Liz Smith

Acting

Liz Smith

Born December 11, 1921 · Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, UK

Died December 24, 2016 · aged 95

Betty Gleadle (December 11, 1921 – December 24, 2016), known by the stage name Liz Smith, was an English character actress, known for her roles in BBC sitcoms, including as Annie Brandon in I Didn't Know You Cared (1975–1979), the sisters Bette and Belle in 2point4 Children (1991–1999), Letitia Cropley in The Vicar of Dibley (1994–1996) and Norma Speakman ("Nana") in The Royle Family (1998–2000, 2…

Known For

Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryCharlie and the Chocolate Factory · 2005
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
7.02005
MovieAdventureComedy
A young boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate factory in the world, led by the world's most unusual candy maker.
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-RabbitWallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit · 2005
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
7.12005
MovieAdventureAnimation
Cheese-loving eccentric Wallace and his cunning canine pal Gromit run a business ridding the town of garden pests. Using only humane methods, which turns their home into a halfway house for evicted vermin, the pair stumble upon a mystery involving a voracious vegetarian monster that threatens to ruin the annual veggie-growing contest.
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her LoverThe Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover · 1989
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
7.31989
MovieCrimeDrama
When churlish mobster Albert Spica acquires an upscale French restaurant in London, he dines there nightly, effectively scaring off the clientele with his bad manners. His wife, Georgina, is especially disgusted by him, and soon begins an affair with regular guest Michael. Despite their best efforts to keep it secret, Spica learns about their trysts, and he plots a terrible revenge.
City of EmberCity of Ember · 2008
City of Ember
6.42008
MovieAdventureFamily
For generations, the people of the City of Ember have flourished in an amazing world of glittering lights. But Ember's once powerful generator is failing and the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker. Now, two teenagers, in a race against time, must search Ember for clues that will unlock the ancient mystery of the city's existence, before the the lights go out forever.
Son of the Pink PantherSon of the Pink Panther · 1993
Son of the Pink Panther
4.61993
MovieComedyCrime
The illegitimate son of Inspector Clouseau is on the case of the kidnapped Princess Yasmin.
Oliver TwistOliver Twist · 2005
Oliver Twist
6.82005
MovieCrimeDrama
When 9-year-old orphan Oliver Twist dares to ask his cruel taskmaster, Mr. Bumble, for a second serving of gruel, he's hired out as an apprentice. Escaping that dismal fate, young Oliver falls in with the street urchin known as the Artful Dodger and his criminal mentor, Fagin. When kindly Mr. Brownlow takes Oliver in, Fagin's evil henchman Bill Sikes plots to kidnap the boy.
Tube TalesTube Tales · 1999
Tube Tales
5.31999
MovieDrama
Nine short stories based on the true experiences of London Underground passengers: "Mr. Cool" (Amy Jenkins, dir.); "Horny" (Stephen Hopkins); "Grasshopper" (Menhaj Huda); "My Father the Liar" (Bob Hoskins); "Bone" (Ewan McGregor); "Mouth" (Armando Iannucci); "A Bird in the Hand" (Jude Law); "Rosebud" (Gaby Dellal); "Steal Away" (Charles McDougall)
Keeping MumKeeping Mum · 2005
Keeping Mum
6.72005
MovieComedy
A pastor preoccupied with writing the perfect sermon fails to realize that his wife is having an affair and his children are up to no good.

Movies

Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryCharlie and the Chocolate Factory · 2005
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
7.02005
MovieAdventureComedy
A young boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate factory in the world, led by the world's most unusual candy maker.
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-RabbitWallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit · 2005
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
7.12005
MovieAdventureAnimation
Cheese-loving eccentric Wallace and his cunning canine pal Gromit run a business ridding the town of garden pests. Using only humane methods, which turns their home into a halfway house for evicted vermin, the pair stumble upon a mystery involving a voracious vegetarian monster that threatens to ruin the annual veggie-growing contest.
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her LoverThe Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover · 1989
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
7.31989
MovieCrimeDrama
When churlish mobster Albert Spica acquires an upscale French restaurant in London, he dines there nightly, effectively scaring off the clientele with his bad manners. His wife, Georgina, is especially disgusted by him, and soon begins an affair with regular guest Michael. Despite their best efforts to keep it secret, Spica learns about their trysts, and he plots a terrible revenge.
City of EmberCity of Ember · 2008
City of Ember
6.42008
MovieAdventureFamily
For generations, the people of the City of Ember have flourished in an amazing world of glittering lights. But Ember's once powerful generator is failing and the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker. Now, two teenagers, in a race against time, must search Ember for clues that will unlock the ancient mystery of the city's existence, before the the lights go out forever.
Son of the Pink PantherSon of the Pink Panther · 1993
Son of the Pink Panther
4.61993
MovieComedyCrime
The illegitimate son of Inspector Clouseau is on the case of the kidnapped Princess Yasmin.
Oliver TwistOliver Twist · 2005
Oliver Twist
6.82005
MovieCrimeDrama
When 9-year-old orphan Oliver Twist dares to ask his cruel taskmaster, Mr. Bumble, for a second serving of gruel, he's hired out as an apprentice. Escaping that dismal fate, young Oliver falls in with the street urchin known as the Artful Dodger and his criminal mentor, Fagin. When kindly Mr. Brownlow takes Oliver in, Fagin's evil henchman Bill Sikes plots to kidnap the boy.
Tube TalesTube Tales · 1999
Tube Tales
5.31999
MovieDrama
Nine short stories based on the true experiences of London Underground passengers: "Mr. Cool" (Amy Jenkins, dir.); "Horny" (Stephen Hopkins); "Grasshopper" (Menhaj Huda); "My Father the Liar" (Bob Hoskins); "Bone" (Ewan McGregor); "Mouth" (Armando Iannucci); "A Bird in the Hand" (Jude Law); "Rosebud" (Gaby Dellal); "Steal Away" (Charles McDougall)
Keeping MumKeeping Mum · 2005
Keeping Mum
6.72005
MovieComedy
A pastor preoccupied with writing the perfect sermon fails to realize that his wife is having an affair and his children are up to no good.
Curse of the Pink PantherCurse of the Pink Panther · 1983
Curse of the Pink Panther
4.61983
MovieComedyCrime
Inspector Clouseau disappears, and the Surete wants the world's second best detective to look for him. However, Clouseau's enemy, Dreyfus, rigs the Surete's computer to select, instead, the world's WORST detective, NYPD Sgt. Clifton Sleigh. Sleigh obtusely bungles his way past assassins and corrupt officials as though he were Clouseau's American cousin.
The DuellistsThe Duellists · 1977
The Duellists
7.21977
MovieDramaWar
In 1800, as Napoleon Bonaparte rises to power in France, a rivalry erupts between Armand and Gabriel, two lieutenants in the French Army, over a perceived insult. For over a decade, they engage in a series of duels amidst larger conflicts, including the failed French invasion of Russia in 1812, and shifts in the political and social systems of Europe.
Alice in WonderlandAlice in Wonderland · 1999
Alice in Wonderland
6.21999
MovieFantasyFamily
Alice follows a white rabbit down a rabbit-hole into a whimsical Wonderland, where she meets characters like the delightful Cheshire Cat, the clumsy White Knight, a rude caterpillar, and the hot-tempered Queen of Hearts and can grow ten feet tall or shrink to three inches. But will she ever be able to return home?
A Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol · 1984
A Christmas Carol
7.51984
MovieDramaFantasy
Miser Ebenezer Scrooge is awakened on Christmas Eve by spirits who reveal to him his own miserable existence, what opportunities he wasted in his youth, his current cruelties, and the dire fate that awaits him if he does not change his ways. Scrooge is faced with his own story of growing bitterness and meanness, and must decide what his own future will hold: death or redemption.
A Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol · 1999
A Christmas Carol
7.01999
MovieDramaFantasy
Miser Ebenezer Scrooge is awakened on Christmas Eve by spirits who reveal to him his own miserable existence, what opportunities he wasted in his youth, his current cruelties, and the dire fate that awaits him if he does not change his ways. Scrooge is faced with his own story of growing bitterness and meanness, and must decide what his own future will hold: death or redemption.
The French Lieutenant's WomanThe French Lieutenant's Woman · 1981
The French Lieutenant's Woman
6.51981
MovieDramaRomance
In this story-within-a-story, Anna is an actress starring opposite Mike in a period piece about the forbidden love between their respective characters, Sarah and Charles. Both actors are involved in serious relationships, but the passionate nature of the script leads to an off-camera love affair as well. While attempting to maintain their composure and professionalism, Anna and Mike struggle to come to terms with their infidelity.
Secrets & LiesSecrets & Lies · 1996
Secrets & Lies
7.61996
MovieDrama
After her adoptive mother dies, Hortense, a successful black optometrist, seeks out her birth mother. She's shocked when her research leads her to Cynthia, a working class white woman.
Separate TablesSeparate Tables · 1983
Separate Tables
6.61983
MovieDramaTV Movie
Two one-act plays explore love and loneliness. In "Table by the Window" an aging fashion model contrives a reunion with her ex-husband, a politician ruined by scandal, and their passion is rekindled. In "Table Number Seven" a meek woman harbors a secret love for a man accused of fraud and sex offenses, forcing her to take a stand for the first time in her life.
HauntedHaunted · 1995
Haunted
6.11995
MovieMysteryHorror
Professor David Ash exposes false spiritulists and mediums. He is invited to Edbrook to resolve the fears and torments within its secretive family. Soon after arriving Ash begins to doubt his own senses, and watching the strange behaviour of its residents does not make his task any easier. In time, he finds there's more to Edbrook than even he can debunk.
Anna SpudAnna Spud · 2003
Anna Spud
2003
MovieAnimationComedy
Anna Spud is the grumpiest little girl in the world. The prospect of long car journey trapped with her parents sounds 'rubbish'. But along the way, she finds an unlikely ally in her equally grumpy Gran.
The Monster ClubThe Monster Club · 1981
The Monster Club
5.81981
MovieHorrorComedy
A vampire attacks a horror author on the street and then invites him to a nearby club as a gesture of gratitude, which turns out to be a meeting place for assorted creatures of the night. The vampire then regales him with three stories, each interspersed with musical performances at the club.
Trail of the Pink PantherTrail of the Pink Panther · 1982
Trail of the Pink Panther
5.21982
MovieComedyCrime
The Pink Panther diamond is stolen once again from Lugash and the authorities call in Chief Inspector Clouseau from France. His plane disappears en-route. This time, famous French TV reporter Marie Jouvet sets out to solve the mystery and starts to interview everybody connected to Clouseau.
When We Are MarriedWhen We Are Married · 1987
When We Are Married
7.01987
MovieComedy
Three married couples discover that, through a legal technicality, they are, in fact, not actually married in the eyes of the law. This was the fifth television film version of this play by J.B. Priestley made by the BBC.
AgathaAgatha · 1979
Agatha
6.11979
MovieDramaMystery
England, 1926. An American journalist looks for mystery writer Agatha Christie when she suddenly disappears without explanation, leaving no trace.
The Revengers' ComediesThe Revengers' Comedies · 1998
The Revengers' Comedies
5.81998
MovieComedyCrime
After saving each other from jumping off a bridge, Henry Bell and Karen Knightly plot to avenge the people who drove them to suicide. Henry will ruin the life of the woman who married Karen's boyfriend, while Karen will work as a secretary for the man who took Henry's job. Whether revenge will be sweet – or bittersweet – is anyone's guess.
A Private FunctionA Private Function · 1984
A Private Function
6.41984
MovieComedy
In the summer of 1947, Britain prepares to commemorate the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. To get around food-rationing laws, Dr. Charles Swaby, accountant Henry Allardyce and solicitor Frank Lockwood are fattening a black-market pig for the big day. Egged on by his wife, meek Gilbert Chilvers steals the swine, but the couple must conceal it from inspector Morris Wormold.

TV Shows

The Graham Norton ShowThe Graham Norton Show · 2007
The Graham Norton Show
7.22007
SeriesComedy
Each week celebrity guests join Irish comedian Graham Norton to discuss what's being going on around the world that week. The guests poke fun and share their opinions on the main news stories. Graham is often joined by a band or artist to play the show out.
CasualtyCasualty · 1986
Casualty
6.21986
SeriesDrama
Drama series about the staff and patients at Holby City Hospital's emergency department, charting the ups and downs in their personal and professional lives.
Screen TwoScreen Two · 1985
Screen Two
7.11985
SeriesDrama
Series of single made-for-television dramas.
WoganWogan · 1982
Wogan
5.31982
Series
Chat show hosted by Terry Wogan, featuring live studio interviews with famous and notable personalities.
Play for TodayPlay for Today · 1970
Play for Today
6.61970
SeriesDrama
Play for Today is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage plays and novels, were transmitted. The individual episodes were between fifty and a hundred minutes in duration.
Crown CourtCrown Court · 1972
Crown Court
5.71972
SeriesDrama
Crown Court is an afternoon television courtroom drama produced by Granada Television for the ITV network that ran from 1972, when the Crown Court system replaced Assize courts and Quarter sessions in the legal system of England and Wales, to 1984.
V.I.P.V.I.P. · 1998
V.I.P.
5.31998
SeriesComedy
While attending a Hollywood premiere with a famous action star, a crazed fan pulls a gun—but her movie hunk turns into a coward, and it's Vallery who becomes the hero. Suddenly, she's thrown into a world of action and danger as owner of a Hollywood protection agency, Vallery Irons Protection (V.I.P.), taking risks to protect others at a price few are willing to pay.
Tony AwardsTony Awards · 1956
Tony Awards
1956
Series
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway productions and performances, and an award is given for regional theatre.
The BillThe Bill · 1984
The Bill
6.81984
SeriesCrimeDrama
The daily lives of the men and women at Sun Hill Police Station as they fight crime on the streets of London. From bomb threats to armed robbery and drug raids to the routine demands of policing this ground-breaking series focuses as much on crime as it does on the personal lives of its characters.
American MastersAmerican Masters · 1986
American Masters
7.01986
SeriesDocumentary
American Masters is a PBS television series which produces biographies on enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists, filmmakers, and others who have left an indelible impression on the cultural landscape of the United States.
Last of the Summer WineLast of the Summer Wine · 1973
Last of the Summer Wine
7.11973
SeriesComedy
Unencumbered by wives, jobs or any other responsibilities, three senior citizens who've never really grown up explore their world in the Yorkshire Dales. They spend their days speculating about their fellow townsfolk and thinking up adventures not usually favored by the elderly. Last of the Summer Wine premiered as an episode of Comedy Playhouse in 1973. The show ran for 295 episodes until 2010. It is the longest running comedy Britain has produced and the longest running sitcom in the world.
The Paul O'Grady ShowThe Paul O'Grady Show · 2004
The Paul O'Grady Show
5.12004
SeriesComedy
The Paul O'Grady Show is a British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV before moving to Channel 4, where the show was produced by Olga TV. The programme is a teatime chat show consisting of a mixture of celebrity guests, comic stunts, musical performances, and occasionally viewer competitions.
The SweeneyThe Sweeney · 1975
The Sweeney
8.01975
SeriesDrama
Jack Regan, an unethical officer of the Flying Squad, uses unorthodox methods to pursue criminals with the help of his partner, George Carter.
Shooting StarsShooting Stars · 1993
Shooting Stars
7.71993
SeriesComedy
Shooting Stars is a British television comedy panel game broadcast on BBC Two as a pilot in 1993, then as 3 full series from 1995 to 1997, then on BBC Choice from January to December 2002 with 2 series before returning to BBC Two for another 3 series from 2008 until its cancellation in 2011. Created and hosted by double-act Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, it uses the panel show format but with the comedians' often slapstick, surreal and anarchic humour does not rely on rules in order to function, with the pair apparently ignoring existing rules or inventing new ones as and when the mood takes them.
Trial & RetributionTrial & Retribution · 1997
Trial & Retribution
6.81997
SeriesCrimeDrama
Devised and written by Lynda La Plante as a follow-on from her successful television series Prime Suspect, this vast police procedural follows police detectives in England as they investigate crimes and the trials that come about as a result.
V Graham NortonV Graham Norton · 2002
V Graham Norton
5.32002
SeriesComedy
V Graham Norton was an entertainment programme shown on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom starring Graham Norton, broadcast every weeknight as a successor to the weekly So Graham Norton. It aired from 6 May 2002 to 26 December 2003. It featured celebrities who chatted with Graham and became involved in studio games which were usually laden with sexual innuendo. The studio games were later featured on the clip show Nortonland in 2007 on digital channel Challenge. The show featured a 'webcam', a roving television camera which was randomly situated in a different place in the UK each week and which followed Graham's instructions and allowed him to interact with the public live. The feature was made technically possible using digital microwave link technology provided by Rear Window Television with the 'spontaneous' webcam feature always produced as a full quality Outside Broadcast, before being made to look like a traditional webcam at the studios.
PerformancePerformance · 1991
Performance
6.31991
SeriesDrama
An anthology series of various plays and dramatic performances.
An Audience with...An Audience with... · 1978
An Audience with...
5.31978
Series
An Audience with... is a British entertainment television show produced by London Weekend Television, in which a host, usually a singer or comedian, performs for an invited audience of celebrity guests, interspersed with questions from the audience, in a light hearted revue/tribute style.
Screen OneScreen One · 1989
Screen One
7.21989
SeriesDrama
Anthology drama series.
Lark Rise to CandlefordLark Rise to Candleford · 2008
Lark Rise to Candleford
8.42008
SeriesDrama
Set in the small hamlet of Lark Rise and the wealthier neighbouring market town, Candleford, the series chronicles the daily lives of farm-workers, craftsmen and gentry at the end of the 19th Century. Lark Rise to Candleford is a love letter to a vanished corner of rural England and a heart-warming drama series teeming with wit, wisdom and romance.
The Young Indiana Jones ChroniclesThe Young Indiana Jones Chronicles · 1992
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
6.51992
SeriesDrama
At the dawn of the 20th century, Indiana Jones discovered the world. From globetrotting family expeditions as a 9-year-old to the battlefields of World War I as a teenager, Indy’s experiences shaped the heroic, whip-cracking archaeologist he would become. At every turn, Indy encounters history in the making, meeting true-life activists, soldiers, writers, artists, and thinkers who helped influence the world we live in today.
LovejoyLovejoy · 1986
Lovejoy
7.41986
SeriesComedyDrama
The adventures of the eponymous Lovejoy, a likeable but roguish antiques dealer based in East Anglia. Within the trade, he has a reputation as a “divvie”, a person with an almost supernatural powers for recognising exceptional items as well as distinguishing genuine antique from clever fakes or forgeries.
The Ruth Rendell MysteriesThe Ruth Rendell Mysteries · 1987
The Ruth Rendell Mysteries
6.61987
SeriesDramaMystery
The Ruth Rendell mysteries is a British television series made by TVS and Meridian Television for ITV between 2 August 1987 and 11 October 2000.
Worlds BeyondWorlds Beyond · 1986
Worlds Beyond
5.81986
SeriesDramaSci-Fi & Fantasy
Worlds Beyond is a British television anthology broadcast on ITV from 1986 to 1988, based on real-life supernatural experiences described in archival documents from the Society for Psychical Research. A book was also released to accompany the series.