Norman Bird

Film career 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). 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).

Personal life At 16 he left school and spent six months working in an office before studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. During the Second World War, he served with Royal Air Force, being demobbed in 1947.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1954 An Inspector Calls Foreman Jones-Collins Uncredited 1957 A Woman of Property Clerk of the court TV film1960 The Angry Silence Roberts The League of Gentlemen Captain Frank Weaver Man in the Moon Herbert1961 The Secret Partner Ralph Beldon Very Important Person Travers, Senior British Officer Whistle Down the Wind Eddie Victim Harold Doe Cash on Demand Arthur Sanderson1962 Night of the Eagle Doctor Term of Trial Mr. Taylor In Search of the Castaways Senior Yacht Guard 1963 The Mind Benders Aubrey The Punch and Judy Man Reginald Fletcher August for the People Mr. Bolt TV film Maniac Salon The Cracksman Policeman 80,000 Suspects Harold Davis Bitter Harvest Mr. Pitt1964 Hot Enough for June Employment Exchange Clerk Uncredited The Bargee Albert Williams The Beauty Jungle Mr. Freeman First Men in the Moon Stuart The Black Torment Harris 1965 The Hill Commandant, Major. Horace Appleby1966 Sky West and Crooked Cheeseman The Wrong Box Clergyman1968 A Dandy in Aspic Copperfield The Limbo Line John Chivers1969 Oh! What a Lovely War Training Sergeant Uncredited All at Sea Mr. Danvers Run a Crooked Mile Sergeant Hooper TV film1970 The Virgin and the Gypsy Uncle Fred The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer Alderman Poot Put Out More Flags Geoffrey Bentley TV film1971 The Raging Moon Dr. Matthews Please Sir! Reynolds Hands of the Ripper Police Inspector1972 Doomwatch Brewer Young Winston Party Chairman Ooh... You Are Awful Warder Burke 1975 King Arthur, the Young Warlord Ambrose Direct-to-video 1976 The Slipper and the Rose Dress Shop Proprietor1978 The Medusa Touch Major. Henry Morlar Margie and Me Cheeseman Short The Lord of the Rings Bilbo Voice role1981 Omen III: The Final Conflict Dr. Philmore If You Go Down in the Woods Today Doctor TV film1982 A Voyage Round My Father Ham TV film The Ghost Downstairs Mr. Morris TV film 1984 This Office Life Seeds TV film 1985 On Your Way, Riley Frank TV film 1993 Shadowlands Taxi Driver Witness

Television Year Series Role Notes 1956 Whack-O! S.A. Smallpiece Series regular 1957 Kenilworth Butterworth 1 episode1958 The Black Arrow Landlord Episode: "The Arrow Strikes" The Diary of Samuel Pepys Constable Mini-series1959 The Eustace Diamonds Hotel Manager 1 episode Emergency Ward 10 Policeman 1 episode1960 Probation Officer Mr. Sprigett 1 episode ITV Playhouse Auctioneer Episode: "Independent Means"Boyd Q.C. Mr. West Episode: "The Time of Day"1961 Police Sergeant Episode: "The Season of the Year" Hamlet Gravedigger Episode: "The Dread Command: The Readiness Is All" Coronation Street Frank Jackson 2 episodes Ghost Squad The Gunsmith Episode: "Assassin" The Pursuers Clive Episode: "The Accident"1962ITV Playhouse Second Old Man Episode: "The Jokers" Tom Rogers Episode: "Nuncle" Z-Cars Smith Episode: "Jail Break" ITV Play of the Week George Bland Episode: "A Lily in Little India"1963 BBC Sunday-Night Play Arnold Ramussen Episode: "Trial Run" Maupassant Cacheri Episode: "The Inheritance" The Saint George Hackett Episode: "The Well Meaning Mayor"1964 The Protectors Barnaby Episode: "No Forwarding Address"Drama 61-67 Father Episode: "The Close Prisoner" Mr. Pile Episode: "The Brick Umbrella" Thursday Theatre Harry Lancaster Episode: "The Cure for Love" Armchair Theatre Charles Lincoln Episode: "The Trial of Dr. Fancy" Gideon's Way Superintendent Fred Lee Episode: "To Catch a Tiger" Frankie Howerd 1 episodeZ-Cars Lowther Episode: "A Place of Safety"1965 Frank Burroughs Episode: "Checkmate" The Saint Weems Episode: "The Frightened Inn-Keeper" The Bed-Sit Girl Episode: "The Air Hostess" The Sullavan Brothers Arthur Green Episode: "Put Them Away for Keeps" It's Not Me, It's Them! Mr. Partridge Mini-series Here's Harry Episode: "The Tonic" Blackmail Henry Cobb Episode: "Cobb" The Avengers Croft Episode: "Silent Dust"No Hiding Place Inspector Cartwright Episode: "Pom-Pom"1966 Arthur Johnson Episode: "The Killing" Armchair Theatre Spooner Episode: "The Walls Came Tumbling Down" Theatre 625 William Oaks Episode: "A Man Like That" Harry Worth Fishwick Episode: "Move Man Move" Mrs Thursday Alfred Budge Episode: "Honesty Is the Best Policy" Hugh and I Episode: "Arabian Nights"ITV Play of the Week Ronald Bradshaw Episode: "The First Thing You Think Of" Dr. McTaggart Episode: "The Tormentors"1967 Henry Williams Episode: "Nice to Have You Back" Uncle George Episode: "A Brand New Scrubbing Brush" The Saint Inspector Mitchell Episode: "The Best Laid Schemes" The Baron Inspector Macauley Episode: "Roundabout" Z-Cars Prebble Episode: "Standard Procedure" Sanctuary Bob Lord Episode: "A Cup of Tea with the Fullers"Harry Worth Mr. Varley Episode: "What Ails You?"1968 Mr. Keenan Episode: "Money to Burn" Dr. Swinson Episode: "Match of the Day" The Saint Mr. Spode Episode: "The Organisation Man" The Very Merry Widow Mr. Jackson 1 and 2 Episode: "Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen" Half Hour Story Harry Episode: "The Pub Fighter"1969 ITV Sunday Night Theatre Father Episode: "Takeover" Adventure Weekly Mr. Potts Episode: "Take-Over" Department S Drayton Episode: "The Ghost of Mary Burnham" W. Somerset Maugham Arthur Low Episode: "A Casual Affair" Dixon of Dock Green Harold Milton Episode: "The Brimstone Man" Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) Elliot Episode: "But What a Sweet Little Room"1970 Armchair Theatre Walter Episode: "Up Among the Cuckoos" The Mating Machine Monty Episode: "Flo and Monty and Henry... and Henry" Comedy Playhouse Dad Episode: "Mind Your Own Business"Steptoe and Son Bank Manager Episode: "Men of Property" Mr. Dryson Episode: "Without Prejudice"1971 Hadleigh Knockholt Episode: "A Quiet Place in the Country" ITV Sunday Night Theatre Walter Episode: "The Wedding Gift" Budgie Inspector Upton Episode: "A Pair of Charlies" Paul Temple Proud Episode: "Paper Chase" Father, Dear Father Trevor Couch Episode: "The Naked Truth" The Guardians Tom Henryson Episode: "I Want You to Understand Me" Softly, Softly: Task Force Samuel Tomkins Episode: "Aberration" Suspicion Harry Beardsley Episode: "I Can See Your Lips Move"1972 Jason King Detective Inspector Fields Episode: "It's Too Bad About Auntie" The Organization Ken Grist 2 episodes His and Hers Post Office Man Episode: "Interference" Love Thy Neighbour Mr. Granger Episode: "Clarky Leaves" Till Death Us Do Part Landlord Episode: "Holiday in Bournemouth" Thirty-Minute Theatre Arthur Pendlebury Episode: "Tonight We Meet Arthur Pendlebury" Turnbull's Finest Half-Hour Harold Hudson 1 episode Arthur of the Britons Ambrose Episode: "Arthur Is Dead" My Wife Next Door Mr. Sweeting Episode: "Joint Assignment"1973 Comedy Playhouse Inspector Street Episode: "Elementary, My Dear Watson: The Strange Case of the Dead Solicitors" The Adventurer Brooks Episode: "Going, Going..." The Fenn Street Gang Mr. Craven Episode: "How to Handle a Woman" The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Inspector Trent Episode: "The Looting of the Specie Room" Owen, M.D. Harold Reynolds Episode: "Water Under the Bridge" An Evening with Francis Howerd 2 episodes ITV Sunday Night Theatre Stanley Nicholson Episode: "Reckoning Day" Thirty Minutes Worth 1 episode Up the Workers Sid Stubbins The Adventures of Black Beauty Rundle Episode: "The Outcast" Armchair 30 Agency Man Episode: "Ross Evan's Story"1974 My Good Woman George Stebbs Episode: "Two of a Kind" Bless This House Vet Episode: "Money Is the Root Of..." Marked Personal Lionel Mottram 2 episodes The Dick Emery Show 2 episode1975 Crown Court Garfield Lawrence Episode: "Saboteur: Part 1" Public Eye Arthur Biddle Episode: "Lifer" Rising Damp Vicar Episode: "Things That Go Bump in the Night"1976 Happy Ever After Mr. Fletcher Episode: "June's Day in Bed" Angels Henry Rudolfs Episode: "A Woman of Property" The Basil Brush Show 1 episode The Chiffy Kids Farmer Episode: "Pot Luck" CBS Children's Film Festival Episode: "Chimpmates" 1976-1977 Yanks Go Home Leonard Chambers Series regular1977 Two's Company Mr. Bunn Episode: "The Rubbish" The Mike Reid Show 3 episodes Seven Faces of Woman Ken Episode: "She: Carol" Raffles Sergeant Holly Episode: "A Bad Night" Miss Jones and Son Dad 3 episodes Graham's Gang Old Gentleman Episode: "Camaraderie"1978All Creatures Great and Small Farmer Benson Episode: "Attendant Problems" Jackanory Playhouse King Episode: "The Princess Who Couldn't Laugh" Coronation Street Joe Hibbert 2 episodes Do You Remember? Eddie Episode: "The Bonus" Life Begins at Forty Dr. Gardiner Episode: "Alarms and Excursions" Return of the Saint Morgan Episode: "Assault Force" Everyday Maths Mr. Brook Episode: "Time and Table"1979 Fawlty Towers Mr. Arrad Episode: "Waldorf Salad" Thomas & Sarah Gilbert 2 episodes The Glums Office Manager 1 episode Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson Anthony Denham Episode: "A Motive for Murder" 1979-1981 Worzel Gummidge Mr. Braithwaite Series regular1980 Take the High Road Roger Primrose The Jim Davidson Show 1 episode All Creatures Great and Small Rob Benson Episode: "Alarms & Excursions" Hammer House of Horror Basil Episode: "The Thirteenth Reunion" To Serve Them All My Days Alderman Blunt Recurring role1981 Yes Minister Brian Baker Episode: "The Compassionate Society" Misfits Harold Forbes Episode: "Happy Ever After" Juliet Bravo Knowles Episode: "A Private Place" Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years Sir Maurice Hanley Episode: "The Long Tide of Surrender" The Adventure Game Captain Acteon 1 episode1982 Legacy of Murder Policeman Episode: "Holy Smoke" Break Point Major Houghton-Jones Mini-series1983 The Fourth Arm Colonel Cole 1 episode The Gaffer Town Clerk Episode: "Council of War" 1984 Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense Henry Bircher Episode: "Black Carrion"1985 Up the Elephant and Round the Castle Man from British Rail Episode: "The Taste of Money" One by One Marcus Garnet 2 episodes High & Dry Frank Short Episode: "Pilot"1986 The Practice Cyril Fielding 1 episode Help! Mr. Peabody Episode: "A Grave Mistake" Lytton's Diary Charles Adams 2 episodes Buddy Mr. Normington 3 episodes 1987 Ever Decreasing Circles Man Episode: "The Footpath" 1989 Woof! Mayor Episode: "Heroes"1990 After Henry Episode: "Party Politics" Stay Lucky George Episode: "Bigamy Blues" 1991 Second Thoughts Ted Episode: "Found and Lost"1992 Bookmark Man on Bus Episode: "Miss Pym's Day Out" Screen One Radley Episode: "Born Kicking" Boon Bob Wooley Episode: "Love or Money" Kinsey Roy 2 episodes1996 Screen Two Grandfather Episode: "Crossing the Floor" Spywatch Mr. Jenkins Series regular