---
name: "Norm Macdonald"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/norm-macdonald"
fi1m_id: "norm-macdonald"
imdb_id: "nm0005172"
tmdb_id: 77075
wikidata_id: "Q1371229"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "17 October 1959"
died: "14 September 2021"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 65
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-10-22T02:13:23.555875+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Norm Macdonald

## Identity

Norm Macdonald

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/norm-macdonald
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** norm-macdonald
- **IMDb ID:** nm0005172
- **TMDB ID:** 77075
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1371229
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_Macdonald, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1371229, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005172/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/77075

Actor. Born 17 October 1959 in Québec City, Québec, Canada. Died 14 September 2021.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 17 October 1959, Québec City, Québec, Canada
- **Died:** 14 September 2021
- **Active:** 1988–2019
- **Also known as:** Norman Gene MacDonald, Norm McDonald
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 6: 5 acting, 1 writing
- **Average Fi1m score:** 65, as actor, over 5 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 84 (1), 1990s 70 (2), 2000s 77 (1), 2010s 54 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 62 to 60 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 2 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 5, Family 3, Animation 1, Fantasy 1
- **Screen time:** 5 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $444m across 2 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_Macdonald, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1371229, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005172/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/77075

## Streaming the US now

- **Peacock:** [*Roseanne*](https://film.one/tv/roseanne.md) (84)
- **Netflix:** [*Klaus*](https://film.one/film/klaus.md) (77)
- **Tubi:** [*Jack and Jill*](https://film.one/film/jack-and-jill.md) (31)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Norm Macdonald

> Norm Macdonald could make a familiar joke funny by taking longer than seemed sensible to tell it. We rate that stubbornly unhurried delivery, though his presence in a cast is no guarantee of a worthwhile film.

Macdonald leaves a pause where another actor might put a facial expression. The voice stays flat, the body does little, and he lets a setup take its time. We laughed at his moth routine on Conan O’Brien because the protracted telling became funny in itself. It is a particular comic skill, and there is no reason to expect a conventional leading role to make better use of it.

On *Saturday Night Live*, which he joined in 1993, Macdonald worked under producer Lorne Michaels and applied that manner to news parody and impressions. The move to leading roles brought *Dirty Work* (1998), which he co-wrote, and *The Norm Show* (1999–2001). The later emphasis on stand-up, talk-show appearances and voice work looks to us like a more useful way to employ his gifts, with less pressure to carry a conventional story between the jokes.

*Klaus* (2019), in which he voices Mogens, is the firmer recommendation among his film appearances here. Sergio Pablos gives us handsome drawings and an odd collection of quarrelsome people, with enough warmth to make their company worthwhile. It still requires patience with the insults and the familiar redemption story. Voice work makes sense for Macdonald because so much of his comedy depends on what he does with a sentence, rather than what he does with his body.

*Jack and Jill* (2011), with Macdonald as Funbucket, is one to avoid. Adam Sandler has two roles and too few jokes, while Al Pacino supplies some welcome foolishness. We found the persistent bullying and crude humour wearying, and the occasional relief did not make the evening worthwhile. There is no need to endure it out of loyalty to someone in the cast. For the deadpan timing, seek out the stand-up or the talk-show appearances; for a film, start with *Klaus*.

## Biography

Norm Macdonald (1959–2021) was a Canadian comedian, writer and actor. Born Norman Gene Macdonald in Québec City, he began in stand-up comedy and worked as a writer on Roseanne before joining the cast of Saturday Night Live in 1993. He anchored the Weekend Update segment for three seasons.

After leaving SNL he starred in the sitcom The Norm Show (1999–2001) and the film Dirty Work (1998), which he co-wrote. Macdonald appeared in numerous comedies and provided voices for animated projects, including Lucky in the Dr. Dolittle films and Mogens in Klaus (2019).

He later hosted the podcast Norm Macdonald Live and the Netflix series Norm Macdonald Has a Show (2018). Macdonald died in Los Angeles on 14 September 2021.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, britannica.com.*

## On Fi1m (6)

### Performed in (5) — the average rests on these

- *Klaus* (2019), Fi1m 77, as Mogens (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/klaus.md)
- *Jack and Jill* (2011), Fi1m 31, as Funbucket — [page](https://film.one/film/jack-and-jill.md)
- *My Name Is Earl* (2005), Fi1m 77, as Little Chubby — [page](https://film.one/tv/my-name-is-earl.md)
- *Doctor Dolittle* (1998), Fi1m 50, as Lucky (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/doctor-dolittle-1998.md)
- *The Larry Sanders Show* (1992), Fi1m 91, as Norm Macdonald — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-larry-sanders-show.md)

### Wrote (1)

- *Roseanne* (1988), Fi1m 84, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/roseanne.md)

## Complete filmography (52)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special* (2022), Writer, Director, Executive Producer
- *Back Home Again* (2021), as Grandpaws (voice) · In Memory Of
- *Klaus* (2019), as Mogens (voice) — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/klaus.md)
- *The Orville* (2017), series, as Yaphit (voice)
- *Treasure Hounds* (2017), as Skipper (Voice)
- *Norm Macdonald: Hitler's Dog, Gossip & Trickery* (2017), Screenplay, Executive Producer
- *Girlboss* (2017), series, as Rick
- *Skylanders Academy* (2016), series, as Glumshanks (voice)
- *The Ridiculous 6* (2015), as Nugget Customer
- *Mike Tyson Mysteries* (2014), series, as Pigeon (voice)
- *Vampire Dog* (2012), as Fang / Vampire Dog (voice)
- *The Outback* (2012), as Quint (voice)
- *Jack and Jill* (2011), as Funbucket — Fi1m 31, [page](https://film.one/film/jack-and-jill.md)
- *Hollywood & Wine* (2011), as Sid Blaustein
- *Norm Macdonald: Me Doing Standup* (2011), Writer, Executive Producer
- *Grown Ups* (2010), as Geezer
- *The Middle* (2009), series, as Rusty Heck
- *Funny People* (2009), as Norm Macdonald
- *Sam's Game* (2009), series, Actor
- *Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts* (2009), as Lucky (voice) (uncredited)
- *Match Game* (2008), series, as Panelist
- *Senior Skip Day* (2008), as Mr. Rigetti
- *Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief* (2008), as Lucky (voice) (uncredited)
- *Christmas Is Here Again* (2007), as Buster (voice)
- *Farce of the Penguins* (2006), as Twosomes Penguin (voice)
- *Dr. Dolittle 3* (2006), as Lucky (voice) (uncredited)
- *My Name Is Earl* (2005), series, as Little Chubby — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/my-name-is-earl.md)
- *Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo* (2005), as Earl McManus (uncredited)
- *A Minute with Stan Hooper* (2003), series, as Stan Hooper · Writer, Executive Producer, Creator
- *Saturday Night Live: The Best of Chris Farley* (2003), as Green Beans (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *Oliver Beene* (2003), series, as Hobo Bob
- *Saturday Night Live: The Best of Will Ferrell* (2002), as Burt Reynolds (archive footage)
- *Dr. Dolittle 2* (2001), as Lucky (voice)
- *The Animal* (2001), as Mob Member
- *The Fairly OddParents* (2001), series, as Norm the Genie (voice)
- *Screwed* (2000), as Willard Fillmore
- *Man on the Moon* (1999), as Friday's Michael (uncredited)
- *Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo* (1999), as Bartender
- *Dennis Miller: The Millennium Special* (1999), Actor
- *The Norm Show* (1999), series, as Norm Henderson · Creator
- *Family Guy* (1999), series, as Death (voice) (uncredited), Norm MacDonald (voice) — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/family-guy.md)
- *Doctor Dolittle* (1998), as Lucky (voice) — Fi1m 50, [page](https://film.one/film/doctor-dolittle-1998.md)
- *Dirty Work* (1998), as Mitch · Writer
- *The People vs. Larry Flynt* (1996), as Network Reporter
- *Where's Elvis This Week?* (1996), series, Actor
- *The Drew Carey Show* (1995), series, as Simon Tate
- *NewsRadio* (1995), series, as Roger
- *Billy Madison* (1995), as Frank
- *The Jackie Thomas Show* (1992), series, Actor
- *The Larry Sanders Show* (1992), series, as Norm Macdonald — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-larry-sanders-show.md)
- *One Night Stand* (1989), series, Actor
- *Roseanne* (1988), series, Writer — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/roseanne.md)

## Gallery

- ![Maybe my favorite comedian alive today! Dirty Work, The Norma Show, Weekend Update. Norm is so unpredictable! Note to self.... May 2016](https://film.one/media/person/103679/gallery-0a69310a196f.jpg) Maybe my favorite comedian alive today! Dirty Work, The Norma Show, Weekend Update. Norm is so unpredictable! Note to self.... May 2016 — Greg2600, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/Norm_MacDonald_%2826378045703%29.jpg/1280px-Norm_MacDonald_%2826378045703%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Norm Macdonald](https://film.one/media/person/103679/gallery-433ca7722dc8.jpg) Norm Macdonald — Greg2600, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Norm_MacDonald_%2826378045703%29_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![@darkdiscord with @norm_mac after the Irvine Improv Show (2009)](https://film.one/media/person/103679/gallery-57aea492970f.jpg) @darkdiscord with @norm_mac after the Irvine Improv Show (2009) — playerx from laguna hills,ca, US, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Norm_Macdonald.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![@darkdiscord with @norm_mac after the Irvine Improv Show (2009)](https://film.one/media/person/103679/gallery-524a60e94539.jpg) @darkdiscord with @norm_mac after the Irvine Improv Show (2009) — playerx from laguna hills,ca, US, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Norm_Macdonald_%28headshot%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Norm Macdonald](https://film.one/media/person/103679/gallery-cceb59e0d4b2.jpg) Norm Macdonald — Image via TMDB
- ![Norm Macdonald](https://film.one/media/person/103679/gallery-016967a9329c.jpg) Norm Macdonald — Image via TMDB
- ![Norm Macdonald](https://film.one/media/person/103679/gallery-05b892621970.jpg) Norm Macdonald — Image via TMDB
- ![Norm Macdonald](https://film.one/media/person/103679/gallery-8f811dd9b312.jpg) Norm Macdonald — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/norm-macdonald