Albert Arlen AM (10 January 1905 – 24 March 1993) was a Turkish Australian pianist, composer, actor and playwright.
He is best known for his musical The Sentimental Bloke (to the poetry of C. J. Dennis), the "Alamein Concerto", and his setting of Banjo Paterson's Clancy of the Overflow.
This was unsuccessful so they returned to Australia, borrowed some money, put together an amateur cast, and staged the show themselves in March 1961 in the Albert Hall in Canberra.
This was withdrawn shortly after its premiere since Albert Arlen owned the rights to stage representations of Dennis's works.
The roles of The Bloke, Doreen and Rose of Spadger's Lane were played by Edwin Ride, Patsy Hemingway and Gloria Dawn respectively.
The Girl from the Snowy (Riverside Theatre, Canberra, 17 March 1960)[12] and Marriages Are Made in Heaven, two other musicals, failed to have the success of The Sentimental Bloke.
[15] For his "service to music and the performing arts," Albert Arlen was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in January 1990.