Red Buttons

Biography

Red Buttons was an American actor and comedian who got his start as a teenage entertainer in the Borscht Belt and in burlesque, and who became a national television star with The Red Buttons Show in the 1950s. His turn in Sayonara (1957), as an American airman in Japan, won him the Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and marked a move into drama. Later films included The Longest Day (1962), Hatari!, Harlow (1965), They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969), The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and Pete's Dragon (1977). He also headlined the one-season spy spoof The Double Life of Henry Phyfe, and his Never Got a Dinner monologues became a fixture of The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast. He received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 1960, and was nominated for two further Golden Globes plus an Emmy, a BAFTA and a Saturn Award.

87years old at death

Born February 5, 1919Manhattan
Died July 13, 2006Century City
Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
Also credited as Aaron Chwatt

Movie Career

Films: 22
Career span: 42 years1957 to 1999

Genres

Comedy55%, 12 films
Drama45%, 10 films
Adventure32%, 7 films
Action27%, 6 films
Romance23%, 5 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

About the name
At 16, Chwatt worked at Ryan's Tavern in the Bronx as a bellhop who entertained. His red hair and the big shiny buttons on the uniforms led orchestra leader Charles "Dinty" Moore to call him "Red Buttons."
Beyond film
Buttons had a two-sided hit in 1953 while he was popular on TV, and both sides were basically the same song: "Strange Things Are Happening" and "The Ho Ho Song".
A change of course
In 1943, after being drafted into the United States Army Air Forces, Buttons performed in the Broadway show Winged Victory. He later took a part in Darryl F. Zanuck's film adaptation of the play, which George Cukor directed.

Red Buttons movies on Netflix

The Story of Us1999IMDb rating 6.0as Arnie Jordan
It Could Happen to You1994IMDb rating 6.4as Walter Zakuto
The Ambulance1990IMDb rating 6.0as Elias Zacharai
18 Again!1988IMDb rating 5.8as Charlie
When Time Ran Out...1980IMDb rating 4.6as Francis Fendly
Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July1979IMDb rating 6.3as Milton (voice)
Movie Movie1978IMDb rating 6.4as Peanuts / Jinks Murphy
Pete's Dragon1977IMDb rating 6.4as Hoagy
Viva Knievel!1977IMDb rating 3.7as Ben Andrews
Joys1976IMDb rating 6.8as Red Buttons
The Poseidon Adventure1972IMDb rating 7.1as Martin
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?1969IMDb rating 7.8as Sailor
Stagecoach1966IMDb rating 6.1as Peacock
Harlow1965IMDb rating 5.5as Arthur Landau
A Ticklish Affair1963IMDb rating 5.9as Flight Officer Simon 'Uncle Cy' Shelley
Five Weeks in a Balloon1962IMDb rating 5.7as Donald O'Shay
Gay Purr-ee1962IMDb rating 6.7as Robespierre (voice)
Hatari!1962IMDb rating 7.1as Pockets
The Longest Day1962IMDb rating 7.7as Pvt. John Steele
One, Two, Three1961IMDb rating 7.8as MP Sergeant
Imitation General1958IMDb rating 6.5as Cpl. Chan Derby
Sayonara1957IMDb rating 7.0as Joe Kelly

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

The Poseidon Adventure1972 Action, Adventure, Dramaas Martin
IMDb rating 7.155K votes
Pete's Dragon1977 Adventure, Family, Fantasyas Hoagy
IMDb rating 6.428K votes
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?1969as Sailor
IMDb rating 7.822K votes
Hatari!1962as Pockets
IMDb rating 7.116K votes
It Could Happen to You1994as Walter Zakuto
IMDb rating 6.450K votes
Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July1979as Miltonvoice
IMDb rating 6.33.0K votes
The Story of Us1999as Arnie Jordan
IMDb rating 6.025K votes
Sayonara1957as Joe Kelly
IMDb rating 7.09.0K votes

Most often with

Gordon Douglas directed three of these films, Irwin Allen two. Sheila Allen appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Sheila Allen

Shelley Winters

Leslie Nielsen

John Wayne

Ernest Borgnine

Mickey Rooney

Gordon DouglasDirector, 3 films Irwin AllenDirector, 2 films

Films together

Sheila Allen4 films together, 1962 to 1980
Sheila Allen's page
- When Time Ran Out...1980IMDb rating 4.6Buttons as Francis FendlyAllen as Mona
- Viva Knievel!1977IMDb rating 3.7Buttons as Ben AndrewsAllen as Sister Charity
- The Poseidon Adventure1972IMDb rating 7.1Buttons as MartinAllen as Nurse
- Five Weeks in a Balloon1962IMDb rating 5.7Buttons as Donald O'ShayAllen as Courtier
Shelley Winters3 films together, 1972 to 1979
Shelley Winters's page
- Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July1979IMDb rating 6.3Buttons as MiltonvoiceWinters as Crystalvoice
- Pete's Dragon1977IMDb rating 6.4Buttons as HoagyWinters as Lena Gogan
- The Poseidon Adventure1972IMDb rating 7.1Buttons as MartinWinters as Belle Rosen
Leslie Nielsen3 films together, 1965 to 1977
Leslie Nielsen's page
- Viva Knievel!1977IMDb rating 3.7Buttons as Ben AndrewsNielsen as Stanley Millard
- The Poseidon Adventure1972IMDb rating 7.1Buttons as MartinNielsen as Captain Harrison
- Harlow1965IMDb rating 5.5Buttons as Arthur LandauNielsen as Richard Manley
John Wayne2 films together, 1962
John Wayne's page
- Hatari!1962IMDb rating 7.1Buttons as PocketsWayne as Sean Mercer
- The Longest Day1962IMDb rating 7.7Buttons as Pvt. John SteeleWayne as Lt. Col. Benjamin Vandervoort
Ernest Borgnine2 films together, 1972 to 1980
Ernest Borgnine's page
- When Time Ran Out...1980IMDb rating 4.6Buttons as Francis FendlyBorgnine as Tom Conti
- The Poseidon Adventure1972IMDb rating 7.1Buttons as MartinBorgnine as Rogo
Mickey Rooney2 films together, 1977 to 1979
Mickey Rooney's page
- Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July1979IMDb rating 6.3Buttons as MiltonvoiceRooney as Santa Clausvoice
- Pete's Dragon1977IMDb rating 6.4Buttons as HoagyRooney as Lampie
Gordon DouglasDirector, 3 films, 1965 to 1977
All films by Gordon Douglas
- Viva Knievel!1977IMDb rating 3.7Buttons as Ben Andrews
- Stagecoach1966IMDb rating 6.1Buttons as Peacock
- Harlow1965IMDb rating 5.5Buttons as Arthur Landau
Irwin AllenDirector, 2 films, 1962 to 1972
All films by Irwin Allen
- The Poseidon Adventure1972IMDb rating 7.1Buttons as Martin
- Five Weeks in a Balloon1962IMDb rating 5.7Buttons as Donald O'Shay
Also two films together8 more actors
- Paul FreesRudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979) and Gay Purr-ee (1962)
- Gig YoungThey Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) and A Ticklish Affair (1963)
- Kent SmithImitation General (1958) and Sayonara (1957)
- Jack AlbertsonJoys (1976) and The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
- Beatrice WindeIt Could Happen to You (1994) and The Ambulance (1990)
- George Burns18 Again! (1988) and Joys (1976)
- Mike ConnorsStagecoach (1966) and Harlow (1965)
- Ernie F. OrsattiViva Knievel! (1977) and The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.