Norm Grabowski

Grabowski was born in Essex County, New Jersey (either Irvington or Maplewood, sources vary), the youngest of three siblings born to Polish immigrant parents. In 1952, after leaving the US Army on a medical discharge,{{Cite web|url=https://www.fuelcurve.com/the-kookie-t-norm-grabowskis-t-bucket/|title = The Kookie T — Norm Grabowski's Seminal T-Bucket|accessdate=February 2, 2024}} He built a hot rod based on a shortened 1922 Ford Model T touring car mated to a similarly extremely shortened Model A pickup truck bed. With a powerful Cadillac overhead valve engine that came from his parents' sedan, the vehicle that resulted had a unique appearance and stance, which inspired many hot rods created afterward. The car was first featured on the cover of the October, 1955 issue of Hot Rod and then underwent further modifications, including a greater rake, tilted windshield and blue paint with flames when it famously appeared in color on the cover of the April, 1957 issue of Car Craft magazine, as well as in the April 29, 1957, issue of LIFE.Vincent, Peter. Hot Rod: The Photography of Peter Vincent. 2004 Motorbooks, p. 165

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.Grushkin, Paul Rockin' Down the Highway. MBI Publishing 2006, p. 74

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 The Monkees, Batman (episodes 39 and 40 in 1966), The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, and The New Phil Silvers Show, and films such as High School Confidential (1958), The Beat Generation (1959), The Big Operator (1959), Girls Town (1959), College Confidential (1960), Sex Kittens Go to College (1960), The Misadventures of Merlin Jones (1964), Roustabout (1964), Girl Happy (1965), The Monkey's Uncle (1965), Out of Sight (1966), Blackbeard's Ghost (1968), The Towering Inferno (1974), Hooper (1978) and The Cannonball Run (1981).

Grabowski was known as a wood carver, and many hot rods and custom cars feature his [http://www.rumpsville.com/?page_id=985 unique hand-carved] skull gearshift knobs. He retired from acting in the 1980s after The Cannonball Run.{{cn|date=February 2024}}

Grabowski died on October 12, 2012, at the age of 79.{{Cite web | url=http://blogs.hotrod.com/norm-grabowski-38421.html | title=Norm Grabowski - Father of the T-Bucket and Hot Rodding's Clown Prince | access-date=2012-10-15 | last=Taylor | first=Thom | date=October 12, 2012 | work=Hot Rod | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016001942/http://blogs.hotrod.com/norm-grabowski-38421.html | archive-date=October 16, 2012 | url-status=dead }}

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• 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)

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{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.hotrod.com/articles/norm-grabowski-the-entertainer Street Rodder Magazine Article]
• {{IMDb name|0333288}}
• [http://www.rumpsville.com/?page_id=460 Rumpsville's Norm Grabowski]
• [http://www.normsnews.com/ NormsNews.com]

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Category:1933 births

Category:2012 deaths

Category:American male film actors

Category:American male television actors

Category:Vehicle modification people

Category:Actors from Essex County, New Jersey

Category:American people of Polish descent

Category:20th-century American male actors

Category:Male actors from New Jersey