Editing Stubby Kaye

{{Short description|American actor, comedian, vaudevillian and singer (1918–1997)}}
{{Infobox person
| name           = Stubby Kaye
| image          = My sister eileen 1960.JPG
| caption        = Kaye with [[Shirley Bonne]] in 1960
| birth_name     = Bernard Shalom Kotzin
| birth_date     = {{birth date|1918|11|11}}
| birth_place    = [[Morningside Heights, Manhattan]], New York, U.S.
| death_date     = {{nowrap|{{death date and age|1997|12|14|1918|11|11}}}}
| death_place    = {{nowrap|[[Rancho Mirage]], California, U.S.}}
| occupation     = {{hlist|Actor|comedian|vaudevillian|singer}}
| years_active   = 1939–1988
| spouse         = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Jeanne Watson |1960|1961|end=div}}
* {{marriage|Angela Bracewell |1967}}
}}
}}

'''Bernard Shalom Kotzin''' (November 11, 1918 – December 14, 1997), known as '''Stubby Kaye''', was an American [[actor]], [[comedian]], [[Vaudeville|vaudevillian]] and [[Singing|singer]], known for his appearances on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] and in film musicals.<ref name="Larkin50">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music]]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=2002|edition=Third|isbn=1-85227-937-0|pages=228/9}}</ref>

Kaye originated the roles of Nicely-Nicely Johnson in ''[[Guys and Dolls (musical)|Guys and Dolls]]'' and Marryin' Sam in ''[[Li'l Abner (musical)|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 (film)|Sweet Charity]]'', Sam the Shade in ''[[Cat Ballou]]'', and Marvin Acme in ''[[Who Framed Roger Rabbit]]''.

==Biography==
Kaye was first generation born Bernard Sholom Kotzin in 1918, at West 114th Street in the [[Morningside Heights]] section of [[Manhattan]]. He kept his original name secret throughout his career.<!--The New York Times obit says he was born in the Bronx--> 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, Queens|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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Stubby Kaye |url=https://www.masterworksbroadway.com/artist/stubby-kaye/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=The Official Masterworks Broadway Site |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1939, he won the ''[[Major Bowes Amateur Hour]]'' contest on radio where the prize included touring in [[vaudeville]],<ref name="Larkin50"/> where he was sometimes billed as an "Extra Padded Attraction". During the Second World War, he joined the [[United Service Organizations|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]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-stubby-kaye-1289257.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-stubby-kaye-1289257.html |archive-date=2022-05-25 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live| title=Obituary: Stubby Kaye| date=17 December 1997| first=Tom| last=Vallance| newspaper=The Independent}}</ref>

As Nicely-Nicely Johnson in ''Guys and Dolls'', first on [[Broadway theatre|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".<ref name="Larkin50" /> In 1957 he was named best actor in a musical by the [[Outer Circle Critics Award|Outer Critics Circle]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stubby Kaye |url=https://playbill.com/person/stubby-kaye-vault-0000098472 |access-date=April 30, 2024 |website=playbill.com}}</ref> In his [[The New York Times|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).<ref name=":1" /> His next Broadway show, ''Everybody Loves Opal,'' starring [[Eileen Heckart]], closed after 21 performances in 1961.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Everybody Loves Opal |url=https://playbill.com/production/everybody-loves-opal-longacre-theatre-vault-0000006930 |access-date=April 30, 2024 |website=playbill.com}}</ref>

In 1956, he co-starred with [[June Allyson]] and [[Jack Lemmon]] in the film''[[You Can't Run Away from It]]'', a musical remake of ''[[It Happened One Night]]''.<ref name="Larkin50" /> 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 [[American Broadcasting Company|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 (1959 TV series)|Love and Marriage]]''.<ref name="Larkin50" />

[[File:Stubby Kaye Shenanigans 1964.JPG|thumb|left|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 (TV series)|My Sister Eileen]]'', starring [[Shirley Bonne]], [[Elaine Stritch]], [[Jack Weston]], [[Raymond Bailey]], and [[Rose Marie]].<ref name="Larkin50"/>

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 (actor)|Dean Jones]].

From 1964 to 1965, Kaye hosted the Saturday-morning children's game show ''[[Shenanigans (TV series)|Shenanigans]]'' on [[American Broadcasting Company|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. He was dubbed "the Mayor of Shenanigans" and sang the theme song.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyX9t8iM8eY |title=Shenanigans Game Show with Stubby Kaye 1964 |language=en |access-date=2024-04-30 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref>

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]].<ref name="Larkin50"/> He played Herman in the [[Universal Pictures|Universal]] musical film ''[[Sweet Charity (film)|Sweet Charity]]'' (1969), directed by [[Bob Fosse]] and starring [[Shirley MacLaine]] in the title role.<ref name="Larkin50"/> 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 (TV series)|The Millionaire]]'', ''[[Burke's Law (1963 TV series)|Burke's Law]]'', ''[[The Monkees (TV series)|The Monkees]], [[The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour]]'', ''[[Adam-12]]'' and ''[[Love, American Style]].''<ref name=":0" />

Kaye's later stage productions included the 1974 Broadway revival of ''[[Good News (musical)|Good News]]'', ''Man of Magic'' in London (with [[Stuart Damon]] as [[Harry Houdini]]), and the 1975 production of ''[[The Ritz (play)|The Ritz]]'', in which he replaced [[Jack Weston]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Ritz |url=https://playbill.com/production/the-ritz-longacre-theatre-vault-0000006895 |access-date=April 30, 2024 |website=Playbill.com}}</ref> His final Broadway show was ''[[Grind (musical)|Grind]]'', co-starring [[Ben Vereen]], in 1985.<ref name="Larkin50" /> He made a guest appearance in the [[United Kingdom|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).<ref name="Larkin50" />

Kaye died of [[lung cancer]] in 1997, at the age of 79 in [[Rancho Mirage, California]], where he lived.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |title=Stubby Kaye, 79, Rotund Comic and Singer |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/16/arts/stubby-kaye-79-rotund-comic-and-singer.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 16, 1997}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |agency=[[Associated Press]] |title=Comic Actor Stubby Kaye Dies At 79 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=336&dat=19971215&id=HuZHAAAAIBAJ&pg=5358,7542419 |newspaper=[[Deseret News]] |date=16 December 1997}}</ref> He was survived by his wife, Angela Bracewell, whom he married in England in 1966.<ref name=":0" />

==Partial filmography==
*''[[Taxi (1953 film)|Taxi]]'' (1953) - Morris (uncredited)
*''[[Guys and Dolls (film)|Guys and Dolls]]'' (1955) - Nicely-Nicely Johnson
*''[[The Revolt of Mamie Stover (film)|The Revolt of Mamie Stover]]'' (1956) - Howard Sloan (scenes deleted)
*''[[You Can't Run Away from It]]'' (1956) - Fred Toten
*''[[Li'l Abner (musical)|Li'l Abner]]'' (1959) - Marryin' Sam
*''[[40 Pounds of Trouble]]'' (1962) - Cranston
*''[[The Cool Mikado]]'' (1963) - Judge Herbert Mikado / Charlie Hotfleisch
*''[[The Alfred Hitchcock Hour]]'' (1963) (Season 2 Episode 10: "Good-Bye, George") - George Cassidy
*''[[Sex and the Single Girl (film)|Sex and the Single Girl]]'' (1964) - Helen's Cabbie
*''[[Cat Ballou]]'' (1965) - Shouter / Sam the Shade
*''[[The Way West (film)|The Way West]]'' (1967) - Sam Fairman
*''[[Sweet Charity (film)|Sweet Charity]]'' (1969) - Herman
*''[[Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?]]'' (1969) - Fat Writer
*''[[The Monitors (film)|The Monitors]]'' (1969) - Man in Monitors Commercial
*''[[The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County]]'' (1970) - Bartender
*''[[Cool It Carol!]]'' (1970) - Rod Strangeways
*''[[Six Pack Annie]]'' (1975) - Mr. Bates
*''[[Timber Tramps]]'' (1975)
*''Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood'' (1981, TV movie) - Babe
*''[[Ellis Island (miniseries)|Ellis Island]]'' (1984) (TV Miniseries) - Abe Shulman
*''[[Doctor Who]]'' (''[[Delta and the Bannermen]]'', 1987) - Weismuller
*''[[Who Framed Roger Rabbit]]'' (1988, final film) - Marvin Acme

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Portal|Biography}}
*{{IMDb name|id=0443401|name=Stubby Kaye}}
*{{Tcmdb name}}
*{{IBDB name}}
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p009mhs6  Stubby Kaye] interview on BBC Radio 4 ''[[Desert Island Discs]]'', February 10, 1984

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaye, Stubby}}
[[Category:1918 births]]
[[Category:1997 deaths]]
[[Category:American Ashkenazi Jews]]
[[Category:People from Far Rockaway, Queens]]
[[Category:American game show hosts]]
[[Category:American vaudeville performers]]
[[Category:Male actors from Manhattan]]
[[Category:Deaths from lung cancer in California]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male musical theatre actors]]
[[Category:American male stage actors]]
[[Category:American people of Austrian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Hungarian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:Jewish American male actors]]
[[Category:Jewish male comedians]]
[[Category:DeWitt Clinton High School alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century American comedians]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American Jews]]
[[Category:Comedians from Manhattan]]
[[Category:Jewish American comedians]]