Norton, Cliff

Born and raised in the city, he graduated from Sullivan High School in 1935 and became an integral figure in the historic "Chicago School" of television during the medium's infancy. He passed away from lung cancer in Los Angeles on January 25, 2003, at the age of 84.

Chicago Radio and Television Roots

• Early Radio Career: Started in 1937 as a disc jockey on Chicago's WAAF-AM 1000.
• Soap Operas and Thrillers: Acted in popular Chicago-based radio dramas like Hilltop House, Captain Midnight, and Tom Mix.
• Television Breakthrough: Met NBC announcer Dave Garroway in Chicago, becoming a regular sketch comedian on the ground-breaking live variety series Garroway at Large (1949–1951).
• Local Programming: Starred in his own local Chicago television program, The Private Life of Cliff Norton.

Hollywood and Beyond

Following his success in Chicago, Norton moved to New York and eventually Los Angeles to pursue a prolific career in film and television:

• Hollywood Movies: Appeared in classic films including It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, and Funny Lady.
• Television Guest Spots: Guest-starred on legendary shows such as The Dick Van Dyke Show, Bewitched, The Odd Couple, Hogan's Heroes, and The Tonight Show.
• Voice and Commercial Acting: Voiced Lead character Ed Huddles in Hanna-Barbera's animated sitcom Where's Huddles? and narrated the 1960s kid-show anthology series The Funny Manns.