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

The Simpsons

The Simpsons

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Mike Douglas Show

Diagnosis: Murder

The Love Boat

Batman

All Movies (71)

• Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues2022 · as Self (voice) (archive sound)
• Boulevard! A Hollywood Story2021 · as Self (archive footage)
• Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words2016 · as Self (archive footage)
• Tab Hunter Confidential2015 · as Self (archive)
• Erroll Garner: No One Can Hear You Read2013 · as Self (archive footage)
• 2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift2010 · as Self (archive footage)
• Elvis: #1 Hit Performances2007 · as Self (archive footage)
• Elvis: The King of Rock 'n' Roll2007 · as Self (archive footage)
• Tasmanian Devil: The Fast and Furious Life of Errol Flynn2007 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Adventures of Errol Flynn2005 · as Self (archive footage)
• Elvis: Rare Moments with the King2003 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years2002 · as Self (archive footage)
• Nobody's Perfect: The Making of Some Like It Hot2001 · as Self (archive footage)
• On and Off the Res' with Charlie Hill2000 · as Himself
• Let Me In, I Hear Laughter: A Salute to the Friars Club1999 · as Self
• Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth1998 · as Self
• No More to Say & Nothing to Weep For: An Elegy for Allen Ginsberg1997 · as Self (archive footage)
• On the Road to Desolation1997 · as Self
• Rodney Dangerfield's 75th Birthday Toast1997 · as Self
• Nichols and May: Take Two1996 · as Self
• Abbott & Costello Meet Biography1996 · as Self
• Casino1995 · as Steve Allen
• James Dean: A Portrait1995 · as Self
• James Dean and Me1995 · as Self (uncredited)
• The Player1992 · as Steve Allen
• Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys1992 · as Self
• Rodney Dangerfield's The Really Big Show1991 · as Self
• WWE WrestleMania VI1990 · as Self
• Great Balls of Fire!1989 · as Steve Allen
• Richard Lewis: I'm Exhausted1988 · as Self
• Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC1988 · as Self
• Amazon Women on the Moon1987 · as Steve Allen (segment "Roast Your Loved One")
• TV's Funniest Comedians - 14 Stars Do Classic Routines1986 · as Self
• Classic Comedy Teams1986 · as Host
• The Ratings Game1984 · as Steve Allen
• Computability: How to Make the Most of Your Home Computer1984
• The Making of the Stooges1984 · as Self - Host
• Don't Ask Me, Ask God1984 · as Self
• Starfest: The Stars Salute Public Television 19831983
• The Funny Farm1983 · as Self
• Ernie Kovacs: Television's Original Genius1982 · as Self
• Night of 100 Stars1982 · as Self
• Heart Beat1980 · as Steve Allen
• The Gossip Columnist1980 · as Steve Allen
• The Power of the Market1980
• Stone1979 · as Steve Allen
• The Muppets Go Hollywood1979 · as Self
• The Vent Event1978
• Have I Got a Christmas for You1977 · as Martin Kaplan
• Lucy Calls the President1977 · as Steve Allen
• Bob Hope's World of Comedy1976 · as Self (archive footage)
• On Location: Myron Cohen1976 · as Self - Host
• Joys1976 · as Self
• The Sunshine Boys1975 · as Self
• The Sunshine Boys1975 · as Narrator of Fictional TV Program (uncredited)
• Mitzi & 100 Guys1975 · as Self
• James Dean Remembered1974 · as Self
• Lenny Bruce: Without Tears1972 · as Self / DJ (archive footage)
• The Comic1969 · as Steve Allen
• Now You See It, Now You Don't1968 · as Herschel Lucas
• Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?1968 · as Radio Announcer
• The Movie Orgy1968 · as Self (archive footage)
• Warning Shot1967 · as Steve Allen
• Don't Worry, We'll Think of a Title1966 · as Bookstore Customer with Little Boy (uncredited)
• The Universal Mind of Bill Evans1966
• College Confidential1960 · as Steve MacInter
• The Big Circus1959 · as Self
• The Benny Goodman Story1956 · as Benny Goodman
• Allen in Movieland1955 · as Self
• I'll Get By1950 · as Peter Pepper
• Down Memory Lane1949 · as Steve Allen

All TV Shows (55)

• Behind the Music1997 · as Self
• Sabrina, the Teenage Witch1996 · as Fear
• Pinky and the Brain1995 · as Steve Allen (voice)
• Space Ghost Coast to Coast1994
• The Critic1994 · as Steve Allen (voice)
• Diagnosis: Murder1993 · as Ray Masters
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien1993 · as Self - Guest
• Homicide: Life on the Street1993 · as Mr. Cochran
• The Simpsons1989 · as Bart's Altered Voice (voice)
• The Simpsons1989 · as Steve Allen (voice)
• The People Next Door1989 · as Self
• The Wil Shriner Show1987 · as Self
• WWF Wrestling Challenge1986 · as Self
• American Masters1986 · as Self
• Alice in Wonderland1985 · as Gentleman in Paper Suit
• Life's Most Embarrassing Moments1983 · as Self - Host
• St. Elsewhere1982 · as Lech Oseransky
• Hotel1982
• Nurse1981 · as Barney Ambler
• The Steve Allen Comedy Hour1980 · as Self - Host
• Solid Gold1980 · as Self
• Hart to Hart1979 · as Himself
• What Really Happened to the Class of '65?1977
• The Love Boat1977 · as Durwood Moss
• Meeting of Minds1977 · as Self - Host
• Rich Man, Poor Man1976
• The Snoop Sisters1973 · as Steve Allen
• I've Got a Secret1972 · as Self - Host
• McCloud1970 · as Doug King
• Love, American Style1969 · as Johny
• Medical Center1969
• Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In1968 · as Self
• Batman1966 · as Allen Stevens
• Get Smart1965 · as Prime Minister's Aide (uncredited)
• The Judy Garland Show1963 · as Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self - Guest Host
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• The Merv Griffin Show1962 · as Self
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self - Guest
• The New Steve Allen Show1961 · as Self - Host
• The DuPont Show with June Allyson1959 · as Dr. Ben Ellison
• The David Susskind Show1959 · as Self
• Kraft Music Hall1958 · as Self
• Kraft Music Hall1958 · as Self - Host
• The Thin Man1957
• The Dinah Shore Chevy Show1956 · as Self
• The Steve Allen Show1956 · as Self - Host
• Tonight Starring Steve Allen1954 · as Self - Host
• The Oscars1953 · as Self
• General Electric Theater1953 · as Andy Fletcher
• I've Got a Secret1952 · as Self - Host
• Hallmark Hall of Fame1951 · as Martin Kaplan
• What's My Line?1950 · as Self
• The Emmy Awards1949 · as Self
• The Ed Sullivan Show1948 · as Self