Art Carney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Art Carney
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Carney in 1959
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| Born |
Arthur William Matthew Carney
November 4, 1918 Mount Vernon, New York, U.S.
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| Died | November 9, 2003 (aged 85) Chester, Connecticut, U.S.
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| Resting place | Riverside Cemetery, Old Saybrook, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1939–1993 |
| Spouse(s) |
Jean Myers
(m. 1940; div. 1965)
(m. 1980)Barbara Isaac
(m. 1966; div. 1977) |
| Children | 3 |
| Family | Reeve Carney (great-nephew) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 United States Army |
| Years of service | 1943–1945 |
| Rank |  Private |
| Unit | 28th Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |  Purple Heart American Campaign Medal European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal |
Arthur William Matthew Carney (born November 4, 1918 – died November 9, 2003) was a famous American actor and comedian. He won many important awards, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and six Primetime Emmy Awards. He is best known for playing the character Ed Norton on the TV show The Honeymooners (1955–1956).
Art Carney also starred in many movies. Some of his well-known films include Harry and Tonto (1974), The Late Show (1977), and Going in Style (1979). He even appeared in The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) and Last Action Hero (1993).
Contents
Art Carney's Early Life and Military Service
Art Carney was born in Mount Vernon, New York. He was the youngest of six brothers. His father, Edward Michael Carney, worked as a newspaperman. Art's family was Irish American and Catholic. He went to A.B. Davis High School.
Serving in World War II
In 1943, Art Carney joined the United States Army during World War II. He was an infantryman, meaning he fought on foot. During the Battle of Normandy, he was hurt in the leg by a piece of metal from an explosion. This injury made him walk with a limp for the rest of his life. His right leg became a bit shorter than his left.
For his service, Carney received several awards. These included the Purple Heart, which is given to soldiers wounded in battle. He was discharged from the army in 1945.
Art Carney's Acting Career
Starting in Radio
Before TV, Art Carney started his career in radio in the 1930s. He was a funny singer with the Horace Heidt orchestra. He was also great at imitating people. He would pretend to be famous people like President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.
During the 1940s, he played many different characters on radio shows. He was known for his voice acting and comedy.
Becoming a TV Star
Art Carney became very famous on television. In 1950, he started working with comedian Jackie Gleason on a show called Cavalcade of Stars. They had great chemistry together.
Their best-known work was the comedy skits called The Honeymooners. Carney played Ed Norton, a sewer worker, who was the best friend of Jackie Gleason's character, Ralph Kramden. These skits were so popular that they became their own TV show, The Honeymooners. Art Carney won six Emmy Awards for his acting on TV.
Between his work with Gleason, Carney appeared on many other TV shows. He even had his own variety show on NBC from 1959 to 1960.
Special TV Appearances
- In 1958, he starred in a children's TV special called Art Carney Meets Peter and the Wolf. It used puppets to tell a story with music.
- He also appeared in a Christmas episode of The Twilight Zone called "The Night of the Meek". He played a department store Santa Claus who became the real Santa.
- In 1966, he played a villain named "The Archer" in the Batman TV series.
- In 1978, he was in the Star Wars Holiday Special. He played Trader Saun Dann, a character who helped Chewbacca and his family.
- Later, he played Santa Claus again in the 1984 TV movie The Night They Saved Christmas.
Making Recordings
In the 1950s, Art Carney also made many recordings. Some were funny songs, like "The Song of the Sewer," which he sang as his character Ed Norton. He also recorded children's songs. He even narrated a version of The Wizard of Oz for kids.
Winning an Academy Award for Films
Art Carney won the highest award in movies, the Academy Award for Best Actor, in 1974. He won it for his role as Harry Coombes in the movie Harry and Tonto. In this film, he played an elderly man who travels with his pet cat. He also won a Golden Globe Award for this performance.
After this big win, he was in high demand in Hollywood. He appeared in many other films:
- The Late Show (1977), where he played an older detective.
- House Calls (1978), as a chief surgeon.
- Going in Style (1979), playing a bored senior citizen who decides to rob banks.
- The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984).
- Firestarter (1984), a science fiction thriller.
His last movie role was in the action comedy film Last Action Hero in 1993.
Performing on Broadway
Art Carney also performed on Broadway, which is New York City's famous theater district.
- His first Broadway show was The Rope Dancers in 1957.
- From 1965 to 1967, he played Felix Unger in the popular play The Odd Couple.
Art Carney's Personal Life
Art Carney was married three times to two different women. He first married his high school girlfriend, Jean Myers, in 1940. They had three children together. They divorced in 1965. He then married Barbara Isaac in 1966, but they divorced in 1977. After that, he got back together with Jean Myers, and they remarried in 1980. They stayed together until he passed away. His great-nephew, Reeve Carney, is also a musician and actor.
Art Carney's Death
Art Carney passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 9, 2003. He was 85 years old. He is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. His wife, Jean Carney, died nine years later in 2012.
Filmography Highlights
Art Carney appeared in many films and TV shows throughout his career. Here are some notable ones:
- Pot o' Gold (1941)
- The Honeymooners (1955-56) - as Ed Norton
- The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964)
- Harry and Tonto (1974) - Won Academy Award for Best Actor
- The Late Show (1977)
- House Calls (1978)
- Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) - as Trader Saun Dann
- Going in Style (1979)
- Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story (1980) - TV movie
- St. Helens (1981) - as Harry R. Truman
- Firestarter (1984)
- The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
- The Night They Saved Christmas (1984) - as Santa Claus
- Last Action Hero (1993) - His final film role
Awards and Tributes
- Art Carney won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Harry and Tonto in 1974.
- He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in television. It was given to him on February 8, 1960.
- In 2004, after he passed away, Art Carney was added to the Television Hall of Fame.
- Jackie Gleason, his co-star from The Honeymooners, once said that Art Carney deserved most of the credit for the show's success.
- The city of Yonkers, New York, named a street corner "Art Carney Place" because he used to live there.
See also
In Spanish: Art Carney para niños
