Danny Kaye : Ring on his finger…

Ring on his finger…

In every DK movie I've seen he's wearing a gold band on his pinky. Does any one know the significance of this ring? Was it his wedding band, but as in most of his movies he's not supposed to be married, he had to switch it to a different finger?

This is driving me nuts. Any input?

Peace and Love!

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Re: Ring on his finger…

Huh....I've noticed that too...
Always wondered.
...Veeeeerry Interesting...

"Thank you for flying Church of England. Cake or Death?"

Re: Ring on his finger…

Same here!!! That has been bothering me for a while!!! He has it on all the time! I can only guess that he switched his wedding band to a different finger, but then again Sylvia and Danny (if you all have read up on him like I have) didnt really have "the perfect, happy, in love, staying true to one another, marriage".....so i dunno.... :/

Re: Ring on his finger…

Hi Yellow 85,

I had heard the same from my mother re: Kaye. My whole family are massive fans of his, but what have you read about his private life (I guess that I'm intrigued by the contrast of public persona vs. private person).

Re: Ring on his finger…

I had always thought it was his wedding ring and that it just didn't fit his ring finger.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+
I'm not stupid. I'm just a little confused.

Re: Ring on his finger…

I have no idea about that ring, I've wondered too. An interesting thing: Ever watch old Fred Astaire movies? He has a large gold ring on his pinky too, just like Danny Kaye. And I have no idea why Fred Astaire wears a ring either...

Re: Ring on his finger…

Dont know why Danny Kaye had a ring on his pinky finger.At a guess the reason why Fred Astaire had a pinky ring may have been like someone said a wedding ring.Possibly from his marriage to Phyllis as she died very young from cancer.

Re: Ring on his finger…

A lot of men wear rings on their pinky fingers . . . Dean Martin, Henry Mancini, Rudolph Valentino, Fred Astaire as was mentioned on here already, Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman. . . I always thought it was a phenomenon unique to Italian men until I noticed other, non-Italian people (and even women-- Bette Davis for one) sporting them too. I suspect one reason may be when men's wedding bands no longer fit on their ring fingers-- or maybe they just think it looks cool

I sport a pinky ring myself-- mostly out of homage to all the aforementioned greats and others besides

peace is the word
bunny

Re: Ring on his finger…

It's not so much that he has one that stands out. It's that no matter what film he's in, it's on his finger. Ususally, if a piece of jewelery is not appropritate to the character an actor is playing, it's removed. For example, if an actor is married in real life, yet he's playing a single man, his wedding ring is removed for the film.
Even though Danny Kaye played a poverty-stricken man, on the brink of starvation (The Inspector General), his ring was in place. That's what stands out.

PS..I think you're decision to get a pinky ring rocks!

"It's just me against the world; and the world is winning." - Halo Friendlies

Re: Ring on his finger…

it is an old european custom <usually amongst royalty> for married men to wear their wedding ring on their pinky.

Re: Ring on his finger…

ohhhhhhhh.

Re: Ring on his finger…

so maybe its a little tradition his family carried over from europe .. who knows.

Re: Ring on his finger…

Pinky-ring is an old european custom, that's right, and it has been a common tradition (from around 18th century, as I recall) among wealthy families -such as aristocrats- to have a FAMILY RING. At the age of 17 young boys (mostly, but also girls) got a family ring of their own from their fathers.
Ring was always placed on right pinky. There was no need to marry!
The ring might bear some sort of seal (aristocrats mainly) or even jewels depending on how rich was the clan.
The custom is still alive, barely. I myself do not have one, but a friend of mine does (noble family, naturally) -and he told me when I got curious about the meaning of it.
You can also see family rings quite often in old portraits.

So it seems that Kaye's family had the tradition too. I think it is a nice way to remind of peoples roots when parents give a family ring to their children, it gathers the family as one.


-Ninnikuu @ Helsinki, Finland

Re: Ring on his finger…

It's his dead mother's wedding ring. It's covered in a BBC documentary about his life.

Re: Ring on his finger…

I'm thinking that it was the style? Yes? No? Maybe? :)

Re: Ring on his finger…

tradition usually dictates style..or is it the other way round? yes, no, yes, no ? but seriously, as i posted earlier..all i know is that its a tradition amongst some people <mostly male aristocracy> too wear the wedding band on the pinky

Re: Ring on his finger…

This is very interesting. I had never noticed the ring until now.
Watching The Court Jester on TCM this very moment. He is wearing the ring on the pinky of his 'right' hand. Was wearing the ring on the right hand as opposed to the left part of the tradition?

Re: Ring on his finger…

not too sure. he could have just thought 'hmm, i think i'll wear a pinky ring' one day and did it.

Re: Ring on his finger…

Can't belive what I'm reading. Everybody trying to avoid the reality of his sexual tendencies. Never hear about Lawrence Olivier and him ?.
P L E E E E A S E !

Re: Ring on his finger…

no, that's being discussed on another posting. -

Re: Ring on his finger…

He admired Olivier as an actor.

Re: Ring on his finger…

You guys if I remember correctly, Danny Kaye's parents were Russian Jewish immigrants. The Russian Jews (as were most Jews in Europe) were continually oppressed and denied their rights, and very few amassed any real wealth. So I don;t think that Danny Kaye is following the tradition of a noble family, unless he's doing it out of some kind 1c84 of spite or protest, maybe to show the Europeans back home "Hey, remember how you oppressed my parents? Well guess what, I am rich and no longer oppressed here, so *raspberry*!"

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Re: Ring on his finger…

It is an old European custom, usually amongst Aristcracy Prince Charles wears a ring on his pinky. As this was considered a posh thing to do, men that were trying to climb the social ladder wore rings on their pinkys ( I had an old Uncle that did this).

So I think Kaye probably wore the pinky ring to appear more of a gentleman. I don't think it was a symbol of homosexuality as is suggested by others.

Re: Ring on his finger…

I don't think there was any great hidden meaning to the pinky ring. It's well-known that Danny Kaye was a bit of a "dandy" (appreciated stylish, tailored/expensive clothing) -- just look at his fabulous suits in "Walter Mitty", "Wonderman" and "Kid from Brooklyn". Even when he was casual his clothing was top-rate (until he got in his 60s and no longer cared as much). No doubt the ring was just part of that dandyish side of him. The pinky ring was also not an uncommon accessory for men in that era.

Re: Ring on his finger…

If the ring was part of his personal style he probably would not have been able to wear it in films. He would only wear it when out and about on the town. I'm currently watching Up in Arms on TCM and he has it with on. Wonder Man was on before this and he had it on there too. To be allowed to wear it in many films it must have had some importance to Kaye. Wedding ring, family ring, or what have you.

I'm a big tough girl. I tie my own sandals and everything.

Re: Ring on his finger…

Why does it have to mean anything??
So he wears a ring. Big deal. Maybe he just liked it and bought it to wear to drive fans crazy with wondering. Guess it worked huh?!
I too have noticed it. Who knows who cares. He liked it thats all that matters.

Hey dudes! How's it goin' eh?

Re: Ring on his finger…

The great pinky ring actor was Walter Pidgeon! I defy anyone to watch his films and not see him wearing it!

Re: Ring on his finger…

Big deal. So stars wear rings! Everyone does at some point in their life usually. So what, they like rings. I myself wear about 10 or 11 when I dress for an evening out.
Just around here everyday I wear 5.

Hey dudes! H 5b4 ow's it goin' eh?

Re: Ring on his finger…

Eh, I like to believe that all those guys (Sintatra, Kaye, etc.) were tied to the mafia somehow, and the rings signified this. I know that's not true, but it's more fun than a Europen custom a wedding band. I mean, the mafia? C'mon, nothing's cooler than that! ;) So I vote that we make that the new reason the next time someone asks!

Re: Ring on his finger…

Danny Kaye was Jewish.

Re: Ring on his finger…

I noticed the pinky ring too. People mentioned the European thing. The Danny wore his pinky ring on his right hand. One would think that if it were worn as his wedding band it would be on the left hand pinky. Most Europeans wear their wedding bands on their right hands but Danny is American. If anyone notices British royalty (Prince Charles and his father come to mind)they wear a gold wedding band as a pinky ring and their signet ring over it (Prince Charles wears his Prince of Wales signet pinky ring over his wedding band---gold that was mined in Wales.)

In the 40's and 50's it was very popular for men to wear pinky rings. I used to wear a gold pinky ring with my first name's initial on it when I was in junior high or high school. I think it was a birthday gift from my "cousin" Danny. I guess most of the time I think of my (Italian-American) "aunt"'s (Danny's mom) two husbands. Italian-Americans from Brooklyn and Jersey City (respectively....she was a widow twice and looked like Sophia Loren, I swear) who wore pinky rings and other diamond rings along with their wedding bands (one wore his wedding band on his left hand ring finger and the other on his left hand middle finger). Aunt Patrice was my mom's best friend and back in the 60's era children called their parent's closest friends "aunt" and "uncle"~~~so I have a bunch of Italian, Jewish and African-American "aunts", "uncles" and "cousins".....makes family get-togethers fabulous and interesting.





God made us different to test our humanity. Do you pass or fail?

Re: Ring on his finger…

oh, your family get togethers sound fun, like your very own UN piss ups.
with my family its predominately scots irish and some west indian influences. so, longs theres booze we just all get drunk and argue.....a lot.

Re: Ring on his finger…

Danny's pinky ring was actually his Mother's wedding ring. It was stated on a BBC radio documentary of his life. His Mother died when he was very young, and he then always wore her ring on his pinky. It was such a sweet thing to hear.

Re: Ring on his finger…

A quick on-line search will find several sites that explain it was his mother's wedding ring.

Re: Ring on his finger…

Thanks everyone!

"Oh bugger, that's gone wrong." RH
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