Mark S. Allen
Mark S. Allen | |
---|---|
Born | Mark Allen Stell March 15, 1965 Amarillo, Texas |
Other names | Mark S. Allen |
Occupation | Producer, host |
Years active | 1996–present |
Employer | CBS Television |
Height | 6'0" |
Website | www |
Mark S. Allen (born Mark Allen Stell[1], March 15, 1965) is an American radio personality, television host and producer. He is an anchor and entertainment reporter on Good Day Sacramento, afternoon Radio host on NOW 100.5 and executive producer and host of Mark at the Movies on Reelz Channel and KMAX-TV.
Allen has won three Emmy awards [2] and was voted the #1 reason to watch local TV in the 2015 Best of Sacramento News & Review Readers Poll.[3]
Allen is one of the founding members of the Broadcast Film Critics' Association (BFCA.ORG).[4]
Contents
Early life
Mark grew up in Odessa, Texas[1] and graduated from Permian High School during the era in which the New York Times best-selling book "Friday Night Lights" was written.
Allen has been quoted as saying he watched a lot of TV, mainly adult shows like The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Bob Newhart Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. These shows later served as inspiration to him in his career.[1]
In college, he studied theater arts, transferring from Texas Wesleyan University to California State University, San Bernardino to UCLA and finally to Sacramento State University, where he finished his degree. All the while, he continued working radio jobs, hoping somehow to parlay that into television.
Years later he went back to Odessa with director Peter Berg and Billy Bob Thornton to host a national TV special on the World premiere of the feature film based on the book.
Professional Background
Television & Movies
Good Day Sacramento
Since 1996, Allen has been the local CBS affiliate’s entertainment anchor, film critic, stuntman, and arts and entertainment reporter.[5]
He has logged thousands of celebrity interviews which can been seen on Good Day Sacramento, Mark at the Movies and the Mark at the Movies YouTube Channel.
- Shark Swim on Good Day Sacramento
On October 30, 2015 Allen swam from the new bay bridge non stop to the Golden Gate Bridge on live TV,[6] days after the first recorded shark attack in the history of the San Francisco Bay was recorded.
Mark at the Movies on the Reelz Channel (produced by CBS Television)
Mark at the Movies[7] first aired locally, but then executives from Reelz network saw it and bought the rights to run it. It won two Emmys in 2010 and a third in 2011.[1]
Critics' Choice Awards 2008 Red Carpet Pre Show
Mark S. Allen appeared as a co-host with Chris O'Donnell on the VH-1 Critics' Choice Awards 2008 Red Carpet Pre Show.
Independence Day: Resurgence
Allen is part of the cast of the upcoming movie Independence Day: Resurgence opening June 2016
Short Attention Span Theater
Allen replaced comedians Jon Stewart and Patty Rosborough as host of the Comedy Central network show called Short Attention Span Theater in 1993.[7]
Scratch
Allen Co-hosted the show Scratch along side another Sacramento native, Lisa Ling[7]
In November 2006, and again in December 2015, Allen was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.[8]
Radio
Allen got his broadcasting start as a radio personality, in Dallas, Sacramento (at KSFM FM-102),[9] and Southern California.
Allen quickly became the standard for radio physical stunts and performed several annually (such as being buried under 18 tons of sand for a week, living atop a billboard, and on a man-made island, for 30 days each) in order to raise money and awareness.
Living on a billboard for the Muscular Dystrophy Association:
In 1988, to raise awareness and funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Allen agreed to live 24 hours a day, seven days a week on a billboard for a month. On the third night of the stunt Allen fell off the billboard breaking bones in both legs and feet while also suffering a concussion.
The day after he fell off the billboard, the local American River Fire Department rushed out and took him to the hospital. But after getting casts, he still insisted upon returning to the top to complete the fundraiser.[1]
References
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