Cliff Norton

Cliff Norton
Norton on The Monkees (1967)
Born
Clifford Charles Nathan

(1918-03-21)March 21, 1918
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedJanuary 25, 2003(2003-01-25) (aged 84)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • radio announcer
Years active1949–1994

Clifford Charles Norton (born Clifford Charles Nathan;[1] March 21, 1918[2] – January 25, 2003) was an American character actor and radio announcer who appeared in various movies and television series over a career spanning four decades.

Early years

Born and raised in Chicago,[3] Norton was one of three children born to Benjamin W. Nathan and Sophia Sholdar.[1][4] He attended Sullivan High School, and graduated in 1935.[5][6] His early jobs included selling shoes and working as a floorwalker.[7] His first broadcasting experience came as a disc jockey on Chicago's WAAF-AM.[6] During World War II he was a bombardier in the U.S. Army Air Corps.[3]

Career

On old-time radio, Norton was probably best known as the announcer for Dave Garroway's radio program; Norton was also a member of the cast of Terry and the Pirates.[8]

Norton started working on television in the 1950s. He was a regular on Your Show of Shows,[9]: 1209  Sid Caesar Presents Comedy Preview,[9]: 966-967 Garroway at Large,[9]: 379  Caesar's Hour[9] and The Dave Garroway Show.[9]: 239  He performed standup comedy on The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show.[10] He was a regular panelist and presenter on the 1954 ABC game show What's Going On. He also had guest roles in series such as Studio One, The United States Steel Hour, The Alcoa Hour, and Kraft Television Theater.[10] In 1952, he starred in the short-lived NBC comedy series The Public Life of Cliff Norton. [9]: 863 

He was the star and announcer for the 1960s syndicated program The Funny Manns,[9]: 372  which involved silent film footage used for broad comedic effect.[11]

Throughout the 1960s, Norton guest starred on programs such as The Cara Williams Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Hogan's Heroes, The Munsters, The Monkees, The Lucy Show, and Bewitched. He also created and starred in a spoofing weather spot called Your Weather and Mine, which aired on KTLA in Los Angeles[3] in 1963.

He had a regular role in the 1966–1967 sitcom It's About Time as "Boss", the chief of a prehistoric caveman tribe.[9]: 516  He also provided the voice for the lead character, Ed Huddles, in Hanna-Barbera's 1970 animated prime-time series Where's Huddles?

In 1971, he appeared in the final episode of Green Acres; this episode was a backdoor pilot for another sitcom that CBS later rejected.[12]

Norton appeared in several films in the 1960s and 1970s, including Kiss Me, Stupid (1964); Harlow (1965); Munster, Go Home! (1966); The Ghost and Mr. Chicken; The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966); Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came (1970); Harry and Tonto (1974); Funny Lady (1975); and all-star comedy films such as It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) and Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976).

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Norton guest starred in shows such as The Feather & Father Gang, The San Pedro Beach Bums, and Remington Steele.

Death

On January 25, 2003, Norton died of lung cancer at his home in Studio City, California at age 84.[6] He was survived by three children and four grandchildren.[3]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1952 The Public Life of Cliff Norton Himself Lead role
1954 What's Going On Himself Panelist
1958 Country Music Holiday Morty Chapman
1961 The Funny Manns Himself/Various Host
1962 The Dick Van Dyke Show Game Warden Season 2, Episode 11; "A Bird in the Head Hurts"
1963 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World Reporter Scene deleted
1964 Kiss Me, Stupid Mack Gray
1964 The Munsters Police Chief Harris Season 1, Episode 3; "A Walk on the Mild Side"
1965 The Cara Williams Show Various 2 episodes
1965 Harlow Billy
1965 McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force Maj. Bill Grady
1966 The Ghost and Mr. Chicken Charlie, the Bailiff
1966 Frankie and Johnny Eddie Uncredited
1966 The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming Charlie Hinkson
1966 Munster, Go Home! Herbert
1966–1967 It's About Time Boss Regular role
1967 Hogan's Heroes Captain Kurtz Season 2, Episode 23; "Everyone Has a Brother-in-Law"
1967 The Monkees J. L. Season 2, Episode 23; "The Picture Frame"
1967 The Lucy Show Ike Season 5, Episode 20; "Lucy the Fight Manager"
1968-1970 Bewitched Various 7 episodes
1970 Where's Huddles? Ed Huddles Lead role; Voice over
1970 Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came Herman Hyde
1970 The Phantom Tollbooth Kakofonous A. Dischord / Tollbooth Speaker Voice
1971 Green Acres Harry Grant 1 episode
1973 The Odd Couple Lloyd
1974 Harry and Tonto Used Car Salesman
1975 Funny Lady Stage Manager
1976 Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood Dog Catcher
1977 The Mouse and His Child Crow #2 Voice
1977 The Feather & Father Gang Season 1, Episode 6; "Never Con a Killer" (originally made as series pilot)
1977 The San Pedro Beach Bums Season 1, Episode 4; "Godfathers Five"
1982 Pandamonium Timothy Voice
1983 Remington Steele Morrie Singer Season 1, Episode 15; "To Stop a Steele"

References

  1. ^ a b "United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6KQ4-SYGY : 10 February 2023), Clifford Charles Nathan, .
  2. ^ Leszczak, Bob (2014). The Odd Couple on Stage and Screen: A History with Cast and Crew Profiles he Odd Couple on Stage and Screen: A History with Cast and Crew Profiles . Jefferson,NC: McFarland & Company. p. 94. ISBN 978-0-7864-7790-6.
  3. ^ a b c d Oliver, Myrna (January 31, 2003). "Cliff Norton, 84; Began Acting Career in Radio". Los Angeles Times. p. B11. Retrieved August 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJ7R-QBT : Thu Jul 20 22:03:31 UTC 2023), Entry for Benjamin Nathan and Albert Nathan, 1920.
  5. ^ Webber, Brad (February 17, 1935). "SULLIVAN HIGH SENIORS TO EDIT JOINT YEARBOOK: Dual Staf Directs Work of Publication". Chicago Tribune. p. III-7. ProQuest 181659261. February and June graduating classes of Sullivan High School will combine their yearbooks into one annual publication to be placed on sale the latter part of this semester. [...] The circulation managers are Clifford Nathan (February) and Miss Kathryn Kropf (June).
  6. ^ a b c Webber, Brad (January 28, 2003). "CLIFF NORTON, 84 ; Veteran character actor known for comic touch: [North Sports Final Edition]". Chicago Tribune. p. II-8. ProQuest 419544162. Mr. Norton, 84, died of lung cancer Saturday, Jan. 25, in his Studio City, Calif., home. [..] Born in Chicago, Mr. Norton graduated from Sullivan High School in 1935. By the end of that decade, he was a disc jockey with a morning show on WAAF-AM 1000. He enlisted in the Army Air Forces during World War II and was a bombardier in the India-Burma-China war zone--a role he would claim made him the 'American record-holder for intake of quinine.' After the war, he became a regular on Chicago's radio scene and appeared on 'Captain Midnight,' 'Tom Mix' and 'Terry and the Pirates.' He met Garroway, an NBC staff announcer who would soon employ him as a regular on 'Garroway at Large,' a musical revue and talk show that moved to New York in 1952.
  7. ^ Remenih, Anton (February 26, 1950). "Seeing Funny Side Is Way of Life With Cliff". Chicago Tribune. p. C10. Retrieved August 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company. p. 328. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company. p. 151. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  10. ^ a b "Cliff Norton, 84, Television Actor". The New York Times. 2003-02-01. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  11. ^ King, Rob (2017). Hokum! : The Early Sound Slapstick Short and Depression-Era Mass Culture. Oakland, California: University of California Press. p. 196. ISBN 9780520288119.
  12. ^ Cox, Stephen (1993). The Hooterville handbook : A Viewer's Guide to Green Acres. New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 203. ISBN 0-312-08811-6.