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).
Acted in 110
1990s
- 1996
Crossing the Floor
Grandfather
- 1993
Shadowlands
Taxi Driver Witness
- 1992
Born Kicking
Mr Radley
Miss Pym's Day Out
Man on Bus
1980s
- 1988
After Henry
Mr Henderson · 1 episode
- 1986
Buddy
Mr Normington
- 1985
Lytton's Diary
Charles Adams · 2 episodes
- 1984
This Office Life
Seeds
A Voyage Round My Father
Ham
- 1983
The Fourth Arm
Col. Cole · 1 episode
- 1982
The Ghost Downstairs
Mr. Morris
Break Point
Major Houghton-Jones · 3 episodes
- 1981
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years
Sir Maurice Hanley · 1 episode
If You Go Down in the Woods Today
Doctor
- 1980
A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
Mr Braithwaite
To Serve Them All My Days
Alderman Blunt · 4 episodes
1970s
- 1979
Thomas & Sarah
Gilbert · 2 episodes
- 1978
The Glums
Office Manager · 1 episode
Life Begins at Forty
Dr Gardiner · 1 episode
- 1977
Miss Jones And Son
TV
Raffles
TV
- 1976
Yanks Go Home
Leonard Chambers · 7 episodes
- 1975
Two's Company
Mr. Bunn · 1 episode
King Arthur, the Young Warlord
Ambrose
- 1974
- 1973
Up The Workers
Sid Stubbins · 14 episodes
Elementary, My Dear Watson
Inspector Street
- 1972
Arthur of the Britons
Ambrose · 1 episode
Ooh...You Are Awful
Warder Burke
My Wife Next Door
TV
Young Winston
Party Chairman
The Organization
Ken Grist · 2 episodes
Shirley's World
TV
Doomwatch
Brewer
- 1971
The Guardians
Tom Henryson · 1 episode
Please Sir!
Reynolds
The Raging Moon
Dr Matthews
- 1970
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
Alderman Poot
The Virgin and the Gypsy
Uncle Fred
1960s
- 1969
Run a Crooked Mile
Sgt. Hooper
Oh! What a Lovely War
Training Sgt (uncredited)
The Limbo Line
Movie
All at Sea
Mr. Danvers
- 1968
A Dandy in Aspic
Copperfield
- 1967
Half Hour Story
Harry · 1 episode
- 1966
The Wrong Box
Clergyman
Sky West and Crooked
Mr. Cheeseman - undertaker
- 1965
The Hill
Commandant
- 1964
The Black Torment
Harris
The Beauty Jungle
Mr. Edward Freeman
First Men in the Moon
Stuart
The Bargee
Waterways Supervisor Albert Williams
The Protectors
Barnaby · 1 episode
- 1963
80,000 Suspects
Harold Davis
Maniac
Salon
The Punch and Judy Man
Reginald Fletcher
Bitter Harvest
Mr. Pitt
The Mind Benders
Aubrey
The Cracksman
Policeman
- 1962
Term of Trial
Mr. Taylor
- 1961
Cash on Demand
Arthur Sanderson
Whistle Down the Wind
Eddie
The Secret Partner
Ralph Beldon
Very Important Person
Senior British Officer Travers
- 1960
Man in the Moon
Herbert
The League of Gentlemen
Weaver
The Angry Silence
Roberts
1950s
- 1959
- 1956
Armchair Theatre
Walter, Charles Lincoln, Spooner · 1 episode
- 1954
An Inspector Calls
Jones-Collins - Foreman
