Portland Hoffa
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Born Name:
Mary Portland Hoffa
Born Date: January 25, 1905
Born Place: Portland, Oregon
Died Date: December 26, 1990
Died Place: Los Angeles, California
Occupations: Actress, comedian, dancer, radio host
Brief Biography: Portland Hoffa was best remembered as the comedic partner and wife of radio legend Fred Allen. During the Golden Age of Radio, she became a household name for her high-pitched, cheerful voice and her signature greeting to her husband: "Mr. Allen! Mr. Allen!".
Early Life and Family:
Born Mary Portland Hoffa on January 25, 1905, in Portland, Oregon, she was famously named after her place of birth. Her father, an itinerant optometrist, followed a whimsical naming tradition for most of her siblings, who were named after the cities or regions where they were born. By the time she was 15, her family had moved to New York City, where she eventually began her career in show business.
Career and "The Fred Allen Show:
"Hoffa started as a Broadway dancer in the early 1920s, appearing in productions like The Passing Show of 1922, where she first met Fred Allen. They married in 1927 and formed a vaudeville act before transitioning to radio in 1932.
On The Fred Allen Show (and its various incarnations like Town Hall Tonight), Hoffa played a fictionalized, somewhat dimwitted but sweet version of herself. Her character's primary role was to serve as a witty foil to Allen's dry, cynical humor in fast-paced skits. She remained a central fixture of the program until Allen retired due to health issues in 1949.
Later Years and Legacy:
After Fred Allen died in 1956, Hoffa largely retired from performing. She dedicated herself to preserving his legacy, editing and publishing a collection of his correspondence titled Fred Allen's Letters in 1965.
Born Date: January 25, 1905
Born Place: Portland, Oregon
Died Date: December 26, 1990
Died Place: Los Angeles, California
Occupations: Actress, comedian, dancer, radio host
Brief Biography: Portland Hoffa was best remembered as the comedic partner and wife of radio legend Fred Allen. During the Golden Age of Radio, she became a household name for her high-pitched, cheerful voice and her signature greeting to her husband: "Mr. Allen! Mr. Allen!".
Early Life and Family:
Born Mary Portland Hoffa on January 25, 1905, in Portland, Oregon, she was famously named after her place of birth. Her father, an itinerant optometrist, followed a whimsical naming tradition for most of her siblings, who were named after the cities or regions where they were born. By the time she was 15, her family had moved to New York City, where she eventually began her career in show business.
Career and "The Fred Allen Show:
"Hoffa started as a Broadway dancer in the early 1920s, appearing in productions like The Passing Show of 1922, where she first met Fred Allen. They married in 1927 and formed a vaudeville act before transitioning to radio in 1932.
On The Fred Allen Show (and its various incarnations like Town Hall Tonight), Hoffa played a fictionalized, somewhat dimwitted but sweet version of herself. Her character's primary role was to serve as a witty foil to Allen's dry, cynical humor in fast-paced skits. She remained a central fixture of the program until Allen retired due to health issues in 1949.
Later Years and Legacy:
After Fred Allen died in 1956, Hoffa largely retired from performing. She dedicated herself to preserving his legacy, editing and publishing a collection of his correspondence titled Fred Allen's Letters in 1965.