Steve Allen
Born
December 26, 1921
Died
October 30, 2000 (78 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen was an American television personality, radio personality, musician, composer, actor, comedian, writer, and advocate of scientific skepticism. In 1954, he achieved national fame as the co-creator and first host of The Tonight Show, which was the first late night television talk show.
Though he got his start in radio, Allen is best known for his extensive network television career. He gained national attention as a guest host on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. After he hosted The Tonight Show, he went on to host numerous game and variety shows, including his own The Steve Allen Show, I've Got a Secret, and The New Steve Allen Show. He was a regular panel member on CBS's What's My Line?, and from 1977 until 1981 wrote, produced, and hosted the award-winning public broadcasting show Meeting of Minds, a series of historical dramas presented in a talk format.
Allen was a pianist and a prolific composer. By his own estimate, he wrote more than 8,500 songs, some of which were recorded by numerous leading singers. Working as a lyricist, Allen won the 1964 Grammy Award for Best Original Jazz Composition. He also wrote more than 50 books, including novels, children's books, and books of opinions, including his final book, Vulgarians at the Gate: Trash TV and Raunch Radio.
In 1996 Allen was presented with the Martin Gardner Lifetime Achievement Award from the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSICOP). He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a Hollywood theater named in his honor.
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Self (voice) (archive sound)
2022
Boulevard! A Hollywood Story
Self (archive footage)
2021
Jay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth
Self (archive footage)
2020
Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind
Self (archive footage)
2018
Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words
Self (archive footage)
2016
Erroll Garner: No One Can Hear You Read
Self (archive footage)
2013
2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift
Self (archive footage)
2010
Elvis: #1 Hit Performances
Self (archive footage)
2007
Elvis: The King of Rock 'n' Roll
Self (archive footage)
2007
Tasmanian Devil: The Fast and Furious Life of Errol Flynn
Self (archive footage)
2007
The Adventures of Errol Flynn
Self (archive footage)
2005
Elvis: Rare Moments with the King
Self (archive footage)
2003
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
Self (archive footage)
2002
Nobody's Perfect - The Making of Some Like It Hot
Self (archive footage)
2001
On and Off the Res' with Charlie Hill
Himself
2000
Let Me In, I Hear Laughter: A Salute to the Friars Club
Self
1999
Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth
Self
1998
No More to Say & Nothing to Weep For: An Elegy for Allen Ginsberg
Self (archive footage)
1997
On the Road to Desolation
Self
1997
Behind the Music
Self · (1 episode)
1997
Rodney Dangerfield's 75th Birthday Toast
Self
1997
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
Fear · (1 episode)
1996
Nichols and May: Take Two
Self
1996
Abbott & Costello Meet Biography
Self
1996
Casino
Himself
1995
Pinky and the Brain
(1 episode)
1995
James Dean and Me
Self (uncredited)
1995
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
(1 episode)
1994
The Critic
Steve Allen (voice) · (1 episode)
1994
Diagnosis: Murder
Ray Masters · (1 episode)
1993
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1993
Homicide: Life on the Street
Mr. Cochran · (1 episode)
1993
The Player
Steve Allen
1992
Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys
Self
1992
Rodney Dangerfield's The Really Big Show
Self
1991
WWE WrestleMania VI
Self
1990
The Power of the Market
1990
The Simpsons
Bart's Altered Voice (voice) · (1 episode)
1989
The Simpsons
Steve Allen (voice) · (1 episode)
1989
Great Balls of Fire!
himself
1989
Richard Lewis: I'm Exhausted
Self
1988
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Self
1988
Amazon Women on the Moon
Steve Allen (segment "Roast Your Loved One")
1987
The Wil Shriner Show
Self · (1 episode)
1987
WWF Wrestling Challenge
Self · (3 episodes)
1986
American Masters
Self · (1 episode)
1986
TV's Funniest Comedians - 14 Stars Do Classic Routines
Self
1986
Alice in Wonderland
Gentleman in Paper Suit · (1 episode)
1985
The Ratings Game
Steve Allen
1984
Computability: How to Make the Most of Your Home Computer
1984
The Making of the Stooges
Self - Host
1984
Don't Ask Me, Ask God
[Self]
1984
Life's Most Embarrassing Moments
Self - Host · (10 episodes)
1983
The Funny Farm
Self
1983
St. Elsewhere
(2 episodes)
1982
St. Elsewhere
Lech oseransky · (1 episode)
1982
Hotel
(1 episode)
1982
Night of 100 Stars
Self
1982
Nurse
Barney Ambler · (1 episode)
1981
The Steve Allen Comedy Hour
Self - Host · (4 episodes)
1980
Solid Gold
Self · (2 episodes)
1980
Heart Beat
Himself
1980
The Gossip Columnist
Steve Allen
1980
Hart to Hart
Himself · (1 episode)
1979
Stone
Steve Allen
1979
The Muppets Go Hollywood
Self
1979
Have I Got a Christmas for You
Martin Kaplan
1977
What Really Happened to the Class of '65?
(1 episode)
1977
Lucy Calls the President
Steve Allen
1977
The Love Boat
Durwood Moss · (1 episode)
1977
Meeting of Minds
Self - Host · (24 episodes)
1977
On Location: Myron Cohen
Self - Host
1976
Joys
Self
1976
Rich Man, Poor Man
(1 episode)
1976
The Sunshine Boys
Self
1975
The Sunshine Boys
Narrator of Fictional TV Program (uncredited)
1975
Mitzi & 100 Guys
Self
1975
James Dean Remembered
Self
1974
The Snoop Sisters
Steve Allen · (1 episode)
1973
I've Got a Secret
Self - Host · (1 episode)
1972
Lenny Bruce: Without Tears
Self / DJ (archive footage)
1972
McCloud
(1 episode)
1970
The Comic
Steve Allen
1969
Love, American Style
Johny · (1 episode)
1969
Medical Center
(1 episode)
1969
Now You See It, Now You Don't
Herschel Lucas
1968
Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?
Radio Announcer
1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Self · (3 episodes)
1968
The Movie Orgy
Self (archive footage)
1968
Warning Shot
Steve Allen
1967
Don't Worry, We'll Think of a Title
Bookstore Customer with Little Boy (uncredited)
1966
Batman
Allen Stevens · (2 episodes)
1966
The Universal Mind of Bill Evans
1966
Get Smart
(1 episode)
1965
The Judy Garland Show
Self · (1 episode)
1963
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self - Guest Host · (5 episodes)
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (11 episodes)
1962
The Merv Griffin Show
Self · (1 episode)
1962
Something's Got to Give
Psychiatrist
1962
The Mike Douglas Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1961
The New Steve Allen Show
Self - Host · (14 episodes)
1961
College Confidential
Steve MacInter
1960
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
Dr. Ben Ellison · (1 episode)
1959
The Big Circus
Self
1959
The David Susskind Show
Self · (1 episode)
1959
Kraft Music Hall
Self · (1 episode)
1958
Kraft Music Hall
Self - Host · (1 episode)
1958
The Thin Man
(1 episode)
1957
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Self · (1 episode)
1956
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Host · (163 episodes)
1956
The Benny Goodman Story
Benny Goodman
1956
Allen in Movieland
Self
1955
Tonight Starring Steve Allen
Self - Host · (27 episodes)
1954
The Oscars
Self · (1 episode)
1953
General Electric Theater
Andy Fletcher · (1 episode)
1953
I've Got a Secret
Self - Host · (115 episodes)
1952
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Martin Kaplan · (1 episode)
1951
I'll Get By
Peter Pepper
1950
What's My Line?
Self · (106 episodes)
1950
What's My Line?
Self - Mystery Guest · (5 episodes)
1950
Down Memory Lane
Self
1949
The Emmy Awards
Self · (2 episodes)
1949
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · (1 episode)
1948