What was Buddy Hackett's Net Worth?
Buddy Hackett was an American comedian and actor who had a net worth of $10 million. Buddy Hackett was known for his roles in such films as "The Music Man," "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," and "The Love Bug." He was also known for his frequent appearances on television talk and variety shows throughout the 1950s and 60s, including both the Jack Paar and Johnny Carson versions of "The Tonight Show." Among his other credits, Hackett starred as the titular character on the short-lived sitcom "Stanley," and appeared many times on the game show "Hollywood Squares."
In 1998 he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is located at 6834 Hollywood Blvd. Buddy Hackett passed away on June 30, 2003 at the age of 78.
Early Life and Education
Buddy Hackett was born as Leonard Hacker on August 31, 1924 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City to Jewish parents Anna and Philip. His mother worked in the garment industry, while his father upholstered furniture. As a child, Hackett suffered from Bell's palsy, which would contribute to the slurred speech and distorted facial expressions that he had throughout his life. He was educated at New Utrecht High School, where he participated in the drama club and played varsity football. After graduating in 1942, Hackett enlisted in the US Army and served as an anti-aircraft battery during World War II.
Career Beginnings
While he was still in high school, Hackett worked as a "tummler," or "tumult maker," at Borscht Belt resorts in the Catskills. It was during this time that he started performing stand-up comedy, with his first set being at the Golden Hotel in Hurleyville, New York. After the war, Hackett was employed at the Pink Elephant club in Brooklyn. He also performed stand-up in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and continued to perform in the Catskills.
Film Career
Hackett started his film career with a 10-minute "World of Sports" reel in 1950 entitled "King of the Pins." Three years later, he made his feature film debut in the musical comedy "Walking My Baby Back Home," in which he reprised a racist nightclub routine that became popular with audiences. Hackett subsequently served as an emergency replacement for an ill Lou Costello in the 1954 Abbott and Costello comedy "Fireman, Save My Child." His next role was in "God's Little Acre," released in 1958. In the early 60s, Hackett starred in the comedies "All Hands on Deck" and "Everything's Ducky," and played Marcellus Washburn in the adaptation of the Broadway musical "The Music Man." He also appeared in a segment of the fantasy film "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm." In 1963, Hackett played Benjy Benjamin in the all-star ensemble comedy "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," directed by Stanley Kramer. The following year, he appeared in "Muscle Beach Party" and "The Golden Head." Hackett wasn't in another film until 1969, when he played lovable auto mechanic Tennessee Steinmetz in the Disney car racing comedy "The Love Bug."
After a nearly decade-long break from the big screen, Hackett returned in 1978 with a role in the anthology comedy "Loose Shoes." He acted less frequently on film after that. In 1980, he starred alongside child actress Yasmine Bleeth in the musical "Hey Babe!," and then didn't act in another film until 1988's "Scrooged," in which he played Scrooge. Closing out the decade, Hackett voiced the character Scuttle in the Disney animated musical "The Little Mermaid." Following another long break, he appeared in the 1998 adventure dramedy "Paulie" as Artie, the owner of a pawn shop. Hackett had his final film role in 2000, reprising his voice role as Scuttle in the direct-to-video animated sequel "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea."
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Television Career
Hackett became well-known to mainstream audiences in the 1950s and 60s for his frequent appearances on talk and variety shows. He was often a guest on Jack Paar's and Arthur Godfrey's shows, where he would tell off-color jokes and mug to the camera. Hackett was especially famous for making numerous appearances on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson"; he was allegedly the most frequent guest in the show's history. He also appeared on "The Perry Como Show" and the panel game show "What's My Line?" As an actor, Hackett appeared in two episodes of the ABC Western series "The Rifleman," and from 1956 to 1957 starred as the titular character, a newsstand operator in a swanky New York City hotel, on the sitcom "Stanley."
In the late 1960s and into the 70s, Hackett made several appearances on the game show "Hollywood Squares." He also appeared in television commercials for Lay's potato chips and Tuscan Dairy popsicles and yogurt. In 1978, Hackett portrayed Lou Costello opposite Harvey Korman as Bud Abbott in the television film "Bud and Lou," and in 1979 he narrated the Rankin/Bass holiday special "Jack Frost." He subsequently hosted a syndicated revival of the quiz show "You Bet Your Life." Hackett went on to make guest appearances on "Murder, She Wrote" and "L.A. Law" in the 1980s. In the final years of his career in the late 1990s and early 2000s, he had a recurring segment called "Tuesdays with Buddy" on the talk show "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn," and in 1999 played the main role of Lonnie Dragon in the short-lived Fox series "Action."
Personal Life and Death
Hackett was married to Sherry Cohen from 1955 until his passing in 2003. They lived in Leonia, New Jersey at first before moving to Fort Lee, where they purchased the house previously owned by the late crime boss Albert Anastasia. Hackett and Cohen had three children, including Sandy, who followed in his father's footsteps by becoming a comedian.
In the early 1990s, Hackett was diagnosed with heart disease. Refusing to have bypass surgery, his condition worsened, and on June 30, 2003 he passed away at his beach house in Malibu, California at the age of 78. Hackett was cremated two days later, and his ashes were given to his family and friends.
Beverly Hills Mansion
In 1952 Buddy built a mansion in Beverly Hills that sits just across from the fairways of the famous Los Angeles Country Club. In October 2020, Buddy's widow listed the home for $18 million. She ultimately accepted $13.35 million in March 2021.
Malibu Mansion
In 2005, Buddy's widow sold their 2+ acre oceanfront Malibu property property for $4.825 million.
