Morton David Alpern (March 23, 1922 – February 12, 2018), better known as Marty Allen, was an American comedian, actor, and philanthropist. He worked as a comedy headliner in

nightclub A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...

s, as a dramatic actor in television roles, and was once called "The Darling of Daytime TV". He also appeared in films, notably the 1966 spy comedy '' The Last of the Secret Agents?''. During his comedy career, Allen also toured military hospitals, and performed for veterans and for active military personnel. Allen was also a philanthropist. He contributed to the

American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. The ACS publishes the journals ''Cancer'', '' CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians'' and '' Cancer Cytopathology''. History The society w ...

, The Heart Fund, the

March of Dimes March of Dimes is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies. The organization was founded by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, to co ...

, and the Fight for Sight, and he served on the board of the

Epilepsy Foundation The Epilepsy Foundation, also Epilepsy Foundation of America (EFA), is a non-profit national foundation, headquartered in Bowie, Maryland, dedicated to the welfare of people with epilepsy and seizure disorders. The foundation was established in 196 ...

Early life

Allen was born in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

, Pennsylvania, to Jewish parents. His father was Louis Alpern (1898–1977, from Romania/Russia), a restaurant and bar owner, and his mother was Elsie Moss Alpern (1901–1979). He graduated from

Taylor Allderdice High School Taylor Allderdice High School is a public high school in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school was established in 1927 and is part of the Pittsburgh Public Schools district. It was named for industrialist and S ...

in 1940. He was inducted into their alumni Hall of Fame in 2009. Allen joined the

U.S. Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...

during World War II. He was stationed in Italy, where he attained the rank of sergeant. He earned a

Soldier's Medal The Soldier's Medal is an individual decoration of the United States Army. It was introduced as Section 11 of the Air Corps Act, passed by the Congress of the United States on July 2, 1926., Appendix 5, p. 126. The Soldier's Medal is equivalent ...

for stopping a fire in a plane that was being refueled. He saved the lives of the men boarding the burning plane by driving the fuel truck away, returning on foot to the plane, and then putting out the fire by rolling over the flames with his body in uniform. His actions were later honored with a full-dress parade.

Career

During the early 1950s, Allen and his first comedy partner, Mitch DeWood, worked as an

opening act An opening act, also known as a warm-up act, support act, supporting act or opener, is an entertainment act (musical, comedic, or otherwise), that performs at a concert before the featured act, or "headliner". Rarely, an opening act may perform ...

for such stars as

Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (, March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer and pianist. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "List of nicknames of jazz musicians, The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, ...

Eydie Gormé Eydie Gormé ( ; born Edith Gormezano; August 16, 1928 – August 10, 2013) was an American singer who achieved notable success in pop, Latin, and jazz genres. She sang solo and in the duo Steve and Eydie with her husband, Steve Lawrence, on a ...

, and

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, alternatively billed as Nat "King" Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's career as a jazz and Traditional pop, pop ...

. Allen and DeWood also worked many clubs, including the Copacabana until they broke up in 1958 and went their separate ways. He then became part of the comedy team of Allen & Rossi with

Steve Rossi Joseph Charles Michael Tafarella (May 25, 1932 – June 22, 2014), better known as Steve Rossi, was an American stand-up comedian and singer, best known from his work with Marty Allen as Allen & Rossi. Early life Born in New York City in 1932 ...

, which resulted in a string of hit comedy albums, 44 appearances on ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the ''CB ...

'' (including the famous appearance by

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

on February 16, 1964, during which Allen won over the Beatles fans in the audience by announcing "I'm Ringo's mother!"), and the film '' The Last of the Secret Agents?'' (1966). They worked together from 1957 to 1968, then parted ways amicably. Allen and Rossi reunited for shows from the 1970s through the 1990s. He eventually began performing dramatic roles. His debut as a serious actor came on ''

The Big Valley ''The Big Valley'' is an American Western television series that originally aired from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969 on ABC. The series is set on the fictional Barkley Ranch in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The one-hour epis ...

'' television series as the hapless Waldo Diefendorfer. Throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, he made hundreds of television appearances, becoming a regular on ''

The Hollywood Squares ''Hollywood Squares'' (originally ''The Hollywood Squares'', later stylized as ''H2: Hollywood Squares'') is an American game show in which two contestants compete in a game of tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The show originally aired as a ...

''. He appeared on ''

Circus of the Stars ''Circus of the Stars'' was an annual television special, broadcast by the CBS network in the United States, in which celebrities performed circus-type acts. It was filmed at the main Universal Pictures studio lot. With 19 shows in total, the ...

'', in a cameo on '' The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!'', on game shows such as ''

Password A password, sometimes called a passcode, is secret data, typically a string of characters, usually used to confirm a user's identity. Traditionally, passwords were expected to be memorized, but the large number of password-protected services t ...

'', and in ten made-for-television movies. He also appeared in theatrical films such as '' The Great Waltz'' (1972), '' Harrad Summer'' (1974) and ''A Whale of a Tale'' (1976). From the 1980s, he and his second wife, singer-songwriter

Karon Kate Blackwell Karon Kate Blackwell (born May 7, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her musical comedy act with her husband Marty Allen. Biography Early life Blackwell was born in 1942 in Ellisville, Mississippi. She was one ...

, teamed up to perform their musical comedy act to audiences around the country. In 2007, the duo began performing at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino in

Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

and went on to perform at the Southpoint Casino, at

Palace Station Palace Station is a hotel and casino located in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Station Casinos, and is the company's oldest property. It includes an casino and 575 rooms. Palace Station originally opened as The Casino on July 1, ...

, and on cruise ships. In 2015, the couple continued to perform in venues around the country to overflow crowds, at the

Rampart Casino Rampart may refer to: * Rampart (fortification), a defensive wall or bank around a castle, fort or settlement Rampart may also refer to: * LAPD Rampart Division, a division of the Los Angeles Police Department ** Rampart scandal, a blanket ter ...

and the Downtown Grand in Las Vegas. In 2016, they performed at the Metropolitan Room in New York City. On Jun 30, 2014, Allen appeared on '' Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast''. In February 2015, Allen was the guest on episode 574 of the podcast ''

WTF with Marc Maron ''WTF with Marc Maron'' is a weekly podcast and radio show hosted by stand-up comedian Marc Maron. The show was launched in September 2009. The show is produced by Maron's former Air America co-worker Brendan McDonald. Background The show's ...

''.

Charitable work

In 1968, he made a "Hello Dere" tour of military hospitals in the United States (a tour named after a

catchphrase A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...

he popularized). He repeated the tour annually until 1972. During the tours, he talked with and entertained wounded soldiers who had just returned from

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

. He was also involved in a number of charitable causes, including the

, The Heart Fund,

, Fight for Sight,

Cerebral Palsy Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms vary among people and over time, but include poor coordination, spasticity, stiff muscles, Paresis, weak muscles, and tremors. There may b ...

, and was on the board of the

Personal life

Allen met Lorraine "Frenchy" Trydelle when she was the reservation and office manager of the

Concord Resort Hotel The Concord Resort Hotel (pronounced KAHN-cord, ()) was a resort in the Borscht Belt of the Catskills, known for its large resort industry in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Located in Kiamesha Lake, New York (state), New York, United States, the Co ...

in the

Catskills The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province and subrange of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined a ...

. They were married from 1960 until her death from cancer in 1976. In 1983, he met his second wife,

, at a Los Angeles restaurant she was managing. She had prior success as a piano player and songwriter, but had gotten out of show business. The two became friends, then started dating and performing together. They married on June 17, 1984, at the home of writer

Sidney Sheldon Sidney Sheldon (February 11, 1917 – January 30, 2007) was an American writer. He was prominent in the 1930s, first working on Broadway plays, and then in motion pictures, notably writing the successful comedy '' The Bachelor and the Bobby-Sox ...

Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hills ...

. They settled in Las Vegas.

Death

On February 12, 2018, Allen died at the age of 95 of complications from pneumonia. His death was at his home in Las Vegas, with wife Karon Kate Blackwell by his side. His interment was at

Eden Memorial Park Cemetery Eden Memorial Park Cemetery is a Jewish cemetery located at 11500 Sepulveda Boulevard, Mission Hills, California, in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. Many Jews from the entertainment industry are buried here. It is located north of the ...

in Mission Hills, California.

Filmography

* '' The Last of the Secret Agents?'' (1966) as Marty Johnson * '' Mister Jerico'' (1970) as Wally * '' The Great Waltz'' (1972) as Johann Herbeck * ''Allen and Rossi Meet Dracula and Frankenstein'' (1974) as Himself * '' Harrad Summer'' (1974) as Bert Franklin * ''A Whale of a Tale'' (1976) as Louie * ''Murder Can Hurt You!'' (1980) as Detective Starkos * ''

Cannonball Run II ''Cannonball Run II'' is a 1983 American action comedy film starring Burt Reynolds and an all-star cast, released by Warner Bros. and Golden Harvest. The film is the second installment of the ''Cannonball Run'' trilogy and a sequel to ''The Ca ...

'' (1984)

Television

* ''

'' (1968) as Waldo Deifendorfer * ''

Monster Squad ''Monster Squad'' is a television series produced by D'Angelo-Bullock-Allen Productions that aired Saturday mornings on NBC from September 11, 1976, to September 3, 1977. Premise The series stars Fred Grandy as Walt, a criminology student wo ...

'' (1976) as Lorenzo Musica * ''

Wonderbug ''Wonderbug'' is a segment of the first and second season of the American television series ''The Krofft Supershow'', from 1976 to 1978. It was shot in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. The show was rerun as part of ABC's Sunday morning series. ...

'' (1976) as Indian * ''

The Krofft Supershow ''The Krofft Supershow'' is a Saturday morning children's variety show, produced by Sid and Marty Krofft. It aired for two seasons from September 11, 1976, to September 2, 1978, on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. Background The show was compo ...

'' (1976) as Indian * '' Murder Can Hurt You'' (1980) as Detective Strakos * ''

Madame's Place ''Madame's Place'' is an American sitcom based on the ribald, acerbic, aging-celebrity diva Madame, a puppet character portrayed by Wayland Flowers. A single season of 74 episodes was produced for weekday broadcasts in first-run syndication, o ...

'' (1982) as Himself (Episode: "Fans and Fanatics") * '' Benson'' (1985) as Marty (a card dealer) season 6 episode 17 "solid gold" * '' The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!'' (1989) as Imperial Poogah

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Marty 1922 births 2018 deaths 20th-century American comedians 20th-century American Jews 20th-century American male actors American male comedians American male film actors American male television actors American stand-up comedians Burials at Eden Memorial Park Cemetery Comedians from Pittsburgh Deaths from pneumonia in Nevada Jewish American comedians Jewish American male actors Jewish American military personnel Jewish male comedians Male actors from Pittsburgh Military personnel from Pennsylvania Recipients of the Soldier's Medal Taylor Allderdice High School alumni United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II United States Army Air Forces soldiers