Red Buttons


Red Buttons was an American actor and comedian. He won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his supporting role in the 1957 film Sayonara.

Early life

Red Buttons was born Aaron Chwatt on February 5, 1919, in Manhattan, to Jewish immigrants Sophie and Michael Chwatt. At sixteen years old, Chwatt got a job as an entertaining bellhop at Ryan's Tavern in City Island, Bronx. The combination of his red hair and the large, shiny buttons on the bellhop uniforms inspired orchestra leader Charles "Dinty" Moore to call him "Red Buttons," the name under which he would later perform.
Later that same summer Buttons worked on the Borscht Belt; his straight man was Robert Alda. Buttons was working at the Irvington Hotel in South Fallsburg, New York, when the Master of Ceremonies became incapacitated, and he asked for the chance to replace him. In 1939 Buttons started working for Minsky's Burlesque; in 1941, José Ferrer chose Buttons to appear in a Broadway show The Admiral Had a Wife. The show was a farce set in Pearl Harbor, and it was due to open on December 8, 1941. It never did, as it was deemed inappropriate after the Japanese attack. In later years Buttons would joke that the Japanese only attacked Pearl Harbor to keep him off Broadway.

Career

In September 1942, Buttons made his Broadway debut in Vickie with Ferrer and Uta Hagen. Later that year he appeared in the Minsky's show Wine, Women and Song. This was the last classic Burlesque show in New York City history, as the Mayor La Guardia administration closed it down. Buttons was on stage when the show was raided.
Drafted into the United States Army Air Forces, Buttons in 1943 appeared in the Army Air Forces' Broadway show Winged Victory, along with several future stars, including Mario Lanza, John Forsythe, Karl Malden and Lee J. Cobb. A year later he appeared in Darryl F. Zanuck's movie version of Winged Victory, directed by George Cukor. Buttons also entertained troops in the European Theater in the same Jeep Show unit as Mickey Rooney.
After the war Buttons continued to do Broadway shows. He also performed at Broadway movie houses with big bands. In 1952, Buttons received his own variety series on television, The Red Buttons Show, which ran for three years on CBS. It was the #11 show in prime time in 1952. In 1953 he recorded and had a two-sided hit with Strange Things Are Happening/The Ho Ho Song, with both sides/songs essentially being the same.
His role in Sayonara was a dramatic departure from his previous work. In this film, co-starring with Marlon Brando, he played Joe Kelly, an American airman stationed in Kobe, Japan during the Korean War, who marries Katsumi, a Japanese woman, but is barred from taking her back to the United States. His moving portrayal of Kelly's calm resolve not to abandon the relationship, and the touching reassurance of Katsumi, impressed audiences and critics alike. Buttons won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and Umeki won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film.
After his Oscar-winning role Buttons performed in numerous feature films, including the Africa adventure Hatari! with John Wayne, the adventure Five Weeks in a Balloon , the war epic The Longest Day, the biopic Harlow, the disaster film The Poseidon Adventure, the dance-marathon drama They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, the family comedy Pete's Dragon, the disaster film When Time Ran Out with Paul Newman and the age-reversal comedy 18 Again! with George Burns.
In 1966 Buttons again starred in his own TV series, a spy spoof called The Double Life of Henry Phyfe, which ran for one season. Buttons also made guest appearances on several TV programs including The Eleventh Hour, Little House on the Prairie, It's Garry Shandling's Show, Knots Landing and Roseanne. His last TV role was in ER.
He became a nationally recognisable comedian, and his "Never Got A Dinner" routine was a standard of The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast for many years. He made numerous appearances at Friars Club roasts and Chabad telethons, where he was often brought on and off stage to the tune of Hava Nagila, which he chose as a theme song to emphasize his cultural identification as a Jew.
His best-known catchphrase, "Never got a dinner!" formed the basis for elaborately eccentric lists of famous people who had not been honoured with celebrity dinner roasts. Another of his catchphrases was "I did not come here to be made sport of," which was later taken up by the radio talk show host Howie Carr.
Buttons received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for television, his star being located at 1651 Vine Street. He was number 71 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time.

Personal life

Buttons married actress Roxanne Arlen in 1947, but the marriage soon ended in divorce. He married Helayne McNorton on December 8, 1949. They divorced in 1963. His last marriage was to Alicia Pratts, which lasted from January 27, 1964, until her death in March 2001. Buttons had two children, Amy Buttons and Adam Buttons. He was the advertising spokesman for Century Village, Florida, a retirement community.
Buttons was an early member of the Synagogue for the Performing Arts, and at the time Rabbi Jerome Cutler was the Rabbi.

Death

Buttons died of complications from cardiovascular disease on July 13, 2006, at age 87 at his home in Century City, Los Angeles. He had been ill for a while and was with family members when he died. His ashes were given to his family after cremation.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1944Winged VictoryWhitey / Andrews Sisteras Cpl. Red Buttons
194613 Rue MadeleineSecond Jump Masteruncredited
1951Footlight VarietiesHimself
1957SayonaraAirman Joe KellyAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
Nominated—BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer
1958Imitation GeneralCpl. Chan Derby
1959The Big CircusRandy Sherman
1961One, Two, ThreeMP sergeantcameo; uncredited
1962Hatari!Pockets
1962Five Weeks in a BalloonDonald O'Shay
1962The Longest DayPrivate John Steele
1962Gay Purr-eeRobespierrevoice
1963A Ticklish AffairUncle Cy
1964Your Cheatin' HeartShorty Younger
1965Up from the BeachPfc. Harry Devine
1965Harlow Arthur LandauNominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
1966StagecoachPeacock
1969The MoviemakersHimselfshort subject
1969They Shoot Horses, Don't They?SailorNominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
1971Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name?Mickey
1972The Poseidon AdventureJames Martin
1975The New Original Wonder Woman Ashley Norman
1976Gable and LombardIvan Cooper
1977Viva Knievel!Ben Andrews
1977Pete's DragonHoagyNominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor
1978The UsersWarren AmbroseTV movie
1978Movie MoviePeanuts / Jinks Murphy
1979Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in JulyMiltonvoice
1979C.H.O.M.P.S.Bracken
1980When Time Ran OutFrancis Fendly
1980The Dream MerchantsBruce BensonTV movie
1985Reunion at FairboroughJiggs Quealy
1985Alice in WonderlandThe White Rabbit
198818 Again!Charlie
1990The AmbulanceElias Zacharai
1994It Could Happen to YouWalter Zakuto
1999The Story of UsArnie Jordan
2000AMC Backstory - The Longest DayHimselfdocumentary
2001Odessa or BustThe Old Manshort subject
2004Goodnight, We Love Youdocumentary
2005Sid Bernstein Presents...Himselfdocumentary