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Norm MacDonald

Norm MacDonald

Actor, writer and producer, also director · Died September 14, 2021, aged 61 · Québec City, Québec, Canada

Norman Gene Macdonald (October 17, 1959 – September 14, 2021) was a Canadian stand-up comedian, writer, and actor known for his deadpan style. Early in his career, he wrote for the sitcom Roseanne and made guest appearances on shows such as The Drew Carey Show and NewsRadio. He was then a cast member on Saturday Night Live (SNL) for five years, including anchoring the Weekend Update segment for three seasons. After leaving SNL, he starred in the 1998 film Dirty Work and in his own sitcom, The Norm Show, from 1999 to 2001. In 2013, he started a video podcast, Norm Macdonald Live, on which he interviewed comedians and other celebrities. In 2018, he released Norm Macdonald Has a Show, a Netflix talk show with a similar premise to his podcast. Throughout his career, he appeared in numerous movies and had been a guest on talk shows such as Conan, Late Night with David Letterman, and The Howard Stern Show. He had also worked as a voice actor, notably on the animated show Mike Tyson Mysteries. Paste magazine named him #31 on their 50 Best Stand-up Comics of All Time.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 17, 1959
Died
September 14, 2021 (aged 61)
From
Québec City, Québec, Canada
Works as
Actor, writer and producer, also director
Titles
46 on MovieCove · 59 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Up 13% in 30 days

What are Norm MacDonald's films like?

Across their 20 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Animation4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 23rd percentile
: browse their Animation movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
41%
Self
26%
Society
12%
Morality
8%
Ideas
8%
Power
3%
Survival
3%
Friendship10 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 14 · Serious 0 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 5 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 2

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 10 · Charged 4 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 9 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 2

Funny: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their funny movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 9

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 2

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 13 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 13 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

11 analyzed roles

Usually the Trickster: 5 of 11 analyzed roles.

Trickster
5 of 11
Hero
2 of 11
Ally
1 of 11
Herald
1 of 11
Mentor
1 of 11
Shadow
1 of 11
Show the 11 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
14
Joyful
14
Warm
5
Manic
5
Contemplative
4
Other
9

How their films linger

Fun16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet7
  • Ambiguous1
  • Cyclical3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Norm MacDonald's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 32 of their 46 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Norm MacDonald's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

59 credits, 46 with a MovieCove page; 29 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special(2022)

    Director · Executive Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Back Home Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    In Memory Of · as Grandpaws (voice)

  • Klaus(2019)

    as Mogens (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Norm Macdonald Has a Show(2018)

    Show 10 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer · as Self - Host

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Ladybug(2018)

    as Rex

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Orville(2017)

    Show 22 episodes · as Yaphit (voice)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Treasure Hounds(2017)

    as Skipper (Voice)

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Norm Macdonald: Hitler's Dog, Gossip & Trickery(2017)

    Executive Producer · Screenplay · as Self

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Girlboss(2017)

    Show 3 episodes · as Rick

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Skylanders Academy(2016)

    Show 38 episodes · as Glumshanks (voice)

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • The Ridiculous 6(2015)

    as Nugget Customer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Mike Tyson Mysteries(2014)

    Show 70 episodes · as Pigeon (voice)

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Norm Macdonald Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 39 episodes · Creator · as Self - Host

  • Vampire Dog(2012)

    as Fang / Vampire Dog (voice)

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Outback(2012)

    as Quint (voice)

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Jack and Jill(2011)

    as Funbucket

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Hollywood & Wine(2011)

    as Sid Blaustein

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Sports Show with Norm Macdonald(2011)

    Show 9 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer · as Himself - Host

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Norm Macdonald: Me Doing Standup(2011)

    Executive Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Grown Ups(2010)

    as Geezer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Middle(2009)

    Show 10 episodes · as Rusty Heck

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Funny People(2009)

    as Norm Macdonald

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Sam's Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts(2009)

    as Lucky (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Match Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Panelist

  • Million Dollar Password (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Senior Skip Day(2008)

    as Mr. Rigetti

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief(2008)

    as Lucky (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Christmas Is Here Again(2007)

    as Buster (voice)

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Farce of the Penguins(2006)

    as Join Twosomes Penguin (voice)

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Dr. Dolittle 3(2006)

    as Lucky (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • My Name Is Earl(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as Little Chubby

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo(2005)

    as Earl McManus (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • A Minute with Stan Hooper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 13 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer · as Stan Hooper

  • Saturday Night Live: The Best of Chris Farley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Green Beans (archive footage) (uncredited)

  • Oliver Beene (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Hobo Bob

  • Saturday Night Live: The Best of Will Ferrell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Burt Reynolds (archive footage)

  • Dr. Dolittle 2(2001)

    as Lucky (voice)

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • The Animal(2001)

    as Mob Member

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • The Fairly OddParents(2001)

    Show 2 episodes · as Norm the Genie (voice)

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Screwed(2000)

    as Willard Fillmore

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Man on the Moon(1999)

    as Friday's Michael (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo(1999)

    as Bartender

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Dennis Miller: The Millennium Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Actor

  • The Norm Show(1999)

    Show 54 episodes · Creator · as Norm Henderson

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Family Guy(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Death (voice) (uncredited) · as Norm MacDonald (voice)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Doctor Dolittle(1998)

    as Lucky (voice)

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Dirty Work(1998)

    Writer · as Mitch

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The People vs. Larry Flynt(1996)

    as Network Reporter

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Where's Elvis This Week? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Drew Carey Show(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Simon Tate

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • NewsRadio(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Roger

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Billy Madison(1995)

    as Frank

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Jackie Thomas Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Larry Sanders Show(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Norm Macdonald

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • One Night Stand(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Roseanne(1988)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Saturday Night Live(1975)

    Show 100 episodes · Writer · as Self - Cameo (uncredited) · as Self - Host · as Self - Various Characters · as Self (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 58 titles from 1975 to 2022; peak year 1999.

Biggest box office

Billy Madison (1995)

$26M worldwide

Highest rated

Klaus (2019)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

The Orville (2017)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19752022

Peak 1999 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 4 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting50 of 58: 46 only acting, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score42ndDirecting1 of 58: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting9 of 58: 2 only writing, 7 with another role · typical Midcredits score87thProducing6 of 58: 0 only producing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score91stOther crew6 of 58: 1 only other crew, 5 with another role

58 titles, 9 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1970s1 · crew1980s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew1990s15 · 15 acting · 2 crew2000s21 · 21 acting · 1 crew2010s17 · 12 acting · 5 crew2020s2 · 1 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 14th · top billed in 11% of 18 roles
950510

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Norm MacDonald's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 19th percentile, the median of all 29; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 27th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

27thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

34thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 46 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th16

Shape of the crowd

20 of their 46 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed20

Most divisive · actor

Vampire Dog (2012)

88th percentile spread · 49% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Klaus (2019)

Midcredits 99th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 51/100 in their films, across 12 reviewed titles; fans 66, detractors 29. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Norm MacDonald's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films and violence & gore lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles22–53 · median 34 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles16–59 · median 48 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles20–74 · median 50 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles6–57 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 35 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Norm MacDonald work with?

People who share at least 2 of Norm MacDonald's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Lori Jo Hoekstra shares the most, 6.

Writers

Actors

Editors

Producers