By Michael Stevenson

Happy birthday to the great singer, dancer, actor and comedian Danny Kaye (January 18, 1911 – March 3, 1987)

Even though the peak of his popularity was during the 1940s and ’50s, I feel he was as much a part of my childhood growing up in the 1960s as Captain Kangaroo. His movie songs were memorable: the lovely “Inchworm,” from Hans Christian Anderson; “Lullaby in Ragtime” (later covered by Harry Nilsson) and “Everything is Tickety-Boo” (which my dad would sing while shaving.)

Kaye’s acting roles were also terrific, performing with Bing Crosby in “White Christmas” and his classic “Saints” duet with Louis Armstrong in “Five Pennies.”

Danny Kaye was a life-long Democrat (campaigned for Adlai Stevenson for president in 1952.) He loved baseball (Dodgers fan) and did charity work for UNICEF for decades.

Bless his memory.