After beginning his career as a child acrobat with the Barnum and Bailey Circus, he became a performer in minstrel shows, burlesque, and vaudeville.

He worked as primarily a dancer and acrobat in the Broadway musical revues George White's Scandals and Ziegfeld Follies in the 1910s and early 1920s; ultimately progressing to singing and comedic acting parts.

[5] After leaving the circus, he became a performer in first minstrel shows and then burlesque and vaudeville, working as a dancer, singer, comedian, and actor.

[11] In 1913 he toured the vaudeville circuits as a member of Joe Oppenheimer's Fay Foster Company, appearing in the burlettas "Yankees in Japan" and "Abe".

[13] Allen achieved success on the Broadway stage as a dancer and acrobat in musical revues during the 1910s and early 1920s; including performances in several of the George White's Scandals and in the Ziegfeld Follies.

[15] Likewise a review in the Boston Sunday Post of the Scandals of 1919 stated about Allen that, "He is quite an acrobat, he can play his features like an artist, and can wring a laugh from the audience which is quite spontaneous.

He starred in several musical comedies on Broadway, including the roles of Sandy in Florida Girl (1925), both Señor Tostado and Mr. Brown in Rufus LeMaire's Affairs (1927), Planchet in The Three Musketeers (1928),[4] Elmer Peters in Top Speed (1929),[19] and Al Darcy in Shady Lady (1933).

Garland wore a clown costume in one scene in this film that was previously made for Allen for his performances in the Broadway musical Rufus LeMaire's Affairs.