Norman Bird

Norman Bird

Acting
Born 1920-10-30 - Died 2005-04-22Coalville, Leicestershire, England, UK

Biography

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).

Movies (68)

The Lord of the Rings
6.6

The Lord of the Rings

1978Movie6.6
The Final Conflict
5.8

The Final Conflict

1981Movie5.8
The Medusa Touch
6.8

The Medusa Touch

1978Movie6.8
Doomwatch
6.1

Doomwatch

1972Movie6.1
The Slipper and the Rose
6.9

The Slipper and the Rose

1976Movie6.9
Young Winston
6.2

Young Winston

1972Movie6.2
The Hill
7.5

The Hill

1965Movie7.5
The Bargee
7.0

The Bargee

1964Movie7.0
Maniac
6.2

Maniac

1963Movie6.2
Shadowlands
6.9

Shadowlands

1993Movie6.9
First Men in the Moon
6.3

First Men in the Moon

1964Movie6.3
A Dandy in Aspic
6.9

A Dandy in Aspic

1968Movie6.9
The Black Torment
5.9

The Black Torment

1964Movie5.9
Night of the Eagle
6.7

Night of the Eagle

1962Movie6.7
The Mind Benders
6.3

The Mind Benders

1963Movie6.3
The League of Gentlemen
7.1

The League of Gentlemen

1960Movie7.1
The Wrong Box
6.4

The Wrong Box

1966Movie6.4
Oh! What a Lovely War
6.6

Oh! What a Lovely War

1969Movie6.6
The Punch and Judy Man
7.9

The Punch and Judy Man

1963Movie7.9
Hot Enough for June
5.7

Hot Enough for June

1964Movie5.7
80,000 Suspects
7.2

80,000 Suspects

1963Movie7.2
Sky West and Crooked
5.6

Sky West and Crooked

1966Movie5.6
In Search of the Castaways
6.5

In Search of the Castaways

1962Movie6.5
The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
6.5

The Funny Blokes of British Comedy

2005Movie6.5
On the Tiles

On the Tiles

1976Movie
Hands of the Ripper
6.2

Hands of the Ripper

1971Movie6.2
An Inspector Calls
7.2

An Inspector Calls

1954Movie7.2
The Raging Moon
6.5

The Raging Moon

1971Movie6.5
Buddy

Buddy

1986Movie
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
6.0

The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer

1970Movie6.0
Whistle Down the Wind
7.2

Whistle Down the Wind

1961Movie7.2
Man in the Moon
6.7

Man in the Moon

1960Movie6.7
Cash on Demand
7.6

Cash on Demand

1961Movie7.6
Baby Sitters

Baby Sitters

1976Movie
Born Kicking
9.0

Born Kicking

1992Movie9.0
Term of Trial
6.1

Term of Trial

1962Movie6.1
The Trial of Dr. Fancy

The Trial of Dr. Fancy

1964Movie
A Voyage Round My Father
7.4

A Voyage Round My Father

1984Movie7.4
Crossing the Floor
6.8

Crossing the Floor

1996Movie6.8
Victim
7.4

Victim

1961Movie7.4
The Angry Silence
7.2

The Angry Silence

1960Movie7.2
Takeover

Takeover

1969Movie
King Arthur, the Young Warlord
7.0

King Arthur, the Young Warlord

1975Movie7.0
Run a Crooked Mile
7.7

Run a Crooked Mile

1969Movie7.7
Bitter Harvest
6.2

Bitter Harvest

1963Movie6.2
The Secret Partner
5.8

The Secret Partner

1961Movie5.8
The Cracksman
6.6

The Cracksman

1963Movie6.6
Please Sir!
5.7

Please Sir!

1971Movie5.7
The Beauty Jungle
5.3

The Beauty Jungle

1964Movie5.3
Ooh...You Are Awful
4.8

Ooh...You Are Awful

1972Movie4.8
This Office Life

This Office Life

1984Movie
Very Important Person
5.5

Very Important Person

1961Movie5.5
The Virgin and the Gypsy
3.1

The Virgin and the Gypsy

1970Movie3.1
A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
10.0

A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special

1980Movie10.0
The Limbo Line
6.0

The Limbo Line

1969Movie6.0
Black Carrion
7.5

Black Carrion

1984Movie7.5
The Big Kick

The Big Kick

1976Movie
Wedding Bells

Wedding Bells

1976Movie
If You Go Down in the Woods Today
6.3

If You Go Down in the Woods Today

1981Movie6.3
Double Trouble

Double Trouble

1976Movie
All at Sea
10.0

All at Sea

1969Movie10.0
Monkey Tricks

Monkey Tricks

1976Movie
End in Tears

End in Tears

1966Movie
Miss Pym's Day Out
8.0

Miss Pym's Day Out

1992Movie8.0
The Ghost Downstairs
9.0

The Ghost Downstairs

1982Movie9.0
Pot Luck

Pot Luck

1976Movie
Elementary, My Dear Watson
7.0

Elementary, My Dear Watson

1973Movie7.0
Up Among the Cuckoos

Up Among the Cuckoos

1970Movie

TV Shows (60)

Coronation Street
5.4

Coronation Street

1960Series5.4
The Avengers
7.8

The Avengers

1961Series7.8
Crown Court
5.7

Crown Court

1972Series5.7
Screen Two
7.1

Screen Two

1985Series7.1
The Saint
7.4

The Saint

1962Series7.4
Z-Cars
7.3

Z-Cars

1962Series7.3
Angels
4.5

Angels

1975Series4.5
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
7.0

ITV Saturday Night Theatre

1969Series7.0
Theatre 625
7.2

Theatre 625

1964Series7.2
Thirty-Minute Theatre
4.3

Thirty-Minute Theatre

1965Series4.3
No Hiding Place
4.8

No Hiding Place

1959Series4.8
All Creatures Great and Small
7.8

All Creatures Great and Small

1978Series7.8
Fawlty Towers
8.3

Fawlty Towers

1975Series8.3
Gideon's Way
7.0

Gideon's Way

1965Series7.0
Hammer House of Horror
7.1

Hammer House of Horror

1980Series7.1
Thursday Theatre

Thursday Theatre

1964Series
Yes Minister
8.3

Yes Minister

1980Series8.3
Drama 61-67

Drama 61-67

1961Series
Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense
6.5

Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense

1984Series6.5
Public Eye
8.2

Public Eye

1965Series8.2
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
7.5

The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes

1971Series7.5
Worzel Gummidge
6.2

Worzel Gummidge

1979Series6.2
Return of the Saint
7.0

Return of the Saint

1978Series7.0
Steptoe and Son
7.8

Steptoe and Son

1962Series7.8
Softly Softly: Task Force
6.0

Softly Softly: Task Force

1969Series6.0
Till Death Us Do Part
7.6

Till Death Us Do Part

1966Series7.6
Blackmail
7.0

Blackmail

1965Series7.0
Budgie
7.2

Budgie

1971Series7.2
Department S
5.5

Department S

1969Series5.5
Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)
7.0

Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)

1969Series7.0
Jason King
7.8

Jason King

1971Series7.8
Half Hour Story
7.5

Half Hour Story

1967Series7.5
To Serve Them All My Days
7.8

To Serve Them All My Days

1980Series7.8
After Henry
6.7

After Henry

1988Series6.7
Arthur of the Britons
8.0

Arthur of the Britons

1972Series8.0
Lytton's Diary
7.3

Lytton's Diary

1985Series7.3
The Adventurer
6.3

The Adventurer

1972Series6.3
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years
6.3

Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years

1981Series6.3
W. Somerset Maugham

W. Somerset Maugham

1969Series
The Protectors
8.0

The Protectors

1964Series8.0
Suspicion

Suspicion

1971Series
Two's Company
7.3

Two's Company

1975Series7.3
Friday Night, Saturday Morning
7.5

Friday Night, Saturday Morning

1979Series7.5
The Fourth Arm
6.5

The Fourth Arm

1983Series6.5
Shirley's World
6.0

Shirley's World

1972Series6.0
Life Begins at Forty
6.7

Life Begins at Forty

1978Series6.7
Raffles
8.4

Raffles

1977Series8.4
Happy Ever After
6.8

Happy Ever After

1974Series6.8
The Guardians
6.0

The Guardians

1971Series6.0
Sanctuary
6.0

Sanctuary

1967Series6.0
It's Not Me - It's Them!

It's Not Me - It's Them!

1965Series
Yanks Go Home
6.3

Yanks Go Home

1976Series6.3
Thomas & Sarah
6.0

Thomas & Sarah

1979Series6.0
Armchair Theatre
6.0

Armchair Theatre

1956Series6.0
Seven Faces of Woman

Seven Faces of Woman

1974Series
My Wife Next Door
6.5

My Wife Next Door

1972Series6.5
Up The Workers

Up The Workers

1973Series
The Organization
8.5

The Organization

1972Series8.5
The Glums

The Glums

1978Series
Miss Jones And Son
5.0

Miss Jones And Son

1977Series5.0