Robert Allen
Robert "Tex" Allen (also credited as Bob Allen) was a leading actor in both feature films and B-movie westerns between 1935 and 1944. Born as Irvine E. Theodore Baehr on March 28, 1906 in Mount Vernon, New York, Allen went on to graduate from the New York Military Academy in 1924, where he rode in the academy cavalry and from Dartmouth College in 1929 with a degree in English. In vacations he had driven a truck as a labourer. He worked for a bank which soon failed in the Great Depression. He flew briefly with the Curtis Flying service as a commercial pilot. He first came to the screen in 1926 before signing a standard acting contract with Paramount Pictures, in 1929. He appeared in the famous Marx Brothers movie Animal Crackers and several other small parts. Then, he signed with Columbia Pictures in 1935. He also later contracted with 20th Century Fox. Allen's first notable role was the male lead in Love Me Forever (1935), for which he won a Box Office Award. He gained additional notice as the star of When You're in Love (1936), opposite Grace Moore. The same year, he was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in the title role in the film The Life of Lafayette. After the departure of cowboy star Ken Maynard, Allen was plugged into producer Larry Darmour's formulaic Ranger pictures. Along with sidekick Wally Wales (played by Hal Taliaferro), he redefined the role, starring in six films for director Spencer Gordon Bennet in that year alone. These films became known as the Bob Allen Ranger series. However, the studio was looking for a singing cowboy to compete with Gene Autry and Allen was eventually replaced by Roy Rogers. He appeared in two dozen films after that, however. He had acted on Broadway in the original productions of Show Boat and Kiss Them for Me. In 1956 he appeared in the original production of Auntie Mame, opposite Rosalind Russell, and later Greer Garson. He appeared in other Broadway plays, in touring productions, in soap operas, documentaries and commercials. He became a real estate broker in 1964 but returned to the stage from time to time, including an appearance as J.B. Biggley in the 1972 Equity Library Theatre revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Description above from the Wikipedia article Robert (Tex) Allen, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Credits
- 1986 · Raiders of the Living Dead as Dr. Carstairs
- 1964 · Pie in the Sky as Brill's Father
- 1958 · Naked City as Chief Attorney (uncredited)
- 1952 · Omnibus as
- 1951 · Tales of Tomorrow as
- 1950 · Lux Video Theatre as Skipper
- 1945 · Thrill of a Romance as Member of Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (uncredited)
- 1940 · City of Chance as Fred Walcott
- 1939 · Winter Carnival as Rocky Morgan
- 1939 · Winner Take All as Tom Walker
- 1939 · Everybody's Baby as Dick Lane
- 1939 · Tail Spin as Charlie
- 1939 · Fighting Thoroughbreds as Greg Bogart
- 1938 · Kentucky as Man Dancing with Sally (uncredited)
- 1938 · Meet the Girls as Charles Tucker
- 1938 · Keep Smiling as Stanley Harper
- 1938 · Gateway as Reporter
- 1937 · Hold 'Em Navy as Midshipman
- 1937 · The Awful Truth as Frank Randall
- 1937 · The Rangers Step In as Bob Allen
- 1937 · Reckless Ranger as Jim Allen / Bob Allen
- 1937 · Law of the Ranger as Ranger Bob Allen
- 1937 · Let's Get Married as Charles
- 1937 · Ranger Courage as Bob Allen
- 1936 · Rio Grande Ranger as Bob Allen
- 1936 · Craig's Wife as Gene Fredericks
- 1936 · The Unknown Ranger as Bob Allen
- 1935 · White Lies as Arthur Bradford
- 1935 · Crime and Punishment as Dmitri
- 1935 · Guard That Girl as Larry Donovan
- 1935 · The Black Room as Lt. Albert Lussan
- 1935 · Love Me Forever as Phillip Cameron
- 1935 · Air Hawks as Bill Lewis
- 1935 · Party Wire as Roy Daniels
- 1935 · Fighting Shadows as Constable Bob Rutledge
- 1935 · I'll Love You Always as Joe
- 1935 · The Revenge Rider as Chad Harmon
- 1935 · Death Flies East as Baker
- 1935 · Law Beyond the Range as Johnny Kane
- 1934 · Jealousy as Jim Rainey
- 1934 · Menace as Andrew Forsythe
- 1934 · The Captain Hates the Sea as Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
- 1934 · Girl in Danger as Reporter (uncredited)
- 1934 · Social Register as Socialite (uncredited)
- 1933 · Racetrack as Bit Role (uncredited)
- 1931 · The Reckless Hour as Hal - Allen's Friend (uncredited)
- 1931 · Night Nurse as Party Guest (uncredited)
- 1931 · Big Business Girl as Graduate at Dance (uncredited)
- 1931 · Party Husband as
- 1930 · Animal Crackers as House Party Guest (uncredited)
- 1926 · The Quarterback as Football Player (uncredited)