A Love Letter to S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall, A Poem

Dear Mr. Sakall,

You are adorable, Sir, utterly adorable

And thank God you are so irreplaceable!

With your Hungarian accent thick and kind

Sugar Puss thought you cute for your intelligent mind [Ball of Fire, 1941]

Although you weren't the best at playing the violin

Or treating Buster Keaton all that nicely [In the Good Old Summertime, 1949]

You saved Ilsa's skin

As Rick's right hand man quite brilliantly [Casablanca, 1942]

All was "hunky dunky" as Uncle Felix

Who covered up Barbara Stanwyck's bad cooking [Christmas in Connecticut, 1945]

Even the few seconds devoted to Cohan's lyrics

Your smile overpowered Cagney's singing [Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942]

Yes, Mr. Sakall, you were perfect

The roles Hollywood gave you were but a fleck

Of your talents and although you were known as "Cuddles"

Your sweetness lives on and to audiences befuddles

These bit characters you played so brilliantly and true

So now I must offer a sweet and dorky love letter to you