Columnist Jerry Fink: Helping homeless is comic Allen’s passion

Friday, Feb. 28, 2003 | 8:51 a.m.

Jerry Fink's lounge column appears on Fridays. Reach him at jerry@lasvegassun.com at (702) 259-4058.

Bernie Allen was driving a taxicab in the Bowery of New York City in 1959 when he first paid attention to the homeless.

"I had owned a restaurant and lost it due to gambling," he recalled. "I had to drive a cab to make a living. I thought I was the unluckiest person alive until I saw homeless men freezing to death in the vestibules of stores.

"I was in a nice warm cab, and they would be out on the street, dead or dying."

The sight left a lasting impression on the comedian, who celebrated his 87th birthday Tuesday with a party at the Bootlegger Bistro. The Bootlegger is owned by Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, who, through a spokesman, issued a proclamation honoring Allen.

Allen uses his birthday as a forum to speak out on behalf of the homeless, pleading with anyone who will listen to come to their aid.

"My aim is to get President Bush to sign a law putting an end to people living in the street," Allen said. "That's the thing I'm after. I don't know how people can just go on eating in dumpsters. It's horrible."

Allen has written letters to Bush, but so far has not received a response. At least, he says, President Clinton wrote back and told him he was doing a good job.

"Bush is spending trillions of dollars to build bombs," he said. "Bombs kill people. He should be taking that money and building shelters for the homeless."

Allen spoke about the plight of the downtrodden after his party, which was attended by more than 40 entertainers and a roomful of friends and fans who feted the activist for the homeless.

The price of admission to the affair was articles of clothing or canned goods, which were turned over to Catholic Charities and St. Vincent's.

Outspoken comedian Cork Proctor hosted the affair, attended by such celebrities as Pat Cooper, Buddy Greco and his wife Lezlie Anders, Pete Barbutti, Sammy Shore, Sonny King, Freddie Bell, Grant Griffin, Phil Ford and Nelson Sardelli.

Sardelli was wearing a bulletproof vest as a humorous acknowledgement to a feud he is having with some members of Cast Inc., several of whom were at the affair. (Cast Inc. is a charitable organization of local entertainers that was created last year.)

Sardelli spoke about Allen's philanthropy over the years and marching side-by-side with him in parades to raise funds for the needy.

"Nelson is a solid guy," Allen said after the birthday celebration, when he took time to praise everyone who performed for him and who attended the event. "And Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, she made the room available for the party and benefit. I tried to get rooms before, and they wanted to get paid rent. Lorraine and her husband, Blackie, have given me the room for the past two years."

The Hunts were performing in Las Vegas lounges at about the time Allen arrived in town in the early '60s.

Not long after Allen's realization that there was a problem of homelessness in the United States, his successful comedic career took off.

One of his fares was boxer-turned-actor Rocky Graziano, who laughed at his jokes and introduced him to his friend Martha Raye, who got him work in clubs around New York City that eventually resulted in a meeting with Frank Sinatra.

Sinatra sent him to Las Vegas in 1963, where he spent three years performing in lounges before going to Puerto Rico.

Allen was in Puerto Rico for five years. It was there that he met and teamed with Steve Rossi, who had recently parted ways with his partner Marty Allen.

Eventually Allen returned to Vegas to live full time.

"When I was working at the Hacienda I did a few benefits for the homeless," Allen said. "Through the years I have managed to do something from time to time. Maybe not a complete thing like we are doing now, but I have always worked for the homeless."

Allen says he has more time to pursue his cause now that he has retired, forced to leave the stage for good last year because of a wound suffered in World War II that has left him 100 percent disabled, almost unable to walk.

"I will never stop until I see all of the homeless people off the street," he said.

Allen acknowledges that the homeless problem has gotten worse since his days behind the wheel of a cab in New York.

"It's terrible," he said. "When it's going to end nobody knows, but it's got to end."

Lounging around

If Playboy says the lounge scene is back, who is to argue? The magazine has teamed with Dewar's Scotch Whisky, sending 12 Playboy Bunnies on an eight-month, seven-city national tour promoting Dewar's, the magazine -- and lounges. The tour ends tonight at Caesars Palace's Emperor's Ballroom, where a lounge reminiscent of the Playboy lounges of the '60s will be set up for an exclusive party for high rollers, celebrities and other VIPs. One lucky person from the lounge tour will be selected to attend a Dewar's/Playboy celebration at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles on April 24.

Lounge legend Cook E. Jarr is back at Harrah's Carnaval Court from midnight to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

The Sun Spots are still entertaining fans at the Plaza's Omaha Lounge from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays. The group from the Philippines has been entertaining Las Vegas audiences for more than 35 years.

Rockin' blues band BluesStorm will be at the Blue Diamond Saloon, 6935 Blue Diamond Road, from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. tonight. The group performs its own music as well as music by Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and others.