Editing Keith Allen (actor)

{{Short description|Welsh actor (born 1953)}}
{{Distinguish|Keith Allan (actor)}}
{{refimprove blp|date=April 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Keith Allen
| image              = Kieth Allen (7323203024) (cropped).jpg
| caption            = Allen in 2012
| birth_name         = Keith Howell Charles Allen
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1953|9|2}}
| birth_place        = [[Gorseinon]], [[West Glamorgan]], Wales
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| occupation         = {{hlist|Actor|comedian|musician|author|broadcaster}}
| years_active       = 1979–present
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|[[Alison Owen]]<br />|1984|1989|end=divorced}}
* {{marriage|[[Nira Park]]|1997|end=divorced}}
}}
| children           = 6, including [[Lily Allen|Lily]] and [[Alfie Allen]]
| partner            = [[Tamzin Malleson]]
| relatives          = [[Kevin Allen (director)|Kevin Allen]] (brother)
}}

'''Keith Howell Charles Allen''' (born 2 September 1953) is a Welsh actor, comedian, musician and television presenter. He is the father of singer [[Lily Allen]] and actor [[Alfie Allen]] and brother of actor/director [[Kevin Allen (director)|Kevin Allen]].

==Early life and education ==
Keith Howell Charles Allen was born on 2 September 1953<ref name="debretts">[http://www.debretts.com/people-of-today/profile/28224/Keith-Howell-Charles-ALLEN  "Keith Allen, Esq"] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20151028213106/http://www.debretts.com/people-of-today/profile/28224/Keith-Howell-Charles-ALLEN |date=28 October 2015 }} ''Debretts People of Today''. Retrieved 1 October 2014.</ref> in [[Gorseinon]], Wales.<ref name="turner2007" />{{efn|This dead source says he was born in [[Llanelli]], [[Carmarthenshire]], the second of three children<ref name="Indep">"[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/you-ask-the-questions-such-as-keith-allen-how-do-you-feel-about-being-every-soccer-hooligans-favourite-pop-star-717550.html You ask the questions (Such as: Keith Allen, how do you feel about being every soccer hooligan's favourite pop star?)]{{dead link|date=July 2014}}", ''[[The Independent]]'', 31 May 2000. Retrieved 19 March 2011</ref>}} His father was Edward Charles Owen, a [[Royal Navy]] [[Petty officer#United Kingdom|petty officer]] [[submarine]]r,<ref name="barratt2007" /> and his mother a Welsh waitress.<ref name="turner2007" /> His younger brother is actor [[Kevin Allen (director)|Kevin Allen]].<ref name="barratt2007">{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/portal/2007/05/19/nosplit/ftdett119.xml | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011143606/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/portal/2007/05/19/nosplit/ftdett119.xml | url-status=dead | archive-date=11 October 2007 | work=The Daily Telegraph | location=London | title=Family detective | first=Nick | last=Barratt | date=19 May 2007 | access-date=7 May 2010}}</ref> He spent his early years near [[Swansea]] and in [[Malta]], and most of his childhood in [[Gosport]], [[Hampshire]], while his father served in [[Portsmouth]]<ref name="Maxwell">Maxwell, Dominic (2009) "[https://www.thetimes.com/article/keith-allen-confessions-of-an-angry-old-man-8xf3m9fg25k Keith Allen: confessions of an angry old man]", ''[[The Times]]'', 6 October 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2011</ref> or away at sea. Although he spent much of his life in England, he regards himself as Welsh.<ref name=turner2007/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/tv/pembrokeshire-murders-keith-allen-welsh-19610622 |title=Is The Pembrokeshire Murders actor Keith Allen Welsh? |first=Kathryn |last=Williams |date=13 January 2021 |website=WalesOnline |access-date=29 August 2021 |quote=Luckily, during a press panel for The Pembrokeshire Murders the 67-year-old settled the debate over whether he considers himself a Welshman, saying: "I am Welsh," when interview Nina Hossain from ITV wondered whether to label him as such.}}</ref>

At the age of 11, when his father was posted to [[Singapore]], he was sent to boarding school<ref name="Billen"/> at [[Brentwood School, Essex|Sir Anthony Browns Brentwood]],<ref name="debretts"/> a [[public school (United Kingdom)|public school]] in [[Essex]].<ref name="Billen">Billen, Andrew (2006) "[https://www.thetimes.com/article/i-had-a-great-time-in-borstal-zmw0wlsfkcv I had a great time in borstal]", ''[[The Times]]'', 13 October 2006. Retrieved 19 March 2011</ref> He was expelled from the school at the age of 13 after meddling with organ pipes, causing trouble at morning assembly. This led to a period in [[borstal]]<ref name=turner2007>{{cite web |last=Turner |first=Robin |title=Borstal and Swansea comp made me who I am |website=Wales Online |date=29 May 2007 |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/borstal-swansea-comp-made-who-2255196#google_vignette |access-date=29 November 2024}}</ref>  before attending [[Brune Park Community School]] in Gosport.<ref name="debretts"/> He has said that he went to a [[comprehensive school]] in Swansea (where he was in 1966), a public school, a borstal, and a detention centre, all within five years. He earned six [[O-levels]], leading to entry to the [[Welsh College of Music and Drama]]. Parking in the principal's carpark and an ensuing row led to his expulsion from the college.<ref name=turner2007/>

==Career==
Allen has acted in both films and television, presented television programmers, and has also appeared in pantomimes.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wiegand|first=Chris|date=2008-11-18|title=What to say about … Treasure Island with Keith Allen|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2008/nov/18/theatre-panto-treasure-island-keith-allen|access-date=2020-06-12|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Turner|first1=Graeme|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7a1Ao1usX3wC&q=keith+allen+pantomime&pg=PA130|title=Television Studies After TV: Understanding Television in the Post-Broadcast Era|last2=Tay|first2=Jinna|date=2009-03-27|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-02167-3|language=en}}</ref> 

===Early work===
After having several jobs during the 1970s, including a job as a [[stagehand]] from which he was sacked after joining [[Max Bygraves]]' chorus line on stage naked, Allen worked as a stand-up comedian and vocalist, opening for punk bands such as [[The Clash]].<ref name="Viner">Viner, Brian (2001) "[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/keith-allen-an-actor-and-a-character-682590.html Keith Allen: An actor and a character]", ''[[The Independent]]'', 26 April 2001. Retrieved 19 March 2011 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090402220257/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/keith-allen-an-actor-and-a-character-682590.html |date=2 April 2009 }}</ref>

===Acting career===
[[File:KeithAllen.jpg|thumb|Allen in 2005]]
Allen appeared in a number of films in the series ''[[The Comic Strip|The Comic Strip Presents...]]'' on [[Channel 4]] in the 1980s after becoming one of the breakthrough acts of the [[The Comedy Store, London|Comedy Store]] in 1979. Notable episodes featuring Allen include ''[[The Bullshitters: Roll Out The Gunbarrel|The Bullshitters]]'' (a parody of ''[[The Professionals (TV series)|The Professionals]]''), and ''[[The Yob]]'' (a parody of ''[[The Fly (1986 film)|The Fly]]''), which he also co-wrote. Allen appeared alongside fellow Comic Strip alumni as Pestilence in ''[[The Young Ones (TV series)|The Young Ones]]'' episode "Interesting." Allen has performed both straight and comedy acting. In 1985 The Comic Strip hit the big screen with ''[[The Supergrass]]'' starring Allen, [[Adrian Edmondson]], Peter Richardson, [[Jennifer Saunders]] and [[Robbie Coltrane]], directed by Comic Strip actor Peter Richardson.

In 1986, he appeared in ''[[Comrades (1986 film)|Comrades]]'', a film about the [[Tolpuddle Martyrs]].

During the brief period of [[British Satellite Broadcasting]] as an alternative satellite broadcaster to [[British Sky Broadcasting|Sky]], he had a regular comedy show of his own ''I Love Keith Allen'' on the [[Galaxy (British TV channel)|Galaxy channel]], a mix of stand-up and sketches. He appeared in the final [[Carry On (franchise)|Carry On film]] ''[[Carry On Columbus]]'' (1992) playing Pepi The Poisoner.

Allen made a cameo appearance in the [[black comedy]] ''[[Twin Town]],'' directed by his brother Kevin, and the Channel 4 adaptation of ''[[A Very British Coup (TV series)|A Very British Coup]].'' He played the lodger who dies at the beginning of Danny Boyle's thriller ''[[Shallow Grave (1994 film)|Shallow Grave]]'' (1994). In the same year, he played Jonas Chuzzlewit in a [[BBC]] adaptation of Dickens'  ''[[Martin Chuzzlewit]]''. He was used again by Boyle to play a drug dealer in ''[[Trainspotting (film)|Trainspotting]]'' (1996). Danny Boyle has said that Allen's character from ''Trainspotting'' is the same one that moves into the shared flat in ''Shallow Grave'' – he wears the same clothes. He also appeared disguised as a fictional hip-hop star "Keithski" to present ''[[Top of the Pops]]'' on 2 March 1995.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp2/trivia/presenters/list11.shtml List of Presenters for Top of the Pops]. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 7 September 2007.</ref>

In 2000, Allen appeared in two [[Harold Pinter]] plays at the [[Almeida Theatre]], playing Lambert in ''[[Celebration (play)|Celebration]]'' and Mr Sands in ''[[The Room (play)|The Room]]''. These were performed again at The [[Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts|Lincoln Center Festival]] in July 2001.<ref>[http://www.haroldpinter.org/directing/directing_theroom.shtml Celebration and The Room, by Harold Pinter, The Almeida, 16 March 2000. The Lincoln Center Festival, New York, July 2001]. haroldpinter.org</ref>

In 2001, he played the character of "problem-solver" Jim Napeworth in an episode of ''[[Murder in Mind (TV series)|Murder in Mind]]'', and in 2004 cameoed in ''[[Black Books]]'' as poker-player Dave 'Mouse Ears' Smith. In 2002 he played the [[London Records]] executive Roger Ames in ''[[24 Hour Party People]]'', a film about [[Factory Records]] and the [[Manchester]] music scene. Allen cameoed in the Channel 4 sitcom ''[[Spaced]]'' in a short homage to the [[Stanley Kubrick]] film, ''[[The Shining (film)|The Shining]]''. He appeared as the villain in the sequel to 2004's ''[[Agent Cody Banks]]'', ''[[Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London]]'', opposite [[Frankie Muniz]]. He appeared in the hospital drama, ''[[Bodies (2004 TV series)|Bodies]]'', as Mr Tony Whitman, a sarcastic but somehow likeable consultant [[obstetrician]] with an enormous ego. In 2005 he appeared in the [[Endemol]]-produced [[BBC Two]] television programme ''Art School'' alongside [[Ulrika Jonsson]], [[John Humphrys]], and [[Clarissa Dickson Wright]] where he discovered a passion for painting. From 2006 to 2009, Allen appeared in the BBC's ''[[Robin Hood (2006 TV series)|Robin Hood]]'' drama series, as the [[Sheriff of Nottingham]].

Allen has also starred in pantomimes, such as an adaptation of [[Robert Louis Stevenson]]'s ''[[Treasure Island]]'' in 2008, written by [[Ken Ludwig]] and directed by [[Sean Holmes (theatre director)|Sean Holmes]]; he took the role of a gritty [[Long John Silver]] in the [[Theatre Royal Haymarket]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Vlahos|first=Eros|date=2008-12-18|title=Kids on panto: Treasure Island / Theatre Royal Haymarket, London|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2008/dec/18/panto-treasure-island-keith-allen|access-date=2020-06-12|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2008-11-13|title=Arrgh! What's this? Long John Silver with no stump|url=http://www.standard.co.uk/news/arrgh-whats-this-long-john-silver-with-no-stump-6882576.html|access-date=2020-06-12|website=Evening Standard|language=en}}</ref>

In September 2011, he appeared in the BBC six-part drama series ''[[The Body Farm (TV series)|The Body Farm]]'' as DI Hale. 2012 (2013 in the UK) saw the release of the [[Sara Sugarman]] comedy film ''[[Vinyl (2012 film)|Vinyl]]'' in which Keith played an ageing rock star who finds himself back in the public eye after his band member fools the music industry into giving them a record deal. In 2013, he played Darren the farmer in episode 1.5 of the comedy drama series ''[[Great Night Out]]''.

In April 2013, Allen starred in a revival of [[Richard Bean]]'s black comedy ''Smack Family Robinson'' at The Rose Theatre, [[Kingston upon Thames]].

In January 2021, Allen played serial killer and rapist John Cooper in the ITV 3-part drama, ''[[The Pembrokeshire Murders]]''. In 2023, Allen appeared as Dai Williams in the BBC crime drama ''[[Steeltown Murders]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/steeltown-murders-cast-bbc/|title=Meet the cast of Steeltown Murders|website=Radio Times|last=Craig|first=David|date=15 May 2023|access-date=22 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/steeltown-murders-bbc-one-review-thoughtful-true-crime-drama-2340732|title=Steeltown Murders, BBC One, review: A more thoughtful class of true crime drama|website=iNewspaper|last=Gilbert|first=Gerard|date=15 May 2023|access-date=22 May 2023}}</ref>

===TV presenter===
Allen presented the TV show ''Whatever You Want'' in 1982, during the early days of [[Channel Four]] and has presented television documentaries for [[Victor Lewis-Smith]]'s [[Associated-Rediffusion]] Television Productions: ''[[Lauren Harries|Little Lady Fauntleroy]]'' (2004), which saw Allen interview [[Lauren Harries]] and her family,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-gof0my/little-lady-fauntleroy/|title=Little Lady Fauntleroy|website=Radio Times|access-date=15 March 2023}}</ref> ''You're Fayed'' (2005) and on ''[[Michael Carroll (lottery winner)|Michael Carroll – King of Chavs]]'' (2006). In 2007 his documentary ''Tourette De France'' appeared on [[Channel 4]], in which he travelled with a group of Scottish people with [[Tourette syndrome]], including [[John Davidson (Tourette syndrome campaigner)|John Davidson]], on an [[AEC Routemaster]] bus from London to the Parisian hospital where this condition was described by [[Georges Gilles de la Tourette]] in 1884.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tourette de France |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0954980/ |website=IMDb}}</ref> He also presented the British erotic direct-to-video series ''Red Tape''.

''Keith Allen Will Burn in Hell'' appeared on Channel 4 in June 2007, and showed Allen profiling the controversial [[Westboro Baptist Church]], led by [[Fred Phelps]], and speaking to members of the church and Phelps's family. <ref>{{cite web |title=Keith Allen Will Burn in Hell |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1056472/ |website=IMDb |access-date=3 January 2025}}</ref>

Allen presented the ''[[Manchester Passion]]'', a contemporary retelling of the last few hours in the life of Jesus on [[Good Friday]], 14 April 2006. <ref>{{cite web |title=Manchester Passion |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0795422 |website=IMBd |access-date=3 January 2025}}</ref>

''Keith Meets Keith'', screened on 14 September 2009 on Channel 4, in which Allen tracked down TV chef [[Keith Floyd]]. The show contained what turned out to be Floyd's final interview for television, as he died of a heart attack on the evening the documentary was screened.<ref>{{cite web |title=Keith Meets Keith |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1510272/ |website=IMDb |access-date=3 January 2025}}</ref>

Allen's documentary film about the [[death of Diana, Princess of Wales]], ''[[Unlawful Killing (film)|Unlawful Killing]]'' was intended for release in 2011. [[Mohamed Al-Fayed]], the film's only financial backer, contributed the film's £2.5 million budget.<ref name="Higgins">{{cite news|last=Higgins|first=Charlotte|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/may/13/keith-allen-diana-film-cannes?INTCMP=SRCH|title=Not for British eyes: Keith Allen's Diana film seeks headlines in Cannes|author-link=Charlotte Higgins|date=14 May 2011|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=14 May 2011|location=London}}</ref><ref name="Singh">{{cite news|last1=Singh|first1=Anita|last2=Rayner|first2=Gordon|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/cannes-film-festival/8513112/Unlawful-Killing-film-about-the-death-of-Diana-likens-Prince-Philip-to-Fred-West.html|title=Unlawful Killing: film about the death of Diana likens Prince Philip to Fred West|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=13 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121229100438/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/cannes-film-festival/8513112/Unlawful-Killing-film-about-the-death-of-Diana-likens-Prince-Philip-to-Fred-West.html|archive-date=29 December 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Allen argued in ''The Guardian'' that it detailed a "provable conspiracy after the crash".<ref>{{cite news|last=Allen|first=Keith|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/may/07/unlawful-killing-film-you-wont-see|title=Unlawful Killing – the film the British won't get to see|work=The Guardian|date=7 May 2011|access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref> It accuses [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth]] and [[Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon|Princess Margaret]] of being "gangsters in tiaras" and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Philip]] of being a "psychopath".<ref name="Higgins" /><ref name="Singh" /> Allen said he refused to make 87 cuts asked for by lawyers to enable the film to be shown in Britain.<ref name="Higgins" /> His film was permanently shelved in 2012 after it became known it could not be screened in the United States as it was impossible to insure it against potential litigation.<ref>{{cite news|last=Child|first=Ben|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/jul/05/princess-diana-documentary-unlawful-killing|title=Princess Diana documentary Unlawful Killing is shelved|work=The Guardian|date=5 July 2012|access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref>

===Music===
Allen was a member of London punk band the Atoms in the 1970s,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/keith-allen-litterers-should-be-shot-and-killed-8523173.html|title=Keith Allen: 'Litterers should be shot and killed'|date=10 March 2013|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|access-date=20 July 2020}}</ref> and later [[Fat Les]], a band which also featured artist [[Damien Hirst]] and [[Blur (band)|Blur]] bassist [[Alex James (musician)|Alex James]].

In 1980 he starred as the Devil in a short movie called ''Meteor Madness'' which featured London psychobilly band [[The Meteors]]. The film played in cinemas as the opening to the [[Two-tone (music genre)|Two-Tone]] film ''[[Dance Craze]]'' which was released in February 1981. That was the only time ''Meteor Madness'' was shown, and it has never been released on video or DVD.

He was also closely associated with the band [[New Order (band)|New Order]], directing the video for their 1993 song "[[Ruined in a Day]]", which depicts Allen and the band members immersed in a bizarre game of charades with a group of [[Buddhist monks]]. He co-wrote their only UK number one single, "[[World in Motion]]", and occasionally performed with them live, including their headline show at the [[Reading Festival]] in 1998. He also appeared in the band's DVD ''[[New Order Story]]'', where he played host to a fictional [[New Order (band)|New Order]] game show.

Allen appeared as the businessman in the music video to [[Blur (band)|Blur]]'s 1995 hit "[[Country House (song)|Country House]]".

He has been involved in several other football-related records, including "England's Irie" by [[Black Grape]] and wrote the lyrics for "[[Vindaloo (song)|Vindaloo]]" by [[Fat Les]]. He also contributed the song "On Me Head, Son" to the film ''[[Mike Bassett: England Manager]]'', credited on the soundtrack album to Sporting Les.

==Personal life==
As a guest on ''[[Top Gear (2002 TV series)|Top Gear]]'' on 9 December 2007, Allen said that claims he had eight children were not true and that he actually has six children by four women. His children include pop singer [[Lily Allen]] and actor [[Alfie Allen]] with his first wife [[Alison Owen]]. He married his second wife, [[Nira Park]], in 1997. After his divorce from Park, Allen became the partner of actress [[Tamzin Malleson]] (who starred alongside him in ''Bodies''), and the couple had a daughter, Teddie Allen, in 2006.<ref>[http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1553135,00.html "I can't stand actors"], ''The Observer'', Sunday 21 August 2005</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson |first=Sarah |url=http://sarahdoula.blogspot.com/2006/12/actor-chooses-home-birth-shock-horror.html |title=Johnson, Sarah; "Actor chooses home birth shock horror"; Birth Wisdom; 6 December 2006 |publisher=Sarahdoula.blogspot.com |date=6 December 2006 |access-date=19 July 2014}}</ref> They live in [[Stroud]], [[Gloucestershire]].<ref>Scott, Danny (January 31, 2016). [https://web.archive.org/web/20160410080821/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/Magazine/a_life_in_the_day/article1661198.ece "A Life in the Day: Keith Allen, comedian"]. ''[[The Sunday Times]]''.</ref><ref>[http://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/celebrity-5-minute-stroudie/story-11932593-detail/story.html "Celebrity 5 Minute Stroudie"]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Gloucestershire Live. May 20, 2009.</ref> In 2017, Allen and Malleson opened a diner in Stroud, built with the diner set of ''[[Kingsman: The Golden Circle]]'' which Allen recovered after shooting the film.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk/news/15386294.PICTURES__Tamzin_Malleson_and_Keith_Allen_launch_American_style_diner_in_former_Stroud_chip_shop/ |title=Tamzin Malleson and Keith Allen launch American style diner in former Stroud chip shop |first=Sam |last=Evans |work=[[Stroud News & Journal]] |date=3 July 2017 |access-date=19 March 2018}}</ref>

In the mid-1980s Allen served a 21-day jail sentence in [[Pentonville Prison]] after being found guilty of criminal damage at the Zanzibar club in [[Covent Garden]].<ref name="Millard">Millard, Rosie (2008) "[https://web.archive.org/web/20100604230635/http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/celebrity/article5154354.ece Keith Allen: 'I get to do what I want']", ''[[The Times]]'', 15 November 2008. Retrieved 19 March 2011</ref><ref>Kelly, Danny (1985) "Comic With Conviction", ''[[NME]]'', 2 February 1985, p. 3</ref>

Although a staunch [[Socialism|socialist]], whose political philosophy was influenced by the [[Workers Revolutionary Party (UK)|Workers' Revolutionary Party]], Allen has expressed grudging admiration for [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] politicians [[David Cameron]] and [[William Hague]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Allen|first=Keith|title=Grow Up|year=2007|publisher=Ebury Press|location=London|isbn=978-0-09-191071-6|page=191}}</ref><ref name="Gordon">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/3636129/Keith-Allen-mad-bad-and-dangerous-to-know.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/3636129/Keith-Allen-mad-bad-and-dangerous-to-know.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Keith Allen: mad, bad and dangerous to know?|author=Bryony Gordon|author-link=Bryony Gordon|date=4 April 2008|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=10 October 2011|quote=I actually quite like [Cameron]. It's come to something when I think David Cameron is all right!}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Allen has on his shoulder a tattoo of Rinka the dog, owned by [[Norman Josiffe|Norman Scott]], which was shot dead during the [[Thorpe affair|Jeremy Thorpe scandal]]. He has explained that: "I had the tattoo placed on my arm lest I forget, so I have a history of having suspicions about the establishment and the government and court cases".<ref name=walesonline>{{cite news|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/05/14/my-diana-film-reveals-things-that-don-t-add-up-keith-allen-91466-28693293/#ixzz1MReElnba|title=My Diana film reveals things that don't add up – Keith Allen|work=Wales Online|date=22 March 2013|access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref>

He is a supporter of [[Fulham Football Club]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/oct/18/my-sporting-life-lily-allen|title=My sporting life: Lily Allen|last=Bilmes|first=Alex|date=2009-10-17|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-05-15|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

==Selected filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
! class="unsortable" |Notes
|-
| rowspan="2" |1985
|''[[The Supergrass]]''
|Wong
|
|-
|''[[Loose Connections]]''
|Keith
|
|-
|1986
|''[[Comrades (1986 film)|Comrades]]''
|James Hammett
|
|-
|1988
|''[[The Yob]]''
|Patrick Church
|
|-
|1989
|''[[Scandal (1989 film)|Scandal]]''
|Kevin
|
|-
|1990
|''[[Chicago Joe and the Showgirl]]''
|Lenny Bexley
|
|-
|1992
|''[[Carry On Columbus]]''
|Pepi The Poisoner
|
|-
|1993
|''[[The Young Americans (film)|The Young Americans]]''
|Jack Doyle
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |1994
|''[[Shallow Grave (1994 film)|Shallow Grave]]''
|Hugo
|
|-
|''Beyond Bedlam''
|Marc Gilmour
|
|-
|''[[Captives]]''
|Lenny
|
|-
|1995
|''[[Blue Juice]]''
|Mike
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1996
|''[[Loch Ness (film)|Loch Ness]]''
|Gordon Shoals
|
|-
|''[[Trainspotting (film)|Trainspotting]]''
|The Dealer
|
|-
|1997
|''[[Twin Town]]''
|Emrys
|
|-
|2000
|''[[Rancid Aluminium]]''
|Dr Jones
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |2001
|''[[The Others (2001 film)|The Others]]''
|Mr. Marlish
|
|-
|''[[My Wife Is an Actress]]''
|Dave, The Film Director
|
|-
|''[[Mike Bassett: England Manager]]''
|Himself
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |2004
|''[[Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London]]''
|Victor Diaz
|
|-
|''[[De-Lovely]]''
|Irving Berlin
|
|-
|2008
|''[[A Film with Me in It]]''
|Jack
|
|-
|2011
|''[[Unlawful Killing (film)|Unlawful Killing]]''
|Narrator
|Also director
|-
|2013
|''[[Vinyl (2012 film)|Vinyl]]''
|Minto, band member
|
|-
|2015
|''[[Hector (2015 film)|Hector]]''
|Jimbo
|
|-
|2016
|''[[Eddie the Eagle (film)|Eddie the Eagle]]''
|Terry, Father
|
|-
|2017
|''[[Kingsman: The Golden Circle]]''
|Charles
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |2021
|''La Cha Cha''
|Paulie
|
|-
|''[[Rise of the Footsoldier|Rise of the Footsoldier: Origins]]''
|Dave Simms
|
|-
|2023
|''[[The Buckingham Murders]]''
|Miller
|
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
! class="unsortable" |Notes
|-
|1982
|''[[The Young Ones (TV series)|The Young Ones]]''
|Pestilence
|Episode: "Interesting"
|-
|1988
|''[[A Very British Coup (TV series)|A Very British Coup]]''
|Thompson
|3 episodes
|-
|1989–1991
|''[[Making Out (TV series)|Making Out]]''
|Rex Buckley
|12 episodes
|-
|1993
|''[[Inspector Morse (TV series)|Inspector Morse]]''
|John Peter Barrie
|Episode: "The Day of the Devil"
|-
| rowspan="2" |1994
|''[[Faith (British TV series)|Faith]]''
|Jeff Wagland
|4 episodes
|-
|''[[Martin Chuzzlewit (1994 TV series)|Martin Chuzzlewit]]''
|Jonas Chuzzlewit
|6 episodes
|-
|1996
|''[[Sharman (TV series)|Sharman]]''
|Brady
|Episode: "Hearts of Stone"
|-
|1997
|''[[Born to Run (TV series)|Born to Run]]''
|Byron Flitch
|6 episodes
|-
|1998
|''[[The Life and Crimes of William Palmer]]''
|Dr. William Palmer
|2 episodes
|-
|1999
|''[[Jack of Hearts (TV series)|Jack of Hearts]]''
|Jack Denby
|6 episodes
|-
|2000–2001
|''[[Bob Martin (TV series)|Bob Martin]]''
|Vinnie
|11 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" |2004
|''[[Black Books]]''
|Dave "Mouse Ears" Smith
|Episode: "A Little Flutter"
|-
|''Little Lady Fauntleroy''
|Presenter
|Channel 4 documentary
|-
|2004–2006
|''[[Bodies (2004 TV series)|Bodies]]''
|Dr. Tony Whitman
|17 episodes
|-
|2005–2011
|''[[New Tricks]]''
|Roger McHugh
|2 episodes
|-
|2006–2009
|''[[Robin Hood (2006 TV series)|Robin Hood]]''
|[[Vaisey, Sheriff of Nottingham]]
|34 episodes
|-
|2007
|''[[Mobile (TV series)|Mobile]]''
|Sir James Corson
|3 episodes
|-
|2009
|''Keith Meets Keith''
|himself
|Television film; also director
|-
|2010–2011
|''[[The Runaway (TV series)|The Runaway]]''
|Danny Dixon
|6 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" |2011
|''[[Case Histories (TV series)|Case Histories]]''
|Richard Moat
|2 episodes
|-
|''[[The Body Farm (TV series)|The Body Farm]]''
|D.I. Hale
|6 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" |2013
|''[[Great Night Out]]''
|Darren, the farmer
|Episode: #1.5
|-
|''[[By Any Means (2013 TV series)|By Any Means]]''
|Nicholas Mason
|Episode: #1.1
|-
|2014–2015
|''[[My Mad Fat Diary]]''
|Victor
|3 episodes
|-
|2015
|''[[Uncle (British TV series)|Uncle]]''
|Uncle Frank
|Episode: #2.5
|-
| rowspan="3" |2016
|''We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story''
|[[Paul Fox (television executive)|Paul Fox]]
|Television film
|-
|''[[Time Crashers]]''
|Himself
|
|-
|''[[Death in Paradise (TV series)|Death in Paradise]]''
|Neil Jenkins
|Episode: "Lost Identity"
|-
|2018
|''[[Marcella (TV series)|Marcella]]''
|Alan Summers
|6 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" |2021
|''[[The Pembrokeshire Murders]]''
|[[John Cooper (serial killer)|John Cooper]]
|3 episodes
|-
|''[[Midsomer Murders]]''
|Harry Marx
|Episode: "The Stitcher Society"
|-
|2022
|''[[Agatha Raisin (TV series)|Agatha Raisin]]''
|Rev. Arthur Chance
|Episode: "A Spoonful of Poison"
|-
|2023
|''[[Steeltown Murders]]''
|Dai Williams
|4 episodes
|}

=== Music videos ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
|-
|1990
|[[Englandneworder|ENGLANDneworder]]: "[[World in Motion]]"
|Himself
|-
|1995
|[[Blur (band)|Blur]]: "[[Country House (song)|Country House]]"
|Successful Fella
|-
|1998
|[[Fat Les]]: "[[Vindaloo (song)|Vindaloo]]"
|Narrator
|}

==Books==
* {{cite book
 | date = June 2007
 | title = Grow Up
 | last = Allen
 | first = Keith
 | publisher = [[Ebury Press]]
 | isbn = 978-0-09-191070-9
 | url-access = registration
 | url = https://archive.org/details/growupautobiogra0000alle
 }}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{cc}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0020717|name=Keith Allen}}
* [http://film.guardian.co.uk/Player/Player_Page/0,4159,45443,00.html Guardian Unlimited profile]

{{Lily Allen}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Keith}}
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Welsh male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century Welsh male actors]]
[[Category:Welsh film directors]]
[[Category:Welsh male comedians]]
[[Category:Welsh male film actors]]
[[Category:British male film actors]]
[[Category:Welsh male musicians]]
[[Category:Welsh male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Welsh male television actors]]
[[Category:British male television actors]]
[[Category:Welsh socialists]]
[[Category:Welsh television presenters]]
[[Category:Male actors from Swansea]]
[[Category:People educated at Brentwood School, Essex]]
[[Category:Actors from Llanelli]]
[[Category:Actors from Stroud]]
[[Category:Male actors from Gloucestershire]]
[[Category:20th-century squatters]]
[[Category:Welsh people of English descent]]
[[Category:Actors from Gosport]]
[[Category:Male actors from Hampshire]]
[[Category:Comedians from Hampshire]]
[[Category:Comedians from Swansea]]
[[Category:Comedians from Gloucestershire]]
[[Category:Allen family (show business)|K]]
[[Category:Male actors from Carmarthenshire]]