Allen Jenkins' parents were accomplished musical comedy performers, and he embarked on a career in the theater as a stage mechanic following World War I. Prior to entering the entertainment industry, Jenkins had spent time working at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Despite his screen persona as a not-too-bright Brooklyn tough guy, Jenkins received formal training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and appeared in numerous Broadway plays before making his film debut in 1931.
Jenkins found his niche at Warner Brothers, where he honed his slow-witted yet good-natured gangster/taxi driver/cop/etc. character. In the latter part of his career, he frequently appeared on television, and was a regular on the TV series Hey, Jeannie! (1956).
Allen Jenkins is likely most fondly remembered by "baby boomers" as the voice of the put-upon cop Officer Dibble in the popular cartoon series Top Cat (1961).
