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DAVE ALLEN

Gentle Irish comedian Dave Allen has died in his sleep, at 68.

UPDATE. Rob Bresca: “Strange really that you can hear any amount of profanity these days but I don’t think you will ever see the host smoking and drinking again.”

Posted by Tim B. on 03/11/2005 at 09:57 PM

  1. Sad to hear. ‘Watched him on the ABC in ‘seventies as kid all the time.

    Posted by David McBryde on 2005 03 11 at 11:23 PM • permalink

  2. PBS (our ‘public’ TV in the US) used to show Dave’s show in the 1970’s.

    I enjoyed it although I was probably too young to truly appreciate all the subtlety of his humor at my age then.

    Still, I have fond memories.

    Thanks, Dave. Godspeed.

    Posted by JDB on 2005 03 11 at 11:47 PM • permalink

  3. Aw, man, I used to watch him in syndication, back when it seemed all the UK comedians were getting series released in America.  He was a cut above the bunch.

    Posted by richard mcenroe on 2005 03 12 at 12:27 AM • permalink

  4. Man, I had no idea he was that young.  He seemed pretty old when I saw reruns of his show back in the 1980s.  Great comedian.

    Posted by Matt in Denver on 2005 03 12 at 12:39 AM • permalink

  5. May your god go with you Dave.

    Posted by Harry Buttle on 2005 03 12 at 12:42 AM • permalink

  6. I used to look forward to his show, it was a real treat. His relaxed manner and charm was a real pleasure to watch - maybe the secret lies in the smoke and whisky hehe. Strange really that you can hear any amount of profanity these days but I dont think you will ever see the host smoking and drinking again. Really sad news.

    Thanks for the reminder Harry - I forgot all about his closing lines.

    Posted by rbresca on 2005 03 12 at 03:19 AM • permalink

  7. In this world you have two things to worry about;
    Whether you are rich, or whether you are poor.
    If you are rich you have nothing to worry about.
    If you are poor you have two things to worry about;
    Whether you are healthy, or whether you are sick.
    If you are healthy you have nothing to worry about.
    If you are sick you have two things to worry about;
    Whether you will live, or whether you will die.
    If you live you have nothing to worry about.
    If you die you have two things to worry about:
    Whether you go up, or whether you go down.
    If you go up you have nothing to worry about.
    If you go down, you will be so damn busy shaking hands with old friends, you won’t have time to worry.

    Dave Allen Show, when I was a kid.

    Posted by kae on 2005 03 12 at 03:31 AM • permalink

  8. That’s a damn shame.

    Dave Allen was a sophisticated and intelligent humourist in an era when fright wigs and pies in the face was seen to be hilarious.

    Slainte, old friend.

    Posted by Pedro the Ignorant on 2005 03 12 at 05:00 AM • permalink

  9. It was all about the look ... and the pause ... and the slurp of whiskey ...

    He was as good a humorist, in his way, as the other Allen.

    Posted by ilibcc on 2005 03 12 at 05:31 AM • permalink

  10. Dave Allen defines my understanding of humour, and what great humour is. Irony, mild sarcasm, paradox and an acute observation of the absurd, made him not only the commedian of his generation but a man who defined what funny is.

    Posted by Adam B on 2005 03 12 at 05:56 AM • permalink

  11. In Life you only have two things to worry about.
    Sex, and Death & Taxes.
    Er, … three things to worry about.
    Well, I guess before taxes you have to worry about Income.
    Four things.
    Before Sex you have to worry about how viable you are vis-à-vis those with whom you want to have sex, and perhaps this leads to worries about body image, personality, coolness, and Image generally, and how this relates back to Income.
    After Sex becomes more routine you have to worry about relationships and how permanent you want them to be.
    So you worry about the Commitment thing.
    This inevitably leads to the Housing worry, which relates back to Income.
    This leads to the Career worry, with the attendant worries about image, personality, body shape, etc.
    Once that’s settled there’s the Children thing to worry about.
    This where your worries can start to really Multiply.
    The child-bearing age can seriously impact your sense of personal worth as all the indicators for Income, Sex, Body Image, Career and Personality take a nose dive while you become someone’s mum or dad.
    But Dave was right.
    Try to just worry about two things at a time, or you’ll drive yourself to Drink.
    Another worry!
    Bye Dave. It was fun, and you were always a bitter/sweet guy. 

    Posted by blogstrop on 2005 03 12 at 06:12 AM • permalink

  12. I recall Dave Allen, after a generous pull at a drop of Scotlands finest, remarking

    “when I die they’ll have to beat my liver to death with a stick!”

    I wonder, has the undertaker been informed?

    Posted by Fernando on 2005 03 12 at 07:23 AM • permalink

  13. How many comedians these days can entertain with nothing more than their wit, a packet of smokes and a bottle of whiskey. You were one in a million Dave. Everyone else is just a pale imitation. I could never face “confession� with a straight face after watching you.

    Posted by Adam B on 2005 03 12 at 08:02 AM • permalink

  14. I saw Dave Allen’s show when he toured Australia way back when? - late ‘70s early ‘80s? His live performances had more bite than the tv censors would allow then.
    It was superb! With just his trademark props (chair, drink stand and smokes) he had the audience belly-laughing for 2 hours.

    Posted by Observer on 2005 03 12 at 09:21 AM • permalink

  15. Packed the humour in with wisdom did Dave. Sleep well, mate.

    Posted by robf on 2005 03 12 at 11:58 AM • permalink

  16. I will miss him too, but surely Dave would rather an Irish whiskey than a Scotch whisky!

    Posted by doolo on 2005 03 13 at 03:37 AM • permalink

  17. Proof there is no God- Dave Allen Dead, Jimoein alive. QED.

    Posted by Habib on 2005 03 13 at 06:04 AM • permalink

  18. I remember best Dave’s shaggy dog ghost stories.  The lights would come down and his face would look a little ghoulish.  In a few words you were in his spell, only to be released with his clever punch line.

    Hilarious, with superb timing - except for his early exit.

    Posted by Barrie on 2005 03 13 at 08:14 AM • permalink

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