# Hello dere! Marty Allen dies. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 14, 2018, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-dere-marty-allen-dies/808813 "2018-02-14T04:29:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-dere-marty-allen-dies/808813/1 "2018-02-14T04:29:36Z")
Here’s one to check how old you are. [Marty Allen](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/13/obituaries/marty-allen-wild-eyed-comedy-star-is-dead-at-95.html?hpw&rref=obituaries&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region®ion=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well), of Allen and Rossi comedy duo, has died at 95. They were a big hit way back when, appearing on all the variety shows (especially Ed Sullivan) and working Vegas. Their humor doesn’t hold up well today, but they were considered very funny back then. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-dere-marty-allen-dies/808813/2 "2018-02-14T04:54:55Z")
Another “I thought he’d died a long time ago!” celebrity. ☹ I remember watching him on TV when I was a kid, and I thought he was hilarious. Can’t think of the last time he was on, though. I guess 95 is a pretty good run. :o RIP, Marty. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-dere-marty-allen-dies/808813/3 "2018-02-14T11:40:10Z")
1. I thought he was already dead. 2. I did not know he was from Pittsburgh. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-dere-marty-allen-dies/808813/4 "2018-02-14T12:11:29Z")
My wife and I went on a Caribbean cruise in December 2005. One day while we were in the breakfast buffet line, I saw a guy who was immediately recognizable to me as Marty Allen. He was with his wife and performing partner Karon. I chatted with him briefly. He said he and his wife had flown to our last port to join the cruise, would perform that night, and would get off at our next port. This was a semi-regular gig for them. He seemed like a pretty nice guy. We went to his show that night. He and his wife were excellent performers, in a well-written, well rehearsed, broad humor, vaudeville form of excellence. Pros. RIP ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-dere-marty-allen-dies/808813/5 "2018-02-14T12:40:01Z")
I remember him from his comedy act in the 1960s. as I’ve remarked on this Board before, I saw the Allen and Rossi movie **the Last of the Secret Agents?** back when it came out in 1966, observing that it was one of the many films of that period that sank into complete obscurity - it never appeared on TV as far as I know, nor has it ben on home media. (It had a title song by Nancy Sinatra, a la _You Only Live Twice_, which got re-used for the 1997 Bill Murray movie _The Man Who Knew Too Little_) aside from that, I dion’t think I’ve even though of the comedy duo, much less heard about them. Rossi died of cancer in 2014. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-dere-marty-allen-dies/808813/6 "2018-02-14T13:14:31Z")
1. I thought he was already dead. 2. According to the link in the OP, Allen and Rossi twice followed the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. 3. He was still performing well into his 90s: “94 years old and I’ve still got it!..but nobody wants it.” mmm ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-dere-marty-allen-dies/808813/7 "2018-02-14T17:03:16Z")
If anyone is interested Marc Maron just reposted his interview with Allen from a couple of years ago. Not as fast as he once was but an interesting interview. > **[REPOST - Marty Allen from 2015 — WTF with Marc Maron Podcast](http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/repost-marty-allen-from-2015)** > > From Episode 574, Marc talks with veteran comedian Marty Allen about his lifetime in show business. Marty passed away on February 12, 2018 at the age of 95. Believe it or not, Allen was also a war hero. He received the Soldiers Medal for rescuing people from a burning plane in Italy during WWII. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-dere-marty-allen-dies/808813/8 "2018-02-14T17:16:02Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > 1. I thought he was already dead. > 2. According to the link in the OP, Allen and Rossi twice followed the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. > 3. He was still performing well into his 90s: “94 years old and I’ve still got it!..but nobody wants it.” > mmm Steve Rossi, the straight man of the duo, died in 2014. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-dere-marty-allen-dies/808813/9 "2018-02-14T18:58:46Z")
One of his “Hollywood Squares” zingers: “What does a guy from Philadelphia dunk his pretzel in?” “A girl from New Jersey!” [And some others.](http://www.just-one-liners.com/ppl/marty-allen/) (Yeah, I know, a lot of them were probably prepared by writers ahead of time, but still. . . .) ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-dere-marty-allen-dies/808813/10 "2018-02-15T19:27:36Z")
I saw him once at LAX, not doing his act just waiting for a plane like me. I did what I always do when I see a celeb. Acknowledge with a wave/salute and leave them alone. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-dere-marty-allen-dies/808813/11 "2018-02-16T00:05:34Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > One of his “Hollywood Squares” zingers: > > “What does a guy from Philadelphia dunk his pretzel in?” > “A girl from New Jersey!” > > [And some others.](http://www.just-one-liners.com/ppl/marty-allen/) > > (Yeah, I know, a lot of them were probably prepared by writers ahead of time, but still. . . .) “What do you call a flock of chickens?” _“A bucket.”_ BTW, notice how much he looks like one of them little Troll dolls? [![](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTeHKmjy19uTiIAopHPx0pHqn81uIFsGnRPmb-yaNV6y1vTlFbBeg) ](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTeHKmjy19uTiIAopHPx0pHqn81uIFsGnRPmb-yaNV6y1vTlFbBeg) ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-dere-marty-allen-dies/808813/12 "2018-02-19T13:39:40Z")
Are there any Borscht Belt comedians left, or was Marty the last one? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hello-dere-marty-allen-dies/808813/13 "2018-02-19T14:33:18Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Are there any Borscht Belt comedians left, or was Marty the last one? Quite a few. E.g., [Jack Burns](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122698/) of Burns and Carlin and then Burns and Schreiber.