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Steve Allen

Celebrity

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Steve Allen Fast Facts:

Started out as a radio disc jockey in the '40s; in 1954, he landed a gig as the first host of what became The Tonight Show and single-handedly invented the late-night talk show genre, mixing monologues, interviews, musical guests, skits, audience interaction and on-the-street pranks.
A prolific songwriter with over 8,500 tunes to his credit, he once bet singer Frankie Laine $1,000 that he could write 50 songs a day for a week. He did — in the window of a Hollywood music store. One of them, "Let's Go to Church (Next Sunday Morning)" was recorded by Perry Como. "This Could Be the Start of Something Big" is among his other standards.
Penned more than 50 books.
An outspoken social and political activist, he was a vocal opponent of capital punishment and nuclear proliferation, and considered running for Congress in the '60s.
Was inducted into the TV Academy Hall of Fame in 1986 along with Fred Coe, Walt Disney, Jackie Gleason, Mary Tyler Moore, Frank Stanton and Burr Tillstrom.

Steve Allen Relationships:
Brian Allen - Son
Carroll Allen - Father
David Allen - Son
Dorothy Goodman - Ex-wife
Isabelle Allen - Mother
Jayne Meadows - Wife
Stephen Allen Jr. - Son
William Christopher Allen - Son
Steve Allen Awards:
1977 Peabody: Personal Award - Winner
1957 Emmy: Best Male Personality - Continuing Performance - Nominee
1959 Emmy: Best Performance by an Actor (Continuing Character) in a Musical or Variety Series - Nominee
1987 Emmy: Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series - Nominee
1958 Emmy: Best Continuing Performance (Male) in a Series by a Comedian, Singer, Host, Dancer, M.C., Announcer, Narrator, Panelist, or any - Nominee
1979 Emmy: Outstanding Program Achievement - Special Class - Nominee
1978 Emmy: Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series - Nominee
1963 Grammy: Best Original Jazz Composition - Winner
College:
Attended Drake University, Des Moines, IA; attended Arizona State Teachers College, Tempe, AZ