Steve Allen
Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was an American television personality, radio personality, musician, composer, actor, comedian, and writer. 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, he 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. Allen won the 1964 Grammy Award for Best Original Jazz Composition for "Gravy Waltz," for which he wrote the lyrics. 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 (2001). 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. |
Birth and Death Data: Born December 26, 1921 (New York City), Died October 30, 2000 (Encino)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1950 - 1958
Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, vocalist, electric organ, songwriter
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 161 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | E0VB-4633 | 10-in. | 5/18/1950 | Cotton candy and a toy balloon | Rosalie Allen ; Elton Britt ; Skytoppers | Female-male vocal duet, with string band and sound effects | songwriter | |
Decca | 83718 | 12/12/1952 | Frenesi | Steve Allen ; Eydie Gorme | vocalist | |||
Decca | 83719 | 12/12/1952 | Love me not just a little | Steve Allen ; Eydie Gorme | vocalist | |||
Decca | 83720 | 12/12/1952 | All night long | Steve Allen ; Eydie Gorme | vocalist | |||
Decca | 83721 | 12/12/1952 | I danced with my darling | Steve Allen ; Eydie Gorme | vocalist | |||
Decca | 84944 | 8/3/1953 | Cinderella (Bebop's fable) | Steve Allen | vocalist | |||
Decca | 84945 | 8/3/1953 | Goldilocks and the Three Bears | Steve Allen | vocalist | |||
Decca | 85107 | 8/25/1953 | Hey, officer! | Steve Allen | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 85129 | 8/28/1953 | But officer | Steve Allen | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 85130 | 8/28/1953 | But baby | Steve Allen | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 85131 | 8/28/1953 | Jack and the beanstalk | Steve Allen | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 85132 | 8/28/1953 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Steve Allen | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 87246 | 1/4/1955 | Stay just a little while | Steve Allen | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 87247 | 1/4/1955 | Tonight | Steve Allen | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 87248 | 1/4/1955 | The man with a horn | Steve Allen | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 87249 | 1/4/1955 | Imagination | Steve Allen | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 87250 | 1/5/1955 | Long ago (and far away) | Steve Allen | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 87251 | 1/5/1955 | Isn't it romantic? | Steve Allen | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 87252 | 1/5/1955 | For the very first time | Steve Allen | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 87253 | 1/5/1955 | I fall in love too easily | Steve Allen | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 87258 | 1/6/1955 | Where are you? | Steve Allen | vocalist | |||
Decca | 87259 | 1/6/1955 | Candlelight | Steve Allen | vocalist | |||
Decca | 87260 | 1/6/1955 | It can't be wrong | Steve Allen | vocalist | |||
Decca | 87261 | 1/6/1955 | I'm glad there is you | Steve Allen | vocalist | |||
Decca | 87408 | 2/1/1955 | Very square dance | Steve Allen | instrumentalist, piano |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Allen, Steve," accessed November 4, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/200144.
Allen, Steve. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 4, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/200144.
"Allen, Steve." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 4 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Steve Allen
Discogs: Steve Allen
Grove: Steve Allen
IMDb: Steve Allen
Britannica: Steve Allen
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Allen, Steve, 1921-2000 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79041882
Wikidata: Steve Allen - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q553276
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/301307159
MusicBrainz: Steve Allen - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/a29bbbcb-46d8-4760-93fa-01d7f963cfad
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