Norman Bird
Known for: 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).
Filmography
Series
Coronation Street
Frank Jackson
1960
Series
The Avengers
1961
Series
The Saint
Mr. Spode
1962
Series
The Saint
Weems
1962
Thursday Theatre
Harry Lancaster
1964
Series
Crown Court
1972
Series
Screen Two
Grandfather
1985
Series
Gideon's Way
Supt. Fred Lee
1965
Series
Theatre 625
William Oaks
1964
Series
Z-Cars
1962
Series
No Hiding Place
1959
Series
All Creatures Great and Small
Farmer Benson
1978
Series
Angels
1975
Series
Thirty-Minute Theatre
Arthur Pendlebury
1965
Series
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
Father
1969
Series
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
Stanley Nicholson
1969
Series
Public Eye
Arthur Biddle
1965
Series
Fawlty Towers
Mr. Arrad
1975
Series
Yes Minister
1980
Series
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
Inspector Trent
1971
Blackmail
Henry Cobb
1965
Series
Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense
Henry Bircher
1984
Drama 61-67
Father
1961
Film
The Lord of the Rings
Bilbo (voice)
1978
Series
Softly Softly: Task Force
Samuel Tomkins
1969
Series
Return of the Saint
Morgan
1978
Series
Worzel Gummidge
Mr. Braithwaite
1979
Series
Jason King
1971
Series
Hammer House of Horror
Basil
1980
Series
The Adventurer
Brooks
1972
Series
Budgie
Inspector Charles Upton
1971
Series
Department S
Drayton
1969
Series
Till Death Us Do Part
Landlord
1966
W. Somerset Maugham
Arthur Low
1969
Series
Steptoe and Son
Bank Manager
1962
Series
Steptoe and Son
Mr. Dryson
1962
Series
Lytton's Diary
Charles Adams
1985
Series
Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)
Elliot
1969
Film
The Final Conflict
Dr. Philmore
1981
Series
Half Hour Story
Harry
1967
Series
Shirley's World
1972
Series
Arthur of the Britons
Ambrose
1972
Series
Raffles
1977
Series
Two's Company
Mr. Bunn
1975
Series
Friday Night, Saturday Morning
1979
Series
Happy Ever After
Mr Fletcher
1974
Life Begins at Forty
Dr Gardiner
1978
Series
The Fourth Arm
Col. Cole
1983
Series
After Henry
Mr Henderson
1988
Series
The Protectors
Barnaby
1964
Series
To Serve Them All My Days
Alderman Blunt
1980
Film
Shadowlands
Taxi Driver Witness
1993
Series
The Guardians
Tom Henryson
1971
Film
The Medusa Touch
Major Henry Morlar
1978
Series
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years
Sir Maurice Hanley
1981
Film
Young Winston
Party Chairman
1972
Film
Maniac
Salon
1963
Film
Oh! What a Lovely War
Training Sgt (uncredited)
1969
Film
The Slipper and the Rose
Dress Shop Proprieter
1976
Film
The Hill
Commandant
1965
Series
Thomas & Sarah
1979
Seven Faces of Woman
Ken
1974
Suspicion
Harry Beardsley
1971
Film
First Men in the Moon
Stuart
1964
Film
Victim
Harold Doe
1961
Film
Hot Enough for June
Employment Exchange Clerk
1964
Film
Cash on Demand
Arthur Sanderson
1961
Film
The League of Gentlemen
Weaver
1960
Sanctuary
1967
Film
The Wrong Box
Clergyman
1966
The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
Mr. Arrad (archive footage) (uncredited)
2005
Yanks Go Home
1976
Baby Sitters
1976
Film
The Bargee
Waterways Supervisor Albert Williams
1964
Film
Hands of the Ripper
Police Inspector
1971
Film
Whistle Down the Wind
Eddie
1961
Film
In Search of the Castaways
Senior Yacht Guard
1962
Film
An Inspector Calls
Jones-Collins - Foreman
1954
Series
My Wife Next Door
1972
Series
The Organization
Ken Grist
1972
Film
Night of the Eagle
Doctor
1962
Series
The Glums
Office Manager
1978
Series
Armchair Theatre
Walter
1956
Series
Armchair Theatre
Charles Lincoln
1956
Series
Armchair Theatre
Spooner
1956
It's Not Me - It's Them!
Mr. Partridge
1965
Film
A Dandy in Aspic
Copperfield
1968
Film
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
Alderman Poot
1970
Series
Up The Workers
Sid Stubbins
1973
Film
Term of Trial
Mr. Taylor
1962
Film
The Angry Silence
Roberts
1960
Film
The Secret Partner
Ralph Beldon
1961
Film
The Mind Benders
Aubrey
1963
Film
This Office Life
Seeds
1984
Film
The Raging Moon
Dr Matthews
1971
Film
Man in the Moon
Herbert
1960
Film
Doomwatch
Brewer
1972
Film
80,000 Suspects
Harold Davis
1963
Film
Buddy
Mr Normington
1986
Film
The Beauty Jungle
Mr. Edward Freeman
1964
Miss Jones And Son
1977
Film
The Black Torment
Harris
1964
Film
The Cracksman
Policeman
1963
The Trial of Dr. Fancy
Charles Lincoln
1964
Takeover
Father
1969
Film
If You Go Down in the Woods Today
Doctor
1981
Film
A Voyage Round My Father
Ham
1984
Film
Bitter Harvest
Mr. Pitt
1963
Film
Crossing the Floor
Grandfather
1996
Film
King Arthur, the Young Warlord
Ambrose
1975
Film
Ooh...You Are Awful
Warder Burke
1972
Film
Please Sir!
Reynolds
1971
Film
Run a Crooked Mile
Sgt. Hooper
1969
Film
The Punch and Judy Man
Reginald Fletcher
1963
Film
Elementary, My Dear Watson
Inspector Street
1973
Film
The Virgin and the Gypsy
Uncle Fred
1970
Wedding Bells
1976
Film
The Limbo Line
1969
Film
Very Important Person
Senior British Officer Travers
1961
Film
Sky West and Crooked
Mr. Cheeseman - undertaker
1966
On the Tiles
1976
Film
A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
Mr Braithwaite
1980
Film
Miss Pym's Day Out
Man on Bus
1992
The Big Kick
1976
Film
Born Kicking
Mr Radley
1992
Double Trouble
1976
Up Among the Cuckoos
Walter
1970
Film
Black Carrion
Henry Bircher
1984
Monkey Tricks
1976
Film
All at Sea
Mr. Danvers
1969
Pot Luck
Farmer
1976
Film
The Ghost Downstairs
Mr. Morris
1982
End in Tears
Charles 'Whoopy' Cushion
1966