Desc | Da | Fred Allen The Fred Allen Show | Comedy

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
04.18.1948	fred allen fred allen show (145) author meets his match	+ Sponsored by: Ford. Allen's Alley Question: "What did you like best about this year's circus?" Fre...
04.11.1948	fred allen fred allen show (144) one long pan skit	+ Sponsored by: Ford. Allen's Alley Question: "Have you been victimized by misrepresentation in adv...
03.28.1948	fred allen fred allen show (142) husband and wife radio show	+ Sponsored by: Ford. 8:30 P. M. (EST). Allen's Alley Question: "Do you think the average American w...
01.25.1948	fred allen fred allen show (133) dr hoppinpepper	+ Sponsored by: Ford. The Allen's Alley question: "Were you a junior prodigy and did you display any...
01.04.1948	fred allen fred allen show (130) psychopathic spectacular	+ Sponsored by: Ford. Allen's Alley Question: "What is the worst storm you can recall?" Oriental det...
12.28.1947	fred allen fred allen show (129) fred tries to sue to return his cuckoo clock	+ Sponsored by: Tender Leaf Tea, Blue Bonnett Margarine. Allen's Alley Question: What do you consid...
12.14.1947	fred allen fred allen show (127) new year's eve plans	+ Sponsored by: Blue Bonnet Margarine, Tenderleaf Tea. Allen's Alley Question: "What in your estimat...
10.26.1947	fred allen fred allen show (120) the haley and allen show	+ Sponsored by: Tenderleaf Tea, Blue Bonnet Margarine, V-8 Juice. Allen's Alley Question: "What type...
10.19.1947	fred allen fred allen show (119) the perfect crime	+ Sponsored by: V-8 Juice, Blue Bonnet Margarine, Tenderleaf Tea. Allen's Alley Question: "Have you ...
10.19.1947	fred allen fred allen show (45 49) (119) the perfect crime	+ Sponsored by: V-8 Juice, Blue Bonnet Margarine, Tenderleaf Tea. Allen's Alley Question: "Have you ...
06.15.1947	fred allen fred allen show (114) renting the room	+ Sponsored by: Tenderleaf Tea, Chefford's Cheese. Allen's Alley question: "Do you think American co...
06.08.1947	fred allen fred allen show (113) rochester has his own radio program	+ Sponsored by: Shefford's Cheese, Tenderleaf Tea. Allen's Alley Question: "Have you had any unusual...
05.25.1947	fred allen fred allen show (111) gimmick with a megaphone	+ Sponsored by: Shefford's Cheese, Tenderleaf Tea. Allen's Alley Question, "Where do you go when you...
05.11.1947	fred allen fred allen show (109) the hollywood mikado	+ Sponsored by: Shefford's Cheese and Tenderleaf Tea. Allen's Alley question: "Are you satisfied wi...
03.23.1947	fred allen fred allen show (102) suing fred over copyrights	+ Sponsored by: Shefford's Cheese and Tenderleaf Tea. Guests Rodgers and Hammerstein sue Fred for st...
03.16.1947	fred allen fred allen show (101) picadilly	+ Sponsored by: Shefford's Cheese and Tenderleaf Tea. Allen's Alley Question: "Do You Think Wives S...
03.02.1947	fred allen fred allen show (099) mayhem in the penthouse	+ Sponsored by: Shefford's Cheese, Tenderleaf Tea. Allen's Alley Question: "Do you take a daily news...
01.26.1947	fred allen fred allen show (094) law busters	+ Sponsored by: Tenderleaf Tea, Chefford's Cheese. Fred's opening monologue is about the new almanac...
10.27.1946	fred allen fred allen show (081) breakfast show	+ Sponsored by: Shefford's Cheese, Tender Leaf Tea. Allen's Alley Question, "How are you reacting to...
10.13.1946	fred allen fred allen show (079) radio mikado	+ Sponsored by: Shefford's Cheese, Tenderleaf Tea. The Allen's Alley Question: "What did you do to o...
10.06.1946	fred allen fred allen show (078) tribute to medical science	+ The first show of the season. Allen's Alley Question: "How do you feel about eating horsemeat?" T...
06.23.1946	fred allen fred allen show (076) 50th anniversary of the telephone company	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. Allen's Alley Question: "What is your reaction to the telephone, on its 50th a...
06.09.1946	fred allen fred allen show (074) the bowery	+ Sponsored by: Tender Leaf Tea, Blue Bonnet Margarine. Allen's Alley Question: "What type of music,...
05.26.1946	fred allen fred allen show (072) king for a day	+ Sponsored by: Blue Bonnet Margarine, Tenderleaf Tea. Allen's Alley Question: "Do you have any trou...
05.26.1946	fred allen fred allen show (072) king for a day	+ Sponsored by: Blue Bonnet Margarine, Tenderleaf Tea. Allen's Alley Question: "Do you have any trou...

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