Norman Bird
Acting
John George Norman Bird (30 October 1924 – 22 April 2005) was an English character actor. 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. He was also a member of the BBC's Radio Drama Company. His first film appearance was as the foreman in An Inspector Calls (1954). He was a familiar face to British cinema audiences of the 1950s and 1960s, appearing in nearly 50 films such 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 and The Hill with Sean Connery (1965). He had over 200 television appearances, notably as Mr Braithwaite in Worzel Gummidge (1979–81) and Mr Arrad in the Fawlty Towers episode "Waldorf Salad" (1979). His long list of credits include Steptoe and Son, Till Death Us Do Part, Rising Damp, Ever Decreasing Circles, Yes Minister, To Serve Them All My Days, All Creatures Great and Small, Z-Cars, Public Eye, 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).
Known for
Acting124
The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
2005
Mr. Arrad (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieCrossing the Floor
1996
Grandfather
movieShadowlands
1993
Taxi Driver Witness
movieBorn Kicking
1992
Mr Radley
movieMiss Pym's Day Out
1992
Man on Bus
tvAfter Henry
1988
Mr Henderson
movieBuddy
1986
Mr Normington
tvLytton's Diary
1985
Charles Adams
tvScreen Two
1985
Grandfather
movieBlack Carrion
1984
Henry Bircher
tvHammer House of Mystery and Suspense
1984
Henry Bircher
tvThe Fourth Arm
1983
Col. Cole
movieThe Ghost Downstairs
1982
Mr. Morris
tvWinston Churchill: The Wilderness Years
1981
Sir Maurice Hanley
movieThe Final Conflict
1981
Dr. Philmore
tvTo Serve Them All My Days
1980
Alderman Blunt
tvWorzel Gummidge
1979
Mr. Braithwaite
movieThe Lord of the Rings
1978
Bilbo (voice)
tvThe Glums
1978
Office Manager
movieThe Medusa Touch
1978
Major Henry Morlar
tvAll Creatures Great and Small
1978
Farmer Benson
movieThe Slipper and the Rose
1976
Dress Shop Proprieter
tvFawlty Towers
1975
Mr. Arrad
tvTwo's Company
1975
Mr. Bunn
tvHappy Ever After
1974
Mr Fletcher
tvUp The Workers
1973
Sid Stubbins
movieElementary, My Dear Watson
1973
Inspector Street
tvArthur of the Britons
1972
Ambrose
movieOoh...You Are Awful
1972
Warder Burke
tvThe Adventurer
1972
Brooks
movieYoung Winston
1972
Party Chairman
tvThe Organization
1972
Ken Grist
movieDoomwatch
1972
Brewer
Suspicion
1971
Harry Beardsley
movieHands of the Ripper
1971
Police Inspector
tvThe Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
1971
Inspector Trent
tvThe Guardians
1971
Tom Henryson
moviePlease Sir!
1971
Reynolds
tvBudgie
1971
Inspector Charles Upton
movieThe Raging Moon
1971
Dr Matthews
movieThe Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
1970
Alderman Poot
movieThe Virgin and the Gypsy
1970
Uncle Fred
tvSoftly Softly: Task Force
1969
Samuel Tomkins
movieRun a Crooked Mile
1969
Sgt. Hooper
tvDepartment S
1969
Drayton
movieOh! What a Lovely War
1969
Training Sgt (uncredited)
tvITV Saturday Night Theatre
1969
Father / Stanley Nicholson
movieAll at Sea
1969
Mr. Danvers
movieA Dandy in Aspic
1968
Copperfield
movieThe Wrong Box
1966
Clergyman
tvTill Death Us Do Part
1966
Landlord
movieSky West and Crooked
1966
Mr. Cheeseman - undertaker
End in Tears
1966
Charles 'Whoopy' Cushion
tvThirty-Minute Theatre
1965
Arthur Pendlebury
movieThe Hill
1965
Commandant
tvGideon's Way
1965
Supt. Fred Lee
tvPublic Eye
1965
Arthur Biddle
The Trial of Dr. Fancy
1964
Charles Lincoln
movieThe Beauty Jungle
1964
Mr. Edward Freeman
tvTheatre 625
1964
William Oaks
movieThe Bargee
1964
Waterways Supervisor Albert Williams
movieHot Enough for June
1964
Employment Exchange Clerk
movie80,000 Suspects
1963
Harold Davis
movieManiac
1963
Salon
movieThe Punch and Judy Man
1963
Reginald Fletcher
movieBitter Harvest
1963
Mr. Pitt
movieThe Cracksman
1963
Policeman
movieIn Search of the Castaways
1962
Senior Yacht Guard
tvThe Saint
1962
Mr. Spode / Weems
movieTerm of Trial
1962
Mr. Taylor
movieCash on Demand
1961
Arthur Sanderson
movieVictim
1961
Harold Doe
movieThe Secret Partner
1961
Ralph Beldon
movieVery Important Person
1961
Senior British Officer Travers
tvCoronation Street
1960
Frank Jackson
movieMan in the Moon
1960
Herbert
movieThe Angry Silence
1960
Roberts
tvArmchair Theatre
1956
Walter / Charles Lincoln / Spooner
movieAn Inspector Calls
1954
Jones-Collins - Foreman