Natalie Norwick (May 28, 1923December 20, 2007)
[New York City, U.S., Birth Index 1910–1965, Births Reported in 1923 Borough of the Bronx, retrieved fro]
Ancestry.com
/ref>[US Social Security Applications and Claim Index 1936–2007, retrieved fro]
Ancestry.com
/ref> was an American actor who performed on stage and in television and films over a span of 54 years.
Early life
She was born Natalie Theodora Katz to Russian immigrants Isidore Katz, a theatre musician, and Lillian Waxberg Katz.[1930 US Federal Census, retrieved fro]
Ancestry.com
/ref> Her only sibling was her twin sister Gloria Katz.[1940 US Federal Census, retrieved fro]
Ancestry.com
/ref> She grew up in the Bronx
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
, speaking both Russian, her first language, and English. By 1940, she had completed high school, and the following year took out a social security card in her birth name.
Early stage career
During October 1945, Natalie Norwick, now using her stage name, appeared as Eliza in a touring company's musical version of ''Uncle Tom's Cabin
''Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly'' is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in two volumes in 1852, the novel had a profound effect on attitudes toward African Americans and slavery in the U. ...
''. She next appeared in ''The Servant of Two Masters
''The Servant of Two Masters'' ( it, Il servitore di due padroni, links=no) is a comedy by the Italian playwright Carlo Goldoni written in 1746. Goldoni originally wrote the play at the request of actor Antonio Sacco, one of the great Harlequins ...
'', an Equity Library Theatre
The Equity Library Theatre (ELT) was a New York City theatre company active from 1943 until 1989.
The original company
Founded in 1943 by Sam Jaffe, representing Actors' Equity, and George Freedley, at the time curator of the New York Public Lib ...
-sponsored production performed at the Harlem Library auditorium in April 1946. That July she appeared in a summer stock
In American theater, summer-stock theater is a theater that presents stage productions only in the summer. The name combines the season with the tradition of staging shows by a resident company, reusing stock scenery and costumes. Summer stock the ...
adaptation of ''Pride and Prejudice
''Pride and Prejudice'' is an 1813 novel of manners by Jane Austen. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist of the book who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreci ...
'', in which she played Jane Bennet
The Bennet (surname), Bennet family is a fictional family created by the English novelist Jane Austen, in her 1813 novel, ''Pride and Prejudice''. The family consists of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, and their five daughters: Jane, Mary, Catherine, Lydia ...
.
Following its successful Broadway run in 1946, the national touring company for ''Lute Song
The term lute song is given to a music style from the late 16th century to early 17th century, late Renaissance to early Baroque, that was predominantly in England and France. Lute songs were generally in strophic form or verse repeating with a h ...
'' had Natalie cast as the Page while also understudying first Mary Martin
Mary Virginia Martin (December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on stage over her career, including Nellie Forbush in '' South Pacific'' (194 ...
and then Dolly Haas
Dolly may refer to:
Tools
*Dolly (tool), a portable anvil
* A posser, also known as a dolly, used for laundering
* A variety of wheeled tools, including:
**Dolly (trailer), for towing behind a vehicle
**Boat dolly or launching dolly, a device fo ...
, as the female lead. In the latter role, Yul Brynner
Yuliy Borisovich Briner (russian: link=no, Юлий Борисович Бринер; July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985), known professionally as Yul Brynner, was a Russian-born actor. He was best known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in the ...
, the male lead, helped Natalie make the adjustment from character to leading performer, for which she later credited him and her main drama coach Uta Hagen
Uta Thyra Hagen (12 June 1919 – 14 January 2004) was a German-American actress and theatre practitioner. She originated the role of Martha in the 1962 Broadway premiere of ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' by Edward Albee, who called her "a p ...
.
Kaufman
Kaufman or Kauffman may refer to:
People
*Kaufmann (surname) ''Includes Kaufman, Kauffman, Kauffmann''
Places
* Kaufman, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Madison Count
* Kaufman, Texas, a city in Kaufman County
* Kaufman County, Texas, ...
and Gordon
Gordon may refer to:
People
* Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters
* Gordon (surname), the surname
* Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War
* Clan Gordon, ...
directed and produced a comedy called ''Town House'', for which a traditional two-week tryout in Boston was cast in August 1948. Natalie Norwick won a feature role as Madamoiselle, and performed throughout the tryout, but the part was one of several cut for the Broadway run. It didn't help, as the play lasted only twelve performances at the National Theatre.
The following June 1949, Natalie Norwick did a season of summer stock
In American theater, summer-stock theater is a theater that presents stage productions only in the summer. The name combines the season with the tradition of staging shows by a resident company, reusing stock scenery and costumes. Summer stock the ...
at the Cobleigh Show Shop in Canton, Connecticut
Canton is a town, incorporated in 1806, located in the Farmington Valley section of Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,124 as of the 2020 census. It is bordered by Granby on the north, Simsbury on the east, Avon a ...
. She had feature roles as "the other woman" in both ''Made in Heaven'' and ''John Loves Mary
''John Loves Mary'' is a 1949 comedy film directed by David Butler and written by Henry Ephron and Phoebe Ephron. The film stars Ronald Reagan, Patricia Neal and Jack Carson. The film was released by Warner Bros. on February 19, 1949. It's base ...
'', ironically just after getting married herself. She then had a five-month run with a revival tour of ''The Barretts of Wimpole Street
''The Barretts of Wimpole Street'' is a 1930 play by the Dutch/English dramatist Rudolf Besier, based on the romance between Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett, and her father's unwillingness to allow them to marry. The play gave actress Ka ...
'' through the Mid-Atlantic states, Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
, and Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
. Her performance as Cousin Bella was well-received by more than one reviewer.
New York TV
Natalie Norwick's first experience in television came in May 1945, when she was one of eight cast members for a special one-time dual radio-TV broadcast of ''The Town Crier of Chungking''. This program was the culmination of an effort by radio station WNEW to experiment with television, using the facilities of DuMont TV Station WABD
WABD (97.5 FM) is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Mobile, Alabama. The station, established in 1973 as WABB-FM, is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. Its studios are on Dauphin Street in Midtown Mobile, and its ...
.
During August and September 1950, Natalie performed in one episode each of two half-hour live anthology series
An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a differ ...
on NBC TV, '' The Clock'' and ''Armstrong Circle Theatre
''Armstrong Circle Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, ...
''. She followed these with appearances as herself on two television shows hosted by Robert Q. Lewis
Robert Q. Lewis (born Robert Goldberg; April 25, 1921 – December 11, 1991) was an American radio and television personality, comedian, game show host, and actor. Lewis added the middle initial "Q" to his name accidentally on the air in 1942, ...
, ''The Robert Q. Lewis Show'' in late 1950 and '' The Show Goes On'' in early 1951. That same year, she also took part in her first film, ''Fourteen Hours
''Fourteen Hours'' is a 1951 American drama directed by Henry Hathaway, which tells the story of a New York City police officer trying to stop a despondent man from jumping to his death from the 15th floor of a hotel.
The film won critical accla ...
'', a 20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
movie shot on location in New York City by director Henry Hathaway
Henry Hathaway (March 13, 1898 – February 11, 1985) was an American film director and producer. He is best known as a director of Westerns, especially starring Randolph Scott and John Wayne. He directed Gary Cooper in seven films.
Backgro ...
. Like many of the bit players hired locally for this production, Natalie was uncredited. The following year, Natalie had two more acting performances on anthology series, ''Kraft Television Theatre
''Kraft Television Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series running from 1947 to 1958. It began May 7, 1947 on NBC, airing at 7:30pm on Wednesday evenings until December of that year. It first promoted MacLaren's Imperial Chees ...
'' and '' Studio One''.
For the winter of 1952–53, Natalie joined the Bliss Reparatory Company in presenting alternating plays on a tour of the Mid-Atlantic states. She had the female lead in P. G. Wodehouse's 1929 play ''Candle Light'' and the feature role of Phebe in Shakespere's ''As You Like It
''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has b ...
''. After weeks of constant performing in drafty theaters and auditoriums, she suffered a bout of laryngitis. This may have led to her decision to relocate to the West Coast and pursue television and film acting.
West Coast breakthrough
Natalie Norwick had worked on the West Coast once before, for a stage production of ''Detective Story
Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around the same time as specu ...
'' starring Robert Preston. She relocated there permanently in early 1954, and by May had started work on ''I Led 3 Lives
''I Led 3 Lives'' (also known as ''I Led Three Lives'') is an American drama series syndicated by Ziv Television Programs from October 1, 1953, to January 1, 1956. The series stars Richard Carlson. The show was a companion piece of sorts to th ...
'', the first of four TV series in which she appeared that year. Next was an anthology series, ''Schlitz Playhouse
''Schlitz Playhouse of Stars'' is an anthology series that was telecast from 1951 until 1959 on CBS. Offering both comedies and drama, the series was sponsored by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. The title was shortened to ''Schlitz Playhouse' ...
'', followed by the show that really launched her career, ''Medic
A medic is a person involved in medicine such as a medical doctor, medical student, paramedic or an emergency medical responder.
Among physicians in the UK, the term "medic" indicates someone who has followed a "medical" career path in postgradu ...
''. The episode "With This Ring" had her guest star as an unwed mother-to-be, a controversial topic at the time. At an age (30) when the careers of many other actresses fall off a cliff, Natalie's was given a second life.
Besides the publicity the ''Medic'' show afforded her, it also marked the start of a working relationship with the star of the series, Richard Boone
Richard Allen Boone (June 18, 1917 – January 10, 1981) was an American actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable for his roles in Westerns, including his starring role in the television series ''Have Gun – Will Travel''.
Early lif ...
. He was her television mentor, and his production company later employed her on seven episodes of his second series, '' Have Gun - Will Travel''. They also worked together on a production of ''Wuthering Heights
''Wuthering Heights'' is an 1847 novel by Emily Brontë, initially published under her pen name Ellis Bell. It concerns two families of the landed gentry living on the West Yorkshire moorland, moors, the Earnshaws and the Lintons, and their tur ...
'', with Natalie playing Isabella to his Heathcliff.
Besides her many television appearances in the mid- and late 1950s, Natalie had small credited parts in two films, ''23 Paces to Baker Street
''23 Paces to Baker Street'' is a 1956 American DeLuxe Color mystery thriller film directed by Henry Hathaway. It was released by 20th Century Fox and filmed in Cinemascope on location in London. The screenplay by Nigel Balchin was based on the 19 ...
'' (1956) and ''Hidden Fear
''Hidden Fear'' is a 1957 American film noir crime film directed by Andre DeToth, starring John Payne. It was filmed on location in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Plot
Mike Brent is an American police detective. When his sister is arrested on a charge ...
'' (1957), neither of which generated much following. Thereafter, she confined her acting to the small screen, performing in dozens of television shows up to the early 1960s. Though she played a few leading-lady roles, her most extensive use was in character parts, by turns comical, quirky, sly, shrill, or just plain mean as the script demanded.
Later career
Anthology series, which were better suited to those with extensive stage experience, were in decline in the later 1950s. By 1960, broadcast television was dominated by narrative series employing a permanent cast of regulars with a few new guest stars each episode. While she easily found work in the latter type of series, the frantic pace of her television career began to slow down, so that she once again took up the stage after a hiatus of many years. She played the emotionally jarring role of the Samurai's Wife for a stage adaption of ''Rashomon
is a 1950 Jidaigeki psychological thriller/crime film directed and written by Akira Kurosawa, working in close collaboration with cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyō, Masayuki Mori (actor), Masayuki Mori, and ...
'' in a two-month Los Angeles run, followed by a one-time performance as Hippolyta
In Classical Greek mythology, Hippolyta, or Hippolyte (; grc-gre, Ἱππολύτη ''Hippolytē'') was a daughter of Ares and Otrera, queen of the Amazons, and a sister of Antiope and Melanippe. She wore her father Ares' ''zoster'', the Gr ...
in ''A Midsummer Night's Dream
''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...
''.
She averaged less than one television role per year from 1963 on, though her 1966 appearance in a minor part of a ''Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'' episode, "The Conscience of the King
"The Conscience of the King" is the 13th episode of the first season of the American science-fiction television series ''Star Trek''. Written by Barry Trivers and directed by Gerd Oswald, it was first aired on December 8, 1966.
The episode tak ...
" retains some prominence.
From 1970 on, Natalie Norwick's career was marked by long gaps between performances. She undoubtedly had more stage work than can be documented today, as the slow decline of print media reduced coverage of regional theater. She performed on Broadway during 1979 for the short-lived ''Break A Leg'', playing her own role and understudying the female lead, Julie Harris
Julia Ann Harris (December 2, 1925August 24, 2013) was an American actress. Renowned for her classical and contemporary stage work, she received five Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Play.
Harris debuted on Broadway in 1945, against the wish ...
. Her television work ended in 1982 when she was 59, and thereafter she did only sporadic stage work.
Final performance
Broadway called again in 1997, when Norwick was cast as standby to Julie Harris for a revival of the award-winning ''The Gin Game
''The Gin Game'' is a two-person, two-act play by Donald L. Coburn that premiered at American Theater Arts in Hollywood in September 1976, directed by Kip Niven. It was Coburn's first play, and the theater's first production. The play won the 197 ...
''. The two-person cast co-starred actor Charles Durning
Charles Edward Durning (February 28, 1923 – December 24, 2012) was an American actor who appeared in over 200 movies, television shows and plays.Schudel, Matt (December 26, 2012) "''In real life and on the screen, he played countless role ...
, with Tom Troupe
Tom Troupe (born July 15, 1923) is an American actor and writer.
Biography
Troupe was born in North Kansas City, Missouri, and studied with Uta Hagen at the Herbert Berghof Studio in Manhattan during the early 1950s. He made his Broadway debut in ...
as his standby. The revival ran for 19 previews and 145 performances from April 5 to August 31, 1997, at the Lyceum Theatre. The Broadway company, including Natalie, then did a seven-month tour from October 28, 1998. While playing Stamford, Connecticut, in late February 1999, Julie Harris suffered a fall. By the time the tour reached Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Julie had to undergo emergency surgery for a fluid build-up from the fall. Natalie Norwick did the remaining shows at the Parker Playhouse
The Parker Playhouse is a 1,191-seat theatre in southern Florida.
The Playhouse was established by Dr. Louis Parker. The curtain rose for the first time on February 6, 1967 as E.G. Marshall and Dennis O'Keefe starred in Neil Simon’s ''The Odd C ...
in Ft. Lauderdale then the opening performances at the Kennedy Center
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...
in Washington, DC the following week. By the time the tour finished in Boston, Julie Harris had rejoined the cast.
Following ''The Gin Game'', Natalie Norwick retired to Coconut Creek, Florida
Coconut Creek is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. Situated north of Miami, it had a population of 57,833 in 2020. It is part of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city seceded from ...
, where she spent the remaining years of her life. She died at age 84 on December 20, 2007.
Personal life
While appearing in summer-stock theatre, Natalie married New York TV director Bernard Robertson in Stamford, Connecticut, on June 4, 1949. She must have already legally assumed her stage name, for "Norwick" was her surname on the official record. She later divorced him in Santa Monica, California, during spring 1955.
Like many actors when between stage or television performances, Natalie Norwick had a part-time job, in her case as a hat-check girl at Lindy's Restaurant in Manhattan. She worked at this anonymous situation until columnist Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell (April 7, 1897 – February 20, 1972) was a syndicated American newspaper gossip columnist and radio news commentator. Originally a vaudeville performer, Winchell began his newspaper career as a Broadway reporter, critic and co ...
outed her.
A newspaper ran a publicity portrait photo of Natalie Norwick in August 1959, describing her as "five-foot-two in her stocking feet", brown-eyed, and "plays the piano for fun". It also mentioned she liked to take walks, dance, and play chess.
Columnist Mike Connolly mentioned in February 1960 that Natalie Norwick and her boyfriend, actor Ross Martin Ross or ROSS may refer to:
People
* Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan
* Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning
* Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland
Places
* RoSS, the Republic of Sout ...
, had parted ways due to incompatible work schedules. He was separated from his first wife at the time, and was a series regular on '' Mr. Lucky'', while Natalie was starting rehearsals for a stage adaption of ''Rashomon''.
Stage performances
Filmography
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Norwick, Natalie
20th-century American actresses
People from the Bronx
1923 births
2007 deaths
21st-century American women