Fred Allen
Various
Radio shows featuring Fred Allen. Read about Fred Allen's career on wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Allen .
This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.
Chapters
Reviews
Not as Funny as Jack Benny
feekie
While I'll no doubt be in the minority here, I am not a big fan of Fred Allen. I have tried to like him, and a few of his shows were funny -- specifically the ones with Henry Morgan and Oscar Levant. They were hilarious, but too many of Fred's programs are just too corny -- like sketches with Portland. The only person I like in Allen's Alley is Mrs. Nussbaum. She was funny! While JB's humor stood the test of time, Allen's sounds dated. I don't like how he supposedly ad-libs and then laughs at his own jokes. I don't think his ad-libs are funny. It is true that Fred refers to a lot of things happening at the time of the broadcast, so if you're listening mostly for it's historical value, then Fred is probably the better program. But for clever writing that is still funny today, I gotta go with Benny!
Corrections/Clarifications
davidinberkeley
a290_guestMontyWholley.mp3 is 1947-12-28_-_Monty_Wooley_-_Returning_a_Clock.mp3 Fred_Allen_-_460210_-_with_Orson_Welles.mp3 Is 1946-03-03 (60) Chicken Surplus Fred_Allen_-_481111_Samshovel_With_Arthur_Treacher.mp3 Is 1948-11-07_-_ArthurTreacher-SamShovel.mp3 Fred_Allen_-_470314_With_Rogers_and_Hammerstein.mp3 Is 1947-03-23_-_Rodgers__Hammerstein_-_Picadilly_II.mp3 Fred_Allen_-_460421.mp3 Is Command Performance 460421 Fred_Allen_-_460411_Basil_Rathbone.mp3 Is 1948-04-11BasilRathbone-OneLongPan.mp3 Fred_Allen_-_490501_Jamaica_Race_Track.mp3 Is 1939-10-11 Satire on Surveys and Polls Fred_Allen_-_AFRS_-_1942.mp3 Is 1942-10-18 (3) Les Miserables (AFRS rebroadcast) Fred_Allen_-_Tribute_To_Fred_Allen.mp3 Is 1999-10-23 WNIB Chicago Those Were the Days(excerpt only – no Allen content) ADDED 8/5/08 50xxxx_Peggy_Lee__Fred_Allen is Bing Crosby Show 500208 21 Guest - Fred Allen and Portland Hoffa 1949_-_Fred_Allen_on_American_Comedy is Living 1949 49/01/30 5 The State of American Humor 4510XX_How_is_the_Housing_Shortage_Effecting_You is Fred Allen Show 451007 40 Auditions 410302_Philanda_Blank.mp3 is Fred Allen Show 410312 23 Philanda Blank - My Story 560529_A_Portrait_of_.mp3 is Biography in Sound 56/05/29 50 Fred Allen 640318_Today Show Salute_to_.mp3 is an audio recording of the NBC television show B66.MP3 is Fred Allen Show 46/01/20 54 A Movie on Fred Allen's Life ADDED 8/13/08 Philco_Hall_of_Fame_1943-04-05_Fred_Allen_Tribute.mp3 Is Philco_Hall_of_Fame_1945-03-25 69 The Strange Case Of Robert Rappaport Fred_Allen_-_431212_Lauritz_Melchior-Getting_a_radio_job.mp3 Is 1945-12-16 50 Seeking a Radio Job
Misdated Shows
nightkey5
43-02-08 Phil Baker should be dated 43-02-28 Phil Baker 43-04-04 Jimmy Durante (Looking for Umbragio) was actually 44-01-23 Jimmy Durante. First question in Allen's Alley is 'How did the fish shortage bother you?' Allen mentions that Jimmy Durante is on the cover of Time Magazine. An internet reference shows January 24, 1944 as the date of that issue 43-12-12 Laurentz Melchior was actually 45-12-16 Lauritz Melchior. Kenny Delmar is the announcer which places the show Oct 1945 or later. The Allen's Alley question again places the date. 44-04-03 Oscar Levant should be dated and labeled 44-04-23 North Dakota 45-11-08 Boris Karloff Renting A Room should be dated 45-11-18 46-02-10 Orson Welles was 46-03-03 46-10-30 Bing Crosby should be dated 47-05-11 Bing Crosby
Fred Allen and American Wartime History
Pitt Cairn
Hi, I collect old-time radio comedy. While the Jack Benny show is often recognized as having the best writers, I believe that the Fred Allen Show provides the best window into the America of his time. While Jack Benny's shows were about Jack Benny, Fred Allen typically dicussed the issues of the day, such as food shortages and gas rationing. If you want a good natured look at everyday America during WW II, Fred Allen is one of the best sources. Fibber McGee is another.
Alas
Dodsworth the Cat
It's a shame the show labelled April 21, 1946 is the incorrect show. That was the week NBC cut Fred Allen off the air for making fun of a network vice-president, as related in his book Treadmill to Oblivion. The Associated Press reported April 22, 1946 that Red Skelton and Bob Hope were faded out by the network that evening for daring to comment on what happened.
Fred vs jack? Enjoy them both
Minerva S. Harpo
Feeekie I am thinking that jack and fred are smiling in that big soundstage in the sky..hey old pal, our feud was the best show biz shtick so far I guess, because 70 years later they're still arguing which one of us is funnier!
Right On Feekie
fashawks8
Fred Allen's shows have aged terribly. The written jokes are so predictable and unfunny. I do think his ad-libs are funny sometimes, but its honestly hard for me to get through an entire episode to hear that many.
Such a time trip
AncientAxim
Like going back into another era. Fred Allen was the cooler, hipper alternative to Jack Benny from what i gathered. Us, the People episode will crack up anybody. The music in the shows? fantastic.