+ 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
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Please enjoy these 105 old time radio episodes:
Air Date | Title | Synopsis | Rating |
---|---|---|---|
05.19.1946 | fred allen fred allen show (071) fred makes phil harris an offer |
+ , AFRS rebroadcast. Allen's Alley question, "Are you going to do your part to make this "Safer Dr... | |
05.12.1946 | fred allen fred allen show (45 49) (070) cairo |
+ Program #79. , AFRS rebroadcast. The Allen's Alley question is: "How do you feel about the re-ope... | |
05.12.1946 | fred allen fred allen show (070) cairo |
+Program #79. , AFRS rebroadcast. The Allen's Alley question is: "How do you feel about the re-open... | |
04.28.1946 | fred allen fred allen show (068) racing form trial |
+ Sponsored by: Blue Bonnet Margarine, Tender Leaf Tea. Allen's Alley Question: "What is your reacti... | |
04.14.1946 | fred allen fred allen show (066) brooklyn pinafore |
+ , United Network rebroadcast. Allen's Alley Question: "What is your reaction to New York's new dri... | |
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... | |
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... | |
03.03.1946 | fred allen fred allen show (060) chicken surplus |
+Program #69. , AFRS rebroadcast. Allen's Alley Question: "Have you heard about the chicken surplus... | |
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?... | |
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... | |
02.03.1946 | 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... | |
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... | |
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... | |
01.06.1946 | 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... | |
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... | |
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,... | |
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... | |
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... | |
11.11.1945 | 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 ... | |
11.04.1945 | fred allen fred allen show (044) lost memory |
+ Sponsored by: Tenderleaf Tea, Blue Bonnet Margarine. Radio celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary... |
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