Macmillan, Norma (Arngrim)

Norma was born in Vancouver, and attended the Prince of Wales and York House schools in Vancouver, and also received a degree from Trinity College in London.

As an actress, Norma was the star of over a hundred stage productions, including work at the Vancouver Little Theatre and the groundbreaking Totem Theatre, where her husband Thor Arngrim was producer. One of her most memorable was her portrayal of "Laura" in the Totem production of Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie".

After their marriage in 1954, Norma and Thor moved to Toronto where she worked in CBC radio and television, becoming well known for her children's voices. Her son Stefan was born in Toronto. Stefan Arngrim first earned fame as a child actor, on the soap opera "Search for Tomorrow," and became forever known to sci-fi fans everywhere, as "Barry Lockridge" on the Irwin Allen series "Land of the Giants". His many films include, "Fear No Evil" and "Class Of 84". He is well know for his appearances on the television series "The X-Files", "The Sentinel", and "Poltergeist". He is currently living in Vancouver where he continues to work in film and television

In 1957 the Arngrim family moved to New York, where Norma worked in animation and became the "best known child' voice in America" by giving voice to dozens of beloved cartoon characters, including "Casper the Friendly Ghost" and "Sweet Polly Purebread", the intrepid girlfriend to Wally Cox's heroic "shoeshine boy" in "Underdog.". She was the voice in an endless series of television commercials including the children of the "Cocoa Puffs" commercial.

She achieved world wide recognition by appearing on the album that broke the world record for fastest selling record in history: "The First Family" comedy album, parodying the Kennedy family, starring Vaughn Meader as the voice of JFK. She was the voice of young Caroline Kennedy and little "John-John". This was the first album of its kind to openly satirize a well loved sitting president. Fans of the album will remember little Caroline concluding a chat with her president father with, "These sessions do him so much good".

During this time, her daughter Alison was born in New York. Her daughter Alison Arngrim is best known as the evil "Nellie Oleson" from the NBC series, "Little House on the Prairie", and is an actress and AIDS activist in Los Angeles.

The family moved to Los Angeles in 1965, where Norma continued to work in animation and created another legion of cartoon fans, when she became the voice of everyone's favorite "little green ball of clay", "Gumby", (as well as his female sidekick "Goo"), in the revolutionary "claymation" series by Art Clokey; and as the ever heavenward looking "Davey," in "Davey and Goliath", the Lutheran produced series about a boy, his dog, and their relationship with God. And to make things ever so slightly more surreal, in both of these series, she also provided the voices for Gumby and Davey's mothers and sisters.

True cartoon buffs will remember her voice appearances in the "Smurfs", the "Challenge of the Gobots", "Li'l Rok" in "Mighty Mightor", "Rambo", "The Animated Adventures of Tom Sawyer" "Milo's Adventures" and her most recent work, "Mom Rectangle" the mother of the villain, "Dr. Rectangle" on "Fat Dog Mendoza".

Norma also worked extensively on camera in both feature films and television. She's the dizzy, distracted nurse who puts the entire plot in motion by mixing up the twins in "Big Business" with Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler, she was murdered with an axe by James Brolin in "Nightmare on the 13th Floor", she's Mrs. Rumpert in "Big Bully" with Tom Arnold and she's the utterly out-to-lunch "Auntie Deliverance" in the comedy "Love At Stake" with Barbara Carreara and Bud Cort.

On television, viewers watched her do battle with Suzanne Sommers, as a wily senior con-artist on "She's the Sheriff" in contrast to her performance as the beloved Irish cook in "The Little Match Girl" with "Cosby's" Keisha Knight-Pullman. Her guest appearances included "Two of Hearts", "Night Court", "Columbo", "Thirty Something", "Webster", "Mr. Belvedere", "Madison", "Hallmark Hall of Fame", "The Merv Griffin Show", Fernwood Tonight", "The Today Show" and many, many others.

She was especially honored to have worked with Katherine Hepburn in the television movie, "Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry".

Despite being an acclaimed film, television and voice over actress, Norma continued to lend her talents to television commercials. Fans recognized her in the street as both the dotty "Alice Rootweevil" of the Yellow Pages ads and the loud mouthed, aggressive cab driver who "Plays the Plus" in the Canadian Lottery and continues shouting her road rage from the back of her new limousine. She is best known though, as the sweet, but flighty "Aunt Martha" in the Kraft Mayonnaise campaign from 1981 to 1986, cheerfully feeding everyone mayonnaise while chirping, "It's creamier!"

Norma brought a wealth of experience to her multi faceted career. As a playwright, her works were produced in both Canada and the U.S., including "A Crowded Affair", a Noel Coward-esque commentary on quirky Canadian social mores, and "Free As A Bird", a screwball, cold-war comedy that was produced starring comedienne Edie Adams, (actress and wife of groundbreaking television comedian Ernie Kovacs).

In 1993, Norma and Thor returned to Vancouver where she continued to work in motion pictures and television; as well as committing to extensive volunteer work.

She served on the board of directors of both the AIDS fundraising charity, Crusaid Canada and the 411 Senior Center, where she as also a regular host on the highly acclaimed "411 Weekly Radio Show" addressing the issues and interests of seniors, from healthcare to sexuality. Her social activism included public speaking engagements for the Untied Way as a representative for Senior's issues and campaigning for the election of Lorne Mayencourt. She was an active member of St. Paul's Anglican Church, where she was a lay reader and director of the Sunday school children's Christmas play.

Her sudden death has reverberated throughout the artistic, social and activist communities. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her personally and by the millions of others who only had the pleasure of knowing her through her work. Her voice as Gumby, Casper, Davey, Sweet Polly and all her other characters became part of the soundtrack of childhood to an entire generation. To them, she will always be as immortal as Casper and as invincible as Gumby.

Everyone who knew her is aware that Norma was an extremely organized woman who did not mince words, or leave any matters to chance when it came to her final wishes. In keeping with her wishes, a memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 24th at 11:00 am at St. Paul's Church, 1130 Jervis, Vancouver. The service will be officiated by The Venerable Neil Gray. Her friend, and 411 show co-host John Kennedy will deliver the eulogy, as per her request and specifications.

She always enjoyed flowers and any gifts of flowers will be welcome at the service. Immediately afterward, they will be distributed to hospices in the Vancouver area to give pleasure and comfort to others