Norm Crosby

Norm Crosby

Norm Crosby 1965

Crosby in 1965
Born Norman Lawrence Crosby[1]
(1927-09-15) September 15, 1927
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Occupation Comedian
Agent Arlene Thornton and Associates
Spouse(s) Joan Crane Foley (1966-present; 2 children)

Norman Lawrence "Norm" Crosby (born September 15, 1927) is an American comedian sometimes associated with the Borscht Belt who often appeared on television in the 1970s. He is known for his use of malapropisms and is often called The Master of Malaprop. He was born in Boston.

Career

Crosby went solo as a standup comedian, adopting a friendly, blue collar, guy-next-door attitude in the 1950s. Norm Crosby refined his standup monologues by interpolating malapropisms. He first appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in December 1964. In 1968, he co-starred on The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show, an NBC summer series.[2] In 1974, he co-hosted a Canadian variety television series, Everything Goes.[3] From 1974 through 1984 he was on over half a dozen Dean Martin Roasts including George Burns and two separate Roasts of Redd Foxx.

From 1978 to 1981, Crosby hosted the nationally syndicated series, The Comedy Shop, aka Norm Crosby's Comedy Shop.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Crosby became a commercial pitchman for Anheuser-Busch Natural Light beer. During this time, he also appeared as a celebrity guest on a number of game shows, including Celebrity Bowling, Liar's Club, Tattletales and Hollywood Squares.

From 1983 until the program's disassociation with Jerry Lewis, Norm Crosby co-hosted and contributed to the annual Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6560 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles.

Personal life

Crosby has been a Freemason since 1956, having served as Master of at least one lodge and participated in many charitable activities. As of September 2005, he was a member of Ionic Composite Lodge #520 in Los Angeles, California.[4][5]

Crosby is a native of the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.[6] He is the son of Ann (née Lansky) and John Crosby.[1]

While serving on a submarine chaser in the North Atlantic during World War Two, Crosby suffered permanent hearing damage due to loud depth charges. As a consequence, Crosby is almost completely deaf without the use of powerful hearing aids.

References

  1. 1 2 http://www.filmreference.com/film/1/Norm-Crosby.html
  2. ↑ "Barbara Feldon Guest on Phyllis Diller Show". Schenectady Gazette. 1968-10-05. p. TV 8. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  3. ↑ "From the Music Capitals of the World". Billboard. 1974-03-09. p. 54. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  4. ↑ MSANA.com, October 2007, Masonic Service Association
  5. ↑ Ionic Composite Lodge #520 Trestle Board
  6. ↑ Vennochi, Joan (April 20, 1983). "Langone Announces Entry Into Boston's Mayoral Race". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
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