Norman Bird
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- October 30, 1920
- Died
- April 22, 2005
- Birthplace
- Coalville, Leicestershire, England, UK
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).
Filmography
- The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
The Funny Blokes of British Comedy 2005
as Mr. Arrad (archive footage) (uncredited)
Crossing the Floor 1996
as Grandfather
Shadowlands 1993
as Taxi Driver Witness
Born Kicking 1992
as Mr Radley
Miss Pym's Day Out 1992
as Man on Bus
Buddy 1986
as Mr Normington
This Office Life 1984
as Seeds
Black Carrion 1984
as Henry Bircher
A Voyage Round My Father 1984
as Ham
The Ghost Downstairs 1982
as Mr. Morris
If You Go Down in the Woods Today 1981
as Doctor
The Final Conflict 1981
as Dr. Philmore
A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special 1980
as Mr Braithwaite
The Lord of the Rings 1978
as Bilbo (voice)
The Medusa Touch 1978
as Major Henry Morlar
The Slipper and the Rose 1976
as Dress Shop Proprieter
- Pot Luck
Pot Luck 1976
as Farmer
- Monkey Tricks
Monkey Tricks 1976
Actor
- On the Tiles
On the Tiles 1976
Actor
- Baby Sitters
Baby Sitters 1976
Actor
- The Big Kick
The Big Kick 1976
Actor
- Double Trouble
Double Trouble 1976
Actor
- Wedding Bells
Wedding Bells 1976
Actor
King Arthur, the Young Warlord 1975
as Ambrose
Elementary, My Dear Watson 1973
as Inspector Street
Ooh...You Are Awful 1972
as Warder Burke
Young Winston 1972
as Party Chairman
Doomwatch 1972
as Brewer
Hands of the Ripper 1971
as Police Inspector
Please Sir! 1971
as Reynolds
The Raging Moon 1971
as Dr Matthews
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer 1970
as Alderman Poot
- Up Among the Cuckoos
Up Among the Cuckoos 1970
as Walter
The Virgin and the Gypsy 1970
as Uncle Fred
Run a Crooked Mile 1969
as Sgt. Hooper
- Takeover
Takeover 1969
as Father
Oh! What a Lovely War 1969
as Training Sgt (uncredited)
The Limbo Line 1969
Actor
All at Sea 1969
as Mr. Danvers
A Dandy in Aspic 1968
as Copperfield
The Wrong Box 1966
as Clergyman
Sky West and Crooked 1966
as Mr. Cheeseman - undertaker
- End in Tears
End in Tears 1966
as Charles 'Whoopy' Cushion
The Hill 1965
as Commandant
The Black Torment 1964
as Harris
- The Trial of Dr. Fancy
The Trial of Dr. Fancy 1964
as Charles Lincoln
The Beauty Jungle 1964
as Mr. Edward Freeman
First Men in the Moon 1964
as Stuart
The Bargee 1964
as Waterways Supervisor Albert Williams
Hot Enough for June 1964
as Employment Exchange Clerk
80,000 Suspects 1963
as Harold Davis
Maniac 1963
as Salon
The Punch and Judy Man 1963
as Reginald Fletcher
Bitter Harvest 1963
as Mr. Pitt
The Mind Benders 1963
as Aubrey
The Cracksman 1963
as Policeman
In Search of the Castaways 1962
as Senior Yacht Guard
Term of Trial 1962
as Mr. Taylor
Night of the Eagle 1962
as Doctor
Cash on Demand 1961
as Arthur Sanderson
Victim 1961
as Harold Doe
Whistle Down the Wind 1961
as Eddie
The Secret Partner 1961
as Ralph Beldon
Very Important Person 1961
as Senior British Officer Travers
Man in the Moon 1960
as Herbert
The League of Gentlemen 1960
as Weaver
The Angry Silence 1960
as Roberts
An Inspector Calls 1954
as Jones-Collins - Foreman
Credits from TMDB.