Art Carney

Forever known as sewer worker Ed Norton in the 1950s sitcom "The Honeymooners," Art Carney was the youngest of six brothers and was drafted as an infantryman in World War II. During the Battle of Normandy, shrapnel hit Carney's leg and gave him a lifelong limp. He started in radio as a gifted mimic and in 1948 transitioned to television, making his debut as a waiter on "The Morey Amsterdam Show." When he was hired for a supporting role to Jackie Gleason on "Cavalcade of Stars" in 1952, Carney found a comedic foil and lifelong friend until Gleason's 1987 death. The duo's skillful on-stage chemistry eventually yielded the Cramden/Norton tandem, two working-class stiffs forever pursuing get-rich schemes as their long-suffering wives looked on. Carney's Ed Norton truly perfected the idea of the comedic second banana, a role he continued to fill playing alongside Gleason in subsequent years. Carney still found plenty of time to nourish his own career, guesting on television series and appearing in a mid-1960s Broadway run of "The Odd Couple." In 1974, Carney won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in "Harry and Tonto." Roles in "Roadie," "Going in Style." "Firestarter," and finally 1993's "The Last Action Hero" were followed by his retirement from acting.