Jack Norton
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- September 1, 1889
- Died
- October 15, 1958 (aged 69)
- Birthplace
- Brooklyn, New York, USA
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jack Norton (September 2, 1882 – October 15, 1958) was an American stage and film character actor who appeared in 184 films between 1934 and 1948, often playing drunks, although in real life he was a teetotaler. Career Jack Norton was born in Brooklyn, New York on September 2, 1882. In his early career he had a vaudeville comedy act with his wife Lillian Healy. Norton made his Broadway debut in 1925 in that year's edition of Earl Carroll's Vanities, and also appeared in Florida Girl, which was produced and staged by Carroll. Norton's first film work was for a musical short, School for Romance, in 1934, in which a young Betty Grable appeared, but his scenes were deleted. His work survived to reach the screen in his next assignment, The Super Snooper, a comedy short, and in his third film, his first full-length movie, Finishing School, which featured Frances Dee, Billie Burke, Ginger Rogers and Bruce Cabot, Norton played a drunk, setting the pattern for many of his future performances. Although he also played stone sober characters as well, he was best known for his inebriated characterizations, and he improved his work by following genuine drunks around, picking up behavioral tips. Norton worked continuously and consistently, sometimes appearing in as many as 20 films in one year, although many of his performances went uncredited. One of the few times he was credited as part of the main cast was in 1945 for the film A Guy, a Gal and a Pal In the 1940s, Norton was part of Preston Sturges' unofficial "stock company" of character actors, appearing in five films written and directed by Sturges. He is perhaps best known to modern audiences as A. Pismo Clam, the drunken film director whom W.C. Fields is hired to replace in The Bank Dick (1940). In 1947, Norton retired from films due to illness, his last appearance being in Alias a Gentlemen, which was released in 1948, although he did make some live television appearances in the early 1950s. Jack Norton's final appearance would have been in the 1956 episode of The Honeymooners entitled "Unconventional Behavior", but age and infirmity had so overwhelmed him that he was literally written out of the show as it was being filmed, though Jackie Gleason saw to it that Norton was paid fully for the performance he was ready, willing, but unable to give. Norton died on October 15, 1958 in Saranac Lake, New York at the age of 76. He is buried in Sacred Hearts Cemetery in Southampton, New York on Long Island.
Known For
Filmography
The Big Parade of Comedy
Movie · as Actor in 'The Girl from Missouri' (archive footage) (uncredited)
I Was a Burlesque Queen
Movie · as Jim Benson
Malice in the Palace
Movie · as Emir of Schmoe (uncredited)
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
Movie · as James R. Smoke
Variety Girl
Movie · as Busboy at Brown Derby
Linda, Be Good
Movie · as Jim Benson
Hired Husband
Movie · as Mr. Drinkwater
Shadows Over Chinatown
Movie · as Cosgrove
Rhythm and Weep
Movie · as Mr. Walsh
Nocturne
Movie · as Charlie (uncredited)
Flame of Barbary Coast
Movie · as Byline Conners, Reporter San Francisco Star
The Scarlet Clue
Movie · as Willie Rand
Fashion Model
Movie · as Herbert
Man Alive
Movie · as William T. Lafferty
Captain Tugboat Annie
Movie · as Shiftless
Two O'Clock Courage
Movie · as Drunk at Blue Room Bar (uncredited)
Strange Confession
Movie · as Jack
The Naughty Nineties
Movie · as Drunk at the Gilded Cage (uncredited)
A Guy, a Gal and a Pal
Movie · as Norton
Hold That Blonde!
Movie · as Drunk (uncredited)
Charlie Chan in The Chinese Cat
Movie · as Hotel Desk Clerk
Going My Way
Movie · as Mr. Lilly (uncredited)
Once Upon a Time
Movie · as Man In Barber Chair (uncredited)
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
Movie · as Country Club Man Ordering Champagne (uncredited)
Make Your Own Bed
Movie · as Drunk
The Story of Dr. Wassell
Movie · as 'Janssen' Passenger (uncredited)
Hail the Conquering Hero
Movie · as Second Bandleader (uncredited)
The Big Noise
Movie · as Drunk on Train
Taxi, Mister
Movie · as Reginald Van Nostrum - the Drunk
Prairie Chickens
Movie · as Henry Lewis-Clark III
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Movie · as Customer in Bette Davis Number (uncredited)
The Kansan
Movie · as Saloon Drunk
So's Your Uncle
Movie · as Drunk
Crazy House
Movie · as Drunk
The Falcon Strikes Back
Movie · as Second Hobo (uncredited)
It Ain't Hay
Movie · as Drunk (uncredited)
The Palm Beach Story
Movie · as Second Member Ale and Quail Club
The Fleet's In
Movie · as Kellogg
Moonlight in Havana
Movie · as George
Dr. Broadway
Movie · as Drunk (uncredited)
The Spoilers
Movie · as Mr. Skinner
Brooklyn Orchid
Movie · as Jonathan McFeeder
My Favorite Spy
Movie · as Orchid Room Drunk
Dr. Renault's Secret
Movie · as Mr. Austin
No Hands on the Clock
Movie · as Bartender at The Nugget Room
Let's Make Music
Movie · as Drunk
Ride on Vaquero
Movie
Pacific Blackout
Movie · as Drunk
Louisiana Purchase
Movie · as Jester
The Villain Still Pursued Her
Movie · as Drunk
The Bank Dick
Movie · as A. Pismo Clam
The Ghost Breakers
Movie · as Drunk (uncredited)
The Way of All Flesh
Movie · as Barber
City of Chance
Movie · as Mr. Murphy
The Farmer's Daughter
Movie · as Shimmy Conway
Opened by Mistake
Movie · as Al, the Bartender
A Night at Earl Carroll's
Movie · as Alonzo Smith
The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt
Movie · as Charlie Fenton - the Party Drunk (uncredited)
News Is Made at Night
Movie · as Drunk
The Roaring Twenties
Movie · as Drunk at Henderson Club (uncredited)
Grand Jury Secrets
Movie · as Doyle
Society Smugglers
Movie · as Prentis
Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President
Movie · as Parker
Thanks for the Memory
Movie · as Bert Monroe
The Awful Tooth
Movie · as Dr. Schultz
Hold That Kiss
Movie · as Mallory
Meet the Girls
Movie · as Fletcher
Love Is a Headache
Movie · as Bartender (uncredited)
Everybody's Doing It
Movie · as Harry The Drunk
Arsène Lupin Returns
Movie · as Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Jezebel
Movie · as Drunk (uncredited)
Meet the Missus
Movie · as Mr. Norton
The Women Men Marry
Movie · as Wilhelm Peebles (uncredited)
My Dear Miss Aldrich
Movie · as First Drunk at Red Apple Inn (uncredited)
Time Out for Romance
Movie · as Crapshooter
Marked Woman
Movie · as Drunk
Who's Looney Now
Movie · as Herbert Brown
The Preview Murder Mystery
Movie · as Comedy Director (Uncredited)
Down the Ribber
Movie
Forgotten Faces
Movie · as Drunk
Sweet Music
Movie · as Drunk (uncredited)
Foolish Hearts
Movie · as Jimmy
Dr. Socrates
Movie · as Drunk in Park
His Night Out
Movie · as Dr. Singer
Calling All Cars
Movie · as Duke Costello
Going Highbrow
Movie · as Sinclair
One More Spring
Movie · as Drunk
Broadway Gondolier
Movie · as Man on Ship with Pipe
Stolen Harmony
Movie · as Phillips (uncredited)
Page Miss Glory
Movie · as Reporter (uncredited)
Ship Cafe
Movie · as Mr. Randall (uncredited)
Don't Bet on Blondes
Movie · as J. Mortimer 'Mousy' Slade
The Gilded Lily
Movie · as Photographer (uncredited)
Fixing a Stew
Movie · as Pete
The Super Snooper
Movie
Finishing School
Movie · as Drunk (uncredited)
Counsel on De Fence
Movie
Cockeyed Cavaliers
Movie · as King's Physician
One Too Many
Movie
Woman Haters
Movie · as Justice of the Peace (uncredited)