Fred Allen

Fred Allen (May 31, 1894 – March 17, 1956) was a United States comedian best known for his witty, pointed radio programs of the 1930s and 1940s, including a comic "feud" with comedian Jack Benny. Allen was famous among his peers for his ability to ad-lib - a skill that Benny famously paid tribute to, responding to a mock insult with the line "You wouldn't say that if my writers were here."

Radio career

After Town Hall Tonight, Allen moved to a self-named show, a rarity in those days of sponsor-billed shows. In 1940 he went to CBS and hosted 'Texaco Star Theatre'. His famous Allen's Alley routine began in December 1944. Hypertension caused him to leave radio in early 1944, although he returned to NBC in late 1945 with the Allen's Alley routines that many remember. The Allen's Alley format went through many format changes, but generally consisted of Allen interviewing four people from different walks of life, all living in the same fictional alley. The roster went through many changes in the first couple of years, and early denizens included John Brown as the sarcastic John Doe, Jack Smart as Senator Bloat, Charlie Cantor as the dim-witted Socrates Mulligan, and perhaps best known of this group, Alan Reed as pompous poet Falstaff Openshaw. The most famous foursome, however, consisted of the following: Kenny Delmar as Southern politician Senator Claghorn, Parker Fennelly as the New England farmer Titus Moody, Minerva Pious as Jewish housewife Mrs. Nussbaum, and Peter Donald as the fast-talking Irishman Ajax Cassidy.

Related Topics:
1940 - CBS - December - 1944 - Hypertension - NBC - 1945 - John Doe - Charlie Cantor - Alan Reed - Kenny Delmar - Southern - Senator Claghorn - Parker Fennelly - New England - Minerva Pious - Jewish - Irishman

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In 1948 Allen's radio career hit a major roadblock when it went up against a quiz program called Stop The Music, in which listeners were called at home to play the game. Allen remained in competition with the program until 1949 when his ratings were so low that he was taken off the air, after 17 years in radio.

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