Jack Riley stars as legendary radio comedian Fred Allen in Arnold Peyser's new comedy, Mr. Allen, Mr. Allen, now running at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks. Riley is a veteran stage, TV and film actor best known for his continuing role as Mr. Carlin on "The Bob Newhart Show." Peyser began his career as a writer for Fred Allen in the early 50s. He later went into television, writing the Gary Moore and Dinah Shore shows, among others.

Peyser describes his play as "a collage of the laughs and times of Fred Allen, who got Americans laughing at a time when there wasn't much to laugh about." The play revisits such famed "Allen's Alley" characters as Titus Moody, Senator Glaghorn, Ajax Cassidy and Mrs. Nussbaum.

Others in the cast are Glenn Taranto, Ted Schwarz, William Knight, Diane Botnick and Denise Moses as Fred's wife and radio partner, Portland Hoffa.

The Whitefire Theatre is located at 13500 Ventura Blvd. For tickets and information call (818) 679-6160.

-- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent