Norman Stevans

Norman Stevans

actor

Norman Stevans was born on Dec 14, 1916 in USA. Norman Stevans's big-screen debut came with It Happened Tomorrow directed by René Clair in 1944, strarring Show Spectator (uncredited). Norman Stevans is known for Chinatown directed by Roman Polanski, Jack Nicholson stars as J.J. Gittes and Faye Dunaway as Evelyn Mulwray. The upcoming new movie Norman Stevans plays is Willie Dynamite which will be released on Dec 17, 1980.

Norman Stevans began in the Screen Extras Guild in 1943. This period turned out to be the perfect time for Screen Extras Guild members because the studios were spending a lot of money on big-budget productions and constantly needed extras. It didn't matter whether you were a soldier type, a dignitary, or a cowboy.Like many extras, Stevans found his niche first as a soldier during the era in which World War 2 films were made to increase the morale of the general public. As he aged, Stevans purchased a wide variety of clothes so he could get cast more often as a dress extra.By the 1950s, Stevans started to develop a reputation as one of the most dependable dress extras. His appearance led him to appear as a socialite or a businessman in many of the dramas but, he would also play bartenders and government officials in television westerns. Stevans effortlessly transitioned over to television and appeared in most of the major television shows of the period.The coming of television seemed to be a good thing on the surface but for Stevans and extras like him, it caused the big-budget productions to be filmed elsewhere. What may have been steady work on a production for a month now turned into just a day or two. This made it much harder to make a living as a film extra.Throughout the 1970s, the lack of steady work came to a head. Stevans became president of the Screen Extras Guild. By 1971, there was a depression in the motion picture industry and Stevans tried to lead the Screen Extras Guild and all of its members through the depression. By the middle of June that year, Stevans had only worked 27 days of that year.Norman Stevans continued working until he passed away because of lung cancer. He leaves behind a few credited roles in television but more importantly, he leaves behind a legacy of being one of the leaders who led the Screen Extras Guild members through their roughest period.

  • Birthday

    Dec 14, 1916

  • Place of Birth

    New York, USA

Known For

Chinatown
Movie
Chinatown

19748.2

Young Frankenstein
Movie
Young Frankenstein

19748.0

What's Up, Doc?
Movie
What's Up, Doc?

19727.7

The Poseidon Adventure
Movie
The Poseidon Adventure

19727.1

The Death of Me Yet
Movie
The Death of Me Yet

19717.1

The Doris Day Show
TV
The Doris Day Show

19687.2

Yours, Mine and Ours
Movie
Yours, Mine and Ours

19687.1

Point Blank
Movie
Point Blank

19677.3

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Movie
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

19677.2

The Great Race
Movie
The Great Race

19657.2

Movies & TV Shows

All
Movies
TV Shows