hollywood: Red Buttons

Thursday, 28 June 2012

Red Buttons

Red Buttons was born Aaron Chwatt on February 5, 1919 in New York City to Jewish immigrants Sophie (née Baker) and Michael Chwatt. At sixteen years old, Chwatt got a job as an entertaining bellhop at Ryan's Tavern in City Island, Bronx. The combination of his red hair and the shiny buttoned bellhop uniform inspired orchestra leader Charles "Dinty" Moore to call him Red Buttons, the name under which he would later perform.