- Quit doing appearances in 1996 after he suffered stage fright, including extreme dizziness, for the first time in his career. This event immediately followed gum surgery, which Buddy believes had something to do with the situation.
- Towards the end of his life, he was raising money for an animal shelter.
- Next door neighbor of Sandy Koufax in childhood.
- Allegedly regretted turning down the sequels for The Love Bug (1969).
- Served three years in the United States Army with an antiaircraft unit during World War II. On a furlough in 1945, he returned home and bought a ticket to see the musical "Oklahoma!". He decided on a career in show business following his discharge.
- According to his commentary on The Love Bug (1969), he was offered $2000 a week to replace Curly Howard of The Three Stooges. He refused. However, the story seems unlikely since when Curly died he was immediately replaced by his brother Shemp Howard, who had originally been replaced by Curly when Shemp left the act to go solo while the Stooges were still in vaudeville.
- Although his on-stage humor was not nearly as raw, in retrospect, as many of the young comedians who would succeed him, his frequently ribald performances in nightclubs and in concert came as something of a shock to those who had enjoyed his "cleaned-up" (at the behest of the censors) performances on television and in films.
- Attended and graduated from New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn, New York City (1942).
- In 1953, gossip columns reported that Universal Pictures wanted to team Hackett with his friend, popular baritone Alan Dale, as the studio's answer to Paramount's box-office sensations, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Nothing came of the idea because Dale preferred to remain a solo act. However, Hackett did appear in Universal's Walking My Baby Back Home (1953) later that year. In 1954, Hackett did replace Lou Costello in Universal's Fireman Save My Child (1954) when Costello's ill health forced him to leave the picture shortly after filming began (Costello can still be seen in some long shots). Hugh O'Brian replaced Bud Abbott, who would not work without Costello. Universal talked about teaming Hackett and O'Brian in another film, but the picture bombed at the box office and the re-teaming with O'Brian never took place.
- Had two daughters: Ivy Julie Hackett and Lisa Jean Hackett, and one son: Sandy Hackett.
- Buddy Hackett passed away on June 30, 2003, two months away from what would have been his 79th birthday on August 31.
- His real name, Lenny Hacker, was used as the name of a character he played in episode 1.05 ("The Entertainer") of Space Rangers (1993).
- He was awarded a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in Palm Springs, California on December 8, 2000.
- He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Live Theatre at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on March 31, 1998.
- He was a lifelong liberal Democrat.
- He was nominated for the 2019-2020 Class of New Jersey Hall of Fame in the Performing Arts category.
- Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith, pg. 201-202. New York: Facts on File (1992). ISBN 0816023387.
- Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume 7, 2003-2005, pages 224-226. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale (2007).
- He was inducted into the 2021 New Jersey Hall of Fame in the performing arts category.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content