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American actor (1900–1974) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Allen Curtis Jenkins (born Alfred McGonegal; April 9, 1900 – July 20, 1974) was an American character actor, voice actor and singer who worked on stage, film, and television.[1] He may be best known to some audiences as the voice of Officer Charlie Dibble in the Hanna-Barbera TV cartoon series Top Cat (1961–62).
Allen Jenkins | |
|---|---|
Jenkins in Havana Widows (1933) | |
| Born | Alfred McGonegal April 9, 1900 Staten Island, New York, U.S. |
| Died | July 20, 1974 (aged 74) Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, voice actor, singer |
| Years active | 1923–1974 |
| Spouse | Mary Landee |
| Children | 3 |
Jenkins was born on Staten Island, New York, on April 9, 1900.[2]
Jenkins had been a stage actor since 1922. He signed a seven-year contract with Warner Bros. in 1932 and established himself quickly as a gloom-faced, wisecracking character player, useful in comedies, dramas, and musicals (he was an accomplished dancer). He was a member of Hollywood's so-called "Irish Mafia", a group of Irish-American actors and friends which included Spencer Tracy, James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, and Frank McHugh.[3][4] His Warner agreement was non-exclusive so he could appear in films for other studios, such as Whirlpool (as Jack Holt's sidekick) and Dead End (as Humphrey Bogart's sidekick).
After his Warner agreement lapsed, Jenkins freelanced for the rest of his career. After World War II, when Hollywood studios made fewer feature films, Jenkins found work at lesser studios, including those of Robert L. Lippert, Monogram Pictures, and Republic Pictures. He also began appearing in the new field of television.
In 1959, Jenkins played the role of elevator operator Harry in the comedy Pillow Talk. He was a regular on the television sitcom Hey, Jeannie! (1956–57), starring Jeannie Carson and often portrayed Muggsy on the 1950s-1970s CBS series The Red Skelton Show. He was also a guest star on many other television programs, such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Mr. and Mrs. North, I Love Lucy, Playhouse 90, The Tab Hunter Show, The Ernie Kovacs Show, Zane Grey Theater, and Your Show of Shows. He had a cameo appearance in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963). Eleven days before his death, he made his final appearance, at the end of Billy Wilder's remake of The Front Page (1974); it was released posthumously.
Jenkins died of lung cancer on July 20, 1974, at age 74. His body was cremated, and the ashes were scattered at sea.[5]
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