Corey Allen
He began as the hot-rodding rival in 'Rebel Without a Cause' but found his true calling behind the camera, directing hundreds of classic television episodes.
1934–2010 (age 76)·American director, writer and actor·Birthday: June 29·The Silent Generation
Biography
Corey Allen played Buzz Gunderson, the leather-jacketed challenger in the chicken run scene in *Rebel Without a Cause*. Feeling constrained by acting, he pivoted to directing. For over three decades, Allen guided episodes of television's most popular series, from the original *Star Trek* and *The Twilight Zone* to *Hill Street Blues* and *Murder, She Wrote*. His direction showed strong pacing and visual clarity, helping define hour-long dramatic television. Audiences remembered him as the guy who said 'You're a chicken!' to James Dean. The industry knew him as a prolific craftsman who shaped the stories that filled American living rooms.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Corey was born in 1934, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Corey Was Born
The biggest hits of 1934
#1 Movie
It Happened One Night
Best Picture
It Happened One Night
Corey's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1934Born
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1939Started school
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1947Became a teenager
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1950Could drive
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1952Could vote
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1955Turned 21
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1964Turned 30
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 40
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 50
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 60
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 70
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2010Died at 76
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
Key Achievements
- Played the pivotal role of Buzz Gunderson in the landmark film *Rebel Without a Cause* (1955).
- Directed the classic *Star Trek* episode "The Cloud Minders," known for its social commentary.
- Amassed over 100 directing credits for major television series throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.
- Won a Daytime Emmy Award for directing the soap opera *The Bold and the Beautiful*.
Did You Know?
He was roommates with actor and director Dennis Hopper while both were starting out in Hollywood.
He directed the very first episode of the hit 1980s series *Moonlighting* starring Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd.
His father was Carl Cohen, a MGM studio executive famously credited with punching out an inebriated John Wayne at a party.
“Directing is about orchestrating chaos into a story that feels true.”
