Norm Grabowski
Norm Grabowski | |
|---|---|
 Grabowski in Herbie Rides Again, 1974 | |
| Born | February 5, 1933 |
| Died | October 12, 2012 (aged 79) Cassville, Missouri, U.S.[2] |
| Occupation(s) | Hot rod builder, actor |
Norman "Norm" Grabowski (February 5, 1933 – October 12, 2012) was a Polish- American hot rod builder and actor. The heavy-set crew cut-wearing Grabowski appeared in minor roles in many films produced by Albert Zugsmith and Walt Disney.[3]
Biography
Grabowski was born in
Grabowski's hugely influential T-bucket hot rod, which became known as the Kookie Kar, was used in the television show 77 Sunset Strip. The car was owned and driven in the show by the character Kookie, who was played by Edd Byrnes.[6]
As a consequence of the magazine exposure, Grabowski was approached about renting the car out to appear in movies and television shows. The contacts he made in this way led to an acting career for Grabowski. He appeared in television shows, including
Grabowski was known as a wood carver, and many hot rods and custom cars feature his unique hand-carved skull gearshift knobs. He retired from acting in the 1980s after The Cannonball Run.[citation needed]
Grabowski died on October 12, 2012, at the age of 79.[7]
Partial filmography
- Darby's Rangers (1958) — Squad Member (uncredited)
- The Young Lions (1958) — Barracks Inspection Private (uncredited)
- High School Confidential (1958) — Flat Top (uncredited)
- The Naked and the Dead (1958) — Shipboard Soldier (uncredited)
- The Perfect Furlough (1958) — Soldier in Hospital (uncredited)
- Torpedo Run (1958) — Sub Crewman (uncredited)
- Night of the Quarter Moon (1959) — Tough Punk (uncredited)
- The Beat Generation(1959) — The Beat Beatnik
- The Big Operator (1959) — Lou Green
- Girls Town (1959) — Skin
- College Confidential (1960) — Skippy
- Sex Kittens Go to College (1960) — Woo Woo Grabowski
- The Honeymoon Machine (1961) — Max's Operator (uncredited)
- The Chapman Report (1962) — Beach Football Player (uncredited)
- Son of Flubber (1963) — Rutland Football Player #33 (uncredited)
- The Wheeler Dealers (1963) — Delivery Boy (uncredited)
- The Misadventures of Merlin Jones (1964) — Norman, Midvale Football Player
- Roustabout (1964) — Sam
- Girl Happy (1965) — 'Wolf Call' O'Brien (uncredited)
- The Monkey's Uncle (1965) — Norman
- Sergeant Deadhead (1965) — Air Policeman
- Out of Sight (1966) — Huh!
- Texas Across the River (1966) — Cavalryman (uncredited)
- The Gnome-Mobile (1967) — Male Nurse
- The Happiest Millionaire (1967) — Joe Turner (uncredited)
- Blackbeard's Ghost (1968) — Virgil
- The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit (1968) — Truck Driver
- Zabriskie Point (1970) — Man in Deli (uncredited)
- Another Nice Mess (1972) — Agent Jablonski
- The Naked Ape (1973) — Sargent
- Herbie Rides Again (1974) — Security Guard #2
- Win, Place or Steal (1974) — Officer Sprivten
- The Towering Inferno (1974) — Flaker
- W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings (1975) — Redneck (uncredited)
- Hooper (1978) — Hammerhead
- The Cannonball Run (1981) — Petoski (final film role)
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | The Beverly Hillbillies | Bernie | S4:E19, “The Cat Burglar” | |
| 1967 | The Monkees | Butch | S2:E10, "The Wild Monkees" | |
| 1971 | The Smith Family | Robber | S2:E3, "Stakeout" |
Notes
- ^ Biography, motortrend.com. Accessed February 2, 2024.
- ^ Obituary, hhlohmeyer.com. Accessed February 2, 2024.
- ^ Ron Kregoski. "Part 3: Getting Down To Business". Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ "The Kookie T — Norm Grabowski's Seminal T-Bucket". Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ Vincent, Peter. Hot Rod: The Photography of Peter Vincent. 2004 Motorbooks, p. 165
- ^ Grushkin, Paul Rockin' Down the Highway. MBI Publishing 2006, p. 74
- ^ Taylor, Thom (October 12, 2012). "Norm Grabowski - Father of the T-Bucket and Hot Rodding's Clown Prince". Hot Rod. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-15.