Red Buttons - Filmography

Filmography as: Actor, Himself, Archive Footage

(2000s) (1990s) (1980s) (1970s) (1960s) (1950s) (1940s)

1. "ER"
- Ruby Redux (2005) TV Episode .... Jules 'Ruby' Rubadoux
- The Right Thing (1996) TV Episode .... Jules 'Ruby' Rubadoux
- True Lies (1996) TV Episode .... Jules 'Ruby' Rubadoux
- Dead of Winter (1996) TV Episode .... Jules 'Ruby' Rubadoux
- A Miracle Happens Here (1995) TV Episode .... Jules 'Ruby' Rubadoux
2. "Presidio Med"
- Milagros (2002) TV Episode .... Chick
3. "Street Time" .... Sam Cahan
- Reversal of Fortune (2002) TV Episode .... Sam Kahan
- Random Act (2002) TV Episode .... Sam Kahan
- Pilot: Part 1 (2002) TV Episode .... Sam Kahan
- Pilot: Part 2 (2002) TV Episode .... Sam Kahan
4. "Philly"
- The Curse of the Klopman Diamonds (2002) TV Episode .... Murray Klopman
5. Odessa or Bust (2001) .... The Old Man
6. "Family Law"
- Second Chance (2000) TV Episode .... Carl Porter

7. The Story of Us (1999) .... Arnie Jordan
8. "Early Edition"
- Pinch Hitters (1999) TV Episode .... Walter Stites
9. "Cosby"
- My Dinner with Methuseleh (1997) TV Episode .... Mr. Tibbles
10. It Could Happen to You (1994) .... Walter Zakuto
11. "Roseanne"
- Body by Jake (1994) TV Episode .... Jake
- Playing with Matches (1993) TV Episode .... Jake
12. "The Cosby Show"
- Cliff and Jake (1991) TV Episode .... Jake Bennett
13. The Ambulance (1990) .... Elias Zacharai

14. 18 Again! (1988) .... Charlie
15. "Knots Landing" (1979) TV Series .... Al Baker (1987)
16. "227"
- The Audit (1987) TV Episode .... Toots
17. Alice in Wonderland (1985) (TV) .... White Rabbit
... aka Alice Through the Looking Glass (USA: video title (second part title))
18. Reunion at Fairborough (1985) (TV) .... Jiggs Quealy
19. "Fantasy Island"
- King of Burlesque/Death Games (1983) TV Episode
- Cornelius and Alfonse/The Choice (1979) TV Episode .... Cornelius Kelly
- Return/The Toughest Man Alive (1978) TV Episode .... Tony Emerson
20. "The Love Boat"
- Vicki's Dilemma/Discount Romance/Looser & Still Champ (1983) TV Episode .... Jimmy
- Doc's Ex' Change/Gift, The/Making the Grade (1979) TV Episode .... Bud Redmond
- The Where Is It Written?/Julie's Aunt/Big Deal (1978) TV Episode .... Uncle Cyrus
21. Off Your Rocker (1982) (TV) .... Seymour Saltz
22. Side Show (1981) (TV) .... Harry
23. Leave 'em Laughing (1981) (TV) .... Roland
24. The Dream Merchants (1980) (TV) .... Bruce Benson
25. When Time Ran Out... (1980) .... Francis Fendly
... aka Earth's Final Fury (USA: TV title)
... aka The Day the World Ended (USA: video title)
26. Power (1980) (TV) .... Solly Weiss

27. C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979) .... Bracken
28. Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979) (TV) (voice) .... Milton
29. "Vega$"
- Serve, Volley and Kill (1978) TV Episode .... Tommy Cirko
- High Roller (1978) TV Episode .... Tommy Cirko
30. Movie Movie (1978) .... Peanuts/Jinks Murphy
31. The Users (1978) (TV) .... Warren Ambrose
32. Telethon (1977) (TV) .... Mart Rand
33. Pete's Dragon (1977) .... Hoagy
34. Viva Knievel! (1977) .... Ben Andrews
... aka Seconds to Live
35. Gable and Lombard (1976) .... Ivan Cooper
36. Louis Armstrong - Chicago Style (1976) (TV) .... Red Cleveland
37. "Wonder Woman"
... aka The New Adventures of Wonder Woman (USA: new title)
... aka The New Original Wonder Woman (USA: first episodes title)
- The New Original Wonder Woman (1975) TV Episode .... Ashley Norman/Carl
38. The New Original Wonder Woman (1975) (TV) .... Ashley Norman/Carl
39. "Little House on the Prairie"
... aka Little House: A New Beginning (USA: last season title)
- Circus Man (1975) TV Episode .... William "Willie" O'Hara
40. Alexander, Alexander (1973) (TV) .... Alexander Foster
41. The Poseidon Adventure (1972) .... James Martin
42. Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name? (1971) .... Mickey
... aka Death of a Hooker
43. Breakout (1970) (TV) .... Pipes
44. George M! (1970) (TV) .... Sam H. Harris

45. They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) .... Sailor
46. "Love, American Style"
- Love and the Advice Givers/Love and the Geisha/Love and Take Me Along (1969) TV Episode .... Norman (segment "Love and the Geisha")
47. "The Danny Thomas Hour"
- The Zero Man (1967) TV Episode .... Al Risko
48. "The Double Life of Henry Phyfe" (1966) TV Series .... Henry Wadsworth Phyfe (1966)
49. "Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre"
... aka The Chrysler Theater
... aka Universal Star Time (syndication title)
- Murder at N.B.C. (1966) TV Episode
50. Stagecoach (1966) .... Peacock
51. Harlow (1965/I) .... Arthur Landau
52. Up from the Beach (1965) .... Pfc. Harry Devine
53. "Ben Casey"
- Journeys End in Lovers Meeting (1965) TV Episode .... Bill Jacoby
54. Your Cheatin' Heart (1964) .... Shorty Younger
55. "The Greatest Show on Earth"
- The Last of the Strongmen (1964) TV Episode .... Walter Wallace
56. "The Eleventh Hour"
- Sunday Father (1964) TV Episode .... Cody Evans
57. "The Jimmy Dean Show"
- Episode dated 23 November 1963 (1963) TV Episode
58. A Ticklish Affair (1963) .... Uncle Cy
59. Gay Purr-ee (1962) (voice) .... Robespierre
60. The Longest Day (1962) .... Pvt. John Steele
61. "Saints and Sinners"
- All the Hard Young Men (1962) TV Episode .... Joe Roganyan
62. Five Weeks in a Balloon (1962) .... Donald O'Shay
63. Hatari! (1962) .... Pockets
64. "Frontier Circus"
- Never Won Fair Lady (1962) TV Episode .... Earl Youngblood
65. "General Electric Theater"
... aka G.E. Theater (USA: informal short title)
- Tippy-Top (1961) TV Episode .... Tippy-Top
- The Tallest Marine (1959) TV Episode .... Lieutenant George Poole
66. One, Two, Three (1961) (uncredited) .... MP sergeant
67. "The United States Steel Hour"
... aka The U.S. Steel Hour (USA: alternative title)
- The Case of the Missing Wife (1960) TV Episode
68. "Death Valley Days"
... aka Call of the West (USA: syndication title)
... aka The Pioneers (USA: syndication title)
... aka Trails West (USA: syndication title)
... aka Western Star Theater (USA: syndication title)
- The Million Dollar Pants (1960) TV Episode .... Levi Strauss

69. "Startime"
... aka Ford Startime
... aka Lincoln-Mercury Startime
- Something Special (1959) TV Episode .... Joe Henders
70. The Big Circus (1959) .... Randy Sherman
71. "Playhouse 90"
- A Marriage of Strangers (1959) TV Episode .... Jerry
72. Imitation General (1958) .... Cpl. Chan Derby
73. Hansel and Gretel (1958) (TV) .... Hansel
74. Sayonara (1957) .... Airman Joe Kelly
75. "Studio One"
... aka Studio One Summer Theatre (summer title)
... aka Studio One in Hollywood (new title)
... aka Summer Theatre (summer title)
... aka Westinghouse Studio One
... aka Westinghouse Summer Theatre (summer title)
- The Tale of St. Emergency (1956) TV Episode .... St. Emergency
76. "Suspense"
- Merryman's Murder (1951) TV Episode

77. 13 Rue Madeleine (1947) (uncredited) .... Second Jump Master
78. Winged Victory (1944) (as Cpl. Red Buttons) .... Whitey/Andrews Sister

Filmography as: Actor, Himself, Archive Footage

Himself - filmography
(2000s) (1990s) (1980s) (1970s) (1960s) (1950s)

1. Sid Bernstein Presents... (2005) .... Himself
2. Goodnight, We Love You (2004)
3. The 75th Annual Academy Awards (2003) (TV) .... Himself (Past Winner)
4. "Backstory"
... aka Hollywood Backstories (USA: syndication title)
- The Poseidon Adventure Backstory (2001) TV Episode .... Himself
5. Let Me In, I Hear Laughter (2000) .... Himself

6. "Dennis Miller Live"
- Growing Old (1999) TV Episode .... Himself
7. The 70th Annual Academy Awards (1998) (TV) (uncredited) .... Himself - Past Winner
8. "Biography"
- John Wayne: American Legend (1998) TV Episode .... Himself
- Darryl F. Zanuck: 20th Century Filmmaker (1995) TV Episode .... Himself
- Gypsy Rose Lee: Naked Ambition (????) TV Episode .... Himself
9. 20th Century-Fox: The First 50 Years (1997) (TV) .... Himself
10. "The Real Las Vegas" (1996) TV Series .... Himself
11. The Comedy Hall of Fame (1994) (TV) .... Himself
12. 10th Annual TV Academy Hall of Fame (1994) (TV) .... Himself
13. George Burns' 95th Birthday Party (1991) (TV) .... Himself

14. George Burns - His Wit and Wisdom (1989) (V) .... Himself
15. Las Vegas: An All-Star 75th Anniversary (1987) (TV) .... Himself
16. "It's Garry Shandling's Show."
- Force Boxman (1987) TV Episode .... Himself
17. NBC 60th Anniversary Celebration (1986) (TV) .... Himself
18. Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Mr. T (1984) (TV) .... Himself
19. "This Is Your Life"
- Mickey Rooney (1984) TV Episode .... Himself
20. "Pink Lady"
... aka Pink Lady and Jeff
- Episode #1.5 (1980) TV Episode .... Himself
21. Sinatra: The First 40 Years (1980) (TV)

22. The Royal Variety Performance 1979 (1979) (TV)
23. "Disneyland"
... aka Disney's Wonderful World (USA: new title)
... aka The Disney Sunday Movie (USA: new title)
... aka The Magical World of Disney (USA: new title)
... aka The Wonderful World of Disney (USA: new title)
... aka Walt Disney (USA: new title)
... aka Walt Disney Presents (USA: new title)
... aka Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (USA: new title)
- Mickey's 50 (1978) TV Episode .... Himself
24. "The Mike Douglas Show"
- Episode dated 5 January 1977 (1977) TV Episode .... Himself
25. The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Frank Sinatra (1977) (TV) .... Himself
26. Joys (1976) (TV) .... Red Buttons
... aka Bob Hope Special: Bob Hope in 'Joys' (USA: complete title)
27. "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson"
... aka The Best of Carson (USA: rerun title)
- Episode dated 1 October 1973 (1973) TV Episode .... Himself
- Episode dated 24 April 1973 (1973) TV Episode .... Himself
- Episode dated 31 August 1970 (1970) TV Episode .... Himself
- Episode dated 15 June 1970 (1970) TV Episode .... Himself
28. Ed Sullivan Presents: The TV Comedy Years (1973) (TV) .... Himself
29. The 44th Annual Academy Awards (1972) (TV) .... Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Film Editing
30. "This Is Your Life"
- Don Rickles (1972) TV Episode .... Himself
31. "The Merv Griffin Show"
- Episode dated 24 June 1970 (1970) TV Episode .... Himself
- Episode dated 28 December 1967 (1967) TV Episode .... Himself

32. "The Jackie Gleason Show"
... aka The Honeymooners (USA: rerun title)
- Episode #3.11 (1969) TV Episode .... Himself
- Episode #3.9 (1968) TV Episode .... Himself
33. The Moviemakers (1969) (uncredited) .... Himself (actor)
34. "The Dean Martin Show"
... aka The Dean Martin Comedy Hour (USA: new title)
- Episode dated 8 February 1968 (1968) TV Episode .... Himself
- Episode dated 16 March 1967 (1967) TV Episode .... Himself
35. "The Hollywood Palace"
- Episode #4.26 (1967) TV Episode .... Himself - Singer/Sketch Actor
- Episode #1.7 (1964) TV Episode .... Himself - Comedian
36. "Toast of the Town"
... aka The Ed Sullivan Show (USA: new title)
- Episode #20.13 (1966) TV Episode .... Himself - Comedian
- Episode #20.2 (1966) TV Episode .... Himself - Comedian/Singer
- Episode #15.41 (1962) TV Episode .... Pantomime Act
- Episode #15.37 (1962) TV Episode .... Comedian
- Episode #14.1 (1960) TV Episode .... Singer
(4 more)
37. "The Andy Williams Show"
- Episode dated 19 April 1965 (1965) TV Episode .... Himself
38. "Password"
... aka Password All-Stars (USA: new title)
- Jane Powell vs. Red Buttons (1962) TV Episode .... Panelist
39. "What's My Line?"
- Episode dated 12 August 1962 (1962) TV Episode .... Mystery Guest
- Episode dated 28 June 1959 (1959) TV Episode .... Mystery Guest
- Episode dated 5 April 1953 (1953) TV Episode .... Himself

40. "I've Got a Secret"
- Episode dated 5 August 1959 (1959) TV Episode .... Mystery Guest
41. The 31st Annual Academy Awards (1959) (TV) .... Himself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actress
42. "The Dinah Shore Chevy Show"
... aka The Dinah Shore Show (USA: sixth season title)
- Episode dated 1 June 1958 (1958) TV Episode .... Himself
43. The 30th Annual Academy Awards (1958) (TV) .... Himself - Best Supporting Actor Winner
44. "The Perry Como Show"
... aka Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall (USA: new title)
... aka The Chesterfield Supper Club
- Episode dated 12 October 1957 (1957) TV Episode
45. "The Red Buttons Show" (1952) TV Series .... Himself (Host) (1952-1955)
46. Footlight Varieties (1951) .... Himself

Red Buttons Obituary

Although Red Buttons is best known as a stand-up comic, he is also a successful songwriter, an Academy Award-winning actor (and has been nominated for two Golden Globe awards) and an accomplished singer. Born Aaron Chwatt in New York City's Lower East Side, Buttons (who got his name from a uniform he wore while working as a singing bellhop) started his show-business career singing on street corners as a child. At 16 he got a job as part of a comedy act playing the famed Catskills resort area in upstate New York (his partner was future actor Robert Alda). Buttons worked the burlesque circuit as a comic and even landed a role in a Broadway play, "Vicki", in 1942. He soon joined the U.S. Marine Corps, and in 1943 was picked for a role in Moss Hart's service play "Winged Victory" on Broadway, and soon afterwards journeyed to Hollywood to make the film version. After his discharge from the service he returned to Broadway, both in plays and as a comic with several big-band orchestras. He was successful enough that he got his own TV series, "The Red Buttons Show" (1952), on CBS. It lasted three years and won Buttons an Emmy for Best Comedian. He worked steadily for the next several years, and in 1957 got his big film break in the drama Sayonara (1957) with Marlon Brando, in which he played an American soldier stationed in Japan who struggled against the societal and racist pressures of both American and Japanese cultures because of his love for a Japanese woman. His performance garnered him an Academy Award, and more film roles followed. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for Harlow (1965/I) and again for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969). He had a part in the TV series "The Double Life of Henry Phyfe" (1966) and has done pretty much every kind of TV show there is, from variety to comedy to soap operas. He gained further renown in the 1960s for his appearances on the "Dean Martin Celebrity Roast" where he performed his "Never Got a Dinner" act to great acclaim. He has played Las Vegas for years, has a star on Hollywood Boulevard (corner of Hollywood and Vine) and has appeared in numerous telethons and charitable events, for which he has been honored by such organizations as the Friars Club and the City of Hope Hospital.

Comic, Actor Red Buttons Dies

Red Buttons (2004 photo)

American comedian and Academy award-winning actor Red Buttons has died.

His publicist said the 87-year-old died of vascular disease at home in Los Angeles.

The flame-haired comic began his career on the vaudeville stages of New York. His Red Buttons Show made him a star in the early days of television, and he continued to appear in film and on television as recently as last year.

Known for his quick wit, he also tackled serious roles. Buttons received an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor in 1957 for his portrayal of a soldier in the movie Sayonara.

Red Buttons, left, and Pamela Sue Martin

Red Buttons, left, and Pamela Sue Martin — cast members of the 1972 film "The Poseidon Adventure" — pose after arriving at the premiere of "Poseidon" on May 10 in Los Angeles.

estauranteur Dan Tana, left, and Red Buttons attend Tana's 40th anniversary party on Oct. 1, 2004

Restauranteur Dan Tana, left, and Red Buttons attend Tana's 40th anniversary party on Oct. 1, 2004, at the his eponymous restaurant in West Hollywood, Calif.

Red Buttons arrives at a memorial tribute for Bob Hope

Red Buttons arrives at a memorial tribute for Bob Hope at the Academy of Arts and Sciences in North Hollywood, Calif. The rich, the famous and the comedic all came to pay tribute to the man who sang "Thanks for the Memories."

Academy Award winner Red Buttons and wife Alicia Pratt arrive at the 75th Annual Academy Awards

Academy Award winner Red Buttons and wife Alicia Pratt arrive at the 75th Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre on March 23, 2003.

Red Buttons appears at an American Film Institute gala

Red Buttons appears at an American Film Institute gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Feb. 18, 1999.

Red Buttons starred in "Ghosts of Fear Street,"

Red Buttons stars in "Ghosts of Fear Street," a story based on R.L. Stine's bestselling children's book series.

Red Buttons keeps them smiling

Red Buttons keeps them smiling as he entertains residents at the Jewish Home for the Aging in Reseda, Calif.

Red Buttons on the set of "The Poseidon Adventure," at 20th Century Fox on April 10, 1972.

Academy Award winner Gene Hackman cuts cake on the set of his new film, "The Poseidon Adventure," at 20th Century Fox on April 10, 1972. The cast features other previous Oscar winners, including Jack Albertson, left, Red Buttons, director Ronald Neame, Hackman, Shelley Winters and Ernest Borgnine.

Red Buttons draws on a poster of Ed Sullivan

Red Buttons draws on a poster of Ed Sullivan for Sullivan's 14th anniversary show in 1962.

Red Buttons arrives at the Academy Awards with his wife.

Red Buttons arrives at the Academy Awards with his wife.

Miyoshi Umeki and Red Buttons hold fast to their Oscars in this March 24, 1958 photo

Miyoshi Umeki and Red Buttons hold fast to their Oscars in this March 24, 1958 photo as they embrace after winning awards for best supporting actor and actress for "Sayonara." The film was also nominated for a best picture Oscar.

(LAT)

Red Buttons In Pictures

Red Buttons is pictured with Miyoshi Umeki in "Sayonara," which won Buttons an Oscar for best supporting actor.

Red Buttons Has Died at 87

Red Buttons, the impish former burlesque comic who became an early TV sensation and an Academy Award-winning character actor during a career that spanned more than seven decades, has died. He was 87.

Buttons died today at his Century City home after a long battle with vascular disease, publicist Warren Cowan said.

A product of New York's Lower East Side, Buttons had already performed in Minsky's Burlesque and in Broadway plays and musicals by the time he became an overnight hit on television in 1952 with the launch of "The Red Buttons Show" on CBS.

A comedy-variety show, it featured the likable Buttons' monologues, dance numbers and sketches with regulars and guests. Among the comic's recurring characters were a punch-drunk prizefighter named Rocky, a juvenile delinquent called Muggsy, and a dumb "dialect" German named Kleeglefarven.

The diminutive comic — 5 feet, 6 inches and 140 pounds — inspired children around the country to mimic him singing his signature "Ho Ho Song," in which he hopped around singing, "Ho Ho! Hee Hee! Ha Ha! Strange things are happening."

The Academy of Radio and Television Arts and Sciences named him Comedian of the Year in 1954.

But Buttons' time at the top on TV was short-lived.

The show, which moved to NBC when CBS canceled it after its second season, became a sitcom and was off the air a year later.

After his show was canceled in 1955, Buttons said years later, "I couldn't get arrested." Indeed, as he said at the time, "I found out how tough show business can be."

Over the next two years, he worked only 14 weeks, primarily in nightclubs, with only three guest shots on "The Perry Como Show" and a role in a "Studio One" production.

But in late 1957 he was unexpectedly back on top with his dramatic supporting role in the screen adaptation of the James Michener novel "Sayonara," starring Marlon Brando as an Army major who falls in love with a Japanese woman after he is assigned to an air base in Japan during the Korean War.

Buttons' role as the tragic Airman Joe Kelly, an enlisted man in Brando's company who marries his Japanese sweetheart despite a military policy forbidding interracial marriage, earned him an Oscar and a Golden Globe for best supporting actor

"I'm a little guy," Buttons said at the time, "and that's what I play all the time — a little guy and his troubles."

Buttons appeared in more than 30 movies, including "Hatari!," "The Longest Day," "Harlow," "Stagecoach" (the 1966 remake), "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?," "The Poseidon Adventure," "18 Again!" and "It Could Happen to You."

In 1966, he starred in the short-lived situation comedy "The Double Life of Henry Phyfe," in which he played a bookkeeper who is asked to pose as a secret agent.

Buttons never equaled his early TV success or the high of his Oscar win, but he also never again stopped working. He appeared in TV movies and specials and made frequent series guest shots. He had a stint on "Knots Landing" in the 1980s and recurring roles on "Roseanne" in the '90s and in the Showtime series "Street Time" in 2002.

In the 1970s, he made frequent appearances on "The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast" shows, in which Buttons would begin his portion of the proceedings by noting, "Some of the most famous people in history never got a dinner!"

A popular guest at testimonial dinners over the years, Buttons offered up one-liners, including: "Alex the Great, who said on his wedding night, 'It's only a nickname'." and "George W. Bush, who said to Pope John Paul II, 'Give us a visit and bring the missus."

"You think you can reach a peak and stay there, but that's not what happens. I've been coming back continuously," Buttons said in a 1987 interview. "I've had a Humpty Dumpty career. It's been a roller coaster ride."

Born Aaron Chwatt in New York City on Feb. 5, 1919, Buttons spent his early years in tenements on the Lower East Side, the same poor neighborhood that had spawned legendary figures including Eddie Cantor, George Burns, Jimmy Durante, Fannie Brice and George and Ira Gershwin.

"I don't know," Buttons once said. "It must have been something in the seltzer."

His father, a Polish immigrant who made hats for a living, sparked his early desire to get into show business.

"He was a clown who liked to sing and dance," Buttons told Newsday in 1995. "I picked that up from him. I noticed he made people happy, smiling, laughing, and that's what I wanted to do."

As a kid, Buttons sang for pennies on the street, encouraging donations by wearing a small sign that said, "I am an orphan."

"That was my gimmick," he recalled. "People were nice to orphans."

Buttons' family, which included his brother Joe and sister Ida, moved to the Bronx while he was still in grammar school.

At 12, billing himself as Little Skippy and singing "Sweet Jennie Lee," he won an amateur night contest at a local movie theater.

At 16 in 1935, he landed a job as a bellboy and singer at Dinty Moore's Tavern on City Island in the Bronx. Customers, eyeing his red hair and uniform festooned with brass buttons, gave him the nickname that became his professional moniker.

That summer, Buttons made his first appearance on the Borscht Circuit. In exchange for room and board, he entertained at Greenfield Park in New York's Catskill Mountains.

During a summertime stint at Loch Sheldrake in the Catskills after he graduated from high school in 1938, Button was spotted by a talent scout for burlesque impresario Harold Minsky. That led to a 17-week engagement at the Gaiety Theater in New York, followed by time on what was known as the Western Wheel circuit.

Buttons made his Broadway acting debut in a supporting role in "Vickie," a farce at the Plymouth Theatre starring Jose Ferrer and Uta Hagen. He followed that by joining the "Wine, Women and Song" vaudeville-burlesque company at the Ambassador Theater in 1942.

After being inducted into the Army in 1943, Buttons joined the cast of "Winged Victory," playwright Moss Hart's Army Air Forces play to benefit Army Emergency Relief.

After 212 performances in New York, he re-created the role in the 20th Century Fox film version. That was followed by a 28-week "Winged Victory" tour.

He also had a stint with another Army unit in Europe in 1945, and that year he performed and served as master of ceremonies in a show for President Truman, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet dictator Josef Stalin at the Potsdam Conference.

Back in New York after his discharge, Buttons appeared on Broadway in George Abbott's musical "Barefoot Boy With Cheek" in 1947 and the 1948 musical "Hold It," in which he impressed New York World-Telegram critic William Hawkins, who wrote: "The best out and out performance of the evening is Red Buttons, who comes into his own He can dress up comedy lines."

Forty-seven years later, in 1995, a 76-year-old Buttons was still dressing up comedy lines with "Buttons on Broadway," a one-man show filled with old stories and old jokes.

"I love to make 'em laugh. I love to hear 'em laugh. I love to entertain," he told Back Stage magazine. "That's my life. It's always been my life."

Comedian Red Buttons Dies in L.A. at 87

Red Buttons attends the NBC Universal/Focus Features party after the 63rd annual Golden Globe Awards, in this file photo from Jan. 16, 2006, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Buttons died at his home Thursday July 13, 2006. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill,File)

By BOB THOMAS

LOS ANGELES Jul 13, 2006 (AP)— Red Buttons, the carrot-topped burlesque comedian who became a top star in early television and then in a dramatic role won the 1957 Oscar as supporting actor in "Sayonara," died Thursday. He was 87.

Buttons died of vascular disease at his home in the Century City area of Los Angeles, publicist Warren Cowan said. He had been ill for some time, and was with family members when he died, Cowan said.

With his eager manner and rapid-fire wit, Buttons excelled in every phase of show business, from the Borscht Belt of the 1930s to celebrity roasts in the 1990s.

His greatest achievement came with his "Sayonara" role as Sgt. Joe Kelly, the soldier in the post-World War II occupation forces in Japan whose romance with a Japanese woman (Myoshi Umeki, who also won an Academy Award) ends in tragedy.

Josh Logan, who directed the James Michener story that starred Marlon Brando, was at first hesitant to cast a well-known comedian in such a somber role.

"The tests were so extensive that they could just put scenery around them and release the footage as a feature film," Buttons remarked.

Buttons' Academy Award led to other films, both dramas and comedies. They included "Imitation General," "The Big Circus," "Hatari!" "The Longest Day," "Up From the Beach," "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" "The Poseidon Adventure," "Gable and Lombard" and "Pete's Dragon."

A performer since his teens, Buttons was noticed by burlesque theater owners and he became the youngest comic on the circuit. He had graduated to small roles on Broadway before being drafted in 1943.

Along with dozens of other future stars, including Mario Lanza, John Forsythe, Karl Malden and Lee J. Cobb, Buttons was enlisted for "Winged Victory," the play that famed director-playwright Moss Hart created for the Air Force. Buttons also appeared in the 1944 film version, directed by George Cukor.

Discharged in 1946, Buttons returned to nightclub and theater work. In 1952, CBS signed him for a weekly show as the network's answer to NBC's Milton Berle.

"The Red Buttons Show" was first broadcast on CBS Oct. 14, 1952, without a sponsor since the star was virtually unknown. Within a month, the show became a solid hit and advertisers were clamoring.

Buttons drew on all his past experience for monologues, songs, dances and sketches featuring such characters as a punch-drunk fighter, a scrappy street kid, a Sad Sack GI and a blundering German. The hit of the show was a silly song in which he pranced about the stage singing, "Ho! Ho!… He! He!… Ha! Ha!… Strange things are happening!" It became a national craze.

After a sensational first season, "The Red Buttons Show" began to slide. Reports circulated that the star had fits of temper and frequently fired writers, and the show ended after three seasons.

"Certainly I made mistakes, and mistakes were made for me," he said in 1960. "When you go into TV cold, as I did, it's murder."

While the failure was a severe blow to the normally optimistic comedian, he soon recovered and resumed his career as a guest star on TV shows. A straight role on "Suspense" brought him to the attention of Logan, who cast him for the career-making "Sayonara."

In 1966, Buttons starred in another series, "The Double Life of Henry Phyfe," as a humble accountant enlisted as a government spy. The show lasted only six months.

Over the years Buttons remained a steady performer on television, appearing on such series as "Knots Landing," "Roseanne" and "ER." He also took his act on the road, appearing at Las Vegas, Atlantic City, conventions, and returning to his beginnings in the Catskills.

Still in good health at 76 ("They call me the only Yiddish leprechaun"), he appeared in New York in 1995 with an autobiographical one-man show, "Buttons on Broadway."

It was his first Broadway show since 1948, when he appeared in a play with the unfortunate title of "Hold It." One critic, Buttons recalled, began his review: "`Hold It?' Fold it."

Buttons was born Aaron Chwatt on Feb. 15, 1919, son of an immigrant milliner, in a tough Manhattan neighborhood where, he once said, "you either grew up to be a judge or you went to the electric chair."

He struggled through schools in Manhattan and the Bronx "Mom and Pop went to school as often as I did; they should have graduated with me." He started performing at the age of 12, winning an amateur contest singing "Sweet Jenny Brown" in a sailor's suit.

At 16 he was working as a singer and bellhop in a gin mill on New York's City Island. Since all bellhops were called Buttons and Chwatt had red hair, he got his new name.

During his summer vacation, he worked as a singer on the Borscht Circuit the string of Catskills resorts catering to a largely Jewish clientele where Danny Kaye, Sid Caesar, Mel Brooks, Hart and others trained for stardom.

In later years, Buttons became a favorite at testimonial/roast dinners with his roaringly funny "Never had a dinner" routine. He cited famous figures who had never been so honored. Examples: "Abe Lincoln, who said `A house divided is a condominium,' never had a dinner"; "(Perennial presidential candidate) Jerry Brown, whose theme song is `California, Here I Go,' never had a dinner." (When he did "Buttons on Broadway," he altered the routine and named people who never did one-man shows.)

In 1982, Red Buttons finally had a dinner. The Friars Club honored him with a star-filled roast and a life-achievement award.

"When I was a kid in the Bronx and watching and dreaming from the second balcony," the guest of honor said, "in my wildest imagination I couldn't have written this scenario tonight."

Buttons was married and divorced twice in his early career. He is survived by his third wife, Alicia, their children, Amy and Adam, and a sister.

Comedian Red Buttons dies

Comedian Red Buttons dies
13-Jul-2006
Written by: Alex Lang

Oscar winner in “Sayonara“ dies at 87

Comedian Red Buttons who won on Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Sayonara,” “died Thursday at the age of 87, according to the Associated Press.

He died of vascular disease, which he had been battling for some time, publicist Warren Cowan told the AP.

Buttons began his career as a comedian in early television, however he will be most remembered for his dramatic role in “Sayonara.” He appeared in dozens of other movies including, "The Poseidon Adventure," "Gable and Lombard" and "Pete's Dragon."

Red Buttons, comic and Oscar winner, dies in Los Angeles at 87

BOB THOMAS

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Red Buttons, the carrot-topped burlesque comedian who became a top star in early television and then in a dramatic role won the 1957 Oscar as supporting actor in "Sayonara," died Thursday. He was 87.

Buttons died of vascular disease at his home in the Century City area of Los Angeles, publicist Warren Cowan said. He had been ill for some time, and was with family members when he died, Cowan said.

With his eager manner and rapid-fire wit, Buttons excelled in every phase of show business, from the Borscht Belt of the 1930s to celebrity roasts in the 1990s.

His greatest achievement came with his "Sayonara" role as Sgt. Joe Kelly, the soldier in the post-World War II occupation forces in Japan whose romance with a Japanese woman (Myoshi Umeki, who also won an Academy Award) ends in tragedy.

Josh Logan, who directed the James Michener story that starred Marlon Brando, was at first hesitant to cast a well-known comedian in such a somber role.

"The tests were so extensive that they could just put scenery around them and release the footage as a feature film," Buttons remarked.

Buttons' Academy Award led to other films, both dramas and comedies. They included "Imitation General," "The Big Circus," "Hatari!" "The Longest Day," "Up From the Beach," "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" "The Poseidon Adventure," "Gable and Lombard" and "Pete's Dragon."

"He proved it was no accident by winning an Oscar that comedians can be in movies," said fellow, legendary comedian Jack Carter. "He was more than a comedian, he was a wise man."

Carter said he and Buttons often were used as "closers" at celebrity roasts and other gatherings of comedians. He added that Buttons, who did many speaking engagements late in his life, culled his many punchlines from his own life.

"Red never had an actual act. His act was his life, and that's why it came so naturally," Carter said. "He was brilliant at it."

A performer since his teens, Buttons was noticed by burlesque theater owners and he became the youngest comic on the circuit. He had graduated to small roles on Broadway before being drafted in 1943.

Along with dozens of other future stars, including Mario Lanza, John Forsythe, Karl Malden and Lee J. Cobb, Buttons was enlisted for "Winged Victory," the play that famed director-playwright Moss Hart created for the Air Force. Buttons also appeared in the 1944 film version, directed by George Cukor.

Discharged in 1946, Buttons returned to nightclub and theater work. In 1952, CBS signed him for a weekly show as the network's answer to NBC's Milton Berle.

"The Red Buttons Show" was first broadcast on CBS Oct. 14, 1952, without a sponsor since the star was virtually unknown. Within a month, the show became a solid hit and advertisers were clamoring.

Buttons drew on all his past experience for monologues, songs, dances and sketches featuring such characters as a punch-drunk fighter, a scrappy street kid, a Sad Sack GI and a blundering German. The hit of the show was a silly song in which he pranced about the stage singing, "Ho! Ho!... He! He!... Ha! Ha!... Strange things are happening!" It became a national craze.