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Allen Jenkins

Acting 74 (deceased) years old Staten Island, New York City, New York, USA ★ 0.9
Born: April 8, 1900
Died: July 20, 1974

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.

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

Easy Come, Easy Go
Easy Come, Easy Go Nick 1947
The Mind Reader
The Mind Reader Frank 1933
Chained for Life
Chained for Life Hinkley 1952
The Senator Was Indiscreet
The Senator Was Indiscreet Farrell 1947
Happiness Ahead
Happiness Ahead Chuck 1934

Filmography

Acting Credits (152)

42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage Self (archive footage) 2006
Complicated Women
Complicated Women Self (archive footage) 2003
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life Self (archive footage) 1987
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 1983
The Front Page
The Front Page Telegrapher 1974
Getting Away from It All
Getting Away from It All Doorman 1972
Adam-12
Adam-12 Jobey 1968
Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding!
Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding! Joe Bonney 1967
The Spy in the Green Hat
The Spy in the Green Hat Enzo 'Pretty' Stilletto 1967
Batman
Batman Little Al 1966
Honey West
Honey West Gate Guard 1965
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Enzo 'Pretty' Stilletto 1964
Bewitched
Bewitched 1964
Bewitched
Bewitched Janitor 1964
I'd Rather Be Rich
I'd Rather Be Rich Fred 1964
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Robin and the 7 Hoods Vermin Witowski 1964
For Those Who Think Young
For Those Who Think Young Col. Leslie Jenkins 1964
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World Cop (uncredited) 1963
Ben Casey
Ben Casey 1961
Top Cat
Top Cat Officer Dibble (voice) 1961
Pillow Talk
Pillow Talk Harry 1959
Wagon Train
Wagon Train Mr. Gillespie 1957
Three Men on a Horse
Three Men on a Horse Harry 1957
Hey, Jeannie!
Hey, Jeannie! Al Murray 1956
December Bride
December Bride 1954
Studio 57
Studio 57 1954
The Duke
The Duke Johnny 1954
General Electric Theater
General Electric Theater 1953
The Abbott and Costello Show
The Abbott and Costello Show Retired Actors Home Man on Street 1952
The WAC from Walla Walla
The WAC from Walla Walla Mr. Redington 1952
Mr. & Mrs. North
Mr. & Mrs. North 1952
Four Star Playhouse
Four Star Playhouse Fingers 1952
Oklahoma Annie
Oklahoma Annie Lou 1952
Chained for Life
Chained for Life Hinkley 1952
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy Policeman 1951
The Red Skelton Show
The Red Skelton Show Muggsy 1951
Behave Yourself!
Behave Yourself! Police Plainclothesman 1951
Crazy Over Horses
Crazy Over Horses Weepin' Willie 1951
Boston Blackie
Boston Blackie 1951
Let's Go Navy!
Let's Go Navy! CPO Mervin Longnecker 1951
Racket Squad
Racket Squad 1951
Bodyhold
Bodyhold Slats Henry 1949
The Big Wheel
The Big Wheel George 1949
The Inside Story
The Inside Story Eddie 1948
The Senator Was Indiscreet
The Senator Was Indiscreet Farrell 1947
Blow-Ups of 1947
Blow-Ups of 1947 Self 1947
Wild Harvest
Wild Harvest Higgins 1947
The Case of the Baby-Sitter
The Case of the Baby-Sitter Howard 'Harvard' Quinlan 1947
The Hat Box Mystery
The Hat Box Mystery 'Harvard' 1947
Fun on a Weekend
Fun on a Weekend Joe Morgan 1947
Easy Come, Easy Go
Easy Come, Easy Go Nick 1947
Singin' in the Corn
Singin' in the Corn Glenn Cummings 1946
The Dark Horse
The Dark Horse Willis Trimble 1946
Meet Me on Broadway
Meet Me on Broadway Deacon McGill 1946
Lady on a Train
Lady on a Train Danny (Waring chauffeur) 1945
Wonder Man
Wonder Man Chimp 1945
Stage Door Canteen
Stage Door Canteen Allen Jenkins 1943
My Wife's an Angel
My Wife's an Angel Sam 1943
Three Cheers for the Girls
Three Cheers for the Girls Marine Sergeant in Chorus (archive footage) (uncredited) 1943
Eyes in the Night
Eyes in the Night Marty 1942
They All Kissed the Bride
They All Kissed the Bride Johnny Johnson 1942
Maisie Gets Her Man
Maisie Gets Her Man 'Pappy' Goodring 1942
The Falcon Takes Over
The Falcon Takes Over Jonathan 'Goldy' Locke 1942
Tortilla Flat
Tortilla Flat Portagee Joe 1942
A Date with the Falcon
A Date with the Falcon Jonathan 'Goldy' Locke 1942
Ball of Fire
Ball of Fire Garbage Man 1941
Go West, Young Lady
Go West, Young Lady Hank 1941
The Gay Falcon
The Gay Falcon Jonathan G. 'Goldie' Locke 1941
Dive Bomber
Dive Bomber Lucky James 1941
Time Out for Rhythm
Time Out for Rhythm Off-Beat Davis 1941
Footsteps in the Dark
Footsteps in the Dark Wilfred 1941
Breakdowns of 1940
Breakdowns of 1940 Self 1940
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley Casey 1940
Meet the Wildcat
Meet the Wildcat Max Schwydel 1940
Margie
Margie Kenneth 1940
Brother Orchid
Brother Orchid Willie 'The Knife' Corson 1940
Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!
Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love! Ed aka The Weasel 1940
Destry Rides Again
Destry Rides Again Gyp Watson 1939
Torchy Blane... Playing with Dynamite
Torchy Blane... Playing with Dynamite Steve McBride 1939
Five Came Back
Five Came Back Pete 1939
Naughty But Nice
Naughty But Nice Joe Dirk 1939
Sweepstakes Winner
Sweepstakes Winner Xerxes 'Tip' Bailey 1939
Going Places
Going Places Droopy 1938
Breakdowns of 1938
Breakdowns of 1938 Shiner Ward / Duke Dennis (archive footage) (uncredited) 1938
Heart of the North
Heart of the North Bill Hardsock 1938
Hard to Get
Hard to Get Roscoe 1938
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse Okay 1938
Racket Busters
Racket Busters Skeets Wilson 1938
Gold Diggers in Paris
Gold Diggers in Paris Duke 'Dukie' Dennis 1938
Fools for Scandal
Fools for Scandal Dewey Gibson 1938
A Slight Case of Murder
A Slight Case of Murder Mike 1938
Swing Your Lady
Swing Your Lady Shiner Ward 1938
Breakdowns of 1937
Breakdowns of 1937 Self 1937
Sh! The Octopus
Sh! The Octopus Dempsey 1937
The Perfect Specimen
The Perfect Specimen Pinky 1937
Dead End
Dead End Hunk 1937
Talent Scout
Talent Scout Benefit Show Guest (archive footage) (uncredited) 1937
Ever Since Eve
Ever Since Eve Jake Edgall 1937
Marry the Girl
Marry the Girl Specs 1937
Dance Charlie Dance
Dance Charlie Dance Alf Morgan 1937
The Singing Marine
The Singing Marine Sergeant Mike 1937
A Day at Santa Anita
A Day at Santa Anita Allen Jenkins (uncredited) 1937
Marked Woman
Marked Woman Louie 1937
Ready, Willing and Able
Ready, Willing and Able J. Van Courtland 1937
Breakdowns of 1936
Breakdowns of 1936 Self 1936
Sing Me a Love Song
Sing Me a Love Song Chris Cross 1936
Three Men on a Horse
Three Men on a Horse Charlie 1936
Cain and Mabel
Cain and Mabel Dodo 1936
Sins of Man
Sins of Man Crusty 1936
The Singing Kid
The Singing Kid Joe Eddy 1936
Behind the Scenes of Cain and Mabel
Behind the Scenes of Cain and Mabel Self 1936
Miss Pacific Fleet
Miss Pacific Fleet Bernard 'Kewpie' Wiggins 1935
Broadway Hostess
Broadway Hostess Fishcake Carter 1935
Things You Never See on the Screen
Things You Never See on the Screen Self 1935
The Case of the Lucky Legs
The Case of the Lucky Legs Spudsy Drake 1935
I Live for Love
I Live for Love Mac 1935
Page Miss Glory
Page Miss Glory Petey 1935
The Irish in Us
The Irish in Us Carbarn Hammerschlog 1935
The Case of the Curious Bride
The Case of the Curious Bride Spudsy 1935
A Night at the Ritz
A Night at the Ritz Gyp 1935
While the Patient Slept
While the Patient Slept Police Sgt. Jim Jackson 1935
Sweet Music
Sweet Music Barney Cowan 1935
The St. Louis Kid
The St. Louis Kid Buck Willetts 1934
Happiness Ahead
Happiness Ahead Chuck 1934
The Case of the Howling Dog
The Case of the Howling Dog Sgt. Holcomb 1934
The Merry Frinks
The Merry Frinks Emmett Frink 1934
Twenty Million Sweethearts
Twenty Million Sweethearts Pete 1934
Whirlpool
Whirlpool Mac 1934
Jimmy the Gent
Jimmy the Gent Lou 1934
I've Got Your Number
I've Got Your Number John 'Johnny' 1934
Bedside
Bedside Sam Sparks 1934
The Big Shakedown
The Big Shakedown Lefty 1934
Havana Widows
Havana Widows Herman Brody 1933
Bureau of Missing Persons
Bureau of Missing Persons Detective Joe Musik 1933
The Mayor of Hell
The Mayor of Hell Mike 1933
Professional Sweetheart
Professional Sweetheart O'Connor 1933
Tomorrow at Seven
Tomorrow at Seven Dugan 1933
The Silk Express
The Silk Express Robert 'Rusty' Griffith 1933
The Mind Reader
The Mind Reader Frank 1933
The Keyhole
The Keyhole Hank Wales 1933
King Kong
King Kong Member of Ship's Crew (uncredited) 1933
42nd Street
42nd Street Mac Elroy 1933
Blondie Johnson
Blondie Johnson Louie 1933
Employees' Entrance
Employees' Entrance Sweeney, store detective (uncredited) 1933
Hard to Handle
Hard to Handle radio announcer 1933
Lawyer Man
Lawyer Man Izzy Levine 1932
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang Barney Sykes 1932
Three on a Match
Three on a Match Dick 1932
Rackety Rax
Rackety Rax Mike Dumphy 1932
Blessed Event
Blessed Event Frankie Wells 1932
Grand Hotel
Grand Hotel Hotel Meat Packer (uncredited) 1932
The Girl Habit
The Girl Habit Tony Maloney 1931

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