Former Rare Staff
Legendary comedian and veteran of World War II Marty Allen has passed away at the age of 95, according to the Associated Press.
Videos by Rare
Allen’s comedy career began in the 1950s, when he worked as an opening act for artists like Sarah Vaughan, Eydie Gorme and Nat King Cole.
He would rise to fame as one half of the hit comedic duo Allen & Rossi after joining forces with fellow comedian Steve Rossi. The pair regularly appeared on various talk shows throughout the ’60s. They were perhaps best known for their 44 appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
They even appeared on the famous episode which featured The Beatles in their U.S. television debut.
“Everyone remembers those shows with The Beatles, and they were great, but we appeared on all the shows,” Allen said in 2014. “There wasn’t a talk show on TV that didn’t want Allen & Rossi.”
Allen and Rossi would eventually break up their act in 1968, though they would eventually reunite to perform shows several times in the ’90s.
In the ’70s and ’80s, Allen appeared regularly on the game show “Hollywood Squares,” as well as other game shows like “Password.” He was also cast in some serious daytime TV roles such as Waldo Diefendorfer in “The Big Valley.”
Allen was a proud veteran who participated in annual comedy tours of military hospitals.
“It’s unbelievable to be 94 years old,” he told am audience in 2016 at a New York performance. “My wife says, ‘What do you want for your birthday?’ I told her, ‘An antique.’ So she framed my birth certificate.”
RELATED: Renowned crooner Vic Damone has passed away at the age of 89
