Hackett, Buddy (1924—)

Though primarily known in the 1990s for his nightclub comedy, Buddy Hackett is a versatile performer whose career spans more than half of the twentieth century. He has performed in films, television and cable specials, and has written a book of poetry. He was offered, and refused, the opportunity to replace Curly in The Three Stooges, preferring to remain a solo act. Hackett frequently makes himself—his short stature, his rotund build, and his Jewishness—the subject of his humor. His stand-up is risque in an old-fashioned way; little of the anger and social commentary of Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, or Chris Rock is to be found. His cherubic face, twinkling eyes, and gentle self-mockery take off much of the sting from his profane language.

Buddy Hackett was born Leonard Hacker on August 31, 1924, in Brooklyn, New York. After serving in the United States Army he tried his luck as an upholsterer (like his father) and a waiter. Comedy, though, was his calling. He honed his craft at the resorts of the Catskill Mountains, 100 miles northwest of New York City, in the area known as "The Borscht Belt." Many American Jews came there to vacation in an atmosphere where Jewish culture was celebrated and Jewish humor brought distraction from the troubles of the city. Hackett made his reputation in Catskill venues like the Concord Resort Hotel.

Television was enjoying its first "Golden Age" when Buddy Hackett made his premiere appearance. His night club style fit perfectly with the Dumont series School House. The premise came straight from vaudeville: a teacher character (Kenny Delmar) played host to a variety of unruly "students," actually comedians doing their shtick. Buddy Hackett was among the ever-changing cast, which also included Wally Cox and Arnold Stang. School House aired only from January through April of 1949. Hackett remained a presence on early television, however, appearing on The Tonight Show, The Jack Paar Show, and The Jackie Gleason Show.

As the 1950s progressed the television situation comedy developed into the medium's dominant form. From September 1956 to March 1957, Hackett starred in NBC's live sitcom Stanley. He played Stanley Peck, a newsstand owner who constantly gets in trouble trying to help other people. Future variety series star Carol Burnett played Stanley's girlfriend, Celia; the voice of imperious hotel owner Horace Fenton was provided by comedian Paul Lynde. The show was not a success. A bigger misstep was CBS' attempt the next fall to pair Hackett with comedian Jackie Gleason in a revival of the latter's comedy-variety program. Audiences refused to accept Hackett in Art Carney's role as Gleason's sidekick; the series lasted only three months.

Buddy Hackett made a number of memorable film appearances throughout the 1960s, including The Music Man (1962), The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962), and the teen comedy Pajama Party. His manic performance in Stanley Kramer's It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) stood out among the film's overcrowded cast.

The greatest showcase of his acting ability came on television in 1979. NBC's Bud and Lou was a made-for-television biography of the comedy duo of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. Hackett shined as Costello opposite Harvey Korman's Abbott. Though the film recreated many of the team's classic bits, it was the portrayal of their often strained relationship and the sadness of Costello's later life which allowed Hackett to show the world he could embody a complex dramatic character.

Stand-up comedy remained the backbone of Buddy Hackett's career. He frequently played casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. In 1983, a new generation discovered his Catskills roots with the Home Box Office (HBO) special Buddy Hackett—Live and Uncensored. New fans learned that the funny little guy from Walt Disney's The Love Bug (1969) could swear and speak graphically, and hilariously, about his bodily functions. The program was so successful that in 1986, HBO's live comedy series On Location featured the episode "Buddy Hackett II—On Stage at Caesar's Atlantic City."

Hackett has lent his distinct raspy voice to several animated productions, most notably Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989). His character, a seagull named Scuttle, was patterned after him. Scuttle shares Buddy's hefty build and habit of talking out of the side of his mouth. Much less successful was CBS' Fish Police, a failed attempt to cash in on the success of Fox's The Simpsons, which ran for only a few weeks in 1992.

Buddy Hackett is a comedy legend. In 1997 he appeared in the PBS (Public Broadcasting Station) Great Performances special "The College of Comedy with Alan King." Fellow Catskills veteran King moderated a discussion of comedy with Hackett, Tim Conway, Paul Rodriguez, and Judy Gold. Hackett showed off his willingness to joke about politically incorrect subjects like Alzheimer's Disease and disability. As always, his high spirits and self-deprecation kept the humor from being insulting. Hackett earned a mark of pop culture distinction when, in 1995, he was the subject of a gag on The Simpsons. It comes in the episode "Lisa's Wedding," which is set in the year 2010. In a joke so fast it can only be seen if viewed frame-by-frame, a television newscast announces the search for a series of outlaw celebrities, including "The Artist Formerly Known as Buddy Hackett." The real Buddy Hackett can be found entertaining night club and talk show audiences with simple, bawdy humor which transcends fashion and generations.

—David L. Hixson

Further Reading : Frommer, Myrna Katz, and Harvey Frommer. It Happened in the Catskills: An Oral History in the Words of Busboys, Bellhops, Guests, Proprietors, Comedians, Agents and Others Who Lived It. New York, Harcourt & Brace, 1986.

Hackett, Buddy. The Naked Mind of Buddy Hackett. Los Angeles, Nash Publications, 1974.

——. The Truth About Golf and Other Lies. Los Angeles, Nash Publications, 1968.

Kanfer, Stefan. A Summer World: The Attempt to Build a Jewish Eden in the Catskills from the Days of the Ghetto to the Rise of the Borscht Belt. New York, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1989.

Richman, Irwin. Borscht Belt Bungalows: Memories of Catskill Summers. Philadelphia, Temple University Press, 1998.