In a phone interview, Sandy Hackett seamlessly shifts from himself to his famous father, legendary comedian Buddy Hackett (1924-2003), as he describes “My Buddy,” a live musical, theatrical production that explores the bond between father and son.
“When I can use my dad’s voice, I become him,” says Sandy. On stage Sandy says he is Sandy on one side of the stage and Buddy on the other. I can picture his demeanor and bearing shifting as effectively as his voice. Invisible Theatre in Tucson will feature two performances of the show created by Sandy and his wife, Lisa Dawn Miller, who selected photos from the family’s personal archives to be projected during the show. Lisa, who directs the performance, says the video component complements the theatrical production “about a wonderful father and wonderful son and the times they shared together – it adds subtleties.”
“My father was always funny, (even) the way he walked and moved,” says Sandy. “He was also a stern father and strict disciplinarian. But he was funny on many levels (including) intellectually – he didn’t like silly. He was honest and raw in his comedy. … He was also a great friend, mentor and teacher.”
Buddy Hackett entertained audiences around the world for more than 60 years. He was Johnny Carson’s most frequent comic guest on the “Tonight Show.” His films include “It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,” “Music Man” and the Disney classics, “The Love Bug” and “The Little Mermaid.”
Sandy delights in seeing his own children enjoying his father’s work. He says his daughter, Ashleigh, 8, loves “The Little Mermaid” (in which Buddy voices Scuttle, the goofy little seagull) and his son Oliver, 13, is a fan of “It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.”
Asked about his Jewish life, Sandy says, “I was circumcised, so it started right away – They say it was a big party. I was a bar mitzvah … and when I was 19 we went to Israel.”
Though he says the family doesn’t actively practice Judaism, “I still feel my Jewish identity. I understand the Sabbath is a holy day, but Friday night is a big show business night. Saturday is an even bigger show business night, (so you are) traveling or prepping for the show during Shabbat.”
Lisa says her father, the successful American songwriter Ron Miller (1932-2007), wrote many Top 10 hits. “He was a Jew who wrote songs with a universal message of peace. My father was not the celebrity Buddy was, but his work will live on for centuries.” She selected two of her father’s unpublished tunes for Sandy to perform in “My Buddy,” including “45 Seconds of Love” about what an entertainer feels on stage. “Sandy performs the son as Buddy and Sandy,” she says. The couple is developing a stage show about her father as their next project.
Invisible Theatre has named Sandy Hackett the 2014 Goldie Klein Guest Artist Award honoree. Established in 1988, the award pays tribute to Goldie Klein, mother of IT’s artistic director, Susan Claassen.
