Lewis Allen

Born in England on Christmas Day, 1905, 'Lewis Allen' (qv) first came on the show-biz scene when he was appointed executive in charge of West End and Broadway stage productions for famed impresario 'Gilbert Miller' (qv). Allen also co-directed some of the productions (including the celebrated "Victoria Regina" with 'Helen Hayes' (qv) and 'Vincent Price' (qv)) before he was lured to Hollywood by Paramount studio head 'Buddy G. DeSylva' (qv). _The Uninvited (1944)_ (qv), based on 'Dorothy Macardle' (qv)'s best-selling novel, made for an auspicious directing debut; its success prompted an immediate follow-up, the suspense thriller _The Unseen (1945)_ (qv) (with a script by 'Raymond Chandler' (qv)). Otherwise, his filmography leans heavily toward "tough guy" movies of the 'Alan Ladd' (qv)-'George Raft' (qv)-'Edward G. Robinson' (qv) school. Allen also directed much TV (_Perry Mason (1957)_ (qv), _The Big Valley (1965)_ (qv), _Mission: Impossible (1966)_ (qv), _Little House on the Prairie (1974)_ (qv), many more).::Tom Weaver <TomWeavr@aol.com>