Norman Bird
| Norman Bird | |
|---|---|
 Bird in Cash on Demand (1961) | |
| Born |
John George Norman Bird 30 October 1924[1] Coalville, Leicestershire, England, UK |
| Died |
22 April 2005 (aged 80) Wolverhampton, England, UK |
| Years active | 1954–1996 |
| Spouse(s) | Nona Blamire (28 Nov 1953–his death), two children |
John George Norman Bird (30 October 1924 – 22 April 2005) was an English character actor.
Early life
Bird was born in Coalville, Leicestershire, England. A RADA graduate, he made his West End debut in Peter Brook's production of The Winter's Tale at the Phoenix Theatre in 1951. His first film appearance was as the foreman in An Inspector Calls (1954).
Film career
He was a familiar face to British cinema audiences of the 1960s, appearing in such films as The Angry Silence (1960), The League of Gentlemen (1960), Whistle Down the Wind (1961), Victim (1961) and Term of Trial (1962) with Laurence Olivier.
Television appearances
He had over 200 television appearances, notably as Mr Braithwaite in Worzel Gummidge (1979–81) and as Mr Arrad in the Fawlty Towers episode "Waldorf Salad" (1979). His long list of credits include Steptoe and Son, Rising Damp, Ever Decreasing Circles, Yes Minister, To Serve Them All My Days, All Creatures Great and Small, Z-Cars, The Saint, Department S, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and Boon. In 1990 he appeared in Stay Lucky, with Dennis Waterman, which marked his 200th television appearance. One of his last film appearances was as a taxi driver in Richard Attenborough's Shadowlands (1993).
Personal life
At 16 he left school and spent six months working in an office before studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. During the Second World War, he served with Royal Air Force, being demobbed in 1947.
He had met his wife Nona Blamire (Joan Hood in radio's The Archers) in rep in Northampton. They married in 1953. In 1992 they moved to Bridgnorth, Shropshire, to be nearer to their two daughters and five grandchildren.
Filmography
- An Inspector Calls (1954) - Foreman Jones-Collins (uncredited)
- The Angry Silence (1960) - Roberts
- The League of Gentlemen (1960) - Weaver
- Man in the Moon (1960) - Herbert
- The Secret Partner (1961) - Ralph Beldon
- Very Important Person (1961) - Travers, Senior British Officer
- Whistle Down the Wind (1961) - Eddie
- Victim (1961) - Harold Doe
- Cash on Demand (1961) - Arthur Sanderson
- Night of the Eagle (1962) - Doctor
- Term of Trial (1962) - Mr. Taylor
- In Search of the Castaways (1962) - Senior Yacht Guard
- The Mind Benders (1963) - Aubrey
- The Punch and Judy Man (1963) - Committee Man
- Maniac (1963) - Salon
- The Cracksman (1963) - Policeman
- 80,000 Suspects (1963) - Harold Davis
- Bitter Harvest (1963) - Mr. Pitt
- Hot Enough for June (1964) - Employment Exchange Clerk (uncredited)
- The Bargee (1964) - Waterways Supervisor
- The Beauty Jungle (1964) - Mr. Edward Freeman
- First Men in the Moon (1964) - Stuart
- The Black Torment (1964) - Harris
- The Hill (1965) - Commandant
- Sky West and Crooked (1966) - Mr. Cheeseman - undertaker
- The Wrong Box (1966) - Clergyman
- A Dandy in Aspic (1968) - Copperfield
- The Limbo Line (1968) - John Chivers
- Oh! What a Lovely War (1969) - Training Sergeant (uncredited)
- Run a Crooked Mile (1969) (TV) - Sergeant Hooper
- The Virgin and the Gypsy (1970) - Uncle Fred
- The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer (1970) - Alderman Poot
- Barnacle Bill (All at Sea) (1970) - Mr. Danvers
- The Raging Moon (1971) - Dr. Matthews
- Please Sir! (1971) - Reynolds
- Hands of the Ripper (1971) - Police Inspector
- Doomwatch (1972) - Brewer
- Young Winston (1972) - Party Chairman
- Ooh… You Are Awful (Get Charlie Tully) (1972) - Warder Burke
- King Arthur, the Young Warlord (1975) - Ambrose
- The Slipper and the Rose (1976) - Dress Shop Proprieter
- The Medusa Touch (1978) - Father
- The Lord of the Rings (1978) - Uncle Bilbo Baggins (voice)
- Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981) - Dr. Philmore
- If You Go Down in the Woods Today (1981) - Doctor
- A Voyage Round My Father (1984) (TV) - Ham
- On Your Way, Riley (1985) (TV) - Frank
- Shadowlands (1993) - Taxi Driver Witness
References
- ↑ On Find My Past & Ancestry, he's down as Norman and John George N Bird with this date of birth and death information