Steve Rossi

Steve Rossi was a singer and comedian best known as the straight man alongside Marty Allen in the popular 1960s comedy duo, Allen & Rossi. 

Born Joseph Charles Michael Tafarella in New York, Rossi relocated to Los Angeles with his family in 1943. He received a scholarship at age 16 to Loyola Marymount University, where he earned his bachelor's degree. He sang with Mae West on her sold-out American tour, and was working as a singer in Las Vegas before joining forces with comedian Marty Allen in 1957. 

Rossi, the tall, handsome crooner and wide-eyed, zany Allen became famous for their interview routines. They performed in comedy clubs and Vegas casinos before releasing a string of comedy albums. The pair appeared dozens of times on The Ed Sullivan Show, including a few occasions with the Beatles. They appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Mike Douglas Show, The Dean Martin Show and The Merv Griffin Show, and frequently guest-starred on game shows including What's My Line?, I've Got A Secret, The Hollywood Squares and Password.  

In 1966, after almost a decade together, Allen & Rossi made their big-screen debut in The Last of the Secret Agents? for Paramount Pictures. The team parted ways soon after the film's release. 

In his later years, Rossi continued to perform stand-up throughout Las Vegas. Additional television credits include a recurring guest role on The Howard Stern Show in the late 1980s.

Rossi died June 22, 2014, in Las Vegas. He was 82.