Keith Allen

Keith Howell Charles Allen (born 2 September 1953) is a Welsh actor, pantomime star, comedian, singer, writer, director, producer and television presenter. He is the father of singer Lily Allen and actor Alfie Allen, and brother of actor and director Kevin Allen.

Early life and education Keith Howell Charles Allen was born on 2 September 1953 in Gorseinon, Wales. His father was Edward Charles Owen, a Royal Navy petty officer submariner, He spent his early years near Swansea and in Malta, and most of his childhood in Gosport, Hampshire, while his father served in Portsmouth or away at sea. Although he spent much of his life in England, he regards himself as Welsh despite taking part in various songs for the England football team.

At the age of 11, when his father was posted to Singapore, he was sent to boarding school He was expelled from the school at the age of 13 after causing trouble at morning assembly. This led to a period in borstal before attending Brune Park Community School in Gosport.

Early work After having several jobs during the 1970s, including a job as a stagehand from which he was sacked after joining Max Bygraves' chorus line on stage naked, Allen worked as a stand-up comedian and vocalist, opening for punk bands such as The Clash.

Acting career

Allen appeared in a number of films in the Channel 4 series The Comic Strip Presents... (1983-1993), after becoming one of the breakthrough acts of the Comedy Store in 1979.

During the brief period of British Satellite Broadcasting as an alternative satellite broadcaster to Sky, he had a regular comedy show of his own I Love Keith Allen

In 2000, Allen appeared in two Harold Pinter plays at the Almeida Theatre, playing Lambert in Celebration and Mr Sands in The Room. These were performed again at The Lincoln Center Festival in July 2001.

In 2001, he played the character of "problem-solver" Jim Napeworth in an episode of Murder in Mind,

In September 2011, he appeared as DI Hale in the BBC six-part drama series The Body Farm.

TV presenter Allen presented the TV show Whatever You Want in 1982, You're Fayed (2005) and on Michael Carroll – King of Chavs (2006).

Allen presented the Manchester Passion, a contemporary retelling of the last few hours in the life of Jesus on Good Friday, 14 April 2006.

Allen's documentary film about the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, Unlawful Killing was intended for release in 2011. Mohamed Al-Fayed, the film's only financial backer, contributed the film's £2.5 million budget. Allen argued in The Guardian that it detailed a "provable conspiracy after the crash". It accuses Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret of being "gangsters in tiaras" and Prince Philip of being a "psychopath".

Music Allen was a member of London punk band the Atoms in the 1970s, and later Fat Les, a band which also featured artist Damien Hirst and Blur bassist Alex James. directing the video for their 1993 song "Ruined in a Day", which depicts Allen and the band members immersed in a bizarre game of charades with a group of Buddhist monks. He co-wrote their only UK number one single, "World in Motion", He also contributed the song "On Me Head, Son" to the film Mike Bassett: England Manager, credited on the soundtrack album to Sporting Les. They live in Stroud, Gloucestershire. In 2017, Allen and Malleson opened a diner in Stroud, built with the diner set of Kingsman: The Golden Circle, which Allen recovered after shooting the film.

In the mid-1980s, Allen served a 21-day jail sentence in Pentonville Prison after being found guilty of criminal damage at the Zanzibar club in Covent Garden.

Although a staunch socialist, whose political philosophy was influenced by the Workers' Revolutionary Party, Allen has expressed grudging admiration for Conservative Party politicians David Cameron and William Hague.

Allen has on his shoulder a tattoo of Rinka the dog, owned by Norman Scott, which was shot dead during the Jeremy Thorpe scandal. He has explained that: "I had the tattoo placed on my arm lest I forget, so I have a history of having suspicions about the establishment and the government and court cases".

He is a supporter of Fulham Football Club.

Selected filmography Film

Television

Music videos

Books