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Liz Smith

Acting

Liz Smith

Born December 11, 1921 · Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, UK · Died December 24, 2016

Biography

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, 2006). She also played Zillah in Lark Rise to Candleford (2008) and won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the 1984 film A Private Function.

Known for

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

7.0 TMDB

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Grandma Georgina

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

7.1 TMDB

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Mrs. Mulch (voice)

City of Ember

6.4 TMDB

City of Ember

Granny

Oliver Twist

6.8 TMDB

Oliver Twist

Old Woman

Secrets & Lies

IMDb8.0

Secrets & Lies

Woman with Cat

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover

7.3 TMDB

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover

Grace

The Duellists

7.3 TMDB

The Duellists

Fortune Teller

Keeping Mum

6.7 TMDB

Keeping Mum

Mrs. Parker

A Christmas Carol

7.5 TMDB

A Christmas Carol

Mrs. Dilber

Alice in Wonderland

6.2 TMDB

Alice in Wonderland

Miss Lory

Trail of the Pink Panther

5.1 TMDB

Trail of the Pink Panther

Martha Balls (archive footage)

The Graham Norton Show

7.2 TMDB

The Graham Norton Show

Self

High Spirits

5.8 TMDB

High Spirits

Mrs. Plunkett

Son of the Pink Panther

4.6 TMDB

Son of the Pink Panther

Marta Balls

The French Lieutenant's Woman

6.5 TMDB

The French Lieutenant's Woman

Mrs. Fairley

A Christmas Carol

7.0 TMDB

A Christmas Carol

Mrs. Dilber

Curse of the Pink Panther

4.6 TMDB

Curse of the Pink Panther

Marta Balls

Haunted

6.1 TMDB

Haunted

Old gypsy woman

Pretty Princess

5.6 TMDB

Pretty Princess

regina madre

Bottom

7.9 TMDB

Bottom

Fortune Teller

Filmography

  1. 2026Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top ModelSelf - Good Day New York (archive footage)Series
  2. 2010The Royle Family: Behind the SofaSelfMovie
  3. 2008City of EmberGrannyMovie
  4. 2008FlickMaMovie
  5. 2008Lark Rise to CandlefordZillahSeries
  6. 2007The Graham Norton ShowSelfSeries
  7. 2006The Magic FluteThe Old PapagenaMovie
  8. 2005Keeping MumMrs. ParkerMovie
  9. 2005Oliver TwistOld WomanMovie
  10. 2005Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-RabbitMrs. Mulch (voice)Movie
  11. 2005Dead CoolLizMovie
  12. 2005Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryGrandma GeorginaMovie
  13. 2004The Paul O'Grady ShowSeries
  14. 2004NeroSoothsayerMovie
  15. 2004Imperium: NeroSacrilegaSeries
  16. 2003Between The SheetsSeries
  17. 2002A Good ThiefLizzieMovie
  18. 2002V Graham NortonSelfSeries
  19. 2001The Life and Adventures of Nicholas NicklebyPeg SliderskewMovie
  20. 2000Donovan QuickGrannyMovie
  21. 2000A Christmas CarolJoyceMovie
  22. 2000The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Espionage EscapadesDelfinaMovie
  23. 1999A Christmas CarolMrs. DilberMovie
  24. 1999Oliver TwistSallySeries
  25. 1999Tube TalesOlder Lady (segment "Horny")Movie
  26. 1999Tom's Midnight GardenMrs WillowsMovie
  27. 1999It's Only TV But I Like ItSelfSeries
  28. 1999Alice in WonderlandMiss LoryMovie
  29. 1998V.I.P.Self - Gossip ColumnistSeries
  30. 1998Wife of BathHag (voice)Movie
  31. 1998The Royle FamilyNorma 'Nana' SpeakmanSeries
  32. 1998So Graham NortonSelfSeries
  33. 1998The Revengers' ComediesWinnieMovie
  34. 1998AnthrakitisDollyMovie
  35. 1997Keep the Aspidistra FlyingMrs MeakinMovie
  36. 1997Trial & RetributionMrs Dorothy NortonSeries
  37. 1996An Evening with Lily SavageSelf - Audience MemberMovie
  38. 1996Secrets & LiesWoman with CatMovie
  39. 1996KaraokeMrs BaglinSeries
  40. 1995The Queen's NoseGrandmaSeries
  41. 1995HauntedOld gypsy womanMovie
  42. 1995Crapston VillasDelia (voice)Series
  43. 1994The Vicar of DibleyLetitia CropleySeries
  44. 1994Doggin' AroundMrs. ThompsonMovie
  45. 1994Takin' Over the AsylumHarrietSeries
  46. 1993Shooting StarsSelfSeries
  47. 1993Pretty Princessregina madreMovie
  48. 1993Son of the Pink PantherMarta BallsMovie
  49. 1992Dakota RoadJoan BensonMovie
  50. 1992The Young Indiana Jones ChroniclesDelfinaSeries
  51. 1991NonaAnyulaMovie
  52. 1991PerformanceAnyulaSeries
  53. 1991BottomFortune TellerSeries
  54. 19912Point4 ChildrenBette, Auntie BelleSeries
  55. 1990CluedoMrs. WhiteSeries
  56. 1990Night of 100 Stars IIISelfMovie
  57. 1990Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His MusicSelfMovie
  58. 1990El C.I.D.MildredSeries
  59. 1990Drowning in the Shallow EndAgentMovie
  60. 1989The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her LoverGraceMovie
  61. 1989Screen OneMrs. ThompsonSeries
  62. 1989Apartment ZeroMary Louise McKinneyMovie
  63. 1989Bert Rigby, You're a FoolMrs. RigbyMovie
  64. 1989Words of LoveGranMovie
  65. 1989Young Charlie ChaplinMrs. GreenwoodSeries
  66. 1988We Think the World of YouMillieMovie
  67. 1988High SpiritsMrs. PlunkettMovie
  68. 1988Jake's JourneyWitchMovie
  69. 1987When We Are MarriedMrs NorthropMovie
  70. 1987Little DorritMrs. BanghamMovie
  71. 1987The Ruth Rendell MysteriesLena FinnSeries
  72. 1987Imaginary FriendsMilly MungerSeries
  73. 1986Worlds BeyondMrs WattsSeries
  74. 1986The Life and Loves of a She-DevilMrs FisherSeries
  75. 1986CasualtyTillieSeries
  76. 1986American MastersSelfSeries
  77. 1986HaremMrs. PendletonMovie
  78. 1986LovejoyFlorenceSeries
  79. 1985All in Good FaithAnnie FreemanSeries
  80. 1985Mann's Best FriendsMrs. AnstrutherSeries
  81. 1985Screen TwoMrs. Slatterthwaite, Gran, AgentSeries
  82. 1984A Private FunctionMotherMovie
  83. 1984The BillSeries
  84. 1984A Christmas CarolMrs. DilberMovie
  85. 1983Agatha Christie's Partners in CrimeHannah MacphersonSeries
  86. 1983Curse of the Pink PantherMarta BallsMovie
  87. 1983Fanny HillMrs. Jones (uncredited)Movie
  88. 1983Separate TablesMiss MeachamMovie
  89. 1982Trail of the Pink PantherMartha Balls (archive footage)Movie
  90. 1982Crystal GazingLady in PubMovie
  91. 1982Mike Leigh: Making PlaysSelf (archive footage)Movie
  92. 1982Britannia HospitalMaisieMovie
  93. 1982WoganSelfSeries
  94. 1981The French Lieutenant's WomanMrs. FairleyMovie
  95. 1981The Monster ClubVillagerMovie
  96. 1980Sir Henry at Rawlinson EndLady Phillipa of StainesMovie
  97. 1979AgathaFloraMovie
  98. 1978An Audience with...SelfSeries
  99. 1977The Testing of Eric OlthwaiteMrs. BagMovie
  100. 1977The DuellistsFortune TellerMovie
  101. 1977The Stick UpHotel ManageressMovie
  102. 1977Nicholas NicklebyPeg SliderskewSeries
  103. 1977Spend Spend SpendKeith's GrannyMovie
  104. 1976The Hunchback of Notre DameLa FalourdelMovie
  105. 1976It Shouldn't Happen to a VetMrs. DoddsMovie
  106. 1976The Duchess of Duke StreetNannySeries
  107. 1976Ripping YarnsMrs. BagSeries
  108. 1975It's a Lovely Day TomorrowVi BellMovie
  109. 1975I Didn't Know You CaredAnnie BrandonSeries
  110. 1975The SweeneyMrs. DaviesSeries
  111. 1974No, HonestlyMaySeries
  112. 1974Village HallMrs WhalleySeries
  113. 1973Jack PointMrs. MatthewsMovie
  114. 1973Hard LabourMrs. ThornleyMovie
  115. 1973Last of the Summer WineHousekeeperSeries
  116. 1972Crown CourtSeries
  117. 1972Bleak MomentsPat's MotherMovie
  118. 1970Play for TodayMrs. Thornley, Mrs. Mathews, Mrs. Pritchett, Mrs. Oxfam, Keith's Granny, ElfieSeries
  119. 1970Leo the LastRaving Tenant (uncredited)Movie
  120. 1969In Loving MemoryHilda PardoeSeries