Norm Crosby
Encyclopedia
Norm Crosby is an American comedian
sometimes associated with the Borscht Belt
who often appeared on television in the 1970s. He is best known for his use of malapropism
s and is often called The Master of Malaprop. He was born in Boston
.
, guy-next-door attitude in the 1950s. Norm Crosby refined his standup monologues by interpolating malapropisms. In 1968, he co-starred on "The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show", an NBC-TV summer series. 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.
Since 1983 Norm Crosby has 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.
, California
.
Crosby is a native of Dorchester, Boston.
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
sometimes associated with the Borscht Belt
Borscht Belt
Borscht Belt, or Jewish Alps, is a colloquial term for the mostly defunct summer resorts of the Catskill Mountains in parts of Sullivan, Orange and Ulster counties in upstate New York that were a popular vacation spot for New York City Jews from the 1920s through the 1960s.-Name:The name comes from...
who often appeared on television in the 1970s. He is best known for his use of malapropism
Malapropism
A malapropism is an act of misusing or the habitual misuse of similar sounding words, especially with humorous results. An example is Yogi Berra's statement: "Texas has a lot of electrical votes," rather than "electoral votes".-Etymology:...
s and is often called The Master of Malaprop. He was born in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
.
Career
Crosby went solo as a standup comedian, adopting a friendly, blue collarBlue collar
Blue collar can refer to:*Blue-collar worker, a traditional designation of the working class*Blue-collar crime, the types of crimes typically associated with the working class*A census designation...
, guy-next-door attitude in the 1950s. Norm Crosby refined his standup monologues by interpolating malapropisms. In 1968, he co-starred on "The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show", an NBC-TV summer series. 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
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
Natural Light Beer.
Since 1983 Norm Crosby has co-hosted and contributed to the annual Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon
Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon
The MDA Labor Day Telethon is an annual telethon in the United States to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association . The first MDA telethon was during the Thanksgiving Day weekend of 1952 and titled Party for MDA. It has been held annually since 1966...
. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6560 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard
-Revitalization:In recent years successful efforts have been made at cleaning up Hollywood Blvd., as the street had gained a reputation for crime and seediness. Central to these efforts was the construction of the Hollywood and Highland shopping center and adjacent Kodak Theatre in 2001...
, 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 AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Crosby is a native of Dorchester, Boston.