Pat Buttram

Birthday: 19 June 1915, Addison, Alabama, USA

Birth Name: Maxwell Emmett Buttram

Height: 183 cm

The son of a circuit-riding Methodist preacher in rural Alabama, Pat Buttram became one of America's best-known comic entertainers. He left Alabama a month before his 18th birthday to attend the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. An announcer from radio station WLS was on hand to interview members of the crowd and settled on Pat as a typical visitor from the South. The interview that followed was anything but typical. Pat made a hit with his hilarious observations on the fair and was immediately offered a job with the station. This led to a long and happy association with the popular "National Barn Dance" radio program. During those years Pat met Gene Autry, who took a liking to the young comic and later brought him to Hollywood to replace Smiley Burnette, who had found other work while Gene served in WWII. Together Pat and Gene made many western films and a television series, The Gene Autry Show (1950), which aired from 1950 until 1956. They remained close friends until Pat's death in 1994.In 1952 Pat married actress Sheila Ryan, whom he had met on the set of Mule Train (1950). Over the next 40 years Pat prospered in radio, films and television, making stand-up appearances on Toast of the Town (1948) (aka "The Ed Sullivan Show") and lending his vocal talents to many animated television shows and films, including several Walt Disney features. In the early 1960s he revealed a flair for dramatic acting when Alfred Hitchcock tapped him for roles in two The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) episodes. His big television break came in 1965 with the role of "Mr. Haney" in the long-running CBS comedy Green Acres (1965). Throughout his career Pat was in constant demand as a toastmaster and after-dinner speaker, where his agile and sophisticated wit belied his "countrified" appearance. In 1982 Pat founded the Golden Boot Awards to honor actors, directors, stunt people and other industry professionals who have made significant contributions to the western film genre. Proceeds from the annual event are donated to the Motion Picture Health and Welfare Fund. Show less «

[repeated line] More fun than being on location with Mary Beth Hughes.

[on Mae West] Do you realize that she went through her life without once having a man say to her, "Y...Show more »

[on Mae West] Do you realize that she went through her life without once having a man say to her, "You remind me of my mother"? Show less «

My voice never quite made it through puberty. It has been described as sounding like a handful of gr...Show more »

My voice never quite made it through puberty. It has been described as sounding like a handful of gravel thrown in a Mix-Master. Show less «

[on Roy Rogers and Dale Evans] The Lunt [Alfred Lunt] and Fontanne [Lynn Fontanne] of the fertilizer...Show more »

[on Roy Rogers and Dale Evans] The Lunt [Alfred Lunt] and Fontanne [Lynn Fontanne] of the fertilizer set. Show less «

Gene Autry used to ride off into the sunset. Now he owns it.

I didn't get along too well with horses. At the beginning, not too well; at the end, terrible. I alw...Show more »

I didn't get along too well with horses. At the beginning, not too well; at the end, terrible. I always say that horses are hard in the middle and dangerous at both ends. Show less «

[on Gene Autry's beautiful wife] Gene married a 10. I married three 3s and a 1.

[on Ed McMahon] It's good we honor Ed, because I understand that next week a group of Texas business...Show more »

[on Ed McMahon] It's good we honor Ed, because I understand that next week a group of Texas businessmen are going to buy him, tear him down, and put up a Ramada Inn. Show less «

[on Milton Berle] You know, Milton recently switched from comedy to drama. Unfortunately, it happene...Show more »

[on Milton Berle] You know, Milton recently switched from comedy to drama. Unfortunately, it happened while he was still doing comedy. Show less «

[on Dean Martin] Dean would eat hay if you dipped it in gin.

[on Johnny Carson] He's an Episcopalian - that's an Off-Broadway Catholic.