A wrenching parental divorce; a minority WASP boyhood in the New York Metropolitan Region; living in Jersey City during the Depression and WW II years. Serving with the Army in the European Theater entertaining the troops as a musician-entertainer. Leading big and small bands - including stints in Catskill Borsht Belt and New England hotels accompanying Broadway and Hollywood show-biz performers.
He graduated from the Parson’s School of Design and the New York University School of Education; extending to graduate specialization in political theory. One chapter describes great teaching and inspired classroom scholarship while discussing the meaning of communism vs. capitalism.
Allan’s studies in political and the other behavioral sciences leads to work creating national political advertising - alongside involvement in local political and journalistic activity. And his commercial art training leads to a demanding and satisfying - sometime grueling - career in brand name business advertising and marketing. All this combined with constant analysis of how and why capitalism, socialism, communism and fascism has influenced business, politics and social life in Twentieth Century America.
After New Jersey and New York City experiences, Allan, with his family, moves to the southern tier of Upstate New York to live and work in Binghamton and Norwich. He continues his avocation of political and citizen activism - offering leadership in upholding the principle of separation of church and state; and lobbying for high educational standards. His key published and TV broadcast opinions about Left and Right and government policies are poignantly included in capsulated addenda. And he always finds a place to mix the lighter side of daily life with discussion of weightier subject-matter.
