Jean-Paul Sartre is said to have told him, "You are the only non-existentialist who understands Existentialism.".
When World War II started, he joined the French Foreign Legion.
During World War II, while living in Paris, he was arrested and imprisoned by the Nazis because they thought he was Max Hymans, one of the organizers of the Resistance, who used to sign his messages, "Frederic".
Spoke 10 languages.
Appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show to demonstrate a new type of finger puppet he invented made out of ping-pong balls.