[3][4] Butala began his professional singing career in 1948, when he appeared on "Starlets on Parade", a Saturday morning show on KDKA radio in Pittsburgh.

[5] Butala's father, believing that there could be opportunities for his son on the West Coast, suggested that Tony accompany his mother to California to begin his career in entertaining.

[6] His notable works during this period included providing the singing voice for Lost Boy Slightly in the Disney animated film Peter Pan (1953).

However, Mitchell, retained him as assistant choir director and paid for his private education as he continued his show business career.

As a teenager, Butala went to Hollywood Professional School and sang with a quartet called "The Fourmost", which included Concetta Ingolia, who would later be known as Connie Stevens.

The marriage ended in divorce, but both remained friendly until Judith's death in a car accident on October 10, 2006, one day after her 60th birthday.