- Born
- Died
- Nickname
- The Master of Disaster
- A graduate of New York's Columbia School of Journalism, Irwin Allen was a magazine editor, the producer/director of a radio show and the owner of an advertising agency before entering film production in the 1950s. His documentary, The Sea Around Us (1953), won an Academy Award. A successful TV series producer (The Time Tunnel (1966), Lost in Space (1965)), Allen was nicknamed "The Master of Disaster" in the 1970s due to the tremendous success of his two special effects-laden epics, The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and The Towering Inferno (1974).- IMDb Mini Biography By: frankfob2@yahoo.com
- Although originally a journalist by trade, Allen had always loved the movies and had wished to be a part of them. In the process, he became one of the biggest names in show business during the 1970s, producing and directing some of its most popular films. After working in magazines and advertising, he produced the documentary, The Sea Around Us (1953). This excellent film won an Academy Award for Best Documentary, and he decided to branch out into commercial film. His spoof of history, The Story of Mankind (1957), was a critical and commercial disaster, but he scored box office success with The Big Circus (1959) and The Lost World (1960), a remake of a silent classic, and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961).
As the 1960s emerged, he became interested in science fiction, and scored considerable success. The TV takeoff of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964) struck a cord with TV audiences, and so did Lost in Space (1965), The Time Tunnel (1966) and Land of the Giants (1968).
However, it was during the 1970s that Allen became became a household name. Noting the massive box office success of Airport (1970), he immediately branched out into disaster movies and was able to obtain star-studded casts. The Poseidon Adventure (1972), about passengers abroad a capsized cruise liner, was one of the biggest box office hits of the year, and its theme song, "The Morning After", by Maureen McGovern, won an Academy Award for Best Song. He followed up that triumph by producing and co-directing the smash, The Towering Inferno (1974), about a group of people trapped in a burning skyscraper, which also drew huge audiences and profits. In his personal life, at that time, he fell in love with actress Sheila Allen (Sheila Matthews), whom he married in 1974. He returned briefly to television with the series, Swiss Family Robinson (1975), but the familiar story only lasted two seasons. It was then that his popularity was at its peak, and he had become known as "The Master of Disaster". He then produced and directed the killer bee film, The Swarm (1978). In spite of a big budget and star-studded cast, the poor special effects and dialog made it a complete flop. The following year, he made produced and co-directed, Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979), which audiences found dull and implausible. In 1980, he attempted a comeback with When Time Ran Out... (1980), about tourists and natives struggling to escape a volcano eruption. The film drew attention when Mount St. Helens in Washington state erupted during its release, but the lavishly financed film was a box office disaster. After three expensive films lost vast sums of money, Allen was never able again to make films on such a grand scale. He remained active in the entertainment industry during the 1980s, however. He designed a special effects ride at the Universal Studios Theme Park, and also produced some TV mini-series. He passed away in 1991. His widow helps run a website dedicated to his memory.- IMDb Mini Biography By: anonymous - Irwin Allen started in journalism before thrilling two generations as, firstly, the king of 1960s science fiction tv, then secondly, as "The Master Of 1970s Disaster" movies. His tv work is less talked about so this Biography will centre more on his tv work.
Irwin Allen's 1960s material and 1970s material both fit under the headings of disaster or style over substance. Granted, the tv material was often intended for younger viewers (however the first season of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was more or less adult), while the 1970s films were made for all ages. The style in Irwin's sci-fic tv came from talented actors such as Richard Basehart as Admiral Nelson and Dick Tufeld doing a great robot voice. Also the style in the striking miniature effects of spaceship Jupiter 2 and submarine Seaview. Let us not forget the attention grabbing scores from cinema legends Leith Stevens and John Williams.
The substance, or should I say the characterisation, was often missing and Irwin Allen was mostly responsible for that. Irwin was not a family man, his 20th Century Fox co-workers were his family, so small talk heard in The Waltons would not be welcome in an Irwin production. So when actors and writers requested a love interest or deeper characters on submarine Seaview or spaceship Jupiter 2, Irwin - "The Big Kid" - would not have it for a second. Irwin was too busy standing on the corner of the set yelling "more explosions!". With the exception of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea year one, the bulk of Irwin tv was best enjoyed, or best understood, by males who were young at heart.
Irwin Allen has gone on record as saying that Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea episodes Jonah And The Whale and The Terrible Toys were his two favourites of the 110 episode sub series. "Jonah" is of motion picture quality - with strong disaster movie roots - so it is not too hard to understand Irwin's love of this hour. As for "Toys", a show dealing with Seaview explosions, old Hollywood stars getting another go and killer toys running around the Seaview. I think Irwin's love of "Toys" says a lot about this "Big Kid". A tv show called The Fantasy Worlds Of Irwin Allen (1995) says even more about Irwin and his need to "get that monster in" his shows.
Today, Irwin Allen's Lost In Space (1965-68) is more popular than Voyage/Sea, but it should be remembered that Irwin gave Jonathan Harris script control of the Dr Smith character. So, in a way, a lot of Lost In Space is more a Jonathan Harris production than Irwin production.
The Time Tunnel (1966-67) was the least popular of the big four Irwin tv shows but it still plays in re-runs with a big internet following. Land Of The Giants (1968-70) lasted one season longer than Time Tunnel but played more as another version of Lost In Space...which some like.
Disaster movie The Poseidon Adventure (1972) was rich in characterisation but the more cold blooded follow up - The Towering Inferno (1974) - seemed to cash in on Irwin's 1960s style over substance or style over characterisation. Irwin Allen died in 1991 at a time when he was making phone calls to Jonathan Harris about making a remake, or follow up, to Lost In Space.- IMDb Mini Biography By: StuOz
- SpouseSheila Allen(February 15, 1975 - November 2, 1991) (his death)
- Would often fire guns off to get a reaction from the actor, instead of saying "Action".
- Used a helicopter in every one of his disaster epics
- Along with other Hollywood stars, he preferred personal friends of his to star in his movies. Sheila Allen (his wife), Erik L. Nelson and Elizabeth Rogers were some of Irwin Allen's close friends who starred in many of his movies and television series.
- After The Poseidon Adventure (1972) was released and became a huge hit, Allen got the nickname "The Master of Disaster".
- When his star-studded "ultimate B movie" The Swarm tanked at the box office, Allen decreed that no member of the press would ever be permitted to mention the film in his presence. The L.A. Times later sent a pair of brash, wisecracking young reporters to interview him about one of his subsequent projects, and when their very first question wanted to know why they were forbidden to mention The Swarm, Allen made good on his threat and immediately had Warner Brothers security guards accompany both journalists off the studio lot.
- When his career took a downturn and three of his big-budget/all-star movies in a row bombed at the box office (The Swarm, Beyond the Poseidon Adventure and When Time Ran Out) Allen's nickname of "The Master of Disaster" suddenly had a new, less than flattering meaning.
- His production company was called Irwin Allen Productions.
- Me, if I can blow up the world in the first ten seconds, the show is a flop.
- Starting a picture, starts with a picture.
- Nightmares are my best source of entertainment.
- I'm not going to run out of disasters. Pick up the daily newspaper -- which is my best source for crisis stories -- and you'll find 10 or 15 every day. People chase fire engines, flock to car crashes. They thrive on tragedy. It's unfortunate, but in my case it's fortunate. The bigger the tragedy, the bigger the audience.
- [on catering to actors] I suffer along with them. We have many story conferences. As a writer/director/producer, I have triple agonies. I'm bucking to be known as the most sympathetic producer in town.
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