Stubby Kaye ✝

Kaye originated the roles of Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls and Marryin\' Sam in 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 two shows. Other well-known roles include Herman in Bob Fosse\'s Sweet Charity, Sam the Shade in Cat Ballou, and Marvin Acme in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.\n', 'Kaye was born Bernard Solomon (or Sholom) Kotzin on the last day of the First World War, at West 114th Street in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan. His parents were first generation 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 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.\n', 'In 1939, he won the Major Bowes Amateur Hour contest on radio where the prize included touring in vaudeville, where he was sometimes billed as an "Extra Padded Attraction". During the Second World War, he joined the 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.\n', '