Keith Allen (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Keith Allen
Allen in 2012
Born	Keith Howell Charles Allen (1953-09-02) 2 September 1953 (age 71) Gorseinon, West Glamorgan, Wales
Occupation	Actor comedian musician author broadcaster
Years active	1979–present
Spouse(s)	Alison Owen ​ ​ (m. 1984; div. 1989)​ Nira Park ​ ​ (m. 1997, divorced)​
Partner(s)	Tamzin Malleson
Children	6, including Lily and Alfie Allen
Relatives	Kevin Allen (brother)

Keith Howell Charles Allen (born 2 September 1953) is a Welsh actor, comedian, musician, and TV presenter. He is known for his many roles in films and television shows. Keith Allen is the father of famous singer Lily Allen and actor Alfie Allen. His brother, Kevin Allen, is also an actor and director.

Early Life and Education

Keith Allen was born on September 2, 1953, in Gorseinon, Wales. His father was a Royal Navy submariner, and his mother was a Welsh waitress. He spent his early years in Wales and Malta. Most of his childhood was spent in Gosport, England. Even though he lived in England for a long time, he considers himself Welsh.

When he was 11, Keith went to a boarding school in Essex, England. He was asked to leave that school at 13. Later, he attended Brune Park Community School in Gosport. He earned six O-levels, which helped him get into the Welsh College of Music and Drama. However, he was also asked to leave this college after a disagreement.

Career Highlights

Keith Allen has had a busy career in entertainment. He has acted in many films and TV shows. He has also presented TV programs and performed in stage shows.

Early Career Steps

In the 1970s, Keith Allen had various jobs. He worked as a stagehand for a while. After that, he became a stand-up comedian and singer. He even opened shows for punk bands like The Clash.

Acting Roles in Film and TV

Keith Allen in 2005

Keith Allen became well-known in 1979 at the Comedy Store. In the 1980s, he appeared in many films from The Comic Strip Presents... series on Channel 4. Some of his notable roles include The Bullshitters and The Yob, which he also helped write. He also appeared in an episode of The Young Ones.

In 1985, he starred in the film The Supergrass with other Comic Strip actors. He also appeared in Comrades in 1986. In 1992, he was in the film Carry On Columbus.

Keith Allen played a lodger in Danny Boyle's film Shallow Grave (1994). That same year, he played Jonas Chuzzlewit in a BBC show based on Dickens' Martin Chuzzlewit. He worked with Danny Boyle again in Trainspotting (1996), playing a dealer.

In 2000, he performed in two plays by Harold Pinter at the Almeida Theatre. He also appeared in the film 24 Hour Party People (2002), about the Manchester music scene. In 2004, he was in Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London as the villain. From 2006 to 2009, Keith Allen played the Sheriff of Nottingham in the BBC drama series Robin Hood.

In 2011, he appeared in the BBC drama The Body Farm. In 2012, he starred in the comedy film Vinyl. More recently, in 2021, he played a character in the ITV drama The Pembrokeshire Murders. In 2023, he appeared in the BBC crime drama Steeltown Murders.

TV Presenter Roles

Keith Allen has also hosted several TV shows. In 1982, he presented Whatever You Want for Channel Four. He also presented documentaries like Little Lady Fauntleroy (2004) and Michael Carroll – King of Chavs (2006).

In 2007, his documentary Tourette De France was shown on Channel 4. In this show, he traveled with a group of people with Tourette syndrome from London to Paris. He also presented Keith Meets Keith in 2009, where he interviewed TV chef Keith Floyd.

Music Contributions

Keith Allen was part of a London punk band called the Atoms in the 1970s. Later, he joined Fat Les, a band that included artist Damien Hirst and Blur bassist Alex James.

He worked closely with the band New Order. He directed the music video for their song "Ruined in a Day" in 1993. He also helped write their only UK number one song, "World in Motion". He sometimes performed with New Order live.

Keith Allen appeared in the music video for Blur's 1995 hit "Country House". He also wrote the lyrics for "Vindaloo" by Fat Les, a popular football-related song.

Personal Life

Keith Allen has six children with four different women. His children include pop singer Lily Allen and actor Alfie Allen, both from his first marriage to Alison Owen. He later married Nira Park in 1997.

After his second divorce, Keith Allen became partners with actress Tamzin Malleson. They had a daughter named Teddie Allen in 2006. They live in Stroud, Gloucestershire. In 2017, Keith Allen and Tamzin Malleson opened a diner in Stroud. They built it using the diner set from the film Kingsman: The Golden Circle, which Keith Allen helped recover.

Keith Allen is a supporter of Fulham Football Club.

Selected Filmography

Film

Television

Music Videos

Books

Keith Allen has also written books.

See also

In Spanish: Keith Allen para niños