Comedian. Born David Tynan O'Mahony in Dublin, Ireland, he was the youngest of three sons of Cullen O'Mahony, the general manager of the Irish Times newspaper. Despite his father's professed agnosticism, Allen was educated by the notoriously strict Catholic Christian Brothers. He then started as a clerk at the Irish Independent newspaper, and then for the Drogheda Argus before he moved to London. After changing his surname to Allen for ease of pronunciation, he made his television debut as the host of a BBC talent show, ‘New Faces,' in 1959. He then took his show on the road in 1961, touring Britain and France with an little known band called the Beatles. In 1963, he accepted an offer for a talk show with Australia's Channel 9, ‘Tonight with Dave Allen' to which he devoted a year before returning to Britain. By 1964 he was appearing on the British Idependant Television network in numerous programs including ‘The Blackpool Show', ‘Sunday Night at the London Palladium' and 'The Val Doonican Show.' ‘The Dave Allen Show' debuted on British television in 1968. In 1970, he appeared in the feature film, ‘Squeeze a Flower' which he followed with another self named television series, ‘Dave Allen at Large' in 1971. The show ran until 1976 and is where he developed his signature presentation style – delivering from a stool, while nursing a drink. The show's formula of speaking to the audience from his high stool, with breaks for sketches was very successful; but his frequent jokes about religion were often a source of controversy. In the 1980s, he made several shows for Carlton Television. In 1993, he returned to ITV where he starred in ‘Dave Allen', which was to be his final television series and after which he moved into semi-retirement. He won a lifetime achievement award from the British Comedy Awards in 1996. He died suddenly and unexpectedly in his sleep at age sixty-eight. He was eulogized by a generation of British comedians to whom he was an inspiration; Allen's closing line was often cited: "Goodnight, thank you, and may your God go with you."
Comedian. Born David Tynan O'Mahony in Dublin, Ireland, he was the youngest of three sons of Cullen O'Mahony, the general manager of the Irish Times newspaper. Despite his father's professed agnosticism, Allen was educated by the notoriously strict Catholic Christian Brothers. He then started as a clerk at the Irish Independent newspaper, and then for the Drogheda Argus before he moved to London. After changing his surname to Allen for ease of pronunciation, he made his television debut as the host of a BBC talent show, ‘New Faces,' in 1959. He then took his show on the road in 1961, touring Britain and France with an little known band called the Beatles. In 1963, he accepted an offer for a talk show with Australia's Channel 9, ‘Tonight with Dave Allen' to which he devoted a year before returning to Britain. By 1964 he was appearing on the British Idependant Television network in numerous programs including ‘The Blackpool Show', ‘Sunday Night at the London Palladium' and 'The Val Doonican Show.' ‘The Dave Allen Show' debuted on British television in 1968. In 1970, he appeared in the feature film, ‘Squeeze a Flower' which he followed with another self named television series, ‘Dave Allen at Large' in 1971. The show ran until 1976 and is where he developed his signature presentation style – delivering from a stool, while nursing a drink. The show's formula of speaking to the audience from his high stool, with breaks for sketches was very successful; but his frequent jokes about religion were often a source of controversy. In the 1980s, he made several shows for Carlton Television. In 1993, he returned to ITV where he starred in ‘Dave Allen', which was to be his final television series and after which he moved into semi-retirement. He won a lifetime achievement award from the British Comedy Awards in 1996. He died suddenly and unexpectedly in his sleep at age sixty-eight. He was eulogized by a generation of British comedians to whom he was an inspiration; Allen's closing line was often cited: "Goodnight, thank you, and may your God go with you."
Bio by: Iola
