Dennis Roy Allen (June 10, 1940 – December 1, 1995) was an actor and comedian. He was a regular cast member on ''

Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' (often simply referred to as ''Laugh-In'') is an American sketch comedy television program that ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network, hosted by comedians Da ...

'', and appeared on ''

Love American Style ''Love, American Style'' is an anthology comedy television series that aired on ABC from 1969 to 1974. The series was produced by Paramount Television. During the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons, it was a part of ABC's Friday primetime lineup ...

''. He starred opposite

Ruth Buzzi Ruth Ann Buzzi ( ; born July 24, 1936) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. She has appeared on stage, in films, and on television. She is best known for her performances on the comedy-variety show ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' from 1968 ...

in Gene Kelly's production of '' ClownAround''. He died of lung cancer at the age of 55.

Life and career

Born and raised in Raytown, Missouri, Allen earned a Bachelor and Master degrees from the

Boston University College of Fine Arts The Boston University College of Fine Arts (CFA) at Boston University consists of the School of Music, the School of Theatre, and the School of Visual Arts. Each school offers degrees in the performing and visual arts at the undergraduate and grad ...

. After completing his education, he moved to New York and began his career performing in an Off-Broadway music revue of material by

Julius Monk Julius Withers Monk (10 Nov 1912, Spencer, North Carolina – 17 Aug 1995, New York City, New York) was an American impresario in the New York cabaret scene. His 1956 revue, ''Four Below'', has been characterized as "the first legitimate cafe re ...

in the Plaza 9 club at the Plaza Hotel. He spent next four years performing sketch comedy in New York clubs, and working as an actor in radio and television commercials. In 1968, Allen was cast as Calvin Coolidge in William F. Brown and composer-lyricist Oscar Brand's musical ''How To Steal An Election''. Earning rave reviews for his performance; he drew the attention of the producers of ''

'' and was invited to join the cast. From 1970 through 1973, he was a main cast member of ''Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In''; there he was reunited with former ''ClownAround'' co-star Ruth Buzzi. After the show ended, he returned to Missouri and resided in Kansas City. During this time he struggled with substance abuse. After receiving treatment, he recovered and worked for a time with a program that assisted boys who were emotionally disturbed. Allen resumed his career as an actor in regional theatre in Kansas City and the surrounding region, often portraying comedic roles. He died in Kansas City, Missouri of lung cancer at the age of 55.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Dennis 1940 births 1995 deaths 20th-century American comedians 20th-century American male actors American male comedians American male musical theatre actors American sketch comedians American television actors Boston University College of Fine Arts alumni People from Raytown, Missouri People from Kansas City, Missouri Deaths from lung cancer in Missouri