Logo

Veteran Character Actor Dies — Credits Included ‘Mary Hartman,’ ‘Back to the Future,’ ‘Ed Wood’

Jul 30, 2012  •  Post A Comment

A prolific character actor who carved out a 50-year career in television and film has died, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Norman Alden, known for roles in TV commercials along with series work, was 87.

Alden’s family said he appeared in 2,500 television episodes, commercials and films. He was perhaps best known for playing Lou the mechanic in a series of TV ads for AC Delco.

Alden rarely had a regular television role, the story notes. Instead, he usually played one show and one character at a time.

In the mid-1970s, he played Coach Leroy Fedders on seven episodes of "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman," ending his role when the character drowned face-first in a bowl of Mary’s chicken soup, the story notes.

He provided the voice of Aquaman in two "Super Friends" animated shows in the 1970s, and appeared in TV shows ranging from "Electra Woman and Dyna Girl" to "My Three Sons" and "Charlie’s Angels."

Other TV appearances included “Gunsmoke,” “Ironside,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Dynasty,” “Mod Squad” and “Hill Street Blues.” He worked consistently from the 1950s through his retirement in 2006.

On the big screen, Alden was seen in “Ed Wood,” “Kansas City Bomber,” “Back to the Future,” “Semi-Tough” and many other films.

norman-alden2.jpgNorman Alden

One Comment

  1. I had the great pleasure of working on Mary Hartman-Mary Hartman. The scene where Alden’s character drowned in his soup in the background as Mary yakked on and on, totally oblivious, put me on the floor.
    He made some wonder contributions throughout his career.
    Peter Bright

Your Comment

Email (will not be published)