Steve Allen
Steve Allen, born Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen on December 26, 1921, was a prominent American television personality, comedian, and author. Growing up in a family of vaudeville entertainers and moving frequently during his childhood, he developed a love for reading. Allen began his career as a radio disc jockey before serving in the U.S. Army during World War II. After the war, he gained fame in New York, particularly through his work on the game show "What's My Line?" where he popularized the phrase "Is it bigger than a breadbox?"
In 1953, Allen became the first host of "The Tonight Show," which transitioned from a local production to a national sensation. His subsequent career included a variety show, a number of films, and songwriting, having penned the lyrics to over seven thousand songs. Allen published more than fifty books, including collaborations on mystery novels featuring himself and his wife, actress Jayne Meadows. He was honored with an induction into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame in 1986. Allen's legacy includes his critiques of television content, and he passed away on October 30, 2000, due to a heart attack.
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Steve Allen
- Born: December 26, 1921
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: October 30, 2000
- Place of death: Encino, California
Biography
Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen, better known as Steve Allen, was born on December 26, 1921. The son of vaudeville entertainers, Allen was passed between relatives and friends for most of his early years. He became a voracious reader to keep himself company. Allen estimated that he had attended eighteen schools before he ended his education at Arizona State Teacher’s College (now ASU) in 1942. He took a job as a radio disc jockey before enlisting the U.S. Army, but returned to radio at the end of World War II. His sense of comedic timing and repertoire of stories earned him a following in the Los Angeles area.
In 1950, CBS decided to bring Allen to New York. He was a regular on game shows and entertainment showcases for three years. It was on What’s My Line? that Allen first coined the phrase “Is it bigger than a breadbox?” Allen’s dissatisfaction with his first marriage led him to get a divorce in the early 1950’s, a period in which he also achieved a personal milestone. In 1953, NBC offered Allen a job as a late night talk show host. Although originally produced locally for WNBC-TV, the show grew into a national phenomenon, better known as The Tonight Show. At the same time, Allen met and married actress Jayne Meadows. By the late 1950’s, Allen was hosting The Tonight Show, his own variety show on Sunday night, and starring in feature films. He gave up The Tonight Show in 1957 and stopped hosting his variety show in 1960.
He had already written the lyrics to some seven thousand songs when he turned his interest to publishing. Without the daily grind of television, Allen was able to find time to write. Before his death, Allen had authored over fifty books on many topics. He collaborated with ghostwriters Walter J. Sheldon and Robert Westbrook on several mysteries featuring main characters Allen and Meadows. His last work was a condemnation of the sexual content that pervaded television in the years before his death. In 1986, Allen was named to Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame for his contributions to the medium, and in 1987 he appeared on the cover of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. Allen passed away on October 30, 2000, of a heart attack.