Ed Allen
Born(1926-12-14)December 14, 1926
DiedDecember 29, 2018(2018-12-29) (aged 92)
NationalityAmerican
Occupationtelevision fitness host
Known forThe Ed Allen Show

Ed Allen (December 14, 1926 – December 29, 2018) 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.[1] His program was broadcast on 43 American television stations, resulting in fan mail of 3,000 letters a week.[3] In 1963, television producer Riff Markowitz brought Allen to Canada, recording 65 half-hour episodes of the exercise show in five days. Shortly after his September 2, 1963 debut on CHCH-TV in Hamilton, Ontario,[3] the station received 1,131 letters in a nine-day span, raising expectations of syndication throughout Canada.[4]

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 1990s. 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.[5] 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 LPs and videos were available. Ed wore a distinctive one-piece polyester jumpsuit while he did his calisthenics. In the late 1960s, he earned an estimated annual income of at least USD$100,000.[2]

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 Kastner, Susan (9 September 1963). "Ladies Prefer Ed For Weight-Paring". Toronto Star. p. 41.
  2. 1 2 Information from Ed Allen's children.
  3. 1 2 Kirby, Blaik (3 September 1963). "He'll Flex Muscles, Do Bends". Toronto Star. p. 18.
  4. Barker, Gerry (22 October 1963). "In Town & Out". Toronto Star. p. 19.
  5. "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.
  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 27 December 2013.
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