Norman Bird
Born
October 30, 1920 (age 84)
Died
April 22, 2005
Birthplace
Coalville, Leicestershire, England, UK

Norman Bird

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

Crossing the Floor
Crossing the Floor
1996 ★ 6.7
Grandfather
Shadowlands
Shadowlands
1993 ★ 6.9
Taxi Driver Witness
Born Kicking
Born Kicking
1992
Mr Radley
Miss Pym's Day Out
Miss Pym's Day Out
1992
Man on Bus
Buddy
Buddy
1986
Mr Normington
This Office Life
This Office Life
1984
Seeds
Black Carrion
Black Carrion
1984 ★ 6.0
Henry Bircher
A Voyage Round My Father
A Voyage Round My Father
1984 ★ 7.6
Ham
The Ghost Downstairs
The Ghost Downstairs
1982
Mr. Morris
If You Go Down in the Woods Today
If You Go Down in the Woods Today
1981 ★ 4.5
Doctor
The Final Conflict
The Final Conflict
1981 ★ 5.8
Dr. Philmore
A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
1980 ★ 10.0
Mr Braithwaite
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
1978 ★ 6.6
Bilbo (voice)
The Medusa Touch
The Medusa Touch
1978 ★ 6.8
Major Henry Morlar
The Slipper and the Rose
The Slipper and the Rose
1976 ★ 6.8
Dress Shop Proprieter
Baby Sitters
Baby Sitters
1976
Double Trouble
Double Trouble
1976
Wedding Bells
Wedding Bells
1976
On the Tiles
On the Tiles
1976
The Big Kick
The Big Kick
1976
Monkey Tricks
Monkey Tricks
1976
Pot Luck
Pot Luck
1976
Farmer
King Arthur, the Young Warlord
King Arthur, the Young Warlord
1975 ★ 7.0
Ambrose
Elementary, My Dear Watson
Elementary, My Dear Watson
1973
Inspector Street
Ooh...You Are Awful
Ooh...You Are Awful
1972 ★ 4.5
Warder Burke
Young Winston
Young Winston
1972 ★ 6.2
Party Chairman
Doomwatch
Doomwatch
1972 ★ 6.0
Brewer
Hands of the Ripper
Hands of the Ripper
1971 ★ 6.1
Police Inspector
Please Sir!
Please Sir!
1971 ★ 5.4
Reynolds
The Raging Moon
The Raging Moon
1971 ★ 6.6
Dr Matthews
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
1970 ★ 5.9
Alderman Poot
Up Among the Cuckoos
Up Among the Cuckoos
1970
Walter
The Virgin and the Gypsy
The Virgin and the Gypsy
1970 ★ 2.1
Uncle Fred
Run a Crooked Mile
Run a Crooked Mile
1969 ★ 8.0
Sgt. Hooper
Takeover
Takeover
1969
Father
Oh! What a Lovely War
Oh! What a Lovely War
1969 ★ 6.7
Training Sgt (uncredited)
The Limbo Line
The Limbo Line
1969 ★ 4.0
All at Sea
All at Sea
1969
Mr. Danvers
A Dandy in Aspic
A Dandy in Aspic
1968 ★ 6.8
Copperfield
The Wrong Box
The Wrong Box
1966 ★ 6.5
Clergyman
Sky West and Crooked
Sky West and Crooked
1966 ★ 5.4
Mr. Cheeseman - undertaker
The Hill
The Hill
1965 ★ 7.5
Commandant
The Black Torment
The Black Torment
1964 ★ 5.9
Harris
The Trial of Dr. Fancy
The Trial of Dr. Fancy
1964
Charles Lincoln
The Beauty Jungle
The Beauty Jungle
1964 ★ 4.7
Mr. Edward Freeman
First Men in the Moon
First Men in the Moon
1964 ★ 6.4
Stuart
The Bargee
The Bargee
1964 ★ 6.9
Waterways Supervisor Albert Williams
Hot Enough for June
Hot Enough for June
1964 ★ 5.7
Employment Exchange Clerk
80,000 Suspects
80,000 Suspects
1963 ★ 6.9
Harold Davis
Maniac
Maniac
1963 ★ 6.1
Salon
The Punch and Judy Man
The Punch and Judy Man
1963 ★ 7.8
Reginald Fletcher
Bitter Harvest
Bitter Harvest
1963 ★ 5.8
Mr. Pitt
The Mind Benders
The Mind Benders
1963 ★ 6.2
Aubrey
The Cracksman
The Cracksman
1963 ★ 6.3
Policeman
In Search of the Castaways
In Search of the Castaways
1962 ★ 6.5
Senior Yacht Guard
Term of Trial
Term of Trial
1962 ★ 6.0
Mr. Taylor
Night of the Eagle
Night of the Eagle
1962 ★ 6.7
Doctor
Cash on Demand
Cash on Demand
1961 ★ 7.6
Arthur Sanderson
Victim
Victim
1961 ★ 7.5
Harold Doe
Whistle Down the Wind
Whistle Down the Wind
1961 ★ 7.2
Eddie
The Secret Partner
The Secret Partner
1961 ★ 5.6
Ralph Beldon
Very Important Person
Very Important Person
1961 ★ 5.2
Senior British Officer Travers
Man in the Moon
Man in the Moon
1960 ★ 6.4
Herbert
The League of Gentlemen
The League of Gentlemen
1960 ★ 7.0
Weaver
The Angry Silence
The Angry Silence
1960 ★ 7.2
Roberts
An Inspector Calls
An Inspector Calls
1954 ★ 7.1
Jones-Collins - Foreman

TV Series

After Henry
After Henry
1988 ★ 5.7
Mr Henderson
1 Episode
Screen Two
Screen Two
1985 ★ 6.8
Grandfather
1 Episode
Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense
Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense
1984 ★ 6.4
Henry Bircher
1 Episode
The Fourth Arm
The Fourth Arm
1983 ★ 5.0
Col. Cole
1 Episode
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years
1981 ★ 5.0
Sir Maurice Hanley
1 Episode
To Serve Them All My Days
To Serve Them All My Days
1980 ★ 7.7
Alderman Blunt
4 Episodes
Hammer House of Horror
Hammer House of Horror
1980 ★ 7.1
Basil
1 Episode
Yes Minister
Yes Minister
1980 ★ 8.3
1 Episode
Worzel Gummidge
Worzel Gummidge
1979 ★ 6.2
Mr. Braithwaite
23 Episodes
Thomas & Sarah
Thomas & Sarah
1979 ★ 5.5
13 Episodes
The Glums
The Glums
1978
Office Manager
1 Episode
Return of the Saint
Return of the Saint
1978 ★ 7.0
Morgan
1 Episode
Life Begins at Forty
Life Begins at Forty
1978 ★ 5.0
1 Episode
All Creatures Great and Small
All Creatures Great and Small
1978 ★ 7.8
Farmer Benson
2 Episodes
Miss Jones And Son
Miss Jones And Son
1977 ★ 5.0
12 Episodes
Raffles
Raffles
1977 ★ 8.0
1 Episode
Yanks Go Home
Yanks Go Home
1976 ★ 5.0
13 Episodes
Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers
1975 ★ 8.3
Mr. Arrad
1 Episode
Two's Company
Two's Company
1975 ★ 7.0
Mr. Bunn
1 Episode
Angels
Angels
1975 ★ 3.7
1 Episode
Up The Workers
Up The Workers
1973
Sid Stubbins
14 Episodes
Arthur of the Britons
Arthur of the Britons
1972 ★ 7.3
Ambrose
1 Episode
Crown Court
Crown Court
1972 ★ 5.4
1 Episode
The Adventurer
The Adventurer
1972 ★ 5.5
Brooks
1 Episode
My Wife Next Door
My Wife Next Door
1972 ★ 6.0
1 Episode
Shirley's World
Shirley's World
1972 ★ 5.0
1 Episode
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
1971 ★ 7.4
Inspector Trent
1 Episode
Jason King
Jason King
1971 ★ 7.6
1 Episode
The Guardians
The Guardians
1971 ★ 5.5
1 Episode
Budgie
Budgie
1971 ★ 7.0
Inspector Charles Upton
1 Episode
Softly Softly: Task Force
Softly Softly: Task Force
1969 ★ 6.0
Samuel Tomkins
1 Episode
Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)
Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)
1969 ★ 7.0
Elliot
1 Episode
Department S
Department S
1969 ★ 5.0
Drayton
1 Episode
Sanctuary
Sanctuary
1967 ★ 5.0
1 Episode
Till Death Us Do Part
Till Death Us Do Part
1966 ★ 7.4
Landlord
1 Episode
Thirty-Minute Theatre
Thirty-Minute Theatre
1965 ★ 3.4
Arthur Pendlebury
1 Episode
It's Not Me - It's Them!
It's Not Me - It's Them!
1965
Mr. Partridge
6 Episodes
Gideon's Way
Gideon's Way
1965 ★ 6.8
Supt. Fred Lee
1 Episode
Public Eye
Public Eye
1965 ★ 7.8
Arthur Biddle
1 Episode
Theatre 625
Theatre 625
1964 ★ 7.2
William Oaks
1 Episode
The Saint
The Saint
1962 ★ 7.4
Mr. Spode
3 Episodes
Z-Cars
Z-Cars
1962 ★ 7.0
1 Episode
The Avengers
The Avengers
1961 ★ 7.7
1 Episode
Coronation Street
Coronation Street
1960 ★ 5.3
Frank Jackson
1 Episode
No Hiding Place
No Hiding Place
1959 ★ 3.7
2 Episodes
Armchair Theatre
Armchair Theatre
1956 ★ 5.8
Walter
1 Episode