Zach Norman, stand-up comic, actor and producer is perhaps best known for his turn as a crocodile-loving antiques smuggler. Romancing the stone, have died. He was 83 years old.
Norman died of natural causes Sunday night at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, his family announced.
Norman collaborated frequently with director Henry Jaglom, working closely with the two. Tracks (1976), Sitting duck (1980) Venice/Venice (1992), Baby fever (1994), Already seen (1997), Festival in Cannes (2001), Hollywood Dreams (2006), Irene in time (2009), Lot’s queen (2010), M Word (2014) and Ovation (2015).
In Robert Zemeckis’ action adventure Romancing the stone (1984), starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, Norman and Danny DeVito played smuggling cousins Ira and Ralph, respectively.
“Look at those snappers.” Ira exclaims in admiration whenever she sees a crocodile.
(He and Douglas would become embroiled in a legal battle over a company they co-founded.)
Norman also appeared on the big screen in James Tobacks The fingers (1978), Milos Forman’s Ragtime (1981), Robert Downey Sr United States (1986) and Roger Donaldson The Cadillac Man (1990) and has guest starred in TV shows. Flash, Baywatch, Oh team And Nanny.
Zach Norman (left) and Danny DeVito in 1984 Romancing the stone.
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Courtesy Everett Collection
Howard Jerrold Zucker was born on May 27, 1940, in Boston and raised in nearby Revere. He attended the Governor’s Academy and Vanderbilt University before earning an Executive MBA from Harvard Business School.
He started out as a stand-up comic, performing at the Playboy clubs, The Flamingo in Las Vegas and Copacabana in New York, and he made it his own. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson In 1969
Norman produced John Arden. Live like pigsa long-running play that opened off-Broadway in 1965, and helped finance films including Peter Davis. Heart and mind (1974), which won the Oscars for Best Documentary and Film Made in Italy.
In the 2016 presidential election year, Norman polished off. Chief ZabuIn 1986, he directed, co-wrote and co-produced a film about a real estate developer (played by Alan Garfield) with political ambitions. (He also played a struggling comedian in the film.)
“Although it has an uneven mix of loopy, broad and deadpan, its story of American business design on a Polynesian nation still has a satirical bite.” The Hollywood Reporter’Sherry Linden wrote in her review.
Norman was also an art collector who owned paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Survivors include his wife, Nancy; sister Jane; daughters Lori and Tracy; sons Stephen and Michael; and grandchildren Sasha, Addison, Benjamin, Henry, Liliana, Jonathan, Justin, Jaden, Jackie, Gabriel, Rachel, Susie, Joseph and Seth.
Credit : www.hollywoodreporter.com
