Cliff Norton

Clifford Charles Norton (March 21, 1918 – 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.

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)
Studio City, California, U.S.
OccupationActor/Radio announcer
Years active1949–1994

Early years

Norton was born in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up there,[1] graduating from Senn High School. His early jobs included selling shoes and working as a floorwalker.[2] His first broadcasting experience came as a disc jockey at a radio station there. During World War II he was a bombardier in the U.S. Army Air Corps.[1]

Career

Norton was probably best known as the announcer for Dave Garroway's radio program. He also appeared on an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show (Season 2, Episode 11) as a game warden sent out to nab a woodpecker terrorizing Richie in "A Bird in the Head Hurts" .

On old-time radio, Norton was a member of the cast of Terry and the Pirates.[3] On television, he was a regular on Your Show of Shows,[4]:1209 Sid Caesar Presents Comedy Preview,[4]:966-967 Garroway at Large,[4]:379 Caesar's Hour[4] and The Dave Garroway Show.[4]:239 He was also a regular panelist and presenter on the 1954 ABC game show What's Going On?.

In 1952 he appeared as himself on the short-lived NBC comedy series The Public Life of Cliff Norton,[4]:863 which aired five minutes a night, five nights a week at 11:10 p.m. Eastern Time. He was also star and announcer for the 1960s syndicated program The Funny Manns,[4]:372 which involved silent film footage used for broad comedic effect.

Norton appeared in a two episodes of The Cara Williams Show in 1964 and 1965 and had a regular role in the 1966–1967 sitcom It's About Time as "Boss", the chief of a prehistoric caveman tribe which has been discovered by two American astronauts who have accidentally traveled back in time.[4]:516

He played Captain Kurtz on Hogan's Heroes (Season 2, Episode 23.) He played Police Chief Harris in a 1964 episode of The Munsters ("A Walk on the Mild Side"), dressing in drag to capture a purse snatcher in the local park. Norton also made several appearances on Bewitched between 1968 and 1970, and in the 1967 The Monkees episode "The Picture Frame." 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 as Harry Grant, devout gambler and brother-in-law of Oliver's dizzy blonde former secretary Carol Rush (Elaine Joyce). The episode was a backdoor pilot for a sitcom that was rejected by CBS.

One of Norton's film roles was Charlie, the Bailiff in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) starring Don Knotts. He also appeared in Kiss Me, Stupid (1964), Harlow (1965), Munster, Go Home! (1966), 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).

He appeared in the spoofing weather spot Your Weather and Mine, airing in the Los Angeles area[1] in 1963. The spot was sponsored by P.I.P.E..

In 1977, he appeared in "Never Con a Killer," the pilot for the ABC crime drama The Feather and Father Gang, and in the episode "Godfathers Five" of the ABC situation comedy The San Pedro Beach Bums. He played small-time thief Morrie Singer in the episode "To Stop A Steele" from the first season of the NBC series Remington Steele, airing in 1983.

Death

On January 25, 2003, Norton died at his home in Studio City, California at age 84.[1]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1958Country Music HolidayMorty Chapman
1963It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad WorldReporterScene deleted
1964Kiss Me, StupidMack Gray
1965HarlowBilly
1965McHale's Navy Joins the Air ForceMaj. Bill Grady
1966The Ghost and Mr. ChickenCharlie, the Bailiff
1966Frankie and JohnnyEddieUncredited
1966The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are ComingCharlie Hinkson
1966Munster, Go Home!Herbert
1970Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody CameHerman Hyde
1970The Phantom TollboothKakofonous A. Dischord / Tollbooth SpeakerVoice
1973The Odd Couple (1970 TV series)Lloyd
1974Harry and TontoUsed Car Salesman
1975Funny LadyStage Manager
1976Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved HollywoodDog Catcher
1977The Mouse and His ChildCrow #2Voice
1982PandamoniumTimothyVoice

References
  1. Oliver, Myrna (January 31, 2003). "Cliff Norton, 84; Began Acting Career in Radio". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. p. 39. Retrieved September 1, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Remenih, Anton (February 26, 1950). "Seeing Funny Side Is Way of Life With Cliff". Chicago Tribune. Illinois, Chicago. p. 54. Retrieved September 1, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 328. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4.
  4. Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 151. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
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