Marshall Allen

Marshall Belford Allen is a native Kentuckian born in Louisville on May 25, 1924. He is most famously known for his avant-garde jazz and free jazz work with bandleader / keyboardist Sun Ra, with whom he recorded from the late 1950s until Ra's passing in 1993. Allen plays the alto saxophone, oboe, piccolo, flute, and EVI.

Aside from Sun Ra's Arkestra, Allen recorded with Paul Bley's band in 1964 and Olatunji's group in the mid-1960s. Allen has been the Arkestra's bandleader since the deaths of Ra and John Gilmore.

Marshall Allen is known for work in acting across film and television. New Release currently presents 7 verified screen credits connected to this profile.

Selected work includes Sounds of the Desert (2026), Space Is the Place (1974), Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise (1980), Beat - a film about Jazz (2025), Mystery Mister Ra (1984), Spaceways (1968), The Magic Sun (1966). The recorded credits span 1966 to 2026, including 7 movies and 0 TV shows.

The filmography below lists available titles, release years and known roles. This profile is updated as additional verified information becomes available.