| Cliff Norton | |
| Birth Name: | Clifford Charles Nathan |
| Birth Date: | 21 March 1918 |
| Birth Place: | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Years Active: | 1949–1994 |
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.
Born and raised in Chicago, Norton was one of three children born to Benjamin W. Nathan and Sophia Sholdar.[1] [3] He attended Sullivan High School, and graduated in 1935.[4] [5] His early jobs included selling shoes and working as a floorwalker.[6] His first broadcasting experience came as a disc jockey on Chicago's WAAF-AM.[5] During World War II he was a bombardier in the U.S. Army Air Corps.
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.[7]
Norton started working on television in the 1950s. He was a regular on Your Show of Shows, Sid Caesar Presents Comedy Preview,Garroway at Large, Caesar's Hour[8] and The Dave Garroway Show. He performed standup comedy on The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show.[9] 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. In 1952, he starred in the short-lived NBC comedy series The Public Life of Cliff Norton.
He was the star and announcer for the 1960s syndicated program The Funny Manns, which involved silent film footage used for broad comedic effect.[10]
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 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. 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.[11]
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.
On January 25, 2003, Norton died of lung cancer at his home in Studio City, California at age 84.[5] He was survived by three children and four grandchildren.[12]
| 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" |