Allen and Rossi got their start as well as many happy returns in the Catskills mountains. Steve is a featured interview talking about his days on the circuit. Steve shared his memories of coming back to the Concord Hotel with Mary Allen. The book has a great picture of a young Steve and Marty.
Steve also is quoted on his thoughts that if an act could make it in the Catskills they could make it anywhere.
Thank you for a great time Michele LaFong !
Listen to the complete interview at the bottom of the page here.
Steve Rossi is half of the world famous comedy team of Allen and Rossi. At the age of 6, he appeared in Going My Way with Bing Crosby, The Jolson Story and over 30 movies.
At 16, Steve received a scholarship to The University of Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in communication, arts and theater and in Latin and Greek.
In 1954 Steve co-starred with Mae West in her sold out concerts all over America.
Steve Rossi and Mae West in Las Vegas 1954.
All rights reserved copyright Steve Rossi
Steve Rossi teamed up with Marty Allen in 1957 where they became America’s #1 comedy team.They appeared on over 700 television shows including 44 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show 3 of which were with the Beatles in 1964. Other shows he guest starred on were Perry Como, Dean Martin, Dinah Shore, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas and the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
Steve Rossi and Marty Allen with the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show
Allen and Rossi were also regular guests stars on “What’s My Line“, “Hollywood Squares“, “Password” and numerous other game shows. They also starred in several Paramount films notably The Last of the Secret Agents with Nancy Sinatra and Ed Sullivan as guest stars.
The film is shown worldwide and has been the movie of the week on Showtime, HBO, Cinemax and 11 appearances (a record) on American Move Classics. Most recently September 21, 1999.
Steve Rossi produced and starred in The 25th Anniversary Allen and Rossi Special with special guest stars Engelbert Humperdinck, Jerry Lewis, Sammy Davis Jr., Don Rickles, Phyllis Diller, Redd Foxx, Martin Sheen, Ernie Borgnine, Rich Little, Jack Jones and Tony Orlando.
Steve has produced 11 comedy albums and eight singing albums on such labels as RCA and Columbia. Steve sold 2 million copies of his hit record “More”, which was nominated for an Academy Award.
Enjoy listening to Steve’s hits on his Last.fm station.
On May 20th 1999, Steve Rossi was inducted into the Show Business Legends Hall of Fame at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas. In 1999, Steve celebrated his 50th year in show business and is young enough to look forward to the next 50 years.
Thank you Channel 13 Las Vegas for having Steve Rossi on Friday, December 14th 2012. Click on the image below to view the full clip.
Steve shared his memories of Mae West. He also talked about his show Rich Little’s Jimmy Stewart and Friend which he co-wrote and is there 5 night a week as the director of the show. 
During the broadcast the interview was interrupted for coverage of the tragic school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Steve has those families affected by this unthinkable tragedy in his prayers.
Batman and Rubin Clip – Hello Dere Site
Take heed Comic Con geeks the original spoof of Batman was done by Allen & Rossi.
Wouldn’t you love to see it at next years Comic Con?
Steve is working to re-release this album so that a new generation of Batman fans can enjoy the laughs he had in creating the original album.
Check out this fan article about the album on Way Out Junk. And yes the album is much funnier if you understand the Jewish references.
Here’s the track list:
This album was also featured at the exhibition Jews on Vinyl in 2009 at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. Check out the picture from the exhibit.
Don’t forget that in Las Vegas you can get your copy autographed after attending a Steve Rossi or a Marty Allen show!
Steve Rossi would like the world to know that had the studio listened to he and Marty about the script it would have been a MUCH funnier film.
Yet it is still marvelous to be remembered for the film because few men have been as lucky as to have worked on a film with the gorgeous Nancy Sinatra!
Check out the blog post at MicroBrewed Reviews.
Check out the interviews of Steve on the Classic Television and showbiz blog. This is a great insight into Steve’s career that may surprise those who think they know everything about his rise to fame.
Topics Include: Joe E. Ross, Nancy Sinatra, Billy Strange, Lee Hazlewood, Marty Allen, Telly Savalas, Cindy Williams, Slappy White, Phil Foster, Norm Crosby, Mitch DeWood, the murder of Dorothy Kilgallen, Break up of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin, Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Danny Aiello, Sandy Baron, Corbett Monica, Harry Crane, Gene Baylos,
Topics Include: Working with Mae West, Arthur Godfrey, Trini Lopez, Slappy White, James Brown, Sammy Davis Jr., Batman and Rubin, Bob Kane, The Man From O.R.G.Y., Real Gone Girls, Howard Stern, the murder of Dorothy Kilgallen,
Howard Hughes came to visit Steve in Vancouver to prove he was not dead yet.
Steve appeared in a historic on the road episode of the Ed Sullivan show in March 1968. This program usually broadcast live from New York but made a special trip in March 1968 to feature Ceasars Palace in color.
Seems quaint today that it once made international news that the Landmark Hotel in Las Vegas was going to have a casino on the 27th floor. Of course Allen and Rossi were part of the big story.
In 1963 just three years after a report Allen and Rossi were shunning television the pair were happily at work on their television sitcom pilot. Hit or flop the team was eager to get to work with Garry Moore on their show.
“It’s not a gamble to have your own show on television,” says Marty, “because even if you lose, you win, suppose it goes on and it lays an egg. You’ve still gained, because for 13 weeks or 26 weeks a couple of million people have seen your face every week. They know you now.”
Check out this story from the Miami News 1960 by Dick Kleiner.
Something tells me that when television came calling they did not have to ask Allen and Rossi twice if they wanted to go on. The duo went on to perform on Ed Sullivan, What’s My Line, and Garry Moore show multiple times just to name a few. By the end of the decade the duo had made over 100 appearances on television.
If television called today Steve Rossi would be there!
Today we know it was not forever. In fact Allen & Rossi had many years of performances as a comedy duo after this split.
Their split is reminiscent of the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis breakup – except in this break, there is not bitterness, just a belief that breaking up will be better for each because there were many jobs offered to one which could not be offered to both.
Read the complete article here.
When Allen & Rossi split the first time you could make beer for a nickel at home.
You can also read about the appearances in the book:
Right here on our stage tonight!: Ed Sullivan’s America By Gerald Nachman
“The Ed Sullivan Show” (20 episodes )
… aka “Toast of the Town” - USA (original title)
Steve appeared in his comedy duo team of Allen and Rossi four times on The Hollywood Palace.
“The Hollywood Palace” (4 episodes )
Steve Rossi appeared on Hollywood Squares 34 times! You can check out his episode answering the question: “how many children does Robert Kennedy have?” on Hulu!
Hulu is your only source to view a licensed copy of this appearance.
Here are the details about his other appearances:
“The Hollywood Squares” (34 episodes )
