Allen & Rossi
Encyclopedia
Allen & Rossi was a comedy team composed of Marty Allen and Steve Rossi
, active from 1957 until 1968. They appeared on over 700 television shows including 44 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, including three of the four Ed Sullivan episodes on which The Beatles
appeared. They recorded 16 comedy albums, the title of one using their signature comedy catch phrase
of "Hello Dere!" The team also appeared in a spy spoof film
The Last of the Secret Agents
(1966) and their own TV special. Allen said the of their catch phrase, "We were into the act and I just went blank... and I looked at Steve and said, 'Hello dere . . . hello dere.' Then suddenly everyone in the club was saying it - hello dere."
On episode 851 of What's My Line, Allen & Rossi credited Nat "King" Cole for bringing them together. Allen & Rossi would tour for three years with Cole and appeared regularly on his TV show. "Steve was talking to Nat one day and mentioned that he would like to try something different - maybe a comedy thing," Allen said. "I was working at a club in Chicago with Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme when I got a call from Steve. I had never thought much about a partner, but I said, 'Well, come on out.' We met and I figured, well, here's a good-looking guy and he can sing, so maybe we can do something."
Following their split in 1968, both performed regularly with different partners. They reunited numerous times throughout the next three decades. In 1974, they starred in "Allen and Rossi Meet Dracula and Frankenstein." In 1984 and 1985 they teamed for a series of shows in Atlantic City and toured. They were given a lifetime contract beginning in 1990 to appear at the Vegas World
Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, which is now the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino. They appeared as a team from 1990 to 1994 and toured together late in 1994 before splitting once again.
Steve Rossi
Steve Rossi is an American stand-up comedian and actor.-Biography:Rossi gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication, arts and theater, Greek and Latin at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles and served as an officer in the United States Air Force. The comedian was discovered by Mae West...
, active from 1957 until 1968. They appeared on over 700 television shows including 44 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, including three of the four Ed Sullivan episodes on which The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
appeared. They recorded 16 comedy albums, the title of one using their signature comedy catch phrase
Catch phrase
A catchphrase is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through a variety of mass media , as well as word of mouth...
of "Hello Dere!" The team also appeared in a spy spoof film
Parody film
A parody film is a comedy that satirizes other film genres or films. Although the genre is often overlooked, parody films are commonly profitable at the box office...
The Last of the Secret Agents
The Last of the Secret Agents
The Last of the Secret Agents? is a 1966 film that spoofs the spy film genre starring the then-popular comedy team of Allen & Rossi.-Plot:...
(1966) and their own TV special. Allen said the of their catch phrase, "We were into the act and I just went blank... and I looked at Steve and said, 'Hello dere . . . hello dere.' Then suddenly everyone in the club was saying it - hello dere."
On episode 851 of What's My Line, Allen & Rossi credited Nat "King" Cole for bringing them together. Allen & Rossi would tour for three years with Cole and appeared regularly on his TV show. "Steve was talking to Nat one day and mentioned that he would like to try something different - maybe a comedy thing," Allen said. "I was working at a club in Chicago with Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme when I got a call from Steve. I had never thought much about a partner, but I said, 'Well, come on out.' We met and I figured, well, here's a good-looking guy and he can sing, so maybe we can do something."
Following their split in 1968, both performed regularly with different partners. They reunited numerous times throughout the next three decades. In 1974, they starred in "Allen and Rossi Meet Dracula and Frankenstein." In 1984 and 1985 they teamed for a series of shows in Atlantic City and toured. They were given a lifetime contract beginning in 1990 to appear at the Vegas World
Vegas World
Vegas World was a casino/hotel opened in 1979 on Las Vegas Boulevard owned and operated by Bob Stupak. It was also signed as Bob Stupak's Vegas World....
Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, which is now the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino. They appeared as a team from 1990 to 1994 and toured together late in 1994 before splitting once again.