Jack Norton

Infobox actor
bgcolour = silver
name = Jack Norton


imagesize = 215px
caption =
birthdate = 2 September 1882
location = Brooklyn, New York U.S.
height =
deathdate = 15 October fy|1958 (aged 76)
deathplace = Saranac Lake, New York U.S.
yearsactive = 1925–1948
birthname = Mortimer J. Naughton
spouse = Lucille Healy
othername =
occupation = actor

Jack Norton (2 September 1882–15 October fy|1958), was a mustachio'd 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 in 1882. In his early career he had a vaudeville comedy act with his wife Lillian Healy.Erickson, Hal [http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=2:53073 Biography (Allmovie)] ] Norton made his Broadway debut in 1925 [ibdb name|54695|Jack Norton] in that year's edition of "Earl Carroll's Vanities" [ibdb title|9881|Earl Carroll's Vanities [1925] ] , and also appeared in "Florida Girl", which was produced and staged by Carroll [ibdb title|9936|Florida Girl]

Norton's first film work was for a musical short, "School for Romance", in fy|1934, in which a young Betty Grable appeared, but his scenes were deleted. [imdb title|0134950|School for Romance] His work survived to reach the screen in his next assignment, "The Super Snooper", a comedy short. [imdb title|0025848|The Super Snooper] , 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, [imdb title|0025117|Finishing School] 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.imdb name|0636226] One of the few times he was credited as part of the main cast [Allmovie [http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=2:53073~T2 Filmography] ] was in fy|1945 for the film "A Guy, a Gal and a Pal" [imdb title|0037759|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. [Norton appeared in "Sullivan's Travels", "The Palm Beach Story", "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek", "Hail the Conquering Hero" and "The Sin of Harold Diddlebock".]

In fy|1947, Norton retired from films due to illness, his last appearance being in "Alias a Gentlemen" [imdb title|0040085|Alias a Gentleman] , which was released in fy|1948, although he did make some live television appearances in the early 1950s.

Jack Norton's final appearance would have been in a 1955 episode of Jackie Gleason's The Honeymooners, 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 15 October fy|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. [findagrave|6896337]

elected filmography

* "Rhythm and Weep" (1946) with the Three Stooges
* "Flame of Barbary Coast" (1945) with John Wayne and William Frawley
* "The Palm Beach Story" (1942) with Claudette Colbert
* "The Spoilers" (1942) with Marlene Dietrich and John Wayne
* "Thanks for the Memory" (1938) with Bob Hope
* "The Moon's Our Home" (1936) with Henry Fonda
* "Woman Haters" (1934) with the Three Stooges

Notes

External links

*
*
*
*
*

Persondata
NAME= Norton, Jack
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Actor
DATE OF BIRTH= 2 September, 1882
PLACE OF BIRTH= Brooklyn, New York USA
DATE OF DEATH= 15 October, 1958
PLACE OF DEATH= Saranac Lake, New York USA