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Stubby Kaye

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Stubby Kaye
Kaye with Shirley Bonne in 1960
Born
Bernard Shalom Kotzin

(1918-11-11)November 11, 1918
Morningside Heights, Manhattan, New York, U.S.
DiedDecember 14, 1997(1997-12-14) (aged 79)
Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • vaudevillian
  • singer
Years active1939–1988
Spouses
Jeanne Watson
​
​
(m. 1960; div. 1961)​
Angela Bracewell
​
(m. 1967)​

Bernard Shalom Kotzin (November 11, 1918 – December 14, 1997), known as Stubby Kaye, was an American actor, comedian, vaudevillian and singer, known for his appearances on Broadway and in film musicals.[1]

Kaye originated the roles of Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls and Marryin' Sam in Li'l Abner, introducing two show-stopping numbers of the era: "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat" and "Jubilation T. Cornpone." He reprised these roles in the movie versions of the shows. Other well-known roles include Herman in Bob Fosse's Sweet Charity, Sam the Shade in Cat Ballou, and Marvin Acme in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Biography

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Kaye was first generation born Bernard Sholom Kotzin on the final day of the First World War, at West 114th Street in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan. He kept his original name secret throughout his career. His parents were Jewish-Americans originally from Russia and Austria-Hungary. His father, David Kotzin, was a dress salesman, and the former Harriet "Hattie" Freundlish was his mother. He was raised in the Far Rockaway section of Queens and later in The Bronx, where he acted in student productions at DeWitt Clinton High School, and where he graduated in 1937.[2]

In 1939, he won the Major Bowes Amateur Hour contest on radio where the prize included touring in vaudeville,[1] where he was sometimes billed as an "Extra Padded Attraction." During the Second World War, he joined the USO where he toured battle fronts and made his London debut performing with Bob Hope. After the war, he continued to work in vaudeville and as master of ceremonies for the swing orchestras of Freddy Martin and Charlie Barnet.[3]

As Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls, first on Broadway (1950) and then in the film version (1955), Kaye introduced "Fugue for Tinhorns" ("I got the horse right here, his name is Paul Revere...") and "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat." He created the role of Marryin' Sam in Li'l Abner on Broadway (1956), introducing the song "Jubilation T. Cornpone."[1] In 1957 he was named best actor in a musical by the Outer Critics Circle.[4] In his New York Times review, Brooks Atkinson said Kaye sang "it with that vaudeville rhythm and those vaudeville blandishments that turn song numbers into triumphant occasions." He also played the role in the film (1959).[5] His next Broadway show, Everybody Loves Opal, starring Eileen Heckart, closed after 21 performances in 1961.[6]

In 1956, he co-starred with June Allyson and Jack Lemmon in the filmYou Can't Run Away from It, a musical remake of It Happened One Night.[1] He played the title character in Michael Winner's British film The Cool Mikado (1962), based on Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera, The Mikado.

In the mid-1950s, Kaye guest starred on NBC's early sitcom The Martha Raye Show. In 1958, he appeared on the short-lived NBC variety show The Gisele MacKenzie Show. About this time, he also appeared on ABC's The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom. In the 1959–60 television season, Kaye co-starred in the short-lived NBC sitcom Love and Marriage.[1]

Kaye in 1964, promoting game show Shenanigans

In the 1960–61 television season, Kaye appeared as Marty, the agent of aspiring actress Eileen Sherwood, in the CBS sitcom My Sister Eileen, starring Shirley Bonne, Elaine Stritch, Jack Weston, Raymond Bailey, and Rose Marie.[1]

In the 1960s, Kaye became known as the host of a weekly children's talent show, Stubby's Silver Star Show. During the 1962–63 television season, he was a regular on Stump the Stars. On April 14, 1963, he guest-starred as "Tubby Mason" in NBC's Ensign O'Toole, a comedy series, starring Dean Jones.

From 1964 to 1965, Kaye hosted the Saturday morning children's game show Shenanigans on ABC. Shenanigans was a children's television game show produced by Heatter-Quigley Productions that aired from September 26, 1964, to March 20, 1965, and again from September 25 to December 18, 1965.[1] He was dubbed "the Mayor of Shenanigans" and sang the theme song.[7]

Kaye and Nat King Cole portrayed banjo-playing minstrels who sang the title song in the western/comedy Cat Ballou (1965), starring Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin.[1] He played Herman in the Universal musical film Sweet Charity (1969), directed by Bob Fosse and starring Shirley MacLaine in the title role.[1] In that movie, he sang the song "I Love to Cry at Weddings".

During his career he appeared on the television shows The Red Skelton Hour, The Millionaire, Burke's Law, The Monkees, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, Adam-12 and Love, American Style.[2]

Kaye's later stage productions included the 1974 Broadway revival of Good News, Man of Magic in London (with Stuart Damon as Harry Houdini), and the 1975 production of The Ritz, in which he replaced Jack Weston.[8] His final Broadway show was Grind, co-starring Ben Vereen, in 1985.[1] He made a guest appearance in the British series Doctor Who, in the serial "Delta and the Bannermen" (1987). His final featured film role was as Marvin Acme in Robert Zemeckis's film Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).[1]

Kaye died on December 14, 1997, of lung cancer at the age of 79 in Rancho Mirage, California, where he lived.[5][9] He was survived by his wife, Angela Bracewell, whom he married in England in 1966.[2]

Partial filmography

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 228/9. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
  2. ^ a b c "Stubby Kaye". The Official Masterworks Broadway Site. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  3. ^ Vallance, Tom (17 December 1997). "Obituary: Stubby Kaye". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-25.
  4. ^ "Stubby Kaye". playbill.com. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Stubby Kaye, 79, Rotund Comic and Singer". The New York Times. December 16, 1997.
  6. ^ "Everybody Loves Opal". playbill.com. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  7. ^ Shenanigans Game Show with Stubby Kaye 1964. Retrieved 2024-04-30 – via www.youtube.com.
  8. ^ "The Ritz". Playbill.com. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  9. ^ "Comic Actor Stubby Kaye Dies At 79". Deseret News. Associated Press. 16 December 1997.
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