|
Register Now!
|
|
Register now for vtap for the fastest and easiest way to watch web video on your mobile device!
|
|
Allen Jenkins (April 9 1900 - July 20 1974) was a character actor born on Staten Island, New York.
Born Alfred McGonegal, Jenkins was known for playing henchmen, stooges, policemen and other comic "tough guy" roles in comedy films of the 1930s and 1940s, especially for Warner Bros. He also voiced the character of "Officer Dibble" on the Hanna Barbera TV cartoon, Top Cat and was a regular on the television show Hey, Jeannie! (1956).
Both of Allen Jenkins' parents were musical comedy performers, and he entered the theater as a stage mechanic after World War I, after having spent time working in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Although his screen persona was that of a not-too-bright Brooklyn street thug, Jenkins attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and appeared in many Broadway plays before making his film debut in 1931. He found his niche at Warner Brothers, where he perfected his slow-witted but good-natured gangster/taxi driver/cop/etc. character. In the latter part of his career he appeared frequently on TV, and was a regular on the TV series "Hey, Jeannie!" (1956).
Former stage actor Allen Jenkins became a Warner contract player in the early 30s. Mostly he played supporting parts, the hero's side-kick, e.g. for James Cagney.





