Ed Allen (TV host)

Ed Allen (b. December 14, 1929 ^[1][2] in Chicago, Illinois, United States^[3]) was a television host noted for his syndicated exercise programs.

Allen was an actor and singer in the United States during his early career, becoming a television program host in 1948.^[3] His program was broadcast on 43 American television stations, resulting in fan mail of 3000 letters a week.^[4] In 1963, television producer Randy Dandy Martin brought Allen into Canada, recording 65 half-hour episodes of the exercise show in five days. Shortly after his 2 September 1963 debut on CHCH-TV in Hamilton, Ontario,^[4] the station received 1131 letters in a nine-day span, raising expectations of syndication throughout Canada.^[5]

195 episodes of The Ed Allen Show were produced by the Canadian production team of Al Guest and Jean Mathieson.

Ed Allen had a following of millions of viewers and fans, from all over the world. His exercise show was still being distributed in the early 90’s. The format was usually set somewhere on a beach; in the late 1960s, the filming location was in Montego Bay, Jamaica at the Half Moon Hotel, specifically the Kennedy Beach House.^[2] Barbie, Ed’s second wife (m. 1974, née Barbara A. Schilling) was a regular providing various routines and in 1979 developed a chain of classes under the Barbie Allen Dancercise brand.^[6][7] Vinyl LP’s and videos were available. Ed wore a distinctive one-piece polyester jumpsuit while he did his calesthenics. In the late 1960s, he earned an estimated annual income of at least USD$100 000.^[1]

Allen hosted Stay Tuned, a 1978-79 weekday talk show on Global Television Network.^[8]

Bibliography

• 1976: The Ed Allen Exercise Book (Coles)^[9]

References

1. 1 2 Information from Ed Allen's children.
2. 1 2 "Easy-going Ed Allen has built a remarkable TV career on". Ottawa Citizen. 1 October 1969. Retrieved 25 January 2010.  Indicates age 40 at that time.
3. 1 2 Kastner, Susan (9 September 1963). "Ladies Prefer Ed For Weight-Paring". Toronto Star. p. 41. 
4. 1 2 Kirby, Blaik (3 September 1963). "He'll Flex Muscles, Do Bends". Toronto Star. p. 18. 
5. ↑ Barker, Gerry (22 October 1963). "In Town & Out". Toronto Star. p. 19. 
6. ↑ Schwartz, Susan (16 October 1982). "Many find fitness is a dance away". The Gazette. Montreal. p. C-2. Retrieved 27 July 2015. 
7. ↑ "Ed Allen Weds Local Woman". The Milwaukee Journal. 25 July 1974. p. 7. Retrieved 27 July 2015. 
8. ↑ "Television listings". Globe and Mail. 16 September 1978. p. C39. 
9. ↑ Allen, Ed. "The Ed Allen Exercise Book by Allen, Ed - 1976". Biblio.com. Retrieved 2013-12-27.