Allan Havey
He hides jet-black hypotheticals behind the casual demeanor of a disgruntled executive.
2 specials · 1991–1992
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Allan Havey commands a room with the unbothered posture of a guy waiting for a bus. His delivery is calm, measured, and completely in control. He will set up a familiar premise about aging or family, let the audience settle into the rhythm of a standard joke, and then effortlessly pivot into something jet-black. He handles dark material by keeping his voice low and conversational. He presents wild hypotheticals, like pitching the concept of a “comfort penis” to mock emotional support animals, as if he were just spitballing ideas at a diner.
Specials
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One Night Stand: Command Performance
Allan Havey brings his relaxed, dry rhythm back to HBO.
HBO · 30 min
On stage
He is a lifer of the comedy scene. After coming up in the New York clubs in the early eighties, he became a fixture of early cable, hosting Night After Night on the Comedy Channel. Today, people often recognize him first as a character actor, specifically for playing the deeply loathed Lou Avery on Mad Men or Karl Allard on Billions. On stage, he retains the quiet authority of those television executives, but channels it into dismantling a club crowd.
His stage persona leans hard into his age. He plays the role of an unapologetic older man who has earned the right to judge everyone instantly. He undercuts the arrogance by treating the room as a sandbox. He works a crowd with total ease, zeroing in on a front-row couple to form a polite bond, only to relentlessly mock them the moment they offer an unhelpful detail. He doesn’t rely on volume or aggression. He just stands there, letting the quiet moments do the heavy lifting.
Turning points
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1989–1992
Hosting Night After Night on The Comedy Channel
Havey created, hosted, and executive produced Night After Night with Allan Havey, which ran for over three years and developed into a cult classic.
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Considered as Successor for NBC Late Night
Following David Letterman's departure to CBS, Havey was one of several comedians considered by NBC to take over hosting duties on Late Night before Conan O'Brien was chosen.
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2013–2015
Cast as Lou Avery on Mad Men
Matthew Weiner cast Havey as agency creative director Lou Avery in AMC's Mad Men, drawing significant critical and viewer notice.
At a glance
Also on screen
- Checking Out
- Internal Affairs
- Seinfeld
- Rounders
- Knockaround Guys
A clip to start with
Allan Havey on Late Night with David Letterman Oct 8, 2010