Allen Jenkins

Allen Curtis Jenkins (April 9, 1900 – July 20, 1974) was an American character actor, 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 TV cartoon series Top Cat (1961–62).

Life and career

Jenkins was born on Staten Island, New York, on April 9, 1900. He is sometimes reported as having been born with the name Alfred McGonegal, but his birth, census and draft card records, as well as his New York Times obituary indicate he was born Allen Curtis Jenkins, the son of actor Robert Oliver Jenkins (1860–1909) and musical performer and teacher Leona Jenkins (born Leonora Cooley), (1864–1935).

Jenkins's father, born in Baltimore, was descended from a colonial Catholic family who settled Maryland in the early 1600s. His mother's family were mainly New England Yankees from Massachusetts and Vermont. In fact, Jenkins's maternal grandfather and great-grandfather were both named Ebenezer Cooley.

Jenkins had been a stage actor since 1922. He signed a seven-year contract with Warner Bros. in 1932 and established himself quickly as a gloom-faced, wisecracking character player, useful in comedies, dramas, and musicals (he was an accomplished dancer). Though mainly of English and Welsh descent, he was considered a member of Hollywood's so-called "Irish Mafia", a group of Irish-American actors and friends which included Spencer Tracy, James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, and Frank McHugh. His Warner agreement was non-exclusive so he could appear in films for other studios, such as Whirlpool (as Jack Holt's sidekick) and Dead End (as Humphrey 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, and Republic Pictures. 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. 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, Playhouse 90, The Tab Hunter Show, The Ernie Kovacs Show, Zane Grey Theater, and Your Show of Shows. He had a cameo appearance in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963). Eleven days before his death, he made his final appearance, at the end of Billy Wilder's remake of The Front Page (1974); it was released posthumously.

Death Jenkins died of lung cancer 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 (1933) as Sweeney (uncredited) Hard to Handle (1933) as Radio Announcer 42nd Street (1933) as Mac Elroy Blondie Johnson (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 (1934) as Lefty Bedside (1934) as Sam Sparks I've Got Your Number (1934) as Johnny Jimmy the Gent (1934) as Lou Whirlpool (1934) as Mac Twenty Million Sweethearts (1934) as Pete The Merry Frinks (1934) as Emmett Frinks The Case of the Howling Dog (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 (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 (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 (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 (1940) as Kenneth Meet the Wildcat (1940) as Max Schwydel Tin Pan Alley (1940) as Casey Footsteps in the Dark (1941) as Wilfred Time Out for Rhythm (1941) as Off-Beat Davis Dive Bomber (1941) as 'Lucky' James The Gay Falcon (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 (1942) as Jonathan "Goldie" Locke Maisie Gets Her Man (1942) as "Pappy" Goodring They All Kissed the Bride (1942) as Johnny Johnson Eyes in the Night (1942) as Marty My Wife's an Angel (1943, Short) Stage Door Canteen (1943) as Himself Wonder Man (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 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (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 I Love Lucy (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's character Freddie the Freeloader Hey, Jeannie! (1956–57) (26 episodes) as Al Murray, a cabbie Wagon Train (1960, episode "The Horace Best Story") as Mr. Gillespie The Tab Hunter Show (1961, episode "Sultan for a Day") as Frenchy Top Cat (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 (1967, episode "Scat! Darn Catwoman") as Little Al (uncredited) Bewitched (1971–1972) as Janitor / Cabbie / Alex Johnson Adam-12 (TV Series) (1971) episode S4:E9 "Anniversary" - Jobey (bartender)