Biography

Allyn Joslyn, the son of a Pennsylvania mining engineer, made his stage debut at 17. He was soon appearing regularly in Broadway productions, and headed for Hollywood in 1936, making his debut in They Won't Forget (1937). His nervous, at times dyspeptic demeanor and somewhat aristocratic looks fit in with the pompous, wealthy snobs he specialized in playing. Joslyn was also an extremely busy radio actor, performing on over 3,000 shows.
- IMDb mini biography by: frankfob2@yahoo.com

He claimed to have given 3,500 radio broadcast performances. "My record was eight performances in one day, 32 in one week. Radio kept me solvent but exhausted," he said.

Created the role of Mortimer Brewster in the original Broadway cast of "Arsenic and Old Lace". Cary Grant, who took over the part for the movie version, always insisted that Joslyn had been better in the part than he himself was.

He and John Alexander had starred in the Broadway production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" as Mortimer Brewster and his brother who thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt. Alexander reprised his role in the 1944 film version while Cary Grant replaced Joslyn as Mortimer. Joslyn and Alexander were reunited the next year in "The Horn Blows at Midnight" playing fallen angels opposite Jack Benny.

He said that he had not been successful in playing in "serious drama" on the stage but proudly remembered that he had carried a spear for John Barrymore in his production of Shakespeare's "Richard III" on Broadway.

Joslyn said that, while his many performances had brought him recognition, he was often mistaken for someone else. One day, he said, he signed autographs as Adolph Menjou, Robert Benchley, and Brian Ahern. No one wanted Allyn Joslyn, he said.

Buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in the "Eternal Love" section. The inscription reads "Beloved Husband and Father.".