Norm Golden: “50 To Death”

Have you seen these two on vacation in Norway?

People who know me…really know me…know that I am a bit of a nut. If I run into someone I want to meet…or someone interesting, I will go out of my way to meet them…regardless of how much of a jerk I end up looking like. It has happenned over years with people like Paul Simon,  Steve Martin, Mickey Rooney, Farah Fawcett, Bill Murray, Les Moonves, and people like that…and it happenned again today…with hopefully what might turn out to be a happy ending.

Let me give you a bit of background first. For the past year or so CitiCards have been running a really nice commercial (see left) with a father and his son taking a trip together to Norway to see “the old country” entitled “Father and Son.” It was a nice story, until they realized they weren’t Norwegian, but actually Swedish.

For some reason that commercial has stuck with me for lots of reasons and whenever I see it the “dad” seems act as fresh and warm to me everytime I see it. Anyway, I was running into the mens room at Penn Station and right next to me is the dad from the commercial…I freaked…as if I had just run into Barack Obama or something…and said…I know you…you’re the dad from that commercial…I love you! He must get that alot because he was very nice and approachable. We ended up walking out of the mens room together and I explained that I was also in the media/entertainment industry and had spent a few years in advertising and appreciated the spot from a “professional” level as well…and he seemed to appreciate it and we spoke for a few minutes.

As it turns out his name is Norm Golden and he is an experienced director and acting coach who had a career as a high school and college theatre teacher…originally from Long Island and now lives in Manhattan.

We continued to talk and Norm explained he did very well with the Citicard commercial, affording him the opportunity to do some interesting stuff…his current project, “50 to Death” a new web series,
about the life and times of three boomers trying their best to live life to its fullest.

Below is some info about the project…I loved it and though you will too. Norm also expressed an interest in my work with NY:MIEG and said he would try to attend our breakfast next week.

Three New York actors — Norm Golden, Joan Barber, and Jon Freda — have teamed up with director Jason “JSOK” Sokoloff to create a new web series, “50 To Death” about the life and times of three boomers trying their best to live life to its fullest.

Luke Crowe, National Casting Editor of Backstage Magazine, sums it up: “Like a wistful, comedic cross between Larry David’s brilliant “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and Woody Allen’s “Stardust Memories” and “Manhattan,” “50 to Death” may eventually prove to be a must-watch series for actors and Baby Boomers everywhere.”

The pilot episode “Norm’s Thesis” lays the groundwork for the series. The “50 to Death.com” web site also sports a snazzy draggable Flash interface with new webisodes, in the 4-6 minute range, debuting every three weeks.

Golden, Barber, and Freda are all members of AEA, SAG, and AFTRA, with extensive resumes spanning theatre, film, television, and commercials. Golden is an experienced director and acting coach who had a career as a high school and college theatre teacher; Barber is a Broadway performer and a popular voice teacher; Freda is an actor, writer and licensed psychologist; and Sokoloff is an experienced director from the NYU graduate film program who has done stand-up comedy and art direction, as well as film production and marketing.

CLICK HERE FOR BACKGROUND ON NORM, JOAN AND JON ALONG WITH A LINK TO THE VIDEO “NORM’S THESIS”