Steve Allen
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- December 26, 1921
- Died
- October 30, 2000
- Birthplace
- 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.
Filmography
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues 2022
as Self (voice) (archive sound)
Boulevard! A Hollywood Story 2021
as Self (archive footage)
Too Hip for the Room: The Righteous Reign of Lord Buckley 2016
as Self
Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words 2016
as Self (archive footage)
Tab Hunter Confidential 2015
as Self (archive)
Erroll Garner: No One Can Hear You Read 2013
as Self (archive footage)
2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift 2010
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: The King of Rock 'n' Roll 2007
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: #1 Hit Performances 2007
as Self (archive footage)
Tasmanian Devil: The Fast and Furious Life of Errol Flynn 2007
as Self (archive footage)
The Adventures of Errol Flynn 2005
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: Rare Moments with the King 2003
as Self (archive footage)
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years 2002
as Self (archive footage)
Nobody's Perfect: The Making of Some Like It Hot 2001
as Self (archive footage)
50 Years of NBC Late Night 2001
as Self (archive footage)
On and Off the Res' with Charlie Hill 2000
as Himself
Let Me In, I Hear Laughter: A Salute to the Friars Club 1999
as Self
Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth 1998
as Self
No More to Say & Nothing to Weep For: An Elegy for Allen Ginsberg 1997
as Self (archive footage)
- On the Road to Desolation
On the Road to Desolation 1997
as Self
Rodney Dangerfield's 75th Birthday Toast 1997
as Self
Nichols and May: Take Two 1996
as Self
Abbott & Costello Meet Biography 1996
as Self
Casino 1995
as Steve Allen
James Dean: A Portrait 1995
as Self
James Dean and Me 1995
as Self (uncredited)
The Player 1992
as Steve Allen
Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys 1992
as Self
Rodney Dangerfield's The Really Big Show 1991
as Self
WWE WrestleMania VI 1990
as Self
Great Balls of Fire! 1989
as Steve Allen
Richard Lewis: I'm Exhausted 1988
as Self
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC 1988
as Self
Amazon Women on the Moon 1987
as Steve Allen (segment "Roast Your Loved One")
TV's Funniest Comedians - 14 Stars Do Classic Routines 1986
as Self
Classic Comedy Teams 1986
as Host
The Ratings Game 1984
as Steve Allen
Computability: How to Make the Most of Your Home Computer 1984
Actor
Don't Ask Me, Ask God 1984
as Self
The Making of the Stooges 1984
as Self - Host
Starfest: The Stars Salute Public Television 1983 1983
Actor
The Funny Farm 1983
as Self
Ernie Kovacs: Television's Original Genius 1982
as Self
Night of 100 Stars 1982
as Self
Heart Beat 1980
as Steve Allen
The Gossip Columnist 1980
as Steve Allen
The Power of the Market 1980
Actor
Stone 1979
as Steve Allen
The Muppets Go Hollywood 1979
as Self (uncredited)
- The Vent Event
The Vent Event 1978
Actor
Have I Got a Christmas for You 1977
as Martin Kaplan
Lucy Calls the President 1977
as Steve Allen
- Bob Hope's World of Comedy
Bob Hope's World of Comedy 1976
as (archive footage)
- On Location: Myron Cohen
On Location: Myron Cohen 1976
as Self - Host
Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star-Spangled Spectacular 1976
as Self
Joys 1976
as Self
The Sunshine Boys 1975
as Self, as Narrator of Fictional TV Program (uncredited)
Mitzi & 100 Guys 1975
as Self
James Dean Remembered 1974
as Self
Lenny Bruce: Without Tears 1972
as Self / DJ (archive footage)
The Comic 1969
as Steve Allen
Now You See It, Now You Don't 1968
as Herschel Lucas
Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? 1968
as Radio Announcer
The Movie Orgy 1968
as Self (archive footage)
Warning Shot 1967
as Steve Allen
Don't Worry, We'll Think of a Title 1966
as Bookstore Customer with Little Boy (uncredited)
The Universal Mind of Bill Evans 1966
Actor
College Confidential 1960
as Steve MacInter, Songs
The Big Circus 1959
as Self
The Benny Goodman Story 1956
as Benny Goodman
Allen in Movieland 1955
as Self
I'll Get By 1950
as Peter Pepper
Down Memory Lane 1949
as Steve Allen, Writer
Credits from TMDB.