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| | Norman Brooks was a singer, songwriter, pianist, and actor. He was born 19 Aug 1928 in Montreal. He died on September 14th, 2006. His voice resembled that of Al Jolson, and he often sang in the Jolson style, as well as in a more personal style.
He began his career in his late teens, singing with his sister Annie Brooks. In the early 1950’s he was singing in theatres, such as the Seville in Montreal and the Casino Theatre in Toronto. At this time he made two 78s for Canadian Victor.
In 1953 he appeared in nightclubs in New York. He recorded “Hello Sunshine” for Zodiac label, which was established expressly for Brooks. He was popular in the USA during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1975 he appeared on Broadway in "The Magic of Jolson". In 1979 he performed at PDA.
Brooks played the part of Al Jolson in "The Best Things in Life Are Free". He had dramatic roles in "The Block" in 1963 and in "Ocean’s Eleven" in 1965.
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