Editing Steve Allen (section)

{{Short description|American comedian, actor, and musician (1921–2000)}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Steve Allen
| image              = Steve Allen - press photo.JPG
| caption            = Allen in 1977
| birth_name         = Stephen Valentine Allen
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1921|12|26}}
| birth_place        = New York City, U.S.
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|2000|10|30|1921|12|26}}
| death_place        = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| resting_place      = [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park]]
| party              = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| alma_mater         = [[Arizona State University|Arizona State Teachers College]]
| spouse             = {{ubl|{{Marriage|Dorothy Goodman|1943|1952|end= div}}|{{Marriage|[[Jayne Meadows]]|1954}}}}
| known_for          = Co-creator and first host of ''[[The Tonight Show]]''
| children           = 4
| occupation         = {{flatlist|
* Comedian
* television personality
* radio personality
* actor
* musician
* composer
* writer
}}
| years_active       = 1940–2000
| website            = {{URL|steveallen.com}}
}}

'''Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen''' (December 26, 1921&nbsp;– October 30, 2000) was an American television and radio personality, comedian, musician, composer, writer, and actor. In 1954, he achieved national fame as the co-creator and first host of ''[[The Tonight Show]]'', which was the first late-night television [[talk show]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=JP |date=2021-12-26 |title=A film that didn't make beautiful music |url=https://www.donnareed.org/post/a-film-that-didn-t-make-beautiful-music-1 |access-date=2023-09-03 |website=Donna |language=en}}</ref>

Though he got his start in radio, Allen is best known for his extensive network television career. He gained national attention as a guest host on ''[[Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts]].'' After he hosted ''[[The Tonight Show]]'', he went on to host numerous game and variety shows, including his own ''[[The Steve Allen Show]]'', ''[[I've Got a Secret]]'', and ''The New Steve Allen Show''. He was a regular panel member on CBS's ''[[What's My Line?]]'' and, from 1977 until 1981,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Steve Allen |url=https://www.emmys.com/bios/steve-allen |access-date=2023-09-03 |website=Television Academy |language=en}}</ref> he wrote, produced, and hosted the award-winning [[public broadcasting]] show ''[[Meeting of Minds]]'', a series of [[historical drama]]s presented in a talk format.

Allen was a pianist<ref>''Life'', February 13, 1956. p. 56.</ref> and a prolific composer. By his own estimate, he wrote more than 8,500 songs,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.steveallen.com/main_page/index.html|title="Steve Allen and His Music"&nbsp;— Welcome to Steve Allen Online! (Official website)|publisher=Celebrity Solutions|access-date=July 26, 2016}}</ref> some of which were recorded by numerous leading singers. Allen won the 1964 [[Grammy Award for Best Original Jazz Composition]] for "Gravy Waltz,"<ref>{{Cite web |title=1964 GRAMMY WINNERS, 7th Annual GRAMMY Awards |url=https://www.grammy.com/awards/7th-annual-grammy-awards |access-date=2023-09-03 |website=www.grammy.com}}</ref> for which he wrote the lyrics. He also wrote more than 50 books, including novels, children's books, and books of opinions, including his final book, ''Vulgarians at the Gate: Trash TV and Raunch Radio'' (2001).

In 1996, Allen was presented with the [[Martin Gardner]] Lifetime Achievement Award from the [[Committee for Skeptical Inquiry]] (CSICOP).<ref name="First World Congress 1996">{{Cite journal|title=CSICOP Award Winners|journal=Skeptical Inquirer|date=1996|volume=20|issue=5|page=7}}</ref> He has two stars on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] and [[The Steve Allen Theater|a Hollywood theater]] named in his honor.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.laweekly.com/2006-02-02/stage/the-god-and-satan-show/ |title=The God and Satan Show |author=Anthony Dalessandro |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=February 1, 2006 |access-date=2012-01-05}}</ref>