Allen Curtis Jenkins (born Alfred McGonegal; April 9, 1900 – July 20, 1974) was an American

character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...

, voice actor and singer who worked on stage, film, and television. He may be best known to some audiences as the voice of Officer Charlie Dibble in the

Hanna-Barbera Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ( ; formerly known as H-B Enterprises, Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. and H-B Production Co.), simply and commonly known as Hanna-Barbera, was an American animation studio and production company, which was acti ...

TV cartoon series ''

Top Cat ''Top Cat'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and originally broadcast in prime time on the ABC network. It aired in a weekly evening time slot from September 27, 1961, to April 18, 1962, for a single season ...

'' (1961–62).

Life and career

Jenkins was born on

Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, on April 9, 1900. Jenkins had been a stage actor since 1922. He signed a seven-year contract with

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

in 1932 and established himself quickly as a gloom-faced, wisecracking character player, useful in comedies, dramas, and musicals (he was an accomplished dancer). He was a member of Hollywood's so-called "Irish Mafia", a group of Irish-American actors and friends which included

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the ...

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and maj ...

, Pat O'Brien, and Frank McHugh. His Warner agreement was non-exclusive so he could appear in films for other studios, such as ''

Whirlpool A whirlpool is a body of rotating water produced by opposing currents or a current running into an obstacle. Small whirlpools form when a bath or a sink is draining. More powerful ones formed in seas or oceans may be called maelstroms ( ). ''Vo ...

'' (as Jack Holt's sidekick) and '' Dead End'' (as

Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart ( ; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American actor. His performances in classic Hollywood cinema made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart ...

's sidekick). After his Warner agreement lapsed, Jenkins freelanced for the rest of his career. After World War II, when Hollywood studios made fewer feature films, Jenkins found work at lesser studios, including those of Robert L. Lippert,

Monogram Pictures Monogram Pictures Corporation was an American film studio that produced mostly low-budget films between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram was among the smaller studios i ...

, and

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures is currently an acquisition-only label owned by Paramount Pictures. Its history dates back to Republic Pictures Corporation, an American film studio that originally operated from 1935 to 1967, based in Los Angeles, California ...

. He also began appearing in the new field of television. In 1959, Jenkins played the role of elevator operator Harry in the comedy '' Pillow Talk''. He was a regular on the television sitcom '' Hey, Jeannie!'' (1956–57), starring Jeannie Carson and often portrayed Muggsy on the 1950s-1970s CBS series ''

The Red Skelton Show ''The Red Skelton Show'' is an American television comedy/variety show that aired from 1951 to 1971. In the decade prior to hosting the show, Richard "Red" Skelton had a successful career as a radio and motion pictures star. Although his tele ...

''. He was also a guest star on many other television programs, such as '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'', '' Mr. and Mrs. North'', ''

I Love Lucy ''I Love Lucy'' is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes spanning six seasons. The series starred Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz, along with Vivian ...

'', ''

Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' is an American television anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 134 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology drama series of t ...

'', '' The Tab Hunter Show'', '' The Ernie Kovacs Show'', ''

Zane Grey Theater ''Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre'' is an American Westerns on television, Western anthology television series broadcast on CBS from October 5, 1956 until May 18, 1961. Synopsis Many episodes were based on novels by Zane Grey, to all of which ...

'', and ''

Your Show of Shows ''Your Show of Shows'' is a live 90-minute variety show that was broadcast weekly in the United States on NBC from February 25, 1950, through June 5, 1954, featuring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. Other featured performers were Carl Reiner, Ho ...

''. He had a cameo appearance in ''

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' is a 1963 American Technicolor epic comedy film in Ultra Panavision 70 produced and directed by Stanley Kramer, from a screenplay by William and Tania Rose. The film, starring Spencer Tracy with an all ...

'' (1963). Eleven days before his death, he made his final appearance, at the end of

Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an American filmmaker and screenwriter. His career in Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and ver ...

's remake of '' The Front Page'' (1974); it was released posthumously.

Death

Jenkins died of

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...

on July 20, 1974, at age 74. His body was cremated, and the ashes were scattered at sea.

Complete filmography

Film

*''Straight and Narrow'' (1931, Short) as Ex-convict *'' The Girl Habit'' (1931) as Tony Maloney *'' Grand Hotel'' (1932) as Hotel Meat Packer (uncredited) *'' Blessed Event'' (1932) as Frankie Wells *'' Rackety Rax'' (1932) as Mike Dumphy *'' Three on a Match'' (1932) as Dick *'' I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang'' (1932) as Barney Sykes *'' Lawyer Man'' (1932) as Izzy Levine *''

Employees' Entrance ''Employees' Entrance'' is a 1933 pre-Code film about the devious manager of a New York department store ( Warren William) and his romantic involvement with a reluctant new employee (Loretta Young). It was directed by Roy Del Ruth. In 2019, the ...

'' (1933) as Sweeney (uncredited) *'' Hard to Handle'' (1933) as Radio Announcer *'' 42nd Street'' (1933) as Mac Elroy *''

Blondie Johnson ''Blondie Johnson'' is a 1933 American pre-Code gangster film directed by Ray Enright and starring Joan Blondell and Chester Morris. It was produced by Warner Bros. Plot Set during the Great Depression, Blondie Johnson (Joan Blondell) quits h ...

'' (1933) as Louie *'' The Keyhole'' (1933) as Hank *'' The Mind Reader'' (1933) as Frank *'' Tomorrow at Seven'' (1933) as Dugan *'' Professional Sweetheart'' (1933) as O'Connor *'' The Silk Express'' (1933) as Robert "Rusty" Griffith *'' The Mayor of Hell'' (1933) as Mike *'' Bureau of Missing Persons'' (1933) as Joe Musik *Tis Spring'' (1933, Short) *'' Havana Widows'' (1933) as Herman Brody *''

The Big Shakedown ''The Big Shakedown'' is a 1934 American pre-Code crime drama film starring Charles Farrell and Bette Davis, and directed by John Francis Dillon. The screenplay is based on the story "Cut Rate" by Niven Busch and Samuel G. Engel. The film ...

'' (1934) as Lefty *'' Bedside'' (1934) as Sam Sparks *'' I've Got Your Number'' (1934) as Johnny *'' Jimmy the Gent'' (1934) as Lou *''

'' (1934) as Mac *'' Twenty Million Sweethearts'' (1934) as Pete *'' The Merry Frinks'' (1934) as Emmett Frinks *''

The Case of the Howling Dog ''The Case of the Howling Dog'' is a 1934 American mystery film directed by Alan Crosland, based on the 1934 novel of the same name by Erle Stanley Gardner. It is first in a series of six Perry Mason films Warner Bros. made between the years 193 ...

'' (1934) as Sgt. Halcomb *'' Happiness Ahead'' (1934) as Chuck *'' The St. Louis Kid'' (1934) as Buck *'' Fools for Scandal'' (1934) as Dewey Gilson *'' Sweet Music'' (1935) as Barney Cowan *'' A Night at the Ritz'' (1935) as Gyp Beagle *'' While the Patient Slept'' (1935) as Jackson *'' The Case of the Curious Bride'' (1935) as Spudsy Drake *'' The Irish in Us'' (1935) as 'Carbarn' *'' Page Miss Glory'' (1935) as Patsy *'' I Live for Love'' (1935) as Mac *'' The Case of the Lucky Legs'' (1935) as Spudsy Drake *'' Miss Pacific Fleet'' (1935) as Bernard "Kewpie" Wiggins *'' Broadway Hostess'' (1935) as Fishcake *'' The Singing Kid'' (1936) as Joe Eddy *'' Sins of Man'' (1936) as Crusty *'' Cain and Mabel'' (1936) as Aloysius K. Reilly *'' Three Men on a Horse'' (1936) as Charlie *'' Sing Me a Love Song'' (1936) as "Chris" Cress *'' Ready, Willing, and Able'' (1937) as J. Van Courtland *''

Marked Woman ''Marked Woman'' is a 1937 American dramatic crime film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart, with featured performances by Lola Lane, Isabel Jewell, Rosalind Marquis, Mayo Methot, Jane Bryan, Eduardo Ciann ...

'' (1937) as Louie *''A Day at Santa Anita'' (1937 short) as Allen Jenkins (uncredited) *'' Ever Since Eve'' (1937) as Jake Edgall *'' The Singing Marine'' (1937) as Sergeant Mike Kelly *'' Dance Charlie Dance'' (1937) as Alf Morgan *'' Marry the Girl'' (1937) as Spees *'' Dead End'' (1937) as Hunk *'' The Perfect Specimen'' (1937) as Pinky *''

Sh! The Octopus ''Sh! The Octopus'' is a 1937 American comedy mystery film produced by Warner Bros., directed by William McGann, and starring Hugh Herbert, Allen Jenkins and Marcia Ralston. While contract players Herbert and Jenkins frequently appeared in the sa ...

'' (1937) as Dempsey *'' Swing Your Lady'' (1938) as Shiner *'' A Slight Case of Murder'' (1938) as Mike *'' Fools for Scandal'' (1938) as Dewey Gilson *'' Gold Diggers in Paris'' (1938) as Duke "Dukie" Dennis *'' Racket Busters'' (1938) as 'Sheets' Wilson *'' The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse'' (1938) as Okay *'' Hard To Get'' (1938) as Roscoe *''

Heart of the North ''Heart of the North'' is a 1938 American adventure film directed by Lewis Seiler and written by Lee Katz and Vincent Sherman. The film stars Dick Foran, Gloria Dickson, Gale Page, Allen Jenkins, Patric Knowles, and Janet Chapman. The film was re ...

'' (1938) as Cpl. Bill Hardsock *'' Going Places'' (1938) as Droopy *'' Sweepstakes Winner'' (1939) as Xerxes "Tip" Bailey *'' Naughty but Nice'' (1939) as Joe Dirk *'' Five Came Back'' (1939) as Pete *'' Torchy Blane... Playing with Dynamite'' (1939) as Lt. Steve McBride *'' Destry Rides Again'' (1939) as Gyp Watson *'' Oh Johnny, How You Can Love'' (1940) as Ed, aka "The Weasel" *'' Brother Orchid'' (1940) as Willie "the Knife" Corson *''

Margie Margie is a feminine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of the related names Margaret, Marjorie, or Margarita, all of which mean "pearl". Margie may refer to: People * Margie Abbott (born 1958), Australian businesswoman * Margie Ac ...

'' (1940) as Kenneth *'' Meet the Wildcat'' (1940) as Max Schwydel *''

Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley was a collection of History of music publishing, music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the American popular music, popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Originally ...

'' (1940) as Casey *'' Footsteps in the Dark'' (1941) as Wilfred *'' Time Out for Rhythm'' (1941) as Off-Beat Davis *''

Dive Bomber A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target simplifies the bomb's trajectory and allows the pilot to keep visual contact througho ...

'' (1941) as 'Lucky' James *''

The Gay Falcon ''The Gay Falcon'' is a 1941 American mystery thriller film directed by Irving Reis and starring George Sanders, Wendy Barrie and Allen Jenkins. A B film produced and distributed by RKO Pictures, it the first in a series of sixteen films about ...

'' (1941) as Jonathan "Goldie" Locke *'' Go West, Young Lady'' (1941) as Deputy Hank *'' Ball of Fire'' (1941) as Garbage Man *'' A Date with the Falcon'' (1942) as Jonathan "Goldie" Locke *'' Tortilla Flat'' (1942) as Portagee Joe *''

The Falcon Takes Over ''The Falcon Takes Over'' (also known as ''The Falcon Steps Out''), is a 1942 black-and-white mystery film directed by Irving Reis. Although the film features the Falcon and other characters created by Michael Arlen, its plot is taken from the Ra ...

'' (1942) as Jonathan "Goldie" Locke *'' Maisie Gets Her Man'' (1942) as "Pappy" Goodring *''

They All Kissed the Bride ''They All Kissed the Bride'' is a 1942 American screwball comedy film directed by Alexander Hall and starring Joan Crawford and Melvyn Douglas. Crawford took over the title role after Carole Lombard died in a plane crash in early 1942. Crawfor ...

'' (1942) as Johnny Johnson *'' Eyes in the Night'' (1942) as Marty *''My Wife's an Angel'' (1943, Short) *''

Stage Door Canteen The Stage Door Canteen was an entertainment venue for American and Allied servicemen that operated in the Broadway theatre district of New York City throughout World War II. Founded by the American Theatre Wing (ATW) in 1942, the entertainers w ...

'' (1943) as Himself *''

Wonder Man Wonder Man (Simon Williams) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in '' The Avengers'' #9 (October 1964). The character, wh ...

'' (1945) as Chimp *'' Lady on a Train'' (1945) as Danny *'' Voice of the Whistler'' (1945) as a restaurant patron (uncredited) *'' Meet Me on Broadway'' (1946) as Deacon Trimble *'' The Dark Horse'' (1946) as Willis Trimble *'' Singin' in the Corn'' (1946) as Glen Cummings *'' Easy Come, Easy Go'' (1947) as Nick *'' Fun on a Weekend'' (1947) as Joe Morgan * '' The Hat Box Mystery'' (1947) as "Harvard" *''The Case of the Baby Sitter'' (1947 short) as Howard "Harvard" Quinlan *'' Wild Harvest'' (1947) as Higgins *'' The Senator Was Indiscreet'' (1947) as Farrell *'' The Inside Story'' (1948) as Eddie *'' The Big Wheel'' (1949) as George *'' Bodyhold'' (1949) as Slats Henry *'' Let's Go Navy!'' (1951) as CPO Mervin Longnecker *'' Behave Yourself!'' (1951) as Plainsclothesman *'' Crazy Over Horses'' (1951) as Weepin' Willie *'' Chained for Life'' (1951) as Hinkley *'' Oklahoma Annie'' (1952) as Coffin Creek Café Bartender Lou *'' The WAC from Walla Walla'' (1952) as Mr. Reddington *'' Pillow Talk'' (1959) as Harry *''

'' (1963) as Policeman (uncredited) *'' For Those Who Think Young'' (1964) as Col. Leslie Jenkins *'' Robin and the 7 Hoods'' (1964) as Vermin *'' I'd Rather Be Rich'' (1964) as Fred *'' The Spy in the Green Hat'' (1967) as Enzo "Pretty" Stilletto *'' Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding!'' (1967) as Joe Bonney *'' Getting Away from It All'' (1972, TV Movie) as Doorman *'' The Front Page'' (1974) as Telegrapher (final film role)

Partial television credits

*'' The Abbott and Costello Show'' (1953, episode "The Actors' Home") as Retired Actors Home Man on Street *''

'' (1952–1953) (three episodes) as Policeman/Officer Jenkins/Police Sergeant *'' The Red Skelton Hour'' (1954–1962) (11 episodes) as Muggsy, a friend of

Red Skelton Richard Bernard Skelton (July 18, 1913September 17, 1997) was an American entertainer best known for his national old-time radio, radio and television shows between 1937 and 1971, especially as host of the television program ''The Red Skelto ...

's character Freddie the Freeloader *'' Hey, Jeannie!'' (1956–57) (26 episodes) as Al Murray, a cabbie *''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...

'' (1960, episode "The Horace Best Story") as Mr. Gillespie *'' The Tab Hunter Show'' (1961, episode "Sultan for a Day") as Frenchy *''

'' (1961–1962) (30 episodes) as Officer Charlie Dibble (voice) *'' The Real McCoys'' (1962, episode "Army Reunion") as Skinny Howard *'' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' (1966, episodes "The Concrete Overcoat Affair: Parts 1 & 2") as Enzo "Pretty" Stilletto *''

Batman Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...

'' (1967, episode "Scat! Darn Catwoman") as Little Al (uncredited) *'' Bewitched'' (1971–1972) as Janitor / Cabbie / Alex Johnson * ''

Adam-12 ''Adam-12'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created by Robert A. Cinader and Jack Webb and produced by Mark VII Limited and Universal Television. The series follows Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers Pe ...

'' (TV Series) (1971) episode S4:E9 "Anniversary" - Jobey (bartender)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jenkins, Allen 1900 births 1974 deaths American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male voice actors American people of Irish descent Male actors from Staten Island Deaths from lung cancer in California Hanna-Barbera people RKO Pictures contract players Warner Bros. contract players Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players 20th-century American male actors