Stephen Valentine Patrick William "Steve" Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was an American television personality, musician, composer, actor, comedian, and writer. Though he got his start in radio, Allen is best known for his television career. He first gained national attention as a guest host on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. He graduated to become the first host of The Tonight Show, where he was instrumental in innovating the concept of the television talk show. Thereafter, he hosted numerous game and variety shows, including The Steve Allen Show, I've Got a Secret, and The New Steve Allen Show, and was a regular panel member on CBS' What's My Line?
Allen was a creditable pianist and a prolific composer, having written (by his own estimate) over 8,500 songs, some of which were recorded by Perry Como, Margaret Whiting, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Les Brown, and Gloria Lynne. Allen won the 1964 Grammy Award for Best Original Jazz Composition, with his song written with Ray Brown, "The Gravy Waltz". Allen wrote more than 50 books, has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a Hollywood theater named in his honor.