Art Carney: actor.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Art Carney, the longtime actor who died this week at the age of 85, will forever be remembered by American television audiences as the bumbling but street-wise sewer worker Ed Norton on "The Honeymooners" television series with the late Jackie Gleason in the 1950s.

But Carney's talent was much broader and deeper than his memorable portrayal of Norton. (Who can forget his trademark "Hey, Ralphie boy" greeting to Ralph Kramden, the blustery bus driver played by Gleason?)

Carney's career spanned decades and various mediums of show business. For example, he won an Academy Award for best actor for his portrayal of Harry in "Harry and Tonto," a delightfully rich film of 1974 about a retired teacher and widower who takes off on a cross-country journey with his cat, Tonto, when his New York apartment is being torn down.

In 1965, he originated the role of the fussy Felix Unger on Broadway in Neil Simon's brilliant play, "The Odd Couple," opposite Walter Matthau as the slovenly Oscar Madison.

Over the years, Carney had a show business career that included impressions (of particular memory were his impressions of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Edward G. Robinson), novelty songs with the Horace Heidt band, radio announcer, nightclub performances, vaudeville, soap operas and dozens of television and movie roles.

In an Oregon tie-in to his career, Carney came to Bend in 1981 for the filming of the television movie, "St. Helens." He portrayed the stubborn lead character who refused to leave his lodge before the eruption of Mount St. Helens.

But, fortunately or unfortunately, Carney will be remembered as Ed Norton. Carney and Gleason, as Kramden and Norton, became one of the great comedy duos in history.

In one memorable scene featuring Norton and Kramden in "The Honeymooners," Gleason as Kramden is learning to play golf and Carney as Norton is reading from an instruction book: "First," he says to Gleason's character, "Step up, plant your feet firmly and address the ball." Kramden then says: "What do they mean by `address the ball?' ' Norton replies, after taking the golf club out of Kramden's hand and offering an arm-waving salute: "Hellooooo ball!"

Or there were these classic Ed Norton lines through the years:

"A sewer worker is like a brain surgeon. We're both specialists."

"Like we say in the sewer, time and tide wait for no man."

"If pizzas were manhole covers, the sewer would be paradise."

"As we say in the sewer, here's mud in your eye."

Once asked about his former comedy partner, Gleason offered this observation: ``The first time I saw the guy act, I knew I would have to work twice as hard for my laughs. He was funny as hell.''

"Funny as hell." Not a bad epitaph for the actor named Art Carney.