Corey Allen earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1954. During his time at UCLA, he received the department's Best Actor award and starred in the UCLA film "A Time Out of War", which won numerous prestigious awards, including the Academy Award, Cannes Film Festival Award, and Venice Film Festival Award for Best Short Film.
After graduating, Allen appeared in approximately twenty plays in the Los Angeles area, showcasing his exceptional acting skills. His talent did not go unnoticed, as director Nicholas Ray spotted him and subsequently cast him in the role of "Buzz" in the iconic film "Rebel Without a Cause" (1955).
This breakthrough role led to featured roles in over a dozen films, including "Private Property" (1960),"Party Girl" (1958),"Darby's Rangers" (1958),and "The Chapman Report" (1962). Allen also appeared in numerous leading television series, such as "Perry Mason" (1957) and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955).
In addition to his acting career, Allen was a talented director and co-producer. He created, directed for, and co-produced the Freeway Circuit Theatre, which toured the Southwest for six seasons. Allen also directed numerous Equity productions in Los Angeles theatres, laying the foundation for his thirty-year directorial career in television and film.
Throughout his illustrious career, Allen directed three movies, including "Avalanche", and numerous television movies, including the Emmy-winning "The Ann Jillian Story" (1988). He created a dozen pilots for television series, including "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987),"Murder, She Wrote" (1984),"Simon & Simon" (1981),"Code Name: Foxfire" (1985),"Stone" (1979),and "Capitol" (1982).
Allen's impressive body of work earned him two Directors Guild nominations for Best Direction in a television series, the Award for Cable Excellence for Best Direction of "The Paper Chase" (1978),and an Emmy for Best Direction of "Hill Street Blues" (1981).
In addition to his work in the entertainment industry, Allen instructed acting, including three years at the Actors Workshop, and for the last nine years, conducted cold-reading workshops at the Margie Haber Studio. This year, Allen was presented with an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Columbia College-Holllywood for his work in helping to create their acting and directing curricula.
