WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.720 Welcome to the Deep Dive. Today we're looking 00:00:02.720 --> 00:00:06.660 at a man whose image, I mean that wild electrified 00:00:06.660 --> 00:00:10.359 hair, right? And that grin, just pure chaos. 00:00:10.679 --> 00:00:13.039 Oh yeah. And maybe the most... Famous two -word 00:00:13.039 --> 00:00:15.380 greeting ever in American comedy. Hello, dare. 00:00:16.019 --> 00:00:18.780 Absolutely. We are diving deep into Marty Allen. 00:00:19.079 --> 00:00:21.579 And look, if you only know him from, say, game 00:00:21.579 --> 00:00:24.260 shows, maybe some old nightclub clips, well, 00:00:24.300 --> 00:00:26.420 you're missing so much. He was definitely that 00:00:26.420 --> 00:00:29.500 goofy wild man comedian, sure. But underneath 00:00:29.500 --> 00:00:32.460 all that. Morton David Alpern and his story. 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:36.719 It's defined by this intense sense of duty, real 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:40.179 bravery, and just incredible professional discipline. 00:00:40.340 --> 00:00:42.320 That's how we work for, what, nearly seven decades? 00:00:42.479 --> 00:00:43.939 And that's really the core mission for us today, 00:00:44.039 --> 00:00:46.259 isn't it? We want to move past just the catchphrase, 00:00:46.299 --> 00:00:48.380 just the hair, and understand the whole professional 00:00:48.380 --> 00:00:50.719 journey. This guy was a master of longevity in 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:52.700 show business. He really was. So we need to unpack 00:00:52.700 --> 00:00:54.600 all of it, not just the comedian and actor parts, 00:00:54.679 --> 00:00:58.299 but the decorated WWII veteran part, and we mean 00:00:58.299 --> 00:01:01.479 real heroism here. verifiable stuff, and also 00:01:01.479 --> 00:01:04.700 the tireless philanthropist angle. Our goal is 00:01:04.700 --> 00:01:07.299 basically to pull together these sources and 00:01:07.299 --> 00:01:10.319 figure out why people called him the darling 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:12.980 of daytime TV. It's a huge career. It really 00:01:12.980 --> 00:01:16.060 is. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 23, 00:01:16.359 --> 00:01:19.659 1922. And he was active from like 1950 right 00:01:19.659 --> 00:01:23.609 up until he died in 2018. 68 years. Yes. That 00:01:23.609 --> 00:01:25.650 stands generations of entertainment. It really 00:01:25.650 --> 00:01:27.670 does. And the thing that strikes me is that contrast, 00:01:27.950 --> 00:01:30.750 you know, the guy known for being totally unpredictable, 00:01:31.269 --> 00:01:33.890 zany. Well, underneath, he might have been one 00:01:33.890 --> 00:01:35.909 of the most reliable, most disciplined pros in 00:01:35.909 --> 00:01:38.250 the business. OK, so let's start digging into 00:01:38.250 --> 00:01:41.519 that. Part one. the origin story. We've got his 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:45.319 WWII heroism and his early comedy roots. We need 00:01:45.319 --> 00:01:47.060 to see where that discipline came from. So where 00:01:47.060 --> 00:01:49.099 does the story of Morton David Alpern actually 00:01:49.099 --> 00:01:51.640 begin? Well, he came from pretty solid working 00:01:51.640 --> 00:01:53.540 class roots there in Pittsburgh. His parents 00:01:53.540 --> 00:01:56.980 were Jewish immigrants. His father, Louis Alpern, 00:01:57.060 --> 00:01:59.239 came over from Romania or Russia, somewhere around 00:01:59.239 --> 00:02:02.140 there, and ran a local restaurant and bar. His 00:02:02.140 --> 00:02:05.340 mother was Elsie Moss Alpern. He went to Taylor 00:02:05.340 --> 00:02:09.350 Alderdice High School, graduated in 1940. And 00:02:09.350 --> 00:02:12.090 interestingly, much, much later, like almost 00:02:12.090 --> 00:02:15.689 70 years later, in 2009, they inducted him into 00:02:15.689 --> 00:02:18.949 their Alumni Hall of Fame. Wow. So, yeah, you 00:02:18.949 --> 00:02:21.009 get a sense of those strong community roots he 00:02:21.009 --> 00:02:23.870 had. But the moment that really flips the script 00:02:23.870 --> 00:02:27.490 on the professional clown image is his time in 00:02:27.490 --> 00:02:30.169 World War II. We know he served. But the sources 00:02:30.169 --> 00:02:32.229 really emphasize he wasn't just in the service. 00:02:32.310 --> 00:02:34.969 He was a decorated hero. Exactly. He joined the 00:02:34.969 --> 00:02:37.310 U .S. Army Air Corps. He was stationed over in 00:02:37.310 --> 00:02:40.750 Italy and eventually made sergeant. Now, the 00:02:40.750 --> 00:02:43.449 metal. This is crucial to understanding him. 00:02:43.490 --> 00:02:45.629 The soldier's medal. Right. It's specifically 00:02:45.629 --> 00:02:47.830 given for acts of heroism that don't involve 00:02:47.830 --> 00:02:50.550 fighting the enemy directly. It's about bravery 00:02:50.550 --> 00:02:52.770 in other dangerous situations. You know, moments 00:02:52.770 --> 00:02:54.990 of incredible selflessness, often under extreme 00:02:54.990 --> 00:02:57.270 pressure, where you put others first. If it was 00:02:57.270 --> 00:02:59.250 in combat, what happened? What was the situation 00:02:59.250 --> 00:03:01.669 that needed that kind of, well, instant heroism? 00:03:01.849 --> 00:03:04.229 The sources describe this incredibly dangerous 00:03:04.229 --> 00:03:07.129 scene. A plane, right, was being refueled and 00:03:07.129 --> 00:03:09.360 it caught fire. Yeah, just think about that. 00:03:09.500 --> 00:03:12.319 You've got aviation fuel everywhere, highly flammable, 00:03:12.439 --> 00:03:15.120 an aircraft that could just explode, people nearby. 00:03:15.379 --> 00:03:17.879 I mean, it was an imminent disaster waiting to 00:03:17.879 --> 00:03:20.259 happen, just not from enemy fire. Okay, so what 00:03:20.259 --> 00:03:22.539 did he do? What were the actions that actually 00:03:22.539 --> 00:03:24.120 earned him the medal? Because the description 00:03:24.120 --> 00:03:27.789 is, well, it's... Pretty intense, physically. 00:03:28.090 --> 00:03:30.710 It really shows amazing presence of mind. His 00:03:30.710 --> 00:03:33.310 first move, the really smart, critical thing, 00:03:33.430 --> 00:03:35.449 he saw the bigger picture, he got in the fuel 00:03:35.449 --> 00:03:37.129 truck and drove it away from the burning plane. 00:03:37.349 --> 00:03:39.189 Okay, smart. Get the extra fuel out of there. 00:03:39.330 --> 00:03:42.590 Exactly. Eliminate the risk of a huge secondary 00:03:42.590 --> 00:03:45.849 explosion. But then, and this is the part that 00:03:45.849 --> 00:03:48.650 just defines him, I think, he didn't just play 00:03:48.650 --> 00:03:50.469 it safe. He didn't just stay with the truck. 00:03:50.590 --> 00:03:52.639 He went back. Towards the fire. He went back 00:03:52.639 --> 00:03:55.520 on foot to the burning plane. And he didn't grab 00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:58.300 an extinguisher or wait for the fire crew, apparently. 00:03:58.520 --> 00:04:01.199 He took the most direct, personal, and frankly, 00:04:01.300 --> 00:04:04.539 dangerous action possible. Which was? He basically 00:04:04.539 --> 00:04:08.080 smothered the flames with his own body. He rolled 00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:10.360 over the fire in his uniform to put it out. He 00:04:10.360 --> 00:04:13.500 rolled over the flames with his body. Yeah. I 00:04:13.500 --> 00:04:15.979 mean, the risk there, severe burns, obviously. 00:04:16.180 --> 00:04:18.720 Yeah. But he did it to stop the fire from spreading. 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:22.199 It's just astounding bravery. Pure instinct to 00:04:22.199 --> 00:04:25.319 protect. It is. Yeah, that's pure duty. Sacrifice. 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:27.420 You don't do that unless it's just baked into 00:04:27.420 --> 00:04:30.459 who you are, protecting others. How did the army 00:04:30.459 --> 00:04:32.600 recognize this? Was it just a piece of paper? 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:35.379 Oh, no, it was a big deal. His actions were seen 00:04:35.379 --> 00:04:38.279 as so critical, so exceptionally brave that they 00:04:38.279 --> 00:04:40.980 honored him with a full dress parade. Wow. Yeah, 00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:44.149 this very... public military recognition. It 00:04:44.149 --> 00:04:46.050 really sets a foundation, doesn't it? The guy 00:04:46.050 --> 00:04:47.810 who'd later make people laugh with total chaos 00:04:47.810 --> 00:04:50.589 was fundamentally shaped by military discipline, 00:04:50.769 --> 00:04:53.750 quick thinking, and, well, self -sacrifice. So 00:04:53.750 --> 00:04:56.569 let's fast forward then. It's the 1950s. This 00:04:56.569 --> 00:04:58.930 decorated veteran, like a lot of guys back then, 00:04:59.089 --> 00:05:01.790 pivots into show business. How did he get his 00:05:01.790 --> 00:05:04.209 start on the comedy scene? Did that early stuff 00:05:04.209 --> 00:05:06.779 set him up for what came later? Well, you have 00:05:06.779 --> 00:05:08.500 to think that discipline from the service probably 00:05:08.500 --> 00:05:10.639 helped him handle the, you know, the grind of 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:12.939 the club circuit. In the early 50s, he teamed 00:05:12.939 --> 00:05:14.819 up with his first comedy partner, a guy named 00:05:14.819 --> 00:05:16.500 Mitch D. Wood. They weren't the main event yet. 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:18.959 They were the opening act, you know, warming 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:21.420 up the crowd for the big stars. But look what 00:05:21.420 --> 00:05:24.639 they opened for. Sarah Vaughan, A .D. Gourmet, 00:05:24.839 --> 00:05:28.899 Nat King Cole. Whoa. Okay, so even as openers, 00:05:28.899 --> 00:05:31.209 they were playing at the highest level. Learning 00:05:31.209 --> 00:05:33.470 how to handle crowds waiting for musical legends. 00:05:33.870 --> 00:05:36.370 Exactly. They were getting tested every night 00:05:36.370 --> 00:05:39.370 in these top tier venues. A big highlight was 00:05:39.370 --> 00:05:41.230 playing the Copacabana in New York. I mean, that 00:05:41.230 --> 00:05:44.170 was the place for sophisticated nightclub entertainment 00:05:44.170 --> 00:05:47.069 back then. So that partnership with D. Wood lasted 00:05:47.069 --> 00:05:49.569 until about 1958. They split up after roughly 00:05:49.569 --> 00:05:51.889 eight years, which paved the way for the partnership 00:05:51.889 --> 00:05:53.529 that would really define him for the next decade. 00:05:53.670 --> 00:05:56.509 Which brings us right to part two. Alan and Rossi, 00:05:56.550 --> 00:06:00.240 the peak of stardom. Okay, so he parts ways with 00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:02.759 D. Wood, teams up with Steve Rossi, and boom, 00:06:02.899 --> 00:06:05.360 they go from being a respected club act to a 00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:07.779 national sensation. What was the chemistry there? 00:06:07.819 --> 00:06:09.939 Why did it click so well? That switch from D. 00:06:09.980 --> 00:06:13.430 Wood to Rossi around 57 or 58 was just... Steve 00:06:13.430 --> 00:06:16.230 Rossi was the perfect foil. Rossi was smooth, 00:06:16.490 --> 00:06:18.790 handsome, often the singer. He was the classic 00:06:18.790 --> 00:06:21.290 straight man. Impeccable. And Marty Allen was. 00:06:21.529 --> 00:06:25.350 Pure chaos. Wonderful, magnificent anarchy. The 00:06:25.350 --> 00:06:27.970 hair, the energy, the constant interruptions, 00:06:27.970 --> 00:06:31.310 the physical comedy. He was the engine driving 00:06:31.310 --> 00:06:33.829 the absurdity. So the visual contrast alone was 00:06:33.829 --> 00:06:36.730 like a built -in comedy routine. Rossi sets it 00:06:36.730 --> 00:06:39.490 up. Allen either lands the punchline or just 00:06:39.490 --> 00:06:41.689 blows the whole thing up with some crazy stunt. 00:06:42.089 --> 00:06:44.889 versatility was huge and it wasn't just on stage 00:06:44.889 --> 00:06:47.069 it translated really well for records they had 00:06:47.069 --> 00:06:50.850 a string of hit comedy albums and back then a 00:06:50.850 --> 00:06:52.970 hit comedy album meant your material was everywhere 00:06:52.970 --> 00:06:56.230 people bought it listened at home it massively 00:06:56.230 --> 00:06:58.970 boosted their fame beyond just the clubs okay 00:06:58.970 --> 00:07:01.449 we absolutely have to talk about the ed sullivan 00:07:01.449 --> 00:07:03.629 show because the numbers here are just staggering 00:07:03.629 --> 00:07:06.259 44 appearances total That's not just being a 00:07:06.259 --> 00:07:08.120 guest. That's practically being part of the furniture. 00:07:08.339 --> 00:07:10.439 It really is. To put it in perspective, very 00:07:10.439 --> 00:07:13.160 few acts ever got that kind of sustained run 00:07:13.160 --> 00:07:16.079 on what was easily the biggest variety show on 00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:18.920 American TV ever. Elvis Presley, for comparison, 00:07:19.180 --> 00:07:22.439 only did three appearances. So 44 times means 00:07:22.439 --> 00:07:24.980 Allen and Rossi weren't just popular, they were 00:07:24.980 --> 00:07:27.899 reliable. Ed Sullivan's producers knew they could 00:07:27.899 --> 00:07:30.319 count on them to deliver laughs week after week, 00:07:30.420 --> 00:07:33.100 basically. They were a known quantity, a guaranteed 00:07:33.100 --> 00:07:35.360 draw. It keeps coming back to that. that reliability, 00:07:35.540 --> 00:07:37.500 that discipline again, doesn't it? Yeah. To get 00:07:37.500 --> 00:07:39.779 booked 44 times, you can't just be funny once. 00:07:39.800 --> 00:07:42.360 You have to be consistent, hit your marks, probably 00:07:42.360 --> 00:07:44.759 be easy to work with backstage. It's that duty 00:07:44.759 --> 00:07:47.399 thing again, but in a professional context. Absolutely. 00:07:47.819 --> 00:07:50.379 Showbiz looks like chaos, but real longevity 00:07:50.379 --> 00:07:53.120 takes incredible structure. And maybe their biggest 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:55.860 test of professional survival happened on, well, 00:07:55.939 --> 00:07:58.779 arguably the most famous night in 20th century 00:07:58.779 --> 00:08:03.620 TV history, February 16th, 1964. Ah, yes. The 00:08:03.620 --> 00:08:05.319 night the... The Beatles made their first appearance 00:08:05.319 --> 00:08:08.319 on Sullivan, the cultural earthquake, where the 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:10.199 audience famously couldn't hear anything over 00:08:10.199 --> 00:08:12.120 the screaming anyway, let alone care about whoever 00:08:12.120 --> 00:08:15.899 else was on the bill. It was pure, glorious mayhem. 00:08:16.120 --> 00:08:18.800 And our sources say Allen and Rossi had the, 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:21.500 let's say, challenging job of performing on that 00:08:21.500 --> 00:08:24.110 same show. Imagine trying to do your carefully 00:08:24.110 --> 00:08:26.550 practiced routine with that wall of sound coming 00:08:26.550 --> 00:08:29.430 at you. Teenagers just screaming for the fab 00:08:29.430 --> 00:08:31.750 four. Yeah, you'd need more than just good jokes. 00:08:31.910 --> 00:08:34.789 You'd need some way to connect instantly to disarm 00:08:34.789 --> 00:08:36.990 that specific energy. And that's exactly what 00:08:36.990 --> 00:08:39.509 Marty Allen did. It shows his amazing quick wit 00:08:39.509 --> 00:08:42.490 totally off script. He managed to cut through 00:08:42.490 --> 00:08:44.389 the noise with this perfectly timed, perfectly 00:08:44.389 --> 00:08:46.950 absurd line. He acknowledged the whole situation, 00:08:47.090 --> 00:08:49.389 but grab the room for a second. He just yelled 00:08:49.389 --> 00:08:52.139 out, I'm Ringo's mother. Huh. That's brilliant. 00:08:52.340 --> 00:08:54.980 The sheer nerve, the self -deprecation, connecting 00:08:54.980 --> 00:08:56.940 right to what everyone was obsessed with. It's 00:08:56.940 --> 00:08:58.940 genius. It breaks attention and says, yeah, I 00:08:58.940 --> 00:09:01.320 get it. This is crazy, but I'm here too. Exactly. 00:09:01.539 --> 00:09:04.120 It showed he could handle any situation. He wasn't 00:09:04.120 --> 00:09:05.740 trying to compete with the Beatles. He was joining 00:09:05.740 --> 00:09:08.019 the party, making the impossible crowd laugh 00:09:08.019 --> 00:09:11.259 with one spontaneous, perfect line. That little 00:09:11.259 --> 00:09:13.740 anecdote. It explains so much about why they 00:09:13.740 --> 00:09:16.000 were so successful. They could work any room. 00:09:16.419 --> 00:09:19.509 So the partnership had a really solid run. 1957 00:09:19.509 --> 00:09:22.490 to 1968. And they even did a movie together, 00:09:22.610 --> 00:09:25.570 right? That 1966 spy spoof, The Last of the Secret 00:09:25.570 --> 00:09:28.070 Agents. Colin played Marty Johnson in that one. 00:09:28.269 --> 00:09:30.909 Yep. And here's another important detail. When 00:09:30.909 --> 00:09:33.610 they did split in 68, the sources are clear it 00:09:33.610 --> 00:09:37.409 was amicable, friendly, which, you know, in show 00:09:37.409 --> 00:09:39.889 business breakups, that's pretty rare. It says 00:09:39.889 --> 00:09:41.870 a lot about the respect they had for each other. 00:09:42.110 --> 00:09:43.990 And it wasn't just a polite statement for the 00:09:43.990 --> 00:09:46.110 press, apparently. They didn't become bitter 00:09:46.110 --> 00:09:49.200 rivals. Not at all. They clearly had this lasting 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:52.100 professional bond. Alan and Rossi actually got 00:09:52.100 --> 00:09:54.240 back together periodically for shows through 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:56.620 the 70s, the 80s, even into the 90s sometimes. 00:09:56.980 --> 00:10:00.159 Really? Yeah. That enduring appeal decades after 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:02.620 their TV peak shows their act wasn't just some 00:10:02.620 --> 00:10:05.500 flash in the pan. It was a solid, adaptable comedy 00:10:05.500 --> 00:10:07.919 team. That longevity theme just keeps popping 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:10.399 up. Okay, so being part of an iconic duo is one 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:13.600 thing. But when the duo splits, that's the real 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:15.889 test for an individual performer, isn't it? How 00:10:15.889 --> 00:10:17.870 big of a risk was it for him, really? You know, 00:10:17.909 --> 00:10:20.250 the wild, goofy comic trying to do serious acting. 00:10:20.549 --> 00:10:22.970 That's the perfect setup for part three. The 00:10:22.970 --> 00:10:25.690 versatile star, from comedy to drama and daytime 00:10:25.690 --> 00:10:29.149 ubiquity. And yeah, it's incredibly risky. When 00:10:29.149 --> 00:10:31.289 audiences are basically trained to laugh the 00:10:31.289 --> 00:10:33.549 second they see you with that hair and everything, 00:10:33.750 --> 00:10:35.909 trying to sell yourself as a dramatic actor, 00:10:36.070 --> 00:10:38.169 that's a tough sell. But he pulled it off. The 00:10:38.169 --> 00:10:40.269 sources say he made it work. He absolutely did. 00:10:40.470 --> 00:10:43.889 His first big serious role was in 1968, right 00:10:43.889 --> 00:10:46.809 after the split with Rossi. He was on that classic 00:10:46.809 --> 00:10:49.649 Western show, The Big Valley. Okay. And maybe 00:10:49.649 --> 00:10:51.750 the character name helped ease people in. It 00:10:51.750 --> 00:10:55.129 was dramatic. But the name was... Waldo Dieffendorfer. 00:10:55.210 --> 00:10:57.549 Waldo Dieffendorfer. Even in drama, he's got 00:10:57.549 --> 00:10:59.809 that Marty Allen flair in the name. Right. It 00:10:59.809 --> 00:11:01.929 feels like maybe a bit of a nod, you know, a 00:11:01.929 --> 00:11:03.730 character that might start series but could have 00:11:03.730 --> 00:11:06.629 that quirky edge. But honestly, the real key 00:11:06.629 --> 00:11:09.149 to his success and survival after Rossi was just 00:11:09.149 --> 00:11:12.149 how much he was on TV. He saturated the airwaves, 00:11:12.190 --> 00:11:14.769 especially daytime, which is how he got that 00:11:14.769 --> 00:11:17.710 perfect nickname, the darling of daytime TV. 00:11:18.350 --> 00:11:21.250 So what was it about daytime TV in the 70s and 00:11:21.250 --> 00:11:23.429 80s that made him such a perfect fit? Why was 00:11:23.429 --> 00:11:25.990 he everywhere? Well, he really was everywhere. 00:11:26.429 --> 00:11:29.210 Hundreds of TV appearances across those two decades. 00:11:29.409 --> 00:11:31.269 And think about what those shows needed, especially 00:11:31.269 --> 00:11:33.710 game shows and variety programs back then. Quick 00:11:33.710 --> 00:11:36.710 wit. Exactly. Quick wit, the ability to fire 00:11:36.710 --> 00:11:39.049 off one -liners without a big script, and just 00:11:39.049 --> 00:11:42.289 reliable, generally family -friendly humor that 00:11:42.289 --> 00:11:45.269 worked for that broad daytime audience. His skill 00:11:45.269 --> 00:11:48.029 set was a perfect match. He really became a game 00:11:48.029 --> 00:11:50.830 show fixture. And back then, being a regular 00:11:50.830 --> 00:11:52.830 on those shows meant you were culturally relevant. 00:11:53.480 --> 00:11:55.899 Big time. Oh, absolutely. Getting a regular spot 00:11:55.899 --> 00:11:58.659 on the Hollywood squares. That was like the ultimate 00:11:58.659 --> 00:12:01.820 seal of approval for being funny, recognizable 00:12:01.820 --> 00:12:04.440 and spontaneous. The whole show was built on 00:12:04.440 --> 00:12:06.539 panelists being quick and clever off the cuff. 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:09.779 Alan's whole career was about fast, absurd thinking. 00:12:09.899 --> 00:12:12.299 He was born for it. Yeah. He was also on Password 00:12:12.299 --> 00:12:14.740 a lot. So, again, that reliability wasn't just 00:12:14.740 --> 00:12:16.600 about showing up. It was about delivering laughs 00:12:16.600 --> 00:12:19.879 consistently on demand, which is a real professional 00:12:19.879 --> 00:12:22.720 skill, not just luck. Precisely. It's not like 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:25.299 a sitcom where writers feed you lines. Game show 00:12:25.299 --> 00:12:27.620 panelists, the good ones, had to bring their 00:12:27.620 --> 00:12:30.700 own comedic personality and timing. Marty Allen 00:12:30.700 --> 00:12:33.200 just had this comfortable, familiar, genuinely 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:35.600 funny presence people liked having in their living 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:37.820 rooms. He was part of the TV landscape. And it 00:12:37.820 --> 00:12:39.740 wasn't just game shows, right? His range on TV 00:12:39.740 --> 00:12:42.159 was pretty wild. Totally. The sources show this 00:12:42.159 --> 00:12:44.519 incredible spectrum. He did things like Circus 00:12:44.519 --> 00:12:46.919 of the Stars. Right. I remember that. Yeah, which 00:12:46.919 --> 00:12:50.039 needed physical skill, a willingness to do spectacle. 00:12:50.539 --> 00:12:52.039 Completely different from cracking a joke on 00:12:52.039 --> 00:12:54.320 Hollywood Squares. And then, okay, for anyone 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:58.279 who grew up in the 80s, the ultimate cameo. Don't 00:12:58.279 --> 00:13:01.059 tell me. The Imperial Puga. The Imperial Puga, 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:05.019 yes. In 1989 on the Super Mario Bros. Super Show. 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:07.519 Amazing. It just shows he wasn't precious about 00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:09.980 his image at all. He'd do a serious role. He'd 00:13:09.980 --> 00:13:12.659 do a silly cameo on a kid's show. Whatever kept 00:13:12.659 --> 00:13:15.399 him working and connecting with audiences, that 00:13:15.399 --> 00:13:17.740 adaptability, that's the secret to staying relevant 00:13:17.740 --> 00:13:20.259 for so long. It really is fascinating. And he 00:13:20.259 --> 00:13:22.500 did a lot of made -for -TV movies, too. Ten of 00:13:22.500 --> 00:13:24.440 them, apparently, including that spoof Murder 00:13:24.440 --> 00:13:27.340 Can Hurt You. Back in 1980. So this wasn't just 00:13:27.340 --> 00:13:29.759 occasional guest spots. It was sustained work 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:32.539 in different formats. And his movie roles show 00:13:32.539 --> 00:13:34.899 he wasn't just stuck playing the crazy hair guy 00:13:34.899 --> 00:13:36.960 either. He took parts in things like the musical 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:40.639 drama The Great Waltz in 1972. He played a real 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:43.419 historical figure, Johann Herbeck. Wow. Then 00:13:43.419 --> 00:13:45.919 he jumped to a sex comedy, Harrods Summer in 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:49.600 74. Then A Whale of a Tale in 76. That's quite 00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:53.059 a mix. A historical figure in a musical, a 70s 00:13:53.059 --> 00:13:56.220 sex comedy. And later he's back in big comedies 00:13:56.220 --> 00:13:58.960 like Cannonball Run 2 in 1984. He really knew 00:13:58.960 --> 00:14:00.980 how to pivot and just keep working. He understood 00:14:00.980 --> 00:14:03.620 that visibility was key. Never let the audience 00:14:03.620 --> 00:14:05.980 forget him. Never let the industry box him in. 00:14:06.059 --> 00:14:09.019 And if we tie this back to our main idea, this 00:14:09.019 --> 00:14:10.980 professional versatility, it's kind of the entertainment 00:14:10.980 --> 00:14:13.539 version of his military discipline, right? Assess 00:14:13.539 --> 00:14:16.139 the situation, adapt, execute the mission successfully 00:14:16.139 --> 00:14:18.500 no matter what the genre. That's a really strong 00:14:18.500 --> 00:14:20.840 connection. Okay, so if the Soldier's Medal showed 00:14:20.840 --> 00:14:23.139 us his character, let's look at how that character 00:14:23.139 --> 00:14:26.149 showed up in his giving. Part four, the Humanitarian 00:14:26.149 --> 00:14:29.149 and Later Career Act. This feels like where the 00:14:29.149 --> 00:14:31.009 two sides of his life really come together, that 00:14:31.009 --> 00:14:33.669 sense of duty and the gift of making people laugh. 00:14:33.870 --> 00:14:36.129 This is such a critical part of his story and 00:14:36.129 --> 00:14:38.389 often overlooked. His commitment to charity, 00:14:38.490 --> 00:14:40.389 especially helping the military community, was 00:14:40.389 --> 00:14:43.330 really direct and personal. Right after he split 00:14:43.330 --> 00:14:47.049 with Rossi in 1968, he started this annual tradition. 00:14:47.629 --> 00:14:50.629 He named it after his catchphrase, the Hello 00:14:50.629 --> 00:14:53.519 Day Tour. Turning the joke into something meaningful, 00:14:53.639 --> 00:14:55.820 what did those tours actually involve? These 00:14:55.820 --> 00:14:58.840 tours, which he did every year until 1972, were 00:14:58.840 --> 00:15:01.279 specifically about visiting military hospitals 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:04.080 across the U .S. These weren't like big shows 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:06.980 on bases. They were visits right into the wards, 00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:09.600 talking with and, importantly, entertaining wounded 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:12.700 soldiers coming back from Vietnam. Wow. That 00:15:12.700 --> 00:15:14.960 implies a very direct, hands -on understanding 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:17.200 of what those soldiers were going through, probably 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:20.100 stemming from his own WWII service. He wasn't 00:15:20.100 --> 00:15:23.529 just writing checks. Absolutely. Imagine the 00:15:23.529 --> 00:15:25.929 atmosphere in those military hospitals during 00:15:25.929 --> 00:15:28.830 the Vietnam War. These were young guys, often 00:15:28.830 --> 00:15:31.549 badly injured, maybe feeling ignored by a divided 00:15:31.549 --> 00:15:34.429 country back home. And here comes Marty Allen, 00:15:34.649 --> 00:15:37.809 a decorated vet himself, bringing some laughter, 00:15:37.850 --> 00:15:40.789 some respect right to their bedside. It feels 00:15:40.789 --> 00:15:42.850 like a mission driven by real empathy and that 00:15:42.850 --> 00:15:45.480 lifelong sense of duty. And his charity work 00:15:45.480 --> 00:15:47.419 went beyond just the military, too, right? He 00:15:47.419 --> 00:15:49.399 was involved in some serious causes. He was. 00:15:49.799 --> 00:15:52.340 A really key example is serving on the board 00:15:52.340 --> 00:15:55.429 of the Epilepsy Foundation. Now, being on a foundation 00:15:55.429 --> 00:15:57.649 board isn't just showing up for a photo op. It 00:15:57.649 --> 00:16:00.690 means real administrative work, strategic thinking, 00:16:00.950 --> 00:16:03.929 serious fundraising. It shows his commitment 00:16:03.929 --> 00:16:06.649 was deep and long term, not just celebrity window 00:16:06.649 --> 00:16:08.970 dressing. OK. And he also put his energy into 00:16:08.970 --> 00:16:11.070 the American Cancer Society, the Heart Fund, 00:16:11.169 --> 00:16:13.629 March of Dimes, Fight for Sight, cerebral palsy, 00:16:13.629 --> 00:16:16.269 a really wide range of causes. Now, let's talk 00:16:16.269 --> 00:16:17.889 about his personal life for a minute, because 00:16:17.889 --> 00:16:19.889 it really shaped the last big chapter of his 00:16:19.889 --> 00:16:22.169 career. He faced some real tragedy earlier on. 00:16:22.429 --> 00:16:25.250 He did. His first wife was Lorraine Tridell. 00:16:25.289 --> 00:16:27.970 People called her Frenchie. He married her back 00:16:27.970 --> 00:16:31.049 in 1960. She worked at the Concord Resort Hotel 00:16:31.049 --> 00:16:34.289 in reservations or the office there. They were 00:16:34.289 --> 00:16:36.950 married for 16 years, but sadly, she died from 00:16:36.950 --> 00:16:39.769 cancer in 1976. That must have been incredibly 00:16:39.769 --> 00:16:42.350 difficult. Yeah. But the sources point to this 00:16:42.350 --> 00:16:44.730 remarkable second act starting about eight years 00:16:44.730 --> 00:16:48.909 later. Yes. In 1983, he met Karen Kate Blackwell. 00:16:49.309 --> 00:16:51.690 She was a singer -songwriter, very talented, 00:16:51.889 --> 00:16:54.549 who was actually managing a restaurant in L .A. 00:16:54.610 --> 00:16:56.409 at the time. She'd been in show business before 00:16:56.409 --> 00:16:58.789 but had kind of stepped back. They just clicked 00:16:58.789 --> 00:17:01.049 personally and professionally really fast. They 00:17:01.049 --> 00:17:03.809 got married in 1984. Sidney Sheldon, the writer, 00:17:03.990 --> 00:17:06.410 actually hosted the wedding at his home in Beverly 00:17:06.410 --> 00:17:08.990 Hills. So this sounds like it was a real revitalization 00:17:08.990 --> 00:17:11.250 for him, both personally and creatively, a new 00:17:11.250 --> 00:17:13.829 partner in life and on stage. Yeah, that's exactly 00:17:13.829 --> 00:17:16.799 how it played out. The 1980s, right through the 00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:19.160 rest of his life, Allen and Blackwell worked 00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:21.759 together as this successful musical comedy act. 00:17:22.019 --> 00:17:24.480 It wasn't just Marty doing his old bits. It was 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:27.880 collaborative. Her music, his comedy. It gave 00:17:27.880 --> 00:17:30.440 him this fresh way to perform all over the country. 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:32.480 And they worked together for a remarkably long 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:34.940 time, especially later in Las Vegas. Oh, yeah. 00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:38.059 They became absolute staples in Vegas, kind of 00:17:38.059 --> 00:17:41.019 embodying that classic, reliable Vegas entertainer 00:17:41.019 --> 00:17:43.779 vibe. In 2007, I remember he's well into his 00:17:43.779 --> 00:17:46.039 80s by now. They started this long run at the 00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:48.460 Gold Coast Hotel and Casino. Then they moved 00:17:48.460 --> 00:17:50.500 to other big places like South Point, Palace 00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:52.880 Station. They even did cruise ships. And this 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:55.319 wasn't just like one -off nostalgia gigs. How 00:17:55.319 --> 00:17:57.660 late did they keep performing regularly? Right 00:17:57.660 --> 00:17:59.859 up until he was in his mid -90s. It's incredible. 00:18:00.059 --> 00:18:02.319 The sources talk about them performing to packed 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:05.940 houses, overflow crowds, at places like the Rampart 00:18:05.940 --> 00:18:09.119 Casino, the Downtown Grand in Vegas, even the 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:11.059 Metropolitan Room in New York City as late as 00:18:11.059 --> 00:18:15.190 2016. Wow. At 94 years old, still performing 00:18:15.190 --> 00:18:18.329 live multiple times a week sometimes. That says 00:18:18.329 --> 00:18:21.029 so much about his health, his drive, and just 00:18:21.029 --> 00:18:23.390 how good that act with Karen Kate Blackwell must 00:18:23.390 --> 00:18:25.690 have been. Absolutely. And what's also fascinating, 00:18:25.930 --> 00:18:28.630 even in his 90s, he saw the shift in media and 00:18:28.630 --> 00:18:31.309 embraced it. He did podcasts. Right. Adapting 00:18:31.309 --> 00:18:33.410 one last time. He totally stayed relevant. He 00:18:33.410 --> 00:18:35.750 was on Gilbert Gottfried's amazing, colossal 00:18:35.750 --> 00:18:39.029 podcast in 2014. And then really notably, he 00:18:39.029 --> 00:18:41.569 did a long, in -depth interview with Marc Maron 00:18:41.569 --> 00:18:45.529 on WTF. That was episode 574 back in February 00:18:45.529 --> 00:18:48.609 2015. Amazing. Still telling his story, connecting 00:18:48.609 --> 00:18:50.130 with a whole new audience through a different 00:18:50.130 --> 00:18:52.069 medium. Yeah, right to the end. Which brings 00:18:52.069 --> 00:18:54.730 us to part five. Conclusion of a long career. 00:18:54.910 --> 00:18:57.170 We're talking, what, 68 years of active work? 00:18:57.329 --> 00:18:59.849 Just think about the changes he saw and navigated 00:18:59.849 --> 00:19:02.349 in the industry. From those gritty post -war 00:19:02.349 --> 00:19:04.910 clubs. Right. Through the absolute peak of TD 00:19:04.910 --> 00:19:08.130 variety shows. Then the game show era. And finally 00:19:08.130 --> 00:19:10.609 landing this decades -long musical residency 00:19:10.609 --> 00:19:13.130 in Vegas that took him well into the 21st century. 00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:16.440 It's almost unbelievable longevity. He was such 00:19:16.440 --> 00:19:19.480 a survivor, but also an innovator, always tweaking 00:19:19.480 --> 00:19:21.779 his act, finding new ways to connect, but keeping 00:19:21.779 --> 00:19:24.660 that core Marty Allen -ness, that lovable chaos. 00:19:24.980 --> 00:19:27.900 He finally passed away on February 12, 2018. 00:19:28.099 --> 00:19:30.319 He was 95. And he was at home, right? Yeah. In 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:32.140 Las Vegas. Yeah. The cause was complications 00:19:32.140 --> 00:19:34.480 from pneumonia. Passed away peacefully at home 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:36.839 with his wife, Karen Kate Blackwell, right there 00:19:36.839 --> 00:19:39.880 with him. He's interred at Eden Memorial Park 00:19:39.880 --> 00:19:43.369 Cemetery out in Mission Hills, California. Remarkably 00:19:43.369 --> 00:19:45.670 full life, lived with incredible energy almost 00:19:45.670 --> 00:19:48.549 to the very end. So if we pull it all together, 00:19:48.650 --> 00:19:51.089 the full picture of Marty Allen or Morton David 00:19:51.089 --> 00:19:53.829 Alpern, you really can't separate the comedian 00:19:53.829 --> 00:19:56.509 from the disciplined man underneath. We found, 00:19:56.589 --> 00:19:59.210 what, four really key takeaways from looking 00:19:59.210 --> 00:20:01.549 at all this? Yeah, I think four stand out. First, 00:20:01.730 --> 00:20:05.069 definitely the decorated WWII hero. Getting that 00:20:05.069 --> 00:20:07.509 soldier's medal for that insane act of bravery 00:20:07.509 --> 00:20:09.529 rolling on the fire. That just established his 00:20:09.529 --> 00:20:12.240 core character, that sense of duty. Second. The 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:15.460 iconic comedy partner, Alan and Rossi, becoming 00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:18.359 this huge cultural presence through those 44 00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:20.920 Sullivan shows, proving he could connect with 00:20:20.920 --> 00:20:24.319 anyone, even in the middle of Beatlemania. Third, 00:20:24.859 --> 00:20:27.539 the versatile star. the ultimate professional 00:20:27.539 --> 00:20:30.220 adapter. He really earned that title, darling 00:20:30.220 --> 00:20:33.380 of daytime TV, mastering game shows like Hollywood 00:20:33.380 --> 00:20:35.559 Squares, but also successfully making the jump 00:20:35.559 --> 00:20:38.079 to drama with characters like Waldo Dieffendorfer. 00:20:38.200 --> 00:20:40.299 Just showed incredible range and reliability. 00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:44.259 And fourth, the dedicated philanthropist, using 00:20:44.259 --> 00:20:47.220 his fame, his catchphrase even, for those Hello 00:20:47.220 --> 00:20:49.839 Dare tours for the Vietnam vets, channeling his 00:20:49.839 --> 00:20:51.960 own service into helping others, plus all that 00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:54.140 serious board work, like with the Epilepsy Foundation. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:56.349 Which brings us right back. around to where we 00:20:56.349 --> 00:20:58.890 started, doesn't it? That deep link between his 00:20:58.890 --> 00:21:01.309 military service and his whole life in entertainment 00:21:01.309 --> 00:21:03.569 and charity. I mean, in Italy, he physically 00:21:03.569 --> 00:21:06.509 threw himself onto fire to stop danger. Years 00:21:06.509 --> 00:21:08.750 later, he's throwing himself into these hospital 00:21:08.750 --> 00:21:12.250 tours, using laughter as his way to maybe extinguish 00:21:12.250 --> 00:21:13.970 some of the pain and isolation those veterans 00:21:13.970 --> 00:21:16.230 felt. So the catchphrase wasn't just a joke. 00:21:16.269 --> 00:21:19.029 It became a tool, almost a symbol of compassion, 00:21:19.349 --> 00:21:22.670 a way to offer some healing. I think so. It feels 00:21:22.670 --> 00:21:25.410 like his drive to create joy and give back wasn't 00:21:25.410 --> 00:21:27.250 just something he did on the side. It seems woven 00:21:27.250 --> 00:21:29.930 into his very being, maybe stemming from that 00:21:29.930 --> 00:21:32.950 instinctive duty he showed back in the war. It 00:21:32.950 --> 00:21:34.710 makes you wonder, doesn't it? That's the final 00:21:34.710 --> 00:21:37.089 thought for you, our listener, to chew on. When 00:21:37.089 --> 00:21:39.829 he yelled hello to Ray on stage for the, you 00:21:39.829 --> 00:21:43.049 know, 10 ,000th time in his late 90s, was he 00:21:43.049 --> 00:21:46.589 just saying hi? Or was he in some way still on 00:21:46.589 --> 00:21:49.609 that mission he started back in 1944, using every 00:21:49.609 --> 00:21:52.089 single tool he had bravery then, laughter later, 00:21:52.170 --> 00:21:54.150 to try and bring some light, some safety, some 00:21:54.150 --> 00:21:56.990 relief to the people around him? How much can 00:21:56.990 --> 00:21:59.329 one defining selfless moment shape an entire 00:21:59.329 --> 00:22:01.509 lifetime of public service, even when that service 00:22:01.509 --> 00:22:02.470 is making people laugh?