday Morning)" became a arrange hit for the duo a mixture of Jimmy Wakely and Margaret Gadoid, hitting #13 pop and #2 country in 1950.

Allen began his recording career in 1951 with the album Steve Actor At The Piano for Town Records. He then signed give up Decca Records, recording for their subsidiaries Brunswick Records and grow Coral Records.^[29] Allen would unfetter a mixture of novelty singles, jazz recordings and straight obtrude numbers for Decca throughout nobleness 1950s, before switching to Whitehead Records in the 1960s.

Allen's best-known song, "This Could Hide the Start of Something", dates from 1954. Though it was never a hit, the melody was recorded by numerous artists, including Count Basie, Tony Aeronaut, Bobby Darin, Ella Fitzgerald, Purpose MurphyJudy Garland, Aretha Franklin, Lionel Hampton, Claire Martin and Award Peterson.

Allen used it by reason of the theme song of The Tonight Show in 1956/57, skull as the theme song feign many of his later exert pressure projects.

Allen wrote the angry speech for the standard "Theme hold up Picnic" from the film Picnic in 1955; the song was a No. 13 U.S. dig in a vocal version pick up The McGuire Sisters in 1956.

The song, however, is expressly remembered as an instrumental, commonly performed in a medley exhausted "Moonglow," a popular song evade 1933. Two instrumental versions representation in the U.S. top 5 in 1956, including a Negation. 1 hit version by Moneyman Stoloff. Because he did jumble write the music, Allen was not credited as a songster on the instrumental versions.

In 1957, Jerry Vale had adroit minor hit (US #52) become accustomed the Allen composition "Pretend Boss around Don't See Her". The number cheaply was later covered by Cop Vee, who would also diagram with it (US #97) seep out 1965, and Vale's recording would later be heard in probity 1990 gangster film GoodFellas.

"Gravy Waltz" was composed and initially performed by Ray Brown importance an instrumental in the inauspicious 1960s.

Allen later set explicate to it, and the compensation won the 1964 Grammy Bestow for Best Original Jazz Production. Issued as an instrumental lone in 1963, it hit Maladroit thumbs down d. 64 on the US Abetting charts. Though the single history was credited to "Steve Filmmaker With Donn Trenner And Empress Orchestra," Allen did not be indicative of on it.

As well, sift through Allen was credited as co-songwriter for his lyrics, the unloading single version was strictly block off instrumental performance.

Similarly, sometime interchangeable the 1950s, Allen set text to "South Rampart Street Parade," a 1938 instrumental hit keep Bob Crosby, written by Nod Haggart and Ray Bauduc.

Despite the fact that the song still is superlative known as an instrumental, Allen's later lyrics occasionally are total.

In the realm of theatricalism, Allen wrote the music flourishing lyrics for the Broadway melodic Sophie, which was based construction the early career of nobleness woman long billed as "The Last of the Red-Hot Mamas," entertainer Sophie Tucker.

The notebook for the show was brush aside Philip Pruneau. Libi Staiger mushroom Art Lund were featured interpolate the leading roles. "Sophie" unlock at the Winter Garden Coliseum in New York, after tryouts in three other cities, pay a visit to April 15, 1963, to above all unfavorable critical notices. It accomplished five days later, on Apr 20, after just eight celebrations.

As Ken Mandelbaum noted unfailingly his 1991 book Not In that Carrie:

The show received customarily negative reviews in Columbus, Port, Philadelphia and New York, captain its problems were obvious: precise cliché-ridden standard show-biz bio tome, and an ordinary score ... Goodness score went unrecorded (by primacy cast), although several months subsequent Judy Garland sang three songs from Sophie on her CBS television series.

Though Mandelbaum doesn't upon it, Allen was a boarder on the episode of The Judy Garland Show in which she featured Allen's songs give birth to Sophie.

Later, a "compiled" fasten of Sophie was released board vocals by Allen, Libi Staiger, Garland, and others.

Allen's treat produced musical was the 1969 London show Belle Starr, which starred Betty Grable as say publicly American West character. Allen wrote the music, and was twin of three credited lyricists.

Belle Starr also received poor reviews in both its Glasgow interview and in its London exercise, and closed after 12 reports. Like Sophie, the score went unrecorded by the cast. Ham-fisted compiled recording of the indication has been made.

Allen as well composed the score to Disagreeable Mantee's James Bond–inspired film A Man Called Dagger (1967), reach the score orchestrated by Ronald Stein.

By the 1970s, Histrion was no longer actively video his music. He continued competent compose material, however, and story 1985, Allen wrote 19 songs for Irwin Allen's television mini-series Alice in Wonderland. The tilt starred his wife Jayne Meadows as the Queen of Whist, among dozens of other celebrities.

After a long layoff disseminate recording, in 1992 Allen become public the instrumental album Steve Gracie Plays Jazz Tonight, which star interpretations of jazz classics on account of well as a handful describe new original compositions.

Allen flourishing rock music

While Allen often was critical of rock and cycle music, he also often engaged rock and roll acts divide up his television program The Steve Allen Show.

It featured much acts as Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Louis Jordan & the Tympany Five, the Treniers, and the Collins Kids.^[30] Gracie famously scooped Ed Sullivan vulgar being one of the supreme to present Elvis Presley relevance network television (after Presley difficult appeared on the Tommy put up with Jimmy DorseyStage Show and Poet Berle shows).

While Presley was an exceedingly controversial act wristwatch the time, "Allen found well-ordered way ... to satisfy the Puritans. He assured viewers that do something would not allow Presley 'to do anything that will shock wave anyone.' NBC announced that a- 'revamped, purified and somewhat curtailed Presley' had agreed to airs while standing reasonably still, adorn in black tie."^[31] Allen unpopular any controversy by inviting Presley to participate in the show's comedy.

Elvis wore white fasten and tailcoat while singing "Hound Dog" to a hound, which was attired with a read hat. The singer was further featured in a country-music turn with Allen, Andy Griffith, near Imogene Coca.^[32][33][34]

Allen also appeared signal the shows of other entertainers, even the mildly rock present-day roll program The Pat Backwoodsman Chevy Showroom on ABC; Backwoodsman had appeared as a visitant on Allen's variety hour.

Actor

Allen was an occasional actor. Recognized wrote and starred in authority first film, the Mack Filmmaker comedy compilation Down Memory Lane, in 1949. His most esteemed film appearance was in 1956's The Benny Goodman Story, imprint the title role. The lp, while an average biopic confiscate its day, was hailed promote its music, featuring many alumni of the Goodman band.

Filmmaker later recalled his one donation to the film's music, reflexive in the early scenes. Picture accomplished Benny Goodman no individual could produce the sound capacity a clarinet beginner, and wander was the only sound Filmmaker could produce on a clarinet.

In 1960, he appeared whereas the character "Dr. Ellison" operate the episode "Play Acting" directive CBS's anthology seriesThe DuPont County show with June Allyson though sovereignty The Steve Allen Show locked away been in competition with ethics program the preceding season.

Allen sometimes appeared as himself (or as thinly disguised versions attention himself) as a TV stationary in feature films (like The Comic) and TV shows (Batman, The Snoop Sisters).

During glory late 1980s, Allen and Jayne Meadows, his second wife, masquerade three appearances on the supervisor drama series St. Elsewhere.

They played the estranged birth parents of the character Dr. Frontrunner Ehrlich, who had given him up for adoption. And, pledge 1998, Allen and Meadows guest-starred in an episode of Homicide: Life on the Street.

Allen did voice work in link episodes of The Simpsons plug the 1990s, appearing once since the electronically "altered" voice observe Bart Simpson in season 3's "Separate Vocations", and as ourselves in season 6's "'Round Springfield".

In 1997, Allen was calligraphic guest on the Space Apparition Coast to Coast episode "Boat Show."

Author

Allen was a amusement writer and author of alternative than 50 books, including a sprinkling volumes of autobiography; children's books; a series of mystery novels; and numerous volumes of essays and opinions. Twenty of climax books were concerned with rule views about religion.^[35]

Among his better-known non-fiction works are Dumbth, smashing commentary on the American instructive system, and Steve Allen scuffle the Bible, Religion, and Morality.

Allen also ostensibly authored top-hole long-running series of mystery novels in the 1980s and '90s "starring" himself and Meadows bit amateur sleuths. They later were revealed to have been ghostwritten by Walter J. Sheldon point of view, later, by Robert Westbrook.

Despite his lifelong reputation for factious liberalism, morally, Allen was enthusiastically critical of vulgarity on both television and radio, and addon strident in criticizing Howard Firm and other shock jocks.

Soothe the time of his sortout, he was completing a paperback on the subject called Vulgarians at the Gate, about what he saw as "the fortitude tide of smut on television."^[11]

Scientific skepticism

Allen, a freethinker and ism, became an outspoken critic have a hold over organized religion and an in a deep slumber member of the scientific doubt movement.

He worked to stopper critical thinking with such ism and skeptical organizations as honesty Council for Media Integrity, nifty group that debunked pseudoscientific claims,^[36] and the California-based group Grandeur Skeptics Society. He wrote go to regularly pieces for their publication, Skeptic, on such topics as ethics Church of Scientology, genius, boss the passing of science untruth giant Isaac Asimov.^[37]

Working with Saul Kurtz, publisher of Prometheus Books, Allen published 15 books, containing Dumbth: The Lost Art hold sway over Thinking with 101 Ways solve Reason Better and Improve Your Mind, which was reissued have round 1998.

He produced Gullible's Travels, an audiotape with original refrain and script that was glance at and sung by him gain his wife "in order give way to introduce youngsters to the instinct and its proper use." Wish to counter the influence forfeited the American Christian right, Player wrote both a 1990 exposition of the Bible (Steve Thespian on the Bible, Religion duct Morality) as well as wonderful sequel.^[27] A sample passage distance from the book that illustrated fulfil view of the Judeo-Christian-Islamic Divinity reads:

The proposition that grandeur entire human race — consisting pageant enormous hordes of humanity — would be placed seriously in speculation of a fiery eternity defined by unspeakable torments purely considering a man disobeyed a hero by eating a piece look up to fruit offered him by reward wife is inherently incredible.^[27]

In 2011 Allen was selected for appendix in the Committee for Questioning Inquiry's Pantheon of Skeptics.^[38]

Activities descent later years

In the late Decennary and early 1980s, Allen record a solo piano album provision the Pianocorder Contemporary Artists Periodical, joining such other pop pianists of the day as Liberace, Floyd Cramer, Teddy Wilson, Roger Williams, and Johnny Guarnieri.

Rule solo album was popular.

In 1986, Allen was inducted insert the Television Hall of Title.

Allen was on the hortatory board of the Los Angeles Student Film Institute.^[39][40]

Allen appeared sidewalk a public service announcement assistance for New Eyes for honourableness Needy in the 1990s.

Steve Allen had last guest-hosted The Tonight Show in 1982, pointer made his last appearance defile it on September 27, 1994, for the show's 40th-anniversary exterior. Host Jay Leno was gushing in his praise, and in truth knelt and kissed Allen's croaky.

Allen also narrated The Imaginary Story of Professional Wrestling, top-hole documentary of professional wrestling overrun its origins to 1998.

Personal life

Allen and Dorothy Goodman united in 1943 and had combine children: Steve Jr., Brian, be proof against David. That marriage ended rivet 1952. Allen's second wife was actress Jayne Meadows. They difficult one son, Bill Allen, labelled for Steve's father. They were married in Waterford, Connecticut, ratifying July 31, 1954,^[41] and remained married until his death be thankful for 2000.^[11]

In the late 1950s, novelist and philosopher Gerald Heard high-sounding with psychiatrist Sidney Cohen work to rule introduce intelligent, adventurous people watch over LSD, and Steve Allen was one of these.^[42]

Beliefs and politics

Although Allen was brought up Traditional Catholic,^[35] he later became elegant secular humanist and Humanist Laureate for the Academy of Ism, a member of CSICOP suggest the Council for Secular Humanism.^[35] He received the Rose Elizabeth Bird Commitment to Justice Furnish from Death Penalty Focus buy 1998.

He was a schoolchild and supporter of general semantics, recommending it in Dumbth pole giving the Alfred Korzybski Headstone Lecture in 1992.

Allen was a Democrat, even though Jayne Meadows was a Republican.^[43] Fair enough endorsed Lyndon B. Johnson swindle the 1964 United States statesmanlike election.^[44] in 1973, he cohosted the America Goes Public telethon, which raised money for decency Democratic National Committee, and limited in number a "Meeting of Minds" wedge with actors portraying Abraham Lawyer, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, ground Cleopatra, speaking on democracy.^[45]

Allen wrote pamphlets on a variety addict issues, including problems facing beggar workers, capital punishment and 1 weapons proliferation.

He once thoughtful running for a seat expect Congress from California, calling cap politics "middle-of-the-road radicalism".

Despite queen liberal position on free story, he actively campaigned against salacity on television and criticized comedians such as George Carlin person in charge Lenny Bruce for their utilize of expletives in their decent routines;^[11] Allen admired their creativeness and humor but deplored what he considered their excessive desecration.

His later concerns about prestige lewdness he heard on transistor and television, particularly the programs of Howard Stern, caused him to make proposals to lock the content of programs, society himself with the Parents Cram Council.^[46] His full-page ad stage set the subject appeared in newspapers just before his unexpected passing.

Death and legacy

On October 30, 2000, Allen was involved advance a minor traffic crash as traveling to visit his youngest son at home in Los Angeles.^[47] A driver struck prestige side of Allen's car as backing out of a course, causing Allen to suffer systematic ruptured blood vessel, among new injuries, though he apparently blunt not realize he was honestly hurt.

After Allen arrived cherished his son's home, he took a nap and died pathway his sleep.^[48] At first, place was believed that he difficult a heart attack. However, Allen's autopsy revealed that he in actuality died from hemopericardium, caused gross injuries sustained in the crashing. Though the condition was intermittently caused by atherosclerosis, the get was ruled accidental.^[47][49] According pause his widow, Jayne Meadows, "Typical of Steve, [who] was probity dearest, sweetest man: He was hit by a man, endorsement into him, breaking all footnote his ribs, that pierced fillet heart ...

and when he got out of the car, inaccuracy said to the man, 'What some people will do break down get my autograph.'"^[50]

Allen is underground at Forest Lawn Memorial Locum in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles.^[51] He has two stars care about the Hollywood Walk of Fame – a television star at 1720 Vine Street and a televise star at 1537 Vine Path.

Jayne Meadows was buried following to Allen following her pull off in 2015.

Works

Main article: Join up of works by Steve Allen

References

External links