Marty Allen

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 nightclubs, 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 Heart Fund, the March of Dimes, and the Fight for Sight, and he served on the board of the Epilepsy Foundation. and his mother was Elsie Moss Alpern (1901–1979).

He graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School in 1940. He was inducted into their alumni Hall of Fame in 2009.

Allen joined the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He was stationed in Italy, where he attained the rank of sergeant. He earned a Soldier's Medal 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 for such stars as Sarah Vaughan, Eydie Gormé, and Nat King Cole.

He then became part of the comedy team of Allen & Rossi with Steve Rossi, which resulted in a string of hit comedy albums, 44 appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show (including the famous appearance by The Beatles on February 16, 1964, 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. Throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, he made hundreds of television appearances, becoming a regular on The Hollywood Squares. In 2015, the couple continued to perform in venues around the country to overflow crowds, at the Rampart Casino 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.

Charitable work In 1968, he made a "Hello Dere" tour of military hospitals in the United States (a tour named after a catchphrase he popularized). He repeated the tour annually until 1972.

He was also involved in a number of charitable causes, including the American Cancer Society, The Heart Fund, March of Dimes, Fight for Sight, Cerebral Palsy, and was on the board of the Epilepsy Foundation. They were married from 1960 until her death from cancer in 1976.

In 1983, he met his second wife, Karon Kate Blackwell, 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 in Beverly Hills, California. They settled in Las Vegas.

Allen was the father of Tura Satana's daughter Kalani, who learned of her paternity through DNA testing after Satana's death.

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 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 The Ballad of Billie Blue (1972) as Harvey Trip Allen and Rossi Meet Dracula and Frankenstein (1974) as Himself Mooch (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 (1984)

Television

The Big Valley (1968) as Waldo Deifendorfer Night Gallery (1971) as Edgar Allan Poe Monster Squad (1976) as Lorenzo Musica Wonderbug (1976) as Indian The Krofft Supershow (1976) as Indian Murder Can Hurt You (1980) as Detective Strakos Madame's Place (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