Acting · New York City, New York, USA · Born December 26, 1921
Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen was an American television personality, radio personality, musician, composer, actor, comedian, writer, and advocate of scientific skepticism. In 1954, he achieved national fame as the co-creator and first host of The Tonight Show, which was the first late night television talk show. Though he got his start in radio, Allen is best known for his extensive network television career. He gained national attention as a guest host on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. After he hosted The Tonight Show, he went on to host numerous game and variety shows, including his own The Steve Allen Show, I've Got a Secret, and The New Steve Allen Show. He was a regular panel member on CBS's What's My Line?, and from 1977 until 1981 wrote, produced, and hosted the award-winning public broadcasting show Meeting of Minds, a series of historical dramas presented in a talk format. Allen was a pianist and a prolific composer. By his own estimate, he wrote more than 8,500 songs, some of which were recorded by numerous leading singers. Working as a lyricist, Allen won the 1964 Grammy Award for Best Original Jazz Composition. He also wrote more than 50 books, including novels, children's books, and books of opinions, including his final book, Vulgarians at the Gate: Trash TV and Raunch Radio. In 1996 Allen was presented with the Martin Gardner Lifetime Achievement Award from the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSICOP). He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a Hollywood theater named in his honor.
MovieLouis Armstrong's Black & Blues
2022
as Self (voice) (archive sound)
MovieBoulevard! A Hollywood Story
2021
as Self (archive footage)
MovieEat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words
2016
as Self (archive footage)
MovieTab Hunter Confidential
2015
as Self (archive)
MovieErroll Garner: No One Can Hear You Read
2013
as Self (archive footage)
Movie2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift
2010
as Self (archive footage)
MovieElvis: #1 Hit Performances
2007
as Self (archive footage)
MovieElvis: The King of Rock 'n' Roll
2007
as Self (archive footage)
MovieTasmanian Devil: The Fast and Furious Life of Errol Flynn
2007
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Adventures of Errol Flynn
2005
as Self (archive footage)
MovieElvis: Rare Moments with the King
2003
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
2002
as Self (archive footage)
MovieNobody's Perfect: The Making of Some Like It Hot
2001
as Self (archive footage)
Movie50 Years of NBC Late Night
2001
as Self (archive footage)
MovieOn and Off the Res' with Charlie Hill
2000
as Himself
MovieLet Me In, I Hear Laughter: A Salute to the Friars Club
1999
as Self
MovieLenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth
1998
as Self
MovieNo More to Say & Nothing to Weep For: An Elegy for Allen Ginsberg
1997
as Self (archive footage)
On the Road to Desolation
1997
as Self
TVBehind the Music
1997
as Self
MovieRodney Dangerfield's 75th Birthday Toast
1997
as Self
TVSabrina, the Teenage Witch
1996
as Fear
MovieNichols and May: Take Two
1996
as Self
MovieAbbott & Costello Meet Biography
1996
as Self
MovieCasino
1995
as Steve Allen
MovieJames Dean: A Portrait
1995
as Self
TVPinky and the Brain
1995
as Steve Allen (voice)
MovieJames Dean and Me
1995
as Self (uncredited)
TVSpace Ghost Coast to Coast
1994
TVThe Critic
1994
as Steve Allen (voice)
TVDiagnosis: Murder
1993
as Ray Masters
TVLate Night with Conan O'Brien
1993
as Self - Guest
TVHomicide: Life on the Street
1993
as Mr. Cochran
MovieThe Player
1992
as Steve Allen
MovieLaurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys
1992
as Self
MovieRodney Dangerfield's The Really Big Show
1991
as Self
MovieWWE WrestleMania VI
1990
as Self
TVThe Simpsons
1989
as Bart's Altered Voice (voice)
TVThe People Next Door
1989
as Self
MovieGreat Balls of Fire!
1989
as Steve Allen
MovieRichard Lewis: I'm Exhausted
1988
as Self
MovieHappy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
1988
as Self
MovieAmazon Women on the Moon
1987
as Steve Allen (segment "Roast Your Loved One")
The Wil Shriner Show
1987
as Self
TVWWF Wrestling Challenge
1986
as Self
TVAmerican Masters
1986
as Self
MovieTV's Funniest Comedians - 14 Stars Do Classic Routines
1986
as Self
MovieClassic Comedy Teams
1986
as Host
TVAlice in Wonderland
1985
as Gentleman in Paper Suit
MovieThe Ratings Game
1984
as Steve Allen
MovieComputability: How to Make the Most of Your Home Computer
1984
MovieThe Making of the Stooges
1984
as Self - Host
MovieDon't Ask Me, Ask God
1984
as Self
MovieStarfest: The Stars Salute Public Television 1983
1983
TVLife's Most Embarrassing Moments
1983
as Self - Host
MovieThe Funny Farm
1983
as Self
Ernie Kovacs: Television's Original Genius
1982
as Self
TVSt. Elsewhere
1982
as Lech Oseransky
TVHotel
1982
MovieNight of 100 Stars
1982
as Self
TVNurse
1981
as Barney Ambler
The Steve Allen Comedy Hour
1980
as Self - Host
TVSolid Gold
1980
as Self
MovieHeart Beat
1980
as Steve Allen
MovieThe Gossip Columnist
1980
as Steve Allen
MovieThe Power of the Market
1980
TVHart to Hart
1979
as Himself
MovieStone
1979
as Steve Allen
MovieThe Muppets Go Hollywood
1979
as Self
The Vent Event
1978
MovieHave I Got a Christmas for You
1977
as Martin Kaplan
TVWhat Really Happened to the Class of '65?
1977
MovieLucy Calls the President
1977
as Steve Allen
TVThe Love Boat
1977
as Durwood Moss
TVMeeting of Minds
1977
as Self - Host
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976
as Self (archive footage)
On Location: Myron Cohen
1976
as Self - Host
MovieJoys
1976
as Self
TVRich Man, Poor Man
1976
MovieThe Sunshine Boys
1975
as Self
MovieMitzi & 100 Guys
1975
as Self
MovieJames Dean Remembered
1974
as Self
TVThe Snoop Sisters
1973
as Steve Allen
I've Got a Secret
1972
as Self - Host
MovieLenny Bruce: Without Tears
1972
as Self / DJ (archive footage)
TVMcCloud
1970
as Doug King
MovieThe Comic
1969
as Steve Allen
TVLove, American Style
1969
as Johny
TVMedical Center
1969
MovieNow You See It, Now You Don't
1968
as Herschel Lucas
MovieWhere Were You When the Lights Went Out?
1968
as Radio Announcer
TVRowan & Martin's Laugh-In
1968
as Self
MovieThe Movie Orgy
1968
as Self (archive footage)
MovieWarning Shot
1967
as Steve Allen
MovieDon't Worry, We'll Think of a Title
1966
as Bookstore Customer with Little Boy (uncredited)
TVBatman
1966
as Allen Stevens
MovieThe Universal Mind of Bill Evans
1966
TVGet Smart
1965
as Prime Minister's Aide (uncredited)
TVThe Judy Garland Show
1963
as Self
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self - Guest Host
TVThe Merv Griffin Show
1962
as Self
TVThe Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self - Guest
TVThe New Steve Allen Show
1961
as Self - Host
MovieCollege Confidential
1960
as Steve MacInter
TVThe DuPont Show with June Allyson
1959
as Dr. Ben Ellison
MovieThe Big Circus
1959
as Self
TVThe David Susskind Show
1959
as Self
TVKraft Music Hall
1958
as Self
TVThe Thin Man
1957
TVThe Dinah Shore Chevy Show
1956
as Self
TVThe Steve Allen Show
1956
as Self - Host
MovieThe Benny Goodman Story
1956
as Benny Goodman
MovieAllen in Movieland
1955
as Self
TVTonight Starring Steve Allen
1954
as Self - Host
TVThe Oscars
1953
as Self
TVGeneral Electric Theater
1953
as Andy Fletcher
TVI've Got a Secret
1952
as Self - Host
TVHallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Martin Kaplan
MovieI'll Get By
1950
as Peter Pepper
TVWhat's My Line?
1950
as Self
MovieDown Memory Lane
1949
as Steve Allen
TVThe Emmy Awards
1949
as Self
TVThe Ed Sullivan Show
1948
as Self
