A stand-up comedian for years, he was the opening act for such stars as Barbra Streisand, Harry Belafonte, and the team of Mike Nichols and Elaine May.
Raised in the Bronx, he was a peanut vendor for some time near Yankee Stadium and Manhattan's Polo Grounds.
Tiny, adorable New-York born and bred character actor with an unmistakeable mug and schnozzola who came into his own late in life, particularly on TV ("Barney Miller" (1974), "Night Court" (1984) and "Ally McBeal" (1997)), dotting the stage and screen with scene-stealing little comic gems.