Sian Barbara Allen

Sian Barbara Allen
Allen in The Bold Ones: The Lawyers in 1972
Born (1946-07-12) July 12, 1946 (age 78)
Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.
EducationReading Senior High School
Alma materPasadena Playhouse
Occupations
  • Actress
  • writer
Years active1971–1990
Known forYou'll Like My Mother
The Waltons
Scream, Pretty Peggy
The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case
Spouse
Peter Gelblum
​
(m. 1979⁠–⁠2001)​
Children1

Sian Barbara Allen (born July 12, 1946)[1] is an American former actress who mainly appeared on television throughout the 1970s. A native of Reading, Pennsylvania, Allen studied at the Pasadena Playhouse before appearing in her first screen role on the series O'Hara, U.S. Treasury in 1971. She went on to appear in numerous television series in the ensuing years, including recurring appearances on The Waltons, Gunsmoke, and Ironside.[2]

She starred in several television films, including Scream, Pretty Peggy (1973) and The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case (1976). In addition to her television credits, Allen starred in two feature films: the thriller You'll Like My Mother (1972) and the Western Billy Two Hats (1974). For her performance in You'll Like My Mother, Allen was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year.

Early life and education

With James Garner and David Morick The Rockford Files episode "Tall Woman in Red Wagon" in 1974

Allen studied at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, California between 1964 and 1965.[3]

Career

Allen appeared in the horror film You'll Like My Mother (1972), starring Patty Duke, Rosemary Murphy and Richard Thomas.[4] For this role, Allen was nominated for the 1973 Golden Globe Award as Most Promising New Actress.[5]

She later appeared in two episodes of the popular TV series The Waltons (1973) as Jenny Pendleton, an early love interest of John-Boy Walton (reuniting her with Thomas, who played John-Boy and with whom she had appeared in You'll Like My Mother the previous year).[2] Allen and Thomas were themselves described as "together these days", and Thomas wanted Allen to play the Pendleton role.[3][6] She played the title role in the 1973 ABC Movie of the Week, Scream, Pretty Peggy.[7]

Allen appeared on television series and miniseries as Captains and the Kings, The Incredible Hulk, Ironside, The Rockford Files,[2] Alias Smith and Jones,[2] Bonanza, Kojak, Gunsmoke, Love, American Style, Columbo: Lovely but Lethal, Cagney & Lacey, Adam-12, and Hawaii Five-O.[2]

In 1974, she was the lead actress in the western Billy Two Hats, alongside Gregory Peck and Jack Warden.[8] In 1976, she portrayed Anne Morrow Lindbergh in the television movie The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case, based on the real-life Lindbergh baby kidnapping/murder.[9] Her last role was in an episode of L.A. Law in 1990, after which she retired from acting.[10]

Personal life

She married and had a daughter.[11][12] She is the older sister of flash fiction author, editor and teacher Meg Pokrass.[13]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1971 O'Hara, U.S. Treasury Sheridan Lee Episode: "Operation: Time Fuse"
1971 Alias Smith and Jones Sister Grace Episode: "Six Strangers at Apache Springs"
1971 Gunsmoke Allie Dawson 3 episodes
1972 The Scarecrow Amelia Reddington Television film
1972 The Bold Ones: The Lawyers Lauren Hazelwood Episode: "In Sudden Darkness"
1972 Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law Meredith Carson Episode: "Shine a Light on Me"
1972 The F.B.I. Bridy Nolan Episode: "The Set-Up"
1972 The Family Rico Nora Television film
1972 You'll Like My Mother Kathleen Nominated – Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress
1972 Bonanza Teresa Burnside Episode: "Ambush at Rio Lobo"
1973 Love, American Style Jane Segment: "Love and the Happy Family"
1973 Columbo Shirley Blaine Episode: "Lovely but Lethal"
1973 The Waltons Jenny Pendleton Episodes: "The Love Story", "The Thanksgiving Story"
1973 Scream, Pretty Peggy Peggy Johnson Television film
1974 Billy Two Hats Esther Spencer
1974 Kojak Lyndsey Walker Episode: "Down a Long and Lonely River"
1971–1974 Marcus Welby, M.D. Various 3 episodes
1972–1974 Ironside Susan Todd / Jane Spencer 3 episodes
1974 The Rockford Files Sandra Turkel Episode: "Tall Woman in Red Wagon"
1974 Lucas Tanner Donna Episode: "A Question of Privacy"
1974 Adam-12 Sparky Episode: "Something Worth Dying For: Part 1"
1975 Eric Marilyn Porter
1976 The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case Anne Morrow Lindbergh Television film
1976 Police Story Dana Vernon Episode: "The Other Side of the Badge"
1976 Captains and the Kings Cara Leslie Miniseries
1976 Smash-Up on Interstate 5 Barbara Hutton Television film
1977 Kingston: Confidential Cynthia Marlowe Episode: "The Cult"
1977 Hawaii Five-O Kati Parisa Episode: "East Wind - Ill Wind"
1978 Baretta Ellen Episode: "The Appointment"
1978 W.E.B. Angelica Hutton Episode: "To Angelica with Love"
1978 Sword of Justice Emily Lang Episode: "Aloha, Julie Lang"
1979 The Incredible Hulk Kathy Allen Episode: "The Quiet Room"
1981 Darkroom Brenda Episode: "Make-Up"
1984 Falcon Crest Mrs. Perkins - Adoption Agency Clerk (uncredited) Episode: "Lord of the Valley"
1988 Cagney & Lacey Rhoda Duggan Episode: "A Fair Shake: Part 2"
1990 L.A. Law Diane Campbell Episode: "Whatever Happened to Hannah?"

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Nominated work Result
1973 Golden Globe Award Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year - Actress You'll Like My Mother Nominated

References

  1. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Sian Barbara Allen". Fandango. AllRovi. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Sian Barbara Allen". TVGuide.com. TV Guide. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Kleiner, Dick (February 10, 1973). "The Girl John-Boy waited for". The Morning Record. Meriden, Connecticut. Retrieved October 10, 2011 – via Google News Archive.
  4. ^ "You'll Like My Mother (1972)". TCM.com. Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  5. ^ "New Star Of The Year - Actress". GoldenGlobes.org. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  6. ^ "Sian Barbara Allen Profile". The Waltons. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  7. ^ "Scream, Pretty Peggy (1973)". TCM.com. Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Retrieved August 12, 2018.
  8. ^ Crist, Judith (May 6, 1974). "Spécialité De La Maison". New York. Vol. 7, no. 18. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  9. ^ Burt, Daniel S. (2001). The biography book. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 251. ISBN 978-1-57356-256-0. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  10. ^ Allen, Sian Barbara. "Sian Barbara Allen". fictionaut.com. Fictionaut. Retrieved August 12, 2018. (Quote from Fictionaut profile: "i was ready to give up after retiring from acting and now writing is saving my spirit.")
  11. ^ "Allen-Gelblum". The Chapel Hill News. November 4, 1979. p. 3E. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  12. ^ "Birth Announcements". The Chapel Hill News. July 25, 1982. p. 4E. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  13. ^ Dastur, Rupert (April 26, 2016). "TSS Flash Fiction Interview: Meg Pokrass". TSS Publishing. Retrieved August 28, 2024. "I didn’t study writing in a traditional way. I didn’t go to school for writing, in fact, I studied acting from ages 8 – 16. Acting was in my family. My big sister, Sian Barbara Allen, was a film and TV actress, and I was following in her footsteps."
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