When she answered an advertisement from the World Modeling Agency in September 1983, she immediately signed a contract with that agency and did pictorials for Cheri, Club, Hustler, and Penthouse, which brought her to the attention of the adult entertainment industry. Allen, the breadwinner of the two, felt obligated to find a lucrative occupation. After he died, she had her 'first nice boyfriend' move in with her. Born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, Allen moved to California in 1982 to become her grandfather's caregiver following his heart attack.
