[NEW SERIES] HAL BATES WITH GRANT GRIFFIN, POUPEE BOCAR, AND MARTY ALLEN

Photograph by Peter C. Borsari.

MARTY ALLEN

Marty Allen (born Morton David Alpern; March 23, 1922) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and veteran of World War II. He has worked as a comedy headliner in night clubs and as a dramatic actor in TV roles.

His debut as a serious actor came on The Big Valley TV series as the hapless Waldo Diefendorfer. Allen appeared in several other dramatic productions, including Mister Jerico, The Ballad of Billie Blue and segment of Rod Serling's Night Gallery.

Throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, Allen made hundreds of television appearances, becoming a regular on Hollywood Squares. He also appeared on Circus of the Stars, in a cameo on The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, on game shows such as Password, and in ten made-for-television movies.
In 2007, Allen began performing at the Gold Coast Casino in Las Vegas with his wife, Karon Kate Blackwell, as well as performing on cruise ships.

GRANT GRIFFIN

Grant Griffin is considered one of the finest lyric baritones in the world.  His career spans 40 Years of show business.  His ability to sing from Opera to Broadway to Pop has brought a new dimension to the concert stage.  Because  of his vocal range, passion for musical interpretation and versatility, critics have called Grant "a singer's singer."

Grant has had the pleasure of performing for President's Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, as well as the Royalty of England and European heads of state  in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Spain and Italy.

He has performed in over 300 concerts throughout the world and the United States.  These include a command performance at the Hollywood Bowl for Princess Ari of Saudi Arabia, five seasons with the Los Angeles, San Francisco Civic Light Operas, San Diego and St. Louis Civic Light Opera.

Grant has been guest on the Johnny Carson, Joey Bishop and Merv Griffin television shows and has produced his own TV musical special hosted by Milton Berle entitled "Meet Grant Griffin."  The show was sold to Lipton Tea and aired for over two years.  Recently Grant was a guest on the Discovery Channel Episode "Inside Las Vegas."  Over the years Grant has produced more than 80 musical revues,  His annual Las Vegas "Magical Night of Music" concert is entering it's 5th year and will be performed in April 2007.  His company, Griffin Productions Group (GPG) is a full service company designed for corporate events as well as private venues.

Grant first appeared on the Las Vegas scene at the Sahara Hotel in 1956.  Later he replaced the star in the Dunes Hotel and Casino Broadway show version of Tenderloin.  He returned once again to the Dunes Hotel as the star in the spectacular Casino De Paris show.  Performances in recent years have taken place in major nightclubs and concert stages throughout the world.

POUPEE BOCAR

Poupée Bocar was born on August 15, 1940 in San Diego, California, USA as Anna Graziella Boccaccio. She is an actress, known for The Last Movie (1971), Get Smart (1965) and Columbo (1971).