Norm Grabowski
Encyclopedia
Norm Grabowski is an 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
.
In 1952, after leaving military service, Grabowski bought a hot rod and made a number of modifications to the vehicle that gave it a unique stance and appearance which have been imitated many times. Among the unique features of the car was a shortened Model A
pickup truck
bed attached to a 1923 Model T body.
The car was featured on the cover of the October, 1955 issue of Hot Rod Magazine
and later in the April 29, 1957 issue of Life Magazine.
He is best known for creating an influential T-bucket
hot rod, called the Kookie Kar, that 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.
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 many movies and television shows, including High School Confidential
, Son of Flubber
, Roustabout, Girl Happy
, and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
.
Grabowski is known as a wood carver, and many hot rods and custom car
s feature his unique hand-carved skull
gearshift knobs. He retired from acting in the 1980s after The Cannonball Run.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hot rod
Hot rod
Hot rods are typically American cars with large engines modified for linear speed. The origin of the term "hot rod" is unclear. One explanation is that the term is a contraction of "hot roadster," meaning a roadster that was modified for speed. Another possible origin includes modifications to or...
builder and actor. The heavy set crew cut
Crew cut
A crew cut is a type of haircut in which the hair on the top of the head is cut relatively short, graduated in length from the longest hair at the front hairline to the shortest at the back of the crown. The hair on the sides and back of the head is usually tapered short, semi-short or medium. A...
wearing Grabowski appeared in minor roles in many films produced by Albert Zugsmith
Albert Zugsmith
Albert Zugsmith was an American film producer, film director and screenwriter who specialized in low-budget exploitation films through the 1950s and 1960s.-Career:...
and Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
.
In 1952, after leaving military service, Grabowski bought a hot rod and made a number of modifications to the vehicle that gave it a unique stance and appearance which have been imitated many times. Among the unique features of the car was a shortened Model A
Model A
Model A may refer to:* Ford Model A , a model of car built by the Ford Motor Company* Ford Model A , a model of car built by the Ford Motor Company* One of the letter-series models of Farmall tractors...
pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
bed attached to a 1923 Model T body.
The car was featured on the cover of the October, 1955 issue of Hot Rod Magazine
Hot Rod Magazine
Hot Rod is an American monthly magazine devoted to hot rodding, —modifying automobiles for performance and appearance.-History:Hot Rod is the oldest magazine devoted to hot rodding having been published since 1948. Robert E. Petersen founded the magazine and his Petersen Publishing Company...
and later in the April 29, 1957 issue of Life Magazine.
He is best known for creating an influential T-bucket
T-bucket
A T-bucket is a specific style of hot rod car, based on a Ford Model T, but extensively modified, or alternatively built with replica components to resemble a Model T....
hot rod, called the Kookie Kar, that was used in the television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show 77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip is an hour-length American television private detective series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Roger Smith, and Edd Byrnes....
. The car was owned and driven in the show by the character Kookie who was played by Edd Byrnes.
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 many movies and television shows, including High School Confidential
High School Confidential (film)
High School Confidential is a 1958 crime drama film directed by Jack Arnold. It stars Mamie Van Doren, Russ Tamblyn, Jan Sterling, John Drew Barrymore, Jackie Coogan. The film also features a cameo by Jerry Lee Lewis who opens the movie singing a song of the same name, which Lewis co-wrote with Ron...
, Son of Flubber
Son of Flubber
Son of Flubber is the 1963 black-and-white sequel to the Walt Disney children's movie comedy The Absent-Minded Professor , also starring Fred MacMurray as a scientist who has perfected a high-bouncing substance, Flubber that can levitate an automobile and cause athletes to bounce into the sky...
, Roustabout, Girl Happy
Girl Happy
Girl Happy is a 1965 American musical romantic comedy in the beach party film and spring break style, starring Elvis Presley.This was the last mega-successful Elvis Presley film at the box office, finishing at #25 on the Variety year-end top-grossing films of 1965 chart and making $3 million,...
, and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1959 to 1963. The series and some episode scripts were adapted from a 1951 collection of short stories of the same name, written by Max Shulman, that also inspired the 1953 film The Affairs of Dobie Gillis with Debbie...
.
Grabowski is known as a wood carver, and many hot rods and custom car
Custom car
A custom car is a passenger vehicle that has been modified in either of the following two ways. First, a custom car may be altered to improve its performance, often by altering or replacing the engine and transmission. Second, a custom car may be a personal "styling" statement, making the car look...
s feature his unique hand-carved skull
Human skull
The human skull is a bony structure, skeleton, that is in the human head and which supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.In humans, the adult skull is normally made up of 22 bones...
gearshift knobs. He retired from acting in the 1980s after The Cannonball Run.