Bernard Shalom Kotzin (November 11, 1918 – December 14, 1997), known as Stubby Kaye, was an American actor, comedian, vaudevillian and singer, known for his appearances on Broadway and in film musicals.
[1] 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.
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.
[2] In 1939, he won the Major Bowes Amateur Hour contest on radio where the prize included touring in vaudeville,[1] where he was sometimes billed as an "Extra Padded Attraction."
[3] As Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls, first on 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."
[6] In 1956, he co-starred with June Allyson and Jack Lemmon in the filmYou Can't Run Away from It, a musical remake of It Happened One Night.
[7] 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.
[1] He played Herman in the Universal musical film Sweet Charity (1969), directed by Bob Fosse and starring Shirley MacLaine in the title role.