Ed Allen (TV host)

Ed Allen
Born c. 1929
Detroit, Michigan, United States
Nationality Canadian
Occupation television fitness host
Known for The Ed Allen Show

Ed Allen (b. c. 1929[1] in Detroit, Michigan, United States[2]) 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.[2] His program was broadcast on 43 American television stations, resulting in fan mail of 3000 letters a week.[3] 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,[3] the station received 1131 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 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.[5] Barbie, Ed’s second wife was a regular providing various routines. 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]

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "One & Kick & Two, And Stick Out Your Tongue". Time. 16 February 1968. Retrieved 2008-05-19. Describes TV exercise hosts; Allen's age listed as 39 at that time.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kastner, Susan (9 September 1963). "Ladies Prefer Ed For Weight-Paring". Toronto Star. p. 41.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 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.
  6. ↑ Allen, Ed. "The Ed Allen Exercise Book by Allen, Ed - 1976". Biblio.com. Retrieved 2013-12-27.