Photo: Alan Light at https://www.flickr.com/photos/alan-light/ / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Red Buttons had one of those classic show-business arcs that simply doesn't happen anymore: burlesque clubs, the Borscht Belt, then a hit TV show and an Oscar for Sayonara, where he proved a comic could break your heart. I have a real soft spot for his roast persona, the indignant 'never got a dinner' bit, listing historical figures denied their due. It was a perfect blend of erudition and silliness. He worked into his eighties, and his timing never dulled. He represents an entire vanished tradition of American comedy, and watching him is like opening a time capsule.
Overview
Red Buttons (1919-2006) was an American comedian and actor whose career began in burlesque and vaudeville before reaching national fame with The Red Buttons Show on television. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the 1957 film Sayonara, and remained a beloved entertainer for decades, known in later years for his comic 'Never Had a Dinner' routines at celebrity roasts.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Red Buttons
- Name (Japanese)
- レッド・バトンズ
- Reading
- れっど・ばとんず
- Born
- February 5, 1919 – July 13, 2006
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aquarius / Goat
- Origin
- Manhattan, New York, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- Comedian / Television actor / Film actor / Actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1958 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
- Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Comedian — see all → · Television actor — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.