Morton David Alpern

 Morton David Alpern, known as Marty Allen (March 23, 1922 – February 12, 2018)

He worked as a comedy headliner in nightclubs, as a dramatic actor in television roles, and was once called "The Darling of Daytime TV". Allen also appeared in films, most notably in the 1966 spy comedy The Last of the Secret Agents?. During his comedic career, Allen would go on tours to military hospitals and perform for veterans or active military personnel. Allen was also a known philanthropist, donating to causes such as the American Cancer Society, The Heart Fund, March of Dimes, Fight for Sight, Cerebral Palsy, and was on the board of the Epilepsy Foundation. Allen joined the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He was stationed in Italy where he attained the rank of sergeant and earned a Soldier's Medal for his bravery during a fire which happened while a plane was being refueled. His heroism also earned him a full-dress parade. He became part of the comedy team of Allen & Rossi with Steve Rossi in 1964, which resulted in a string of hit comedy albums, 44 appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show (including the famous appearance by The Beatles in February 1964, during which Allen won over the Beatles fans in the audience by announcing "I'm Ringo's mother!"), and the film The Last of the Secret Agents? (1966). They worked together from 1957 to 1968, parted ways amicably, and reunited for shows from the 1970s through the 1990s. From the 1980s he and his wife, singer-songwriter Karon Kate Blackwell, teamed up to perform their musical comedy act to audiences around the country. Allen died at the age of 95 on February 12, 2018 of complications from pneumonia at his home in Las Vegas. He is buried at Eden Memorial Park in Mission Hills, California.