Editing Red Buttons (section)

==New departure==
His role in the film ''[[Sayonara (film)|Sayonara]]'' (1957) was a dramatic departure from his previous work. In this film, co-starring with [[Marlon Brando]], he played Joe Kelly, an [[United States Air Force|American airman]] stationed in [[Kobe]], [[Japan]], during the [[Korean War]], who marries Katsumi, a Japanese woman (played by [[Miyoshi Umeki]]), but he is barred from taking her back to the US. His moving portrayal of Kelly's calm resolve not to abandon the relationship, and the touching reassurance of Katsumi, impressed audiences and critics alike. Buttons won the [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor]] and Umeki won the [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress]] for the film.

After his Oscar-winning role, Buttons performed in numerous feature films, including the African adventure ''[[Hatari!]]'' with [[John Wayne]] and the adventure ''[[Five Weeks in a Balloon (film)|Five Weeks in a Balloon]]'' (1962) (where he received top billing). Buttons played the lead role of [[John Steele (paratrooper)|Private John Steele]], the paratrooper hung up on the town steeple clock, in the 1962 international ensemble cast film ''[[The Longest Day (film)|The Longest Day]]''. He was also prominent in the biopic ''[[Harlow (Paramount film)|Harlow]]'', the disaster film ''[[The Poseidon Adventure (1972 film)|The Poseidon Adventure]]'', the dance-marathon drama ''[[They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (film)|They Shoot Horses, Don't They?]]'', the family comedy ''[[Pete's Dragon (1977 film)|Pete's Dragon]]'', the disaster film ''[[When Time Ran Out]]'' with [[Paul Newman]], and the age-reversal comedy ''[[18 Again!]]'' with [[George Burns]].

[[File:Red Buttons Double Life of Henry Phyfe 1965.JPG|left|thumb|upright=.8|Buttons as Henry Phyfe]]

In 1966, Buttons again starred in his own TV series, a spy spoof called ''[[The Double Life of Henry Phyfe]]'', which ran for one season. Buttons also made guest appearances on several TV programs, including ''[[The Eleventh Hour (1962 TV series)|The Eleventh Hour]]'', ''[[Little House on the Prairie (TV series)|Little House on the Prairie]]'', ''[[It's Garry Shandling's Show]]'', ''[[Knots Landing]]'', ''[[The Cosby Show]]'', and ''[[Roseanne (TV series)|Roseanne]]''. His last TV role was in ''[[ER (TV series)|ER]]''.

[[File:RedButtonsAL1978.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1|Buttons in 1978]]