Portland Hoffa (January 25, 1905 – December 26, 1990) was an American comedian, radio host, actress, and dancer.
She began her career performing as a dancer in numerous Broadway productions in the 1920s, before meeting her first husband, comedian Fred Allen.
They were married in 1927, and Hoffa began performing characters with Allen in comic radio programs, often portraying a dimwitted female counterpart in fast-paced, witty skits.
[3] Allen hosted several highly successful network radio shows in the 1930s and 1940s, in which Hoffa was a frequent participant.
Allen himself likened Hoffa's voice to "two slate pencils mating or a clarinet reed calling for help.
[citation needed] In 1965, she compiled a large volume of her first husband's correspondence, which was edited into and published as Fred Allen's Letters.
[3] She was survived by her two younger sisters, Lastone Hershkowitz of New York and Los Angeles, and Frederika Bond of Bellingham, Washington.