Born Name:  Leonard Hacker

Born Date:  August 31, 1924

Born Place:  New York City, New York

Died Date:  June 30, 2003

Died Place:  Malibu, California

Occupations:  Actor, comedian

Brief Biography:  Buddy Hackett was renowned for his rapid-fire, often raunchy stand-up, thick Brooklyn accent, and expressive, rubbery face. Known as a "tummler" (entertainer) in his early years, he became a fixture of 20th-century entertainment, appearing in classic films such as The Music Man and The Love Bug, and acting as a frequent, cherished guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Early Life and Career:
Childhood & Early Roles: He suffered from Bell’s palsy as a child, which left him with a signature, slight facial slur. He began performing in the Catskills resorts as "Butch Hacker" while still a teenager.
Military Service: He served in the U.S. Army during World War II for three years.
Name Change: Following the war, he changed his name to Buddy Hackett while working at the Pink Elephant club in Brooklyn.

Breakthrough and Career Highlights:
"The Chinese Waiter": Hackett gained national attention in the early 1950s with his "Chinese Waiter" stand-up routine.

Film Roles:
His notable films include Walking My Baby Back Home (1953), God's Little Acre (1958), The Music Man (1962) as Marcellus Washburn, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), and the Disney hit The Love Bug (1968) as Tennessee Steinmetz.
Voice Acting: He provided the voice of Scuttle the seagull in Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989), a role that introduced him to a new generation.
Television: He starred in the live 1950s sitcom Stanley (featuring a young Carol Burnett) and was a regular guest on game shows like Hollywood Squares.
Commercials: He famously served as the spokesman for Lay's potato chips ("Nobody can eat just one!") from 1968 to 1971.