- Born
- Died
- Birth nameAlfred McGonegal
- 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 tough guy, 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). He is probably best remembered by "baby boomers" as the voice of the put-upon cop Officer Dibble in the popular cartoon series Top Cat (1961).
He died in Santa Monica, CA, in 1974 after undergoing surgery.- IMDb mini biography by: frankfob2@yahoo.com
- SpouseMary Landee(September 5, 1931 - September 8, 1962) (divorced, 3 children)
- Voice of Officer Dibble from 'Top Cat'
- Played the same role---garbage man--in Ball of Fire (1941) and the remake A Song Is Born (1948).
- In Rainbow Bridge (1974), Hawkeye is upset with Frank's choices of sending the wounded off a bus into the OR. When Hawkeye overrides his orders, Frank screams, "This is mutiny! I'm the commander on this bus!" To which Hawkeye says to Father Mulcahy, "'Mutiny on the Bus' - It was a B picture. Allen Jenkins played the bus driver.".
- A former stage actor, Jenkins became a Warner contract player in the early 1930s. Mostly he played supporting parts, the hero's sidekick; e.g., for James Cagney.
- He was labeled the "greatest scene-stealer of the 1930s" by The New York Times.
- Alumnus of the AADA (American Academy of Dramatic Arts), Class of 1922.
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