Steve Allen
Acting
Born December 26, 1921 · 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.
Films (68)
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
2022
Boulevard! A Hollywood Story
2021
Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words
2016
Erroll Garner: No One Can Hear You Read
2013
2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift
2010
Elvis: #1 Hit Performances
2007
Elvis: The King of Rock 'n' Roll
2007
Tasmanian Devil: The Fast and Furious Life of Errol Flynn
2007
The Adventures of Errol Flynn
2005
Elvis: Rare Moments with the King
2003
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
2002
Nobody's Perfect: The Making of Some Like It Hot
2001
On and Off the Res' with Charlie Hill
2000
Let Me In, I Hear Laughter: A Salute to the Friars Club
1999
Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth
1998
No More to Say & Nothing to Weep For: An Elegy for Allen Ginsberg
1997
On the Road to Desolation
1997
Rodney Dangerfield's 75th Birthday Toast
1997
Nichols and May: Take Two
1996
Abbott & Costello Meet Biography
1996
Casino
1995
James Dean: A Portrait
1995
James Dean and Me
1995
The Player
1992
Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys
1992
Rodney Dangerfield's The Really Big Show
1991
WWE WrestleMania VI
1990
Great Balls of Fire!
1989
Richard Lewis: I'm Exhausted
1988
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
1988
Amazon Women on the Moon
1987
TV's Funniest Comedians - 14 Stars Do Classic Routines
1986
Classic Comedy Teams
1986
The Ratings Game
1984
Computability: How to Make the Most of Your Home Computer
1984
The Making of the Stooges
1984
Don't Ask Me, Ask God
1984
Starfest: The Stars Salute Public Television 1983
1983
The Funny Farm
1983
Night of 100 Stars
1982
Heart Beat
1980
The Gossip Columnist
1980
The Power of the Market
1980
Stone
1979
The Muppets Go Hollywood
1979
The Vent Event
1978
Have I Got a Christmas for You
1977
Lucy Calls the President
1977
On Location: Myron Cohen
1976
Joys
1976
The Sunshine Boys
1975
Mitzi & 100 Guys
1975
James Dean Remembered
1974
Lenny Bruce: Without Tears
1972
The Comic
1969
Now You See It, Now You Don't
1968
Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?
1968
The Movie Orgy
1968
Warning Shot
1967
Don't Worry, We'll Think of a Title
1966
The Universal Mind of Bill Evans
1966
Something's Got to Give
1962
College Confidential
1960
The Big Circus
1959
The Benny Goodman Story
1956
Allen in Movieland
1955
I'll Get By
1950
Down Memory Lane
1949