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Allen Jenkins

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
152

Gender
Male

Birthday
April 8, 1900 (126 years old)

Place of Birth
Staten Island, New York City, New York, USA

Allen Jenkins

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Allen Jenkins (April 9, 1900 – July 20, 1974) was an American character actor on stage, screen and television. He was born Alfred McGonegal on Staten Island, New York.

He studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. In his first stage appearance, he danced next to James Cagney in a chorus line for an off-Broadway musical called Pitter-Patter. He made five dollars a week. He also appeared one thousand times in Broadway plays between 1924 and 1962, including The Front Page with Lee Tracy (1928). His big break came when he replaced Spencer Tracy for three weeks in the Broadway play The Last Mile.

He was called to Hollywood by Darryl F. Zanuck and signed first to Paramount Pictures and shortly afterwards to Warner Bros. He originated the character of Frankie Wells in the Broadway production of Blessed Event and reprised the role in the film adaptation, both in 1932. With the advent of talking pictures, he made a career out of playing comic henchmen, stooges, policemen and other "tough guys" in numerous films of the 1930s and 1940s, especially for Warner Bros. He was labeled the "greatest scene-stealer of the 1930s" by the New York Times. He voiced the character of "Officer Dibble" on the Hanna-Barbera television cartoon Top Cat and was a regular on the 1956-1957 television situation comedy Hey, Jeannie! (1956), starring Jeannie Carson. He was also a guest star on The Red Skelton Show, I Love Lucy, Playhouse 90, The Ernie Kovacs Show, Zane Grey Theater, and The Sid Caesar Show. Eleven days before his death he made his final appearance, at the end of Billy Wilder's 1974 film adaptation of The Front Page.

He went public with his alcoholism and was the first actor to speak in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate about it. He helped start the first Alcoholics Anonymous programs in California prisons for women.

Jenkins, James Cagney, Pat O'Brien and Frank McHugh were the original members of the so-called "Irish Mafia". He was the seventh member of the Screen Actors Guild.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Allen Jenkins, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Acting

200642nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stageas Self (archive footage)
2003Complicated Womenas Self (archive footage)
1987James Stewart: A Wonderful Lifeas Self (archive footage)
1983Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footageas Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1974The Front Pageas Telegrapher
1972Getting Away from It Allas Doorman
1968Adam-12as Jobey
1967Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding!as Joe Bonney
1967The Spy in the Green Hatas Enzo 'Pretty' Stilletto
1966Batmanas Little Al
1965Honey Westas Gate Guard
1964The Man from U.N.C.L.E.as Enzo 'Pretty' Stilletto
1964Bewitchedas
1964Bewitchedas Janitor
1964I'd Rather Be Richas Fred
1964Robin and the 7 Hoodsas Vermin Witowski
1964For Those Who Think Youngas Col. Leslie Jenkins
1963It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Worldas Cop (uncredited)
1961Ben Caseyas
1961Top Catas Officer Dibble (voice)
1959Pillow Talkas Harry
1957Wagon Trainas Mr. Gillespie
1957Three Men on a Horseas Harry
1956Hey, Jeannie!as Al Murray
1954December Brideas
1954Studio 57as
1954The Dukeas Johnny
1953General Electric Theateras
1952The Abbott and Costello Showas Retired Actors Home Man on Street
1952The WAC from Walla Wallaas Mr. Redington
1952Mr. & Mrs. Northas
1952Four Star Playhouseas Fingers
1952Oklahoma Annieas Lou
1952Chained for Lifeas Hinkley
1951I Love Lucyas Policeman
1951The Red Skelton Showas Muggsy
1951Behave Yourself!as Police Plainclothesman
1951Crazy Over Horsesas Weepin' Willie
1951Boston Blackieas
1951Let's Go Navy!as CPO Mervin Longnecker
1951Racket Squadas
1949Bodyholdas Slats Henry
1949The Big Wheelas George
1948The Inside Storyas Eddie
1947Blow-Ups of 1947as Self
1947The Senator Was Indiscreetas Farrell
1947Wild Harvestas Higgins
1947The Case of the Baby-Sitteras Howard 'Harvard' Quinlan
1947The Hat Box Mysteryas 'Harvard'
1947Fun on a Weekendas Joe Morgan
1947Easy Come, Easy Goas Nick
1946Singin' in the Cornas Glenn Cummings
1946The Dark Horseas Willis Trimble
1946Meet Me on Broadwayas Deacon McGill
1945Lady on a Trainas Danny (Waring chauffeur)
1945Wonder Manas Chimp
1943Stage Door Canteenas Allen Jenkins
1943My Wife's an Angelas Sam
1943Three Cheers for the Girlsas Marine Sergeant in Chorus (archive footage) (uncredited)
1942Eyes in the Nightas Marty
1942They All Kissed the Brideas Johnny Johnson
1942Maisie Gets Her Manas 'Pappy' Goodring
1942The Falcon Takes Overas Jonathan 'Goldy' Locke
1942Tortilla Flatas Portagee Joe
1942A Date with the Falconas Jonathan 'Goldy' Locke
1941Ball of Fireas Garbage Man
1941Go West, Young Ladyas Hank
1941The Gay Falconas Jonathan G. 'Goldie' Locke
1941Dive Bomberas Lucky James
1941Time Out for Rhythmas Off-Beat Davis
1941Footsteps in the Darkas Wilfred
1940Breakdowns of 1940as Self
1940Tin Pan Alleyas Casey
1940Meet the Wildcatas Max Schwydel
1940Margieas Kenneth
1940Brother Orchidas Willie 'The Knife' Corson
1940Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!as Ed aka The Weasel
1939Destry Rides Againas Gyp Watson
1939Torchy Blane... Playing with Dynamiteas Steve McBride
1939Five Came Backas Pete
1939Naughty but Niceas Joe Dirk
1939Sweepstakes Winneras Xerxes 'Tip' Bailey
1938Breakdowns of 1938as Shiner Ward / Duke Dennis (archive footage) (uncredited)
1938Going Placesas Droopy
1938Heart of the Northas Bill Hardsock
1938Hard to Getas Roscoe
1938The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouseas Okay
1938Racket Bustersas Skeets Wilson
1938Gold Diggers in Parisas Duke 'Dukie' Dennis
1938Fools for Scandalas Dewey Gibson
1938A Slight Case of Murderas Mike
1938Swing Your Ladyas Shiner Ward
1937Breakdowns of 1937as Self
1937Sh! The Octopusas Dempsey
1937The Perfect Specimenas Pinky
1937Dead Endas Hunk
1937Talent Scoutas Benefit Show Guest (archive footage) (uncredited)
1937Ever Since Eveas Jake Edgall
1937Marry the Girlas Specs
1937Dance Charlie Danceas Alf Morgan
1937The Singing Marineas Sergeant Mike
1937A Day at Santa Anitaas Allen Jenkins (uncredited)
1937Marked Womanas Louie
1937Ready, Willing and Ableas J. Van Courtland
1936Breakdowns of 1936as Self
1936Sing Me a Love Songas Chris Cross
1936Three Men on a Horseas Charlie
1936Cain and Mabelas Dodo
1936Sins of Manas Crusty
1936The Singing Kidas Joe Eddy
1936Behind the Scenes of Cain and Mabelas Self
1935Miss Pacific Fleetas Bernard 'Kewpie' Wiggins
1935Broadway Hostessas Fishcake Carter
1935Things You Never See on the Screenas Self
1935The Case of the Lucky Legsas Spudsy Drake
1935I Live for Loveas Mac
1935Page Miss Gloryas Petey
1935The Irish in Usas Carbarn Hammerschlog
1935The Case of the Curious Brideas Spudsy
1935A Night at the Ritzas Gyp
1935While the Patient Sleptas Police Sgt. Jim Jackson
1935Sweet Musicas Barney Cowan
1934The St. Louis Kidas Buck Willetts
1934Happiness Aheadas Chuck
1934The Case of the Howling Dogas Sgt. Holcomb
1934Twenty Million Sweetheartsas Pete
1934The Merry Frinksas Emmett Frink
1934Whirlpoolas Mac
1934Jimmy the Gentas Lou
1934I've Got Your Numberas John 'Johnny'
1934Bedsideas Sam Sparks
1934The Big Shakedownas Lefty
1933Havana Widowsas Herman Brody
1933Bureau of Missing Personsas Detective Joe Musik
1933The Mayor of Hellas Mike
1933Professional Sweetheartas O'Connor
1933Tomorrow at Sevenas Dugan
1933The Silk Expressas Robert 'Rusty' Griffith
1933King Kongas Member of Ship's Crew (uncredited)
1933The Mind Readeras Frank
1933The Keyholeas Hank Wales
193342nd Streetas Mac Elroy
1933Blondie Johnsonas Louie
1933Employees' Entranceas Sweeney, store detective (uncredited)
1933Hard to Handleas radio announcer
1932Lawyer Manas Izzy Levine
1932I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gangas Barney Sykes
1932Three on a Matchas Dick
1932Rackety Raxas Mike Dumphy
1932Grand Hotelas Hotel Meat Packer (uncredited)
1932Blessed Eventas Frankie Wells
1931The Girl Habitas Tony Maloney

Production