Art Carney

Carney was first paired with fellow actor Jackie Gleason (1916-1987) in 1950, in a comedy sketch appearing in the variety series "Cavalcade of Stars" (1949-1952). Gleason appeared as lunchroom loudmouth Charlie Bratten, and Carney as mild-mannered victim Clem Finch. Due to good chemistry between the two actors, Carney became a show regular and appeared in several other comedy sketches with Gleasdon.

In 1918, Carney was born in a Irish American family in Mount Vernon, New York. His father was publicist Edward Michael Carney, and his mother was housewife Helen Farrell. Carney was the youngest of the family's six sons. He was educated at Mount Vernon High School (at the time called "A. B. Davis High School").

In the 1930s, Carney was a singer with the orchestra of big band leader Horace Heidt (1901-1986).

Won a talent contest in elementary school and another at A.B. Davis High School, in Mount Vernon, from which he graduated in 1936. Had only a high school education, no formal training and never took an acting class.

They appeared often in radio shows, and were regulars in the pioneering game show Pot o' Gold (1939-1947).

He was the voice of "Red Lantern: The Fish Priminister" on the children's radio show "The Land of the Lost", which also starred Mae Questel and Naomi Lewis. "The Land of the Lost" was heard on the ABC Radio Network during the mid 1940s. Carney also performed on another television puppet special with "The Bil & Cora Baird Puppets" - "Art Carney Meets the Sorcerer's Apprentice" on The ABC TV Network. The show aired in the early 1960s.

Carney had an uncredited cameo in the film adaptation "Pot o' Gold" (1941), which was his film debut. His career was interrupted when he was drafter for World War II service. He served as an infantryman and machine gun crewman for the duration of the war.

Has three children with Jean Myers: Eileen Carney (born 1942), Brian Carney (born 1946), and Paul Carney (born 1952).

He had a recurring role as the Red Lantern in the fantasy adventure series "Land of the Lost" (1943-1948), and another as Charlie the doorman in radio and television version of the sitcom The Morey Amsterdam Show (1948-1950).

He fought in the Invasion of Normandy (1944), where he was wounded in the leg by shrapnel. Following his injury, his right leg was shorter than his left one. He walked with a limp for the rest of his life. Following the War, Carney appeared regularly on radio as a character actor. He also served as a celebrity impersonator, imitating the voices of (among others) Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Dwight David Eisenhower.

"Cavalcade of Stars" was eventually reworked into "The Jackie Gleason Show" (1952-1957), with Gleason as the lead actor and Carney as his sidekick. The most notable of the recurring sketches was "the Honeymooners", pairing the verbally-abusive Ralph Kramden (Gleason) with his optimistic best friend Ed Norton (Carney).

Art Carney was an American actor with a lengthy career, but is primarily remembered for two roles. In television, Carney played municipal sewer worker Ed Norton in the influential sitcom "The Honeymooners" (1955-1956).

The sketch eventually was eventually given its own series, "The Honeymooners" (1955-1956). The series only lasted for 1 season, and a total of 39 episodes. The sitcom was canceled due to low ratings, but found success in syndication. Its depiction of the American working class was popular and influenced several other sitcoms.

He starred in the television special "Art Carney Meets Peter and the Wolf" (1958), adapted from the story "Peter and the Wolf" (1936) by Sergei Prokofiev.

He was eventually given his own show "Art Carney Special" (1959-1961), which was not particularly successful.

The popular animated sitcom "The Flintstones" (1960-1966) started as a Honeymooners parody, with character Barney Rubble based on Ed Norton. Due to his popularity as Gleason's sidekick, Carney was offered a number of lead roles in television.

Carney had few notable guest star roles in television during the 1960s.

He played an alcoholic department store Santa Claus in the episode ""The Night of the Meek" (1960) of The Twilight Zone, and portrayed the villain "The Archer" in two episodes of "Batman".

Originated the role of Felix Unger (opposite Walter Matthau as Oscar Madison) in Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple" on Broadway in 1965.

Born on the same date as Cameron Mitchell (of TV's The High Chaparral (1967) fame).

Was nominated for Broadway's 1969 Tony Award as Best Actor (Dramatic) for Brian Friel's "Lovers".

He opened the 1970s by playing both Santa Claus and villain Cosmo Scam in the Christmas television special "The Great Santa Claus Switch" (1970), where he appeared alongside Jim Henson's Muppets.

Carney had suffered a career decline until the 1970s, in part due to his alcoholism.

In film, Carney played senior citizen Harry Coombes in the road movie "Harry and Tonto" (1974). For this role, Carney won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

He first found success in film as the leading character "Harry and Tonto" (1974), as a lonely senior citizen who goes on cross-country journey with his pet cat. His critical success in the role and winning an Academy Award helped revive his career. He was offered many new film roles, though few leading ones. Among his better known film roles were the deranged preacher John Wesley Gore in "W. W.

1974. He is interred at the Riverside Cemetery in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.

and the Dixie Dancekings" (1975), aging detective Ira Wells in "The Late Show" (1977), senile surgeon Dr.

Amos Willoughby in "House Calls" (1978), and thrill-seeking bank robber Al in "Going in Style". During this period, Carney won both the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor and the Pasinetti Award for Best Actor.

Carney had a notable role in the television film "Star Wars Holiday Special" (1978) as Trader Saun Dann, a member of the Rebel Alliance.

In the 1980s, Carney was mostly reduced to minor roles again.

He mostly retired from acting by the late 1980s.

He is better remembered as the kind-hearted farmer Irv Manders in the horror film "Firestarter" (1984) and theatrical producer Bernard Crawford in the comedy-drama "The Muppets Take Manhattan" (1984).

Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith. Pg. 93-94. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387

Carney emerged from retirement to play the supporting role of Frank Slater in "Last Action Hero" (1993). Frank is depicted as the "favorite second cousin" of the film's protagonist Jack Slater (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger). Frank's death provided motivation for the revenge-seeking protagonist. Frank's final line in the film was "I'm outta here", and this was indeed Carney's last appearance in a film before his death.

Carney lived in retirement until 2003.

He died in his sleep in November 2003, in his home near Westbrook, Connecticut. His death was attributed to unspecified "natural causes". He was 85-years-old, and had reportedly managed to stay sober since he originally quit drinking c.

Appears as Ed Norton, with Jackie Gleason as Ralph Kramden, on a 44¢ USA commemorative postage stamp in the Early TV Memories issue honoring The Honeymooners (1955). The stamp was issued 11 August 2009.

The Carney Awards, named after Art Carney, have been awarded annually since 2015 for "Outstanding Achievement in Character Acting". It is a lifetime achievement award, not given for specific performances.