Steve Allen
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1921-12-26
Day of Death
2000-10-30 (78 years old)
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Steve Allen
Biography
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.
Known For
Acting
(2022)
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
as Self (voice) (archive sound)
(2021)
Boulevard! A Hollywood Story
as Self (archive footage)
(2020)
Jay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth
as Self (archive footage)
(2018)
Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind
as Self (archive footage)
(2016)
Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words
as Self (archive footage)
(2013)
Erroll Garner: No One Can Hear You Read
as Self (archive footage)
(2010)
2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift
as Self (archive footage)
(2007)
Tasmanian Devil: The Fast and Furious Life of Errol Flynn
as Self (archive footage)
(2007)
Elvis: The King of Rock 'n' Roll
as Self (archive footage)
(2007)
Elvis: #1 Hit Performances
as Self (archive footage)
(2005)
The Adventures of Errol Flynn
as Self (archive footage)
(2003)
Elvis: Rare Moments with the King
as Self (archive footage)
(2002)
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
as Self (archive footage)
(2001)
Nobody's Perfect - The Making of Some Like It Hot
as Self (archive footage)
(1999)
(1998)
(1997)
(1997)
No More to Say & Nothing to Weep For: An Elegy for Allen Ginsberg
as Self (archive footage)
(1997)
On the Road to Desolation
as Self
(1996)
(1996)
Nichols and May: Take Two
as Self
(1995)
Casino
as Himself
(1995)
James Dean and Me
as Self (uncredited)
(1992)
The Player
as Steve Allen
(1992)
(1991)
(1990)
WWE WrestleMania VI
as Self
(1990)
(1989)
Great Balls of Fire!
as himself
(1988)
(1988)
Richard Lewis: I'm Exhausted
as Self
(1987)
Amazon Women on the Moon
as Steve Allen (segment "Roast Your Loved One")
(1986)
(1984)
The Ratings Game
as Steve Allen
(1984)
Don't Ask Me, Ask God
as [Self]
(1984)
The Making of the Stooges
as Self - Host
(1984)
(1983)
The Funny Farm
as Self
(1982)
Night of 100 Stars
as Self
(1980)
Heart Beat
as Himself
(1980)
The Gossip Columnist
as Steve Allen
(1979)
The Muppets Go Hollywood
as Self
(1979)
Stone
as Steve Allen
(1977)
Have I Got a Christmas for You
as Martin Kaplan
(1977)
Lucy Calls the President
as Steve Allen
(1976)
Joys
as Self
(1976)
On Location: Myron Cohen
as Self - Host
(1975)
The Sunshine Boys
as Self
(1975)
The Sunshine Boys
as Narrator of Fictional TV Program (uncredited)
(1975)
Mitzi & 100 Guys
as Self
(1974)
James Dean Remembered
as Self
(1972)
Lenny Bruce: Without Tears
as Self / DJ (archive footage)
(1969)
The Comic
as Steve Allen
(1968)
The Movie Orgy
as Self (archive footage)
(1968)
Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?
as Radio Announcer
(1968)
Now You See It, Now You Don't
as Herschel Lucas
(1967)
Warning Shot
as Steve Allen
(1966)
(1966)
Don't Worry, We'll Think of a Title
as Bookstore Customer with Little Boy (uncredited)
(1962)
Something's Got to Give
as Psychiatrist
(1960)
College Confidential
as Steve MacInter
(1959)
The Big Circus
as Self
(1956)
The Benny Goodman Story
as Benny Goodman
(1955)
Allen in Movieland
as Self
(1950)
I'll Get By
as Peter Pepper
(1949)
Down Memory Lane
as Self
Crew
(1960)
College Confidential
Songs
(1949)
Down Memory Lane
Writer