Buddy Hackett

Buddy Hackett (August 31, 1924 – June 30, 2003), born Leonard Hacker, was an American comedian and actor.

Related Topics:
August 31 - 1924 - June 30 - 2003 - American - Comedian - Actor

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Hackett was born in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Public School 103 and then went on to New Utrecht High School. While still in high school, he began appearing in nightclubs, beginning with the "Borscht Belt", resorts in the Catskills. He served three years with an anti-aircraft unit during World War II.

Related Topics:
Brooklyn, New York - Borscht Belt - Catskills - Anti-aircraft - World War II

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His first job after the war was at the Pink Elephant, a Brooklyn club. He made appearances in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and the Catskills. He acted on Broadway in Lunatics and Lovers, where Max Liebman saw him and put him in two television specials. A television series, Stanley, was developed for him, which helped start Carol Burnett's career. He became known to a wider audience when he appeared on television in the 1950s and 1960s as a frequent guest on such talk shows as Jack Paar and Arthur Godfrey, telling brash, often off-color jokes, and mugging widely at the camera.

Related Topics:
Los Angeles - Las Vegas - Broadway - Stanley - Carol Burnett - 1950s - 1960 - Jack Paar - Arthur Godfrey

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He became widely known from his film role in the box-office success, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. He appeared as Art Carney's replacement on The Jackie Gleason Show, and in the 1958 film God's Little Acre. His later career was mostly as a guest on variety shows and prime time sitcoms.

Related Topics:
Film - Box-office - It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World - Art Carney - The Jackie Gleason Show - 1958 - God's Little Acre - Prime time

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In 1978, Hackett surprised many when he gave a dramatic performance as Lou Costello in the TV movie Bud And Lou. Harvey Korman played Bud Abbott in this production. The film told the story of Abbott and Costello and Hackett's portrayal was widely praised. He and Korman did a memorable rendition of the team's famous "Who's On First" routine.

Related Topics:
1978 - Lou Costello - Bud And Lou - Harvey Korman - Abbott and Costello

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His last film performance was reprising the voice of Scuttle, the goofy little seagull, in Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989) for the direct-to-video sequel ' in 2000.

Related Topics:
Scuttle - Seagull - Disney's - The Little Mermaid - 1989 - 2000

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For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Buddy Hackett was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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Buddy Hackett died in 2003 in Malibu, California of natural causes at the age of 78.

Related Topics:
2003 - Malibu, California

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