S. Z. Sakall (1883–1955)

S.Z. Sakall was born to a Jewish family in Budapest, Hungary. He began writing comedy sketches for vaudeville as a teenager under the pen name Szőke Szakáll. He became a stage and film star in his native country during the 1910s-1920s, and then moved to Vienna, Austria, where he was famed for his roles in light romantic comedies. He fled Europe in 1940 with his wife to escape the Nazis, and most of the rest of their family died in the Holocaust. In Hollywood, Sakall's portly frame and thick accent made him a natural for playing befuddled European shopkeepers, theatrical impresarios, and lovable uncles. He signed a contract with Warner Brothers and immediately won character roles in many major movies. His most famous screen performance was as Carl the head waiter at Rick's Cafe in Casablanca (1942), although he was billed incorrectly as "S.K. Sakall." His "Cuddles" persona (he hated the nickname) was suited to lighter fare, and he appeared in several musicals during the last years of his career. He published his autobiography, entitled The Story of Cuddles: My Life under the Emperor Francis Joseph, Adolf Hitler, and the Warner Brothers, in 1954.