Audree Norton

Audree Norton was an American actress known for her roles in Mannix, Family Affair, and The Streets of San Francisco. She made significant contributions to the representation of Deaf actors in television and theater.

Personal and Family Life

Audree Norton was born on January 13, 1927, in Great Falls, Montana. She graduated from Gallaudet University with a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts in 1952. That same year, she married Kenneth Norton in Houston, Texas. The couple had three children: two sons, Kurt and Dane, and a daughter, Nikki. Audree attended the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf in her early education.

Career

Norton began her television career in the mid-1950s with live commercials and gained fame for her role as Jody Wellman in the 1968 CBS crime drama Mannix, becoming the first Deaf actor to appear on American network television. In addition to her work on Mannix, she appeared in several other series, including Family Affair and The Streets of San Francisco. Later in her career, she transitioned to teaching media, English, and psychology at Ohlone Community College in Fremont, California, before retiring as a Professor Emeritus.

Death and Legacy

Audree Norton passed away on April 22, 2015, in Fremont, California. She was surrounded by her loving family at the time of her death. Her contributions to the Deaf community and the arts continue to be celebrated, and she received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Gallaudet University in 2012, reflecting her impact on education and representation.

Filmography