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Red Buttons

Red Buttons

Highest Rated: 88% One, Two, Three (1961)

Lowest Rated: 0% When Time Ran Out (1980)

Birthday: Feb 5, 1919

Birthplace: New York, New York, USA

Feisty, diminutive, red-haired comedian who regularly played very serious dramatic roles in features. A veteran of New York burlesque and the Catskills comedy circuit, Buttons appeared as a pilot in training in the moral-boosting stage drama "Winged Victory," and recreated the role soon thereafter in the 1944 film version. He played on Broadway after WWII and enjoyed tremendous popularity during the first season of TV's "The Red Buttons Show" (1952-55). Part variety show, part sitcom, the program gave full vent to Buttons' manic, fast-talking, knockabout style. One of Buttons' oft-repeated gestures, placing his hands together in a desperate, somewhat prayerful manner, was on regular display in the show, and children everywhere mimicked the "Ho Ho! He He! Ha Ha! Strange things are happening!" theme song. His gallery of characters, meanwhile, including the Sad Sack; the Kupke Kid, a child; Rocky, a boxer; and the bumbling Keeglefarven, played up the at-once argumentative and long-suffering aspects of his persona.

Highest rated movies

88% 88% One, Two, Three
84% 90% The Longest Day
82% 89% They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
82% 79% Sayonara
80% 76% The Poseidon Adventure 73% 54% It Could Happen to You
64% 76% Hatari!
56% 60% Pete's Dragon

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet 75% Goodnight, We Love You: The Life and Legend of Phyllis Diller Unknown (Character) - 2004
26% 58% The Story of Us Arnie Jordan (Character) $27.1M 1999
73% 54% It Could Happen to You Walter Zakuto (Character) $37.8M 1994
No Score Yet 48% The Ambulance Elias Zacharai (Character) - 1990
29% 45% 18 Again! Charlie (Character) $2.3M 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Alice Through the Looking Glass The White Rabbit (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet 100% Reunion at Fairborough Jiggs Quealy (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet 84% Alice in Wonderland The White Rabbit (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Leave 'Em Laughing Roland (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Side Show Harry (Character) - 1981
0% 20% When Time Ran Out Francis Fendly (Character) - 1980
14% 40% Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July Milton (Voice) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet Off Your Rocker Seymour Saltz (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet Power Solly Weiss (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet 28% C.H.O.M.P.S. Bracken (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Vegas Tommy Cirko (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet 57% Movie Movie Peanuts/Jinks Murphy (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Users Warren Ambrose (Character) - 1978
14% 12% Viva Knievel! Ben Andrews (Character) - 1977
56% 60% Pete's Dragon Hoagy (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Telethon Mart Rand (Character) - 1977
0% 44% Gable and Lombard Ivan Cooper (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet The New, Original Wonder Woman Ashley Norman (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet Louis Armstrong: Chicago Style Red Cleveland (Character) - 1975
80% 76% The Poseidon Adventure James Martin (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet Who Killed Mary What's 'er Name? Mickey (Character) - 1971
No Score Yet No Score Yet Breakout Pipes (Character) - 1970
No Score Yet No Score Yet George M! Sam H. Harris (Character) - 1970
82% 89% They Shoot Horses, Don't They? Sailor (Character) - 1969
No Score Yet 40% Stagecoach Peacock (Character) - 1966
No Score Yet 44% Harlow Arthur Landau (Character) - 1965
No Score Yet No Score Yet Up From the Beach Pfc. Harry Devine (Character) - 1965
No Score Yet 67% Your Cheatin' Heart Shorty Younger (Character) - 1964
No Score Yet 50% A Ticklish Affair Flight Officer Simon Shelley (Character) - 1963
No Score Yet 36% Five Weeks in a Balloon Donald O'Shay (Character) - 1962
84% 90% The Longest Day Pvt. John Steele (Character) - 1962
60% 78% Gay Purr-ee Robespierre (Voice) - 1962
64% 76% Hatari! Pockets (Character) - 1962
88% 88% One, Two, Three MP Sergeant (Character) - 1961
No Score Yet 41% The Big Circus Randy Sherman (Character) - 1959
No Score Yet No Score Yet Imitation General Cpl. Chan Derby (Character) - 1958
82% 79% Sayonara Joe Kelly (Character) - 1957
No Score Yet No Score Yet Winged Victory Whitey/Andrews Sister (Character) - 1944

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 85% ER Jules 'Ruby' Rubadoux (Guest Star) 1995-1996 2005
27% No Score Yet Presidio Med Unknown (Guest Star) 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Family Law Unknown (Guest Star) 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Early Edition Unknown (Guest Star) 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cosby Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
76% 78% Roseanne Jake (Guest Star) 1993-1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Knots Landing Al Baker (Character) 1993
No Score Yet 69% The Cosby Show Unknown (Guest Star) 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet 227 Unknown (Guest Star) 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fantasy Island Unknown (Guest Star) 1978-1979 1983
No Score Yet No Score Yet Little House on the Prairie William 'Willie' O'Hara (Guest Star) 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet What's My Line? Guest 1953 1959 1962 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ben Casey Bill Jacoby (Guest Star) 1965
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Jimmy Dean Show Guest 1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet Startime Unknown (Character) 1959
No Score Yet No Score Yet I've Got a Secret Guest 1953 1959
No Score Yet No Score Yet Suspense Unknown (Character) 1951