| |
|---|---|
| Allen Jenkins | |
| Credits | |
| Roles | Alex Johnson Cabbie Janitor |
| Biographical Information | |
| Birth Name | Alfred McGonegal |
| Birthdate | April 9, 1900 |
| Birthplace | Richmond (now Staten Island), New York, United States |
| Death Date | July 20, 1974 (age 74) |
| Death Place | Santa Monica, California, United States |
Allen Jenkins played four characters in the seventh and eighth seasons of Bewitched (1971-1972).
Biography[]
Allen Jenkins was an American actor of stage, film and television. He was born as Alfred McGonegal in Staten Island, New York, on April 9, 1900.
Commonly cast as a dimwitted thug in gangster movies, Allen Jenkins was a popular character actor of the 1930s and 1940s and part of the so-called "Irish Mafia" of Hollywood actors that included James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, and Frank McHugh.
Jenkins was born to a show business family, and studied at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts before appearing in numerous Broadway productions throughout the 1920s. After replacing Spencer Tracy as the lead in "The Last Mile" he was recruited by Darryl F. Zanuck to work for Paramount Pictures out in Hollywood. For his first film role he recreated his character of Frankie Wells for the 1932 film adaptation of the play "Blessed Event." A series of tough-guy goon roles made Jenkins somewhat of an icon of the 1940s, and the image stuck throughout his career.
As the style of Hollywood films changed in the 1960s and 1970s and his steady stream of film roles started to wane, Jenkins went where the work was - television. He often played cops, janitors, or just plain, old blue-collar simpletons on shows like "Adam-12" and "Bewitched." He also voiced the character of Officer Charlie Dibble on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon "Top Cat." He was a series regular on "Hey, Jeannie!" (1956-1957) playing Al Murray.
His last role was that of a telegrapher in Billy Wilder's 1974 comedy feature "The Front Page" with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. He died later that same year of lung cancer.
Bewitched Credits[]
- Alex Johnson in "Darrin Goes Ape"
- Cabbie in "Money Happy Returns"
- Janitor in "This Little Piggie" and "Tabitha's First Day in School"
Sources[]
- Allen Jenkins on the Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on June 12, 2020.
- Allen Jenkins biography on Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved on June 12, 2020.
- Allen Jenkins on The TV IV. Retrieved on June 12, 2020.