Red Buttons Biography

Fast Facts

• Won the Academy Award for one of his few dramatic roles, 1957's "Sayonara", featuring Marlon Brando
• Started working as a comedian as a teenager and caught a break while working on the Borscht Belt when the Master of Ceremonies at the Irving Hotel fell ill and he begged for the chance to replace him
• Made his Broadway debut in 1942, while continuing to perform in night clubs throughout New York City, before being drafted into the Air Force during WWII
• Best known for numerous guest appearances on television variety shows including his own short-lived series, "The Red Buttons Show" which premiered in 1952 and later "The Double Life of Henry Phyfe" in 1966
• Earned his nickname while working as a bellhop as a teenager, as his uniform had several giant buttons that matched his red hair
• Formed a comedy duo with friend and future actor Robert Alda as a teenager