much to Calvin's annoyance.

I watched him on my parents’ old black and white tv!

A blast from the past. LOVED Steve Allen. That laugh of his sent me into fits of giggles. I remember he once submerged himself into a giant cup of hot water in a tea bag suit, just to see how it felt. He was hilarious. His piano "stylings." His show was populated by some of the funniest comics - Don Knotts (as the nervous man on the street, "Who me ?&quot , Louis Nye ("Hi ho, Steve-a-reeno.&quot , Imogene Coca and on. Always funny. Long before the 7-second delay, too.

He put actors playing different historic figures together for a dinner table conversation each week. While his variety show was super funny and smart, he was a prolific writer on many subjects. His "The Dumbing Down of America" was prescient to an unfortunate degree.

“Civilization itself . . . can easily be swept aside when mob passions are aroused.”


- Steve Allen

I just read the tweet and I was sitting here thinking I'd be the only person to make the Steve Allen connection. Delighted to see that I'm not alone.

... Steve Allen was uniquely gifted. His humor was a kind of "intelligent silliness." I say that because some people didn't get him, but those of us who did, adored him. As a young comedian Letterman was clever and edgy in the same way Allen was, so perhaps more post-baby-boomers might be familiar with his style.

When Steve Allen did the Smock-Smock line he used to fan his hands like they were bird wings. It would follow the punchline of any joke.