- published: 31 Jan 2007
- views: 139137
Fred Allen (born John Florence Sullivan; May 31, 1894 – March 17, 1956) was an American comedian whose absurdist, topically pointed radio program The Fred Allen Show (1932–1949) made him one of the most popular and forward-looking humorists in the Golden Age of American radio.
His best-remembered gag was his long-running mock feud with friend and fellow comedian Jack Benny, but it was only part of his appeal; radio historian John Dunning (in On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio) wrote that Allen was radio's most admired comedian and most frequently censored. A master ad libber, Allen often tangled with his network's executives (and often barbed them on the air over the battles) while developing routines whose style and substance influenced fellow comic talents, including Groucho Marx, Stan Freberg, Henry Morgan and Johnny Carson; his avowed fans also included President Franklin D. Roosevelt and novelists William Faulkner, John Steinbeck and Herman Wouk (who began his career writing for Allen).
Actors: Michael York (actor), Daniel J. Travanti (actor), Eddie Albert (actor), Rich Little (actor), Christopher Plummer (actor), Edward Asner (actor), Dick Cavett (actor), Harry Belafonte (actor), Milton Berle (actor), Gregory Hines (actor), George Burns (actor), Richard Kiley (actor), Richard Kiley (actor), Jack Klugman (actor), Debbie Allen (actress),
Genres: Comedy, Music, Musical,Actors: Carole Landis (actress), Ralph Staub (producer), Ralph Staub (writer), Edgar Bergen (actor), Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson (actor), James Gleason (actor), Phil Harris (actor), Jack Benny (actor), Groucho Marx (actor), Alice Faye (actress), Ken Murray (actor), Roy Rogers (actor), Jerome Thoms (editor), Ralph Staub (actor), James Stewart (actor),
Plot: James Gleason drops by to visit Ralph Staub at the Columbia lot and Staub, as he was inclined to do, pulls out a few reels of World War II "Screen Snapshots", and he and Gleason reminisce about the footage, while the camera turns and, presto, yet another Screen Snapshots entry comprised of about 90% stock footage. This one shows movie-and-radio stars and names around Hollywood entertaining the troops at various California Army/Navy/Marine camps. Faces seen and voices heard (again) include Carole Landis, Groucho Marx and Jack Benny.
Keywords: 1940s, 1950s, actor, actress, american-flag, archive-footage, army-air-corps, army-base, broadcast, cigar-smokingActors: Sam McDaniel (actor), Fayard Nicholas (actor), Lucien Littlefield (actor), Jesse Graves (actor), Eddie Acuff (actor), Eddie Kane (actor), Arno Frey (actor), Eddie Cantor (actor), Milton Berle (actor), Jack Benny (actor), Bruce Edwards (actor), Jack Dempsey (actor), Herbert Heywood (actor), William H. O'Brien (actor), Harold Nicholas (actor),
Plot: After WWI two men go into radio. Failure leads the wife of one to borrow money from another; she goes on, after separation, to stardom. A coast-to-coast radio program is set up to bring everyone back together.
Keywords: advertising, african-american, african-american-stereotype, archival-footage, archive-footage, black-american-stereotype, black-maid, boxing, boxing-match, breakupActors: Edgar Dearing (actor), Sayre Dearing (actor), Jean De Briac (actor), Eddie Acuff (actor), Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson (actor), Billy Bletcher (actor), Morris Ankrum (actor), Ward Bond (actor), George Bruggeman (actor), James Burke (actor), George Barrows (actor), Eddy Chandler (actor), Jack Benny (actor), Monte Collins (actor), Andy Devine (actor),
Plot: Radio star Jack Benny, intending to stay in New York for the summer, is forced by the needling of rival Fred Allen to prove his boasts about roughing it on his (fictitious) Nevada ranch. Meanwhile, singer Joan Cameron, whom Jack's fallen for and offended, is maneuvered by her sisters to the same Nevada town. Jack's losing battle to prove his manhood to Joan means broad slapstick burlesque of Western cliches.
Keywords: actor-shares-first-name-with-character, boast, bound-and-gagged, character-name-in-title, dude-ranch, nevada, new-york-city, rival, singer, sister-sister-relationshipActors: Russell Hicks (actor), Walter Fenner (actor), Eddie Hall (actor), Fred Aldrich (actor), Eric Alden (actor), Jack Benny (actor), Wade Boteler (actor), Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson (actor), Jack Carson (actor), Chester Clute (actor), Frank Coghlan Jr. (actor), Richard Denning (actor), Dudley Dickerson (actor), Eddie Dunn (actor), Robert Homans (actor),
Plot: Jack Benny is preparing his New Year's Eve radio broadcast but takes time out to take his valet Rochester to meet his girlfriend Josephine arriving on a steamer. Fred Allen and his sister Barbara are also en route to the dock to meet Barbara's daughter Mary, returning from a personal appearance tour in South America. Josephine is her maid. Their cars get involved in an accident and, in a bumping contest, Fred reduces Jack's old Maxwell to junk, and is taken to jail. Mary loses her dress in an accident and Jack offers to get her another one, but winds up being arrested for stealing. Barbara tells Mary that Fred is a nervous wreck because of Jack's continual slander of him on Jack's radio program. Jack hires the Merry Macs away from Fred and Fred decides to go to Miami for a rest. Jack decides to open his radio program from Miami. They meet, have another brawl, and end up in jail again. The two are in a motorboat accident where both are knocked unconscious and Mary, in an effort to end the feud, tells Fred that Jack saved his life. They have dinner together at Fred's apartment and Rochester, whom Fred has hired away from Jack, appears and the feud is on again.
Keywords: title-from-bibleActors: Marian Skinner (actress), Edward Arnold (actor), Frederick J. Ireland (director), Frederick J. Ireland (writer), Bernadine Zuber (actress), Tony West (actor), Oscar G. Briggs (actor), Hilda Holberg (actress), T.H. Westfall (actor), Gustave Kleeman (actor), Phea Catto Laughlin (actress), Chester Woods (actor), Lillian De Turck (actress),
Genres: Drama, War,Actors: M.O. Penn (actor), Francis Carlyle (actor), Victor Benoit (actor), Helen Lynn (actress),
Genres: Drama, Short,