Fred Allen The Fred Allen Show | Comedy | Old Time Radio Downloads

Thanks

+ Fred Allen (May 31, 1894 – March 17, 1956) was an American comedian whose absurdist, topically pointed radio show (1932–1949) made him one of the most popular and forward-looking humorists in the so-called classic era of American radio. Fred Allen's first taste of radio came while he and Portland Hoffa waited for a promised slot in a new Arthur Hammerstein musical. In the interim, they appeared on a Chicago station's program, WLS Showboat, into which, Allen recalled, "Portland and I were presented... to inject a little class into it." Their success in these appearances helped their theater reception; live audiences in the Midwest liked to see their radio favorites in person, even if Allen and Hoffa would be replaced by Bob Hope when the radio show moved to New York several months afterward. The couple eventually got their Hammerstein show, Polly, which opened in Delaware and made the usual tour before hitting Broadway. Also in that cast was a young Englishman named Archie Leach, who received as many good notices for his romantic appeal as Allen got for his comic work. Hammerstein retooled the show before bringing it to New York, replacing everyone but two women and Allen. Leach decided to buy an old car and drive to Hollywood. "What Archie Leach didn't tell me," Allen remembered, "was that he was going to change his name to Cary Grant." Polly never succeeded in spite of several retoolings, but Allen did go on to successful shows like The Little Show (1929–30) and Three's a Crowd (1930–31), which eventually led to his full-time entry to radio in 1932. Allen first hosted The Linit Bath Club Revue on CBS, moving the show to NBC and becoming The Salad Bowl Revue (in a nod to new sponsor Hellmann's Mayonnaise, which was marketed by the parent company of Linit) later in the year. The show became The Sal Hepatica Revue (1933–34), The Hour of Smiles (1934–35), and finally Town Hall Tonight (1935–39) [in 1939–40, however, sponsor Bristol-Myers, which advertised Ipana toothpaste as well as Sal Hepatica during the program, altered the title to The Fred Allen Show, over his objections]. Allen's perfectionism (odd to some, considering his deft ad-libs) caused him to leap from sponsor to sponsor until Town Hall Tonight allowed him to set his chosen small-town milieu and establish himself as a bona fide radio star.-WikiPedia Click here to read more about Fred Allen - The Fred Allen Show

Radio Shows
Comments
Photos

Please enjoy these 105 old time radio episodes:

Air Date	Title	Synopsis
10.07.1945	fred allen fred allen show (040) auditions	+ Sponsored by: Tender Leaf Tea, Blue Bonnett Margarine. 8:30 P.M. The program's guests are Edgar B...
10.21.1945	fred allen fred allen show (45 49) (042) hillbilly	+ Sponsored by: Blue Bonnet Margarine, Tenderleaf Tea. The Allen's Alley question is, "How is the tr...
10.21.1945	fred allen fred allen show (042) hillbilly	+ Sponsored by: Blue Bonnet Margarine, Tenderleaf Tea. The Allen's Alley question is, "How is the tr...
10.28.1945	fred allen fred allen show (45 49) (043) charlie mccarthy sues fred for slander	+ Program #52. , AFRS rebroadcast. Allen's Alley Question: "How do you think women will fit into th...
10.28.1945	fred allen fred allen show (043) charlie mccarthy sues fred for slander	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. Allen's Alley Question: "How do you think women will fit into the postwar busi...
11.04.1945	fred allen fred allen show (044) lost memory	+ Sponsored by: Tenderleaf Tea, Blue Bonnet Margarine. Radio celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary...
11.11.1945	fred allen fred allen show (45 49) (045) mr. mob buster	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. The Allen's Alley question: "How do you think new scientific developments are...
11.11.1945	fred allen fred allen show (045) mr. mob buster	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. The Allen's Alley question: "How do you think new scientific developments are ...
11.11.1945	fred allen fred allen show (45 49) (045) mr. mob buster	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. The Allen's Alley question: "How do you think new scientific developments are ...
11.18.1945	fred allen fred allen show (45 49) (046) renting a house	+Program #54. , AFRS rebroadcast. Allen's Alley Question: "Is the impending clothing shortage going...
11.18.1945	fred allen fred allen show (046) renting a house	+ Program #54. , AFRS rebroadcast. Allen's Alley Question: "Is the impending clothing shortage goin...
11.25.1945	fred allen fred allen show (047) brooklyn pinafore	+ Sponsored by: Blue Bonnet Margarine, Tenderleaf Tea. Fred and guest Leo Durocher perform an operet...
12.16.1945	fred allen fred allen show (050) seeking a radio job	+Program #58. , AFRS rebroadcast. Allen's Alley question: "Was your family's income higher in 1944,...
12.30.1945	fred allen fred allen show (051) radio shows in russia	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. Allen's Alley question: "How do you fell about Mayor La Guardia's return to pr...
01.06.1946	fred allen fred allen show (45 49) (052) take it or leave it	+ Sponsored by: Blue Bonnet Margarine, Tenderleaf Tea. 8:30 P.M. Allen's Alley Question: "What movie...
01.06.1946	fred allen fred allen show (052) take it or leave it	+ Sponsored by: Blue Bonnet Margarine, Tenderleaf Tea. 8:30 P.M. Allen's Alley Question: "What movie...
01.13.1946	fred allen fred allen show (053) carmen	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. Fred is going to judge the, "I Can't Stand Jack Benny Because..." contest." Po...
01.20.1946	fred allen fred allen show (054) a movie on fred allen's life	+ Sponsored by: Blue Bonnet Margarine, Tenderleaf Tea. Fred and guest George Jessel do the story of...
02.03.1946	fred allen fred allen show (056) picadilly takeoff on oklahoma	+ Sponsored by: Blue Bonnet Margarine, Tenderleaf Tea. 8:30 P.M. Fred and guest Beatrice Lillie sati...
02.10.1946	fred allen fred allen show (057) edward everett horton wants to change his name	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. Allen's Alley Question: "Have you ever been victimized by swindlers?" Guest E...
02.24.1946	fred allen fred allen show (45 49) (059) hillbilly drama	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. Allen's Alley Question: "Do you believe in hobbies and if so, do you have one?...
02.24.1946	fred allen fred allen show (059) hillbilly drama	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. Allen's Alley Question: "Do you believe in hobbies and if so, do you have one?...
03.03.1946	fred allen fred allen show (060) chicken surplus	+Program #69. , AFRS rebroadcast. Allen's Alley Question: "Have you heard about the chicken surplus...
03.10.1946	fred allen fred allen show (061) carmen miranda	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. Allen's Alley Question: "Have the radio, the comics, or the movies had any har...
03.24.1946	fred allen fred allen show (063) candy anonymous	+NBC net, KDKA, Pittsburgh aircheck. Sponsored by: Tender Leaf Tea, Blue Bonnet Margarine. 8:30 P. M...

1 2 3 4 5

Classic cast. Classic program.

Scott

CLASSIC.......That is!!

Darwin

Somebody, Ah say, somebody knocked! Claghorn's the name, son - Senator Claghorn. Ah'm from the South. South, that is.

Bob

Howdy, bub!

Bob

I love that guy!

David

The Greatest of the Golden Age!

Kiven

I have heard some of his earliest shows and they are brilliant.

Philip

If I remember correctly from what I read, Fred Allen was a very simple, generous man who didn't even own a car. He would hand out money to people on the street as he walked from his apartment to the studio..

David

Featuring all 133 of his existing half and full-hour programs dated (1932-1953). Also, there are 26 programs that Allen was a guest star on. Allen's variety program was broadcast on CBS and NBC from 1932 to 1949.

FRED ALLEN

The Fred Allen Show, "Town Hall Tonight" is always a fun show to hear, but this is an especially memorable episode. On this show Frank Sinatra at the age of 21, with his swing band, made his professional radio debut. His group is called "Frank Sinatra and His Four Sharps" performing a Hot version of "Exactly Like You." Frank does not sing.

Mike

Also featured are The Charioteers, Cameron Andrews, a Voice Imitator and Larry Collins, who does a Strip Tease Trombone Act... you've gotta hear this one to believe it! A few years ago, I had sent that portion to my son Gary Haendiges, who is an excellent trombone player. To the best of my knowledge, Gary has never performed this kind of act.

Mike