Allen, Steve (1921-2000), was one of the most versatile personalities in American show business. Allen began his career in radio and then became the first host of the popular “Tonight!” television variety show. He also composed more than 4,000 songs and wrote more than three dozen books. He was an accomplished jazz pianist and comedian, and he made several motion pictures.
Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen was born on Dec. 26, 1921, in New York City. His parents were vaudeville performers, and Allen toured with them as a child. After attending Drake University and the University of Arizona in 1941 and 1942, Allen entered radio as a talk show host. He made his first television appearance in 1950. He began the “Tonight!” show as a local program in New York City in 1953 and remained as its host when it became a network program in 1954. He introduced such performers as Steve Lawrence, Eydie Gorme, and Andy Williams before leaving the show in early 1957.
From 1956 to 1961, Allen was the host of “The Steve Allen Show” (later “The Steve Allen Plymouth Show”) on TV. The show featured such performers as Don Knotts, Tom Poston, and Louis Nye. From the mid-1960’s to the mid-1980’s, Allen starred in a number of TV shows, including the game show “I’ve Got a Secret” (1964-1967) and the intellectual talk show “Meeting of Minds” (1977-1981). Allen married actress Jayne Meadows in 1954.
As a composer, Allen wrote the hit songs “This Could Be the Start of Something Big,” “Gravy Waltz,” and “Impossible.” He played the title role in the motion picture The Benny Goodman Story (1955). His books include mysteries, nonfiction on religion and politics, and two autobiographies, Mark It and Strike It (1960) and Hi-Ho, Steverino!: My Adventures in the Wonderful Wacky World of TV (1992). Allen died on Nov. 30, 2000.
See also Tonight Show, The .
