|
David Tynan O'Mahoney (born 6 July 1936 in Tallaght, Ireland), better known as Dave Allen, is an Irish comedian, popular in Britain in the 1970s. His act was typified by a very relaxed, intimate style - he would sit on a chair, smoking and holding a glass of brandy - and would often make jokes about the Catholic church. Along with his seated stand-up routines, his television shows were interspersed with sketch comedy. He has had quite an impact on British comedy, and has influenced many contemporary British comedians, such as Mark Thomas [1] (http://www.unesco.org/courier/1999_05/uk/dires/txt1.htm).
Comedic history
Allen, who was the son of a well known journalist in Dublin, Ireland, had his first television appearance as the host for the BBC talent show New Faces in 1959. In 1961 he
toured England and France with a then unknown band called The Beatles, and toured South Africa in 1962 with Sophie Tucker, whom he described as "one of the most charming and delightful performers with whom I have ever worked". While on tour in Australia in 1963 he accepted an offer to headline a talk show, Tonight with Dave Allen, still considered one of the most successful shows in that country.
Allen returned to Britain in 1964, and made a variety of appearances on ITV, including The Blackpool Show, Val Parnell's Sunday Night at the London Palladium and The Val Doonican Show, and in 1967, Allen hosted his own comedy/chat series Tonight with Dave Allen which earned him the Variety Club's ITV Personality of the Year Award. The show ran for two years. He signed up with the BBC in 1969 and appeared on The Dave Allen Show a variety/comedy sketch series . This was followed by Dave Allen at Large (1971-1981), which introduced his trademark solo joke-telling-while-sitting-on-a-stool-drinking routine, and Dave Allen (1981-1990). In 1993, he moved back to ITV where he starred in their own version of Dave Allen, which was to be his final regular television series.
Other television work
Allen has done several documentaries, including Dave Allen in the Melting Pot 1969, In Search of the Great Eccentrics 1974 and Eccentrics at Play 1974. He has also had a successful stage career, starring in The Royal Court's production of Edna O'Brien's play, A Pagan Place as well as starring as both Mr. Darling and Captain Hook in the London Coliseum's production of Peter Pan, both of which were produced in 1972.
Trivia
Recently, Allen was forced to give up both his cigarettes and excess alcohol, both of which he enjoyed on his television appearances in the 1970s.
External links
|
