Biography
Allan Walker, born 1/28/1906 in NYC, was the son of Jacob Wolper(the change to "Wolper" was an attempt to lessen the overt "ethnicity" of Volpe, and sound a bit more American) (Jacob's uncle was a famous violinist and orchestra conductor, Arnold Volpe...Volpe was the original family name)and Mamie Frankenstein(birthplace: Transylvania). Allan had an older brother, Buddy, and a younger brother, Sidney (who had a featured role in "Mike Fright", an episode of "The Little Rascals" comedy series) and all 3 brothers, after another final name change to Walker in the 1920's, found limited success working in the Burlesque circuit as the comedy trio, "The Walker Brothers". Allan was much more successful by the late 1930's and early 1940's as a free-lance anonymous gag writer, supplying hundreds of witty anecdotes and one-line jokes to many of the biggest names in stand-up comedians of that era, including Henny Youngman, George Burns, and Milton Burle. By the late 1940's, 2 major events occurred; he became partners with then-newcomer Red Buttons, and married a very young and lovely girl from Fresno, CA named Carol June Vance. They had their first child on 8/29/1950, a daughter, Luisa Mamie (middle name given to honor her grandmother). Two years later, Allan was a featured regular cast member of the new CBS top-rated hit comedy/variety series, "The Red Buttons Show" appearing in virtually every episode during it's 2-year run, 1952-1953, 46 shows in all. The birth of their second child arrived on 2/18/1953, a son named Jason Arnold. When a format change of the Button's TV show to a sit-com ended Allan's career as a comedic actor/performer, he continued to excel in the entertainment business, taking a position of great responsibility as a top-level executive in the showbiz union AGVA; the American Guild of Variety Artists, which represented everything from circus acrobats, novelty dance acts to stand-up comics like the team of Dean Martin+Jerry Lewis, and Lenny Bruce. As President of AGVA's Welfare Trust Fund, it was his signature on the checks issued to any union members rendered unemployable due to work-related illness or injury. By 1963 his physical health began to decline, brought on in large part by a heavy cigarette smoking habit, and was hospitalized by 1968. In 1970, during a visit by his wife and son, he still managed to remain cheerful and optimistic despite being gravely ill, and suffering intractable pain. Requesting paper and pen, the man who co-wrote the lyrics to "Strange Things Are Happening" and "The Buttons Bounce" was still able to display his creative talents.. in less than 60 seconds he composed 4 song verses with the title "A Happy Frame of Mind" ....That was 44 years ago...and to this day, I still treasure that little scrap of paper. On 9/2/1970, my beloved Father, Allan Walker, may he forever Rest-in-Peace, a WW II Army Veteran, was buried in a Long Island, NY Veteran's Cemetery. I miss him still.
