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Art CarneyAmerican stage, film, television and radio actor
Date of Birth: 04.11.1918
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Art Carney
Arthur William Matthew Carney, born on November 4, 1918, was an American actor of theater, film, television, and radio. He is best known for his role as Ed Norton, the upstairs neighbor of Ralph Kramden played by Jackie Gleason, in the comedy project "The Honeymooners". Carney was the youngest of six sons and was born in Mount Vernon, New York, to journalist and publicist Edward Michael Carney and his wife Helen. He came from an Irish Catholic family.
During World War II, Carney served in the infantry and was wounded in the leg by shrapnel during the Battle of Normandy, which left him with a limp for the rest of his life. Carney was married three times. His first marriage was to Jean Myers from 1940 to 1965, and then again from 1980 until his death. He lived with Barbara Isaac from 1966 to 1977. Carney had three children with Myers - Brian, Paul, and Eileen.
Carney passed away on November 9, 2003, from natural causes at his home in Westbrook, Connecticut.
Early Career and Radio
Carney began his career as a singer-comedian in Horace Heidt's orchestra, which frequently performed on various radio stations in the 1930s. His film career started much later in 1941 with the movie "Pot o'Gold". However, even after his debut, Carney continued to work primarily in radio, often playing character roles and impersonating celebrities.
Collaboration with Jackie Gleason
In 1950, Jackie Gleason cast Carney in the main role of the comedy project "Cavalcade of Stars". Their collaboration was successful, and they later worked together frequently. Gleason regularly invited Carney to participate in various sketch shows, and their duo in the series "The Honeymooners" became particularly famous. The character of the amiable Ed Norton had a significant influence on American pop culture and inspired iconic Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters like Yogi Bear and Barney Rubble.
Stage and Film
Carney made his Broadway debut in 1957, playing the leading role in Morton Wishengrad's drama "The Rope Dancers". He continued to have notable roles on stage, including Felix Ungar in "The Odd Couple" with Walter Matthau and Jack Klugman. In 1969, Carney received a Tony Award nomination for his role in Brian Friel's "Lovers".
Carney was nominated for the Emmy Award seven times and won six times. Additionally, in 1974, he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Harry Coombes, an elderly man traveling the country with his pet cat, in "Harry and Tonto". Carney appeared in numerous films, including "W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings", "The Late Show", "House Calls", "Movie Movie", and "Going in Style". He also had roles in the 1984 film "The Muppets Take Manhattan" and the screen adaptation of Stephen King's thriller "Firestarter". In the same year, Carney played Santa Claus in the classic holiday film "The Night They Saved Christmas" alongside Jacqueline Smith.
In the late 1980s, Carney retired from the film industry but made a brief appearance in the 1993 film "Last Action Hero" with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Throughout his career, Carney appeared in almost a hundred different television and film projects. He is an important part of American culture and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His character continues to live in the hearts of Americans, and in 1994, the band "The Swirling Eddies" even named one of their songs in his honor.
