Belle Montrose

Who was Belle Montrose?

Belle Montrose, born Isabelle Donohue in Illinois, was an Irish-American actress and vaudeville performer. She appeared on stage with her husband Carroll Abler in the comedy team of Allen and Montrose, touring with the Orpheum vaudeville circuit.

On December 26, 1921, Montrose and Carroll Abler became the parents of Steve Allen. After Carroll Abler died in 1923, young Steve Allen began living with the Montrose family on Chicago's South Side, near New Hyde Park, while his mother toured. After Carroll's death, Belle continued in vaudeville, working as a solo act and with other comedians. In 1925, the 17-year-old comedian Milton Berle toured with Montrose.

Years later, Steve Allen wrote about her in his memoir, Mark It and Strike It: An Autobiography.