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Red Buttons

Comedian | * 02/05/1919 († 87, 07/13/2006) | New York City, New York (United States of America (USA))
Red Buttons (born Aaron Chwatt; February 5, 1919 – July 13, 2006) was an American actor and comedian. He won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his supporting role in the 1957 film Sayonara. He was nominated for awards for his acting work in films such as They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, Harlow, and Pete's Dragon. Buttons played the lead role of Private John Steele, the paratrooper hung up on the town steeple clock, in the 1962 international ensemble cast film The Longest Day. ()
Photo of Red Buttons

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 on February 5, 1919 (Aquarius) in New York City's Lower East Side, stood at a height of 5' 6" (1.68 m). Buttons (who got his name from a uniform he wore while working as a singing bellhop), also known as Cpl. Red Buttons, 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 played a paratrooper in The Longest Day (1962), was nominated for a Golden Globe for Harlow (1965) 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 1970s 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. He died July 13, 2006 at the age of 87 in Century City, California, USA from vascular disease.

Most frequent genres for this person: Drama | Comedies | TV Movies

Known for these Movies & Shows

Awards & Nominations for Red Buttons

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Star On Hollywood Walk of Fame Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
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Movies with Red Buttons as Actor(45)

as himself2004 Goodnight, We Love You
as Arnie Jordan1999 The Story of Us
as Walter Zakuto1994 It Could Happen to You
as Elias Zacharai1990 The Ambulance
as Charlie1988 18 Again!
as Jiggs Quealy1985 Reunion at Fairborough
as Harry Hubbell1981 Side Show
as Roland Green1981 Leave 'Em Laughing
as Francis Fendly1980 When Time Ran Out...
as Solly Weiss1980 Power
as Bracken1979 C.H.O.M.P.S.
as Peanuts / Jinks Murphy1978 Movie Movie
as Warren Ambrose1978 The Users
as himself1978 The Bermuda Depths
as Ben Andrews1977 Viva Knievel!
as Marty Rand1977 Telethon
as Hoagy1977 Pete's Dragon
as Ivan Cooper1976 Gable and Lombard
as himself1976 Joys
as James Martin1972 The Poseidon Adventure
as Mickey Isadore1971 Who Killed Mary Whats'ername?
as Sam H. Harris1970 George M!
as Pipes1970 Breakout
as Peacock1966 Stagecoach
as Arthur Landau1965 Harlow
as PFC Harry Devine1965 Up from the Beach
as Shorty Younger1964 Your Cheatin' Heart
as Flight Officer Simon 'Uncle Cy' Shelley1963 A Ticklish Affair
as Robespierre (voice)1962 Gay Purr-ee
as Donald O'Shay1962 Five Weeks in a Balloon
as Pockets1962 Hatari!
as Pvt. John Steele1962 The Longest Day
as MP Sergeant (uncredited)1961 One, Two, Three
as Randy Sherman1959 The Big Circus
as Cpl. Chan Derby1958 Imitation General
as Joe Kelly1957 Sayonara
as himself1951 Footlight Varieties
as Whitey / Andrews Sister1944 Winged Victory

TV Shows/Series with Red Buttons as Actor(53)

2001 Philly
1996 Cosby
as Jules 'Ruby' Rubadoux1994 ER
1985 227
as Bruce Benson1980 The Dream Merchants
1978 Vega$
as Cyrus Foster1977 The Love Boat
as Buddy Redmond1977 The Love Boat
as Ashley Norman1975 Wonder Woman
as himself1971 Great Performances
as Henry Wadsworth Phyfe1966 The Double Life of Henry Phyfe
as Self - Comedian1964 The Hollywood Palace
as Self - Singer / Sketch Actor1964 The Hollywood Palace
as Joe Roganyan1962 Saints and Sinners
as Self - Host1961 The Mike Douglas Show
as himself1958 Kraft Music Hall
as Lieutenant George Poole1953 GE Theater
as Tippy-Top1953 GE Theater
as Self - Mystery Guest1950 What's My Line?
as himself1948 The Ed Sullivan Show
as Self - Guest1948 The Ed Sullivan Show
as Self - Comedian1948 The Ed Sullivan Show
as Self - Singer1948 The Ed Sullivan Show
as Self - Comedian / Singer1948 The Ed Sullivan Show
as St. Emergency1948 Studio One

Full Name: Red Buttons
Born: Wednesday, 02/05 1919 (February) in New York City, New York (United States of America (USA))
Died: Thursday, 07/13 2006 (July) in Century City (aged: 87)
Zodiac sign: Aquarius (Chinese zodiac sign: Goat)
Languages: English (EN)
Other names for Red Buttons (nicknames, foreign languages etc.):
"Cpl. Red Buttons"
"Aaron Chwatt"
Red Buttons frequently works together with these people:
Leslie Nielsen (22x, Actor)
Charlton Heston (18x, Actor)
Art Carney (17x, Actor)
Everett Sloane (16x, Actor)
Eddie Albert (15x, Actor)
Bill Cosby (15x, Actor)
Jack Carter (15x, Actor)
Polly Bergen (15x, Actress)
Richard Kiley (15x, Actor)
Van Johnson (14x, Actor)
James Daly (14x, Actor)
Irwin Allen (9x, Crew)
WatchPlayStream ID: PEOPLE:10506, Added: 05/06/2018, Last updated: 03/22/2024