Liz Smith
Born: 1921-12-11 in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, UK
Died: 2016-12-24
Known For: Acting
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.
Filmography
2026
- Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model as Self - Good Day New York (archive footage)
2010
2009
- The Antiques Rogue Show as Olive Greenhalgh
2008
- City of Ember as Granny
- Lark Rise to Candleford as Zillah
- Flick as Ma
2007
- The Graham Norton Show as Self
2006
- The Magic Flute as The Old Papagena
2005
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as Grandma Georgina
- Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit as Mrs. Mulch (voice)
- Keeping Mum as Mrs. Parker
- Oliver Twist as Old Woman
- Dead Cool as Liz
2004
- The Paul O'Grady Show
- Imperium: Nero as Sacrilega
- Nero as Soothsayer
2003
- Between The Sheets
- Anna Spud as Gran
2002
- V Graham Norton as Self
- A Good Thief as Lizzie
2001
- Treasure as Voices
- The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby as Peg Sliderskew
- The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby as Peg Sliderskew
2000
- The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Espionage Escapades as Delfina
- Donovan Quick as Granny
- A Christmas Carol as Joyce
1999
- Alice in Wonderland as Miss Lory
- It's Only TV But I Like It as Self
- Oliver Twist as Sally
- A Christmas Carol as Mrs. Dilber
- Tube Tales as Older Lady (segment "Horny")
- Tom's Midnight Garden as Mrs Willows
1998
- V.I.P. as Self - Gossip Columnist
- The Royle Family as Norma 'Nana' Speakman
- So Graham Norton as Self
- The Revengers' Comedies as Winnie
- Wife of Bath as Hag (voice)
- Anthrakitis as Dolly
1997
- Trial & Retribution as Mrs Dorothy Norton
- Keep the Aspidistra Flying as Mrs Meakin
1996
- Karaoke as Mrs Baglin
- Secrets & Lies as Woman with Cat
- An Evening with Lily Savage as Self - Audience Member
1995
- The Queen's Nose as Grandma
- Crapston Villas as Delia (voice)
- Haunted as Old gypsy woman
1994
- The Vicar of Dibley as Letitia Cropley
- Takin' Over the Asylum as Harriet
- Pirates as Gran
- Doggin' Around as Mrs. Thompson
1993
- Shooting Stars as Self
- Son of the Pink Panther as Marta Balls
- Pretty Princess as regina madre
1992
- The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles as Delfina
- Dakota Road as Joan Benson
1991
- Performance as Anyula
- 2Point4 Children as Bette
- Bottom as Fortune Teller
- Nona as Anyula
1990
- Cluedo as Mrs. White
- El C.I.D. as Mildred
- Night of 100 Stars III as Self
- Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music as Self
- Drowning in the Shallow End as Agent
1989
- Screen One as Mrs. Thompson
- The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover as Grace
- Young Charlie Chaplin as Mrs. Greenwood
- Apartment Zero as Mary Louise McKinney
- Bert Rigby, You're a Fool as Mrs. Rigby
- Words of Love as Gran
1988
- High Spirits as Mrs. Plunkett
- We Think the World of You as Millie
- Jake's Journey as Witch
1987
- The Ruth Rendell Mysteries as Lena Finn
- Valentine Park as Mrs. Giles
- Little Dorrit as Mrs. Bangham
- When We Are Married as Mrs Northrop
- On the Palm as Mrs Slatterthwaite
1986
- Casualty as Tillie
- American Masters as Self
- Lovejoy as Florence
- Worlds Beyond as Mrs Watts
- The Life and Loves of a She-Devil as Mrs Fisher
- Harem as Mrs. Pendleton
1985
- Screen Two as Mrs. Slatterthwaite
- Mann's Best Friends as Mrs. Anstruther
1984
- The Bill
- A Christmas Carol as Mrs. Dilber
- A Private Function as Mother
1983
- Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime as Hannah Macpherson
- Curse of the Pink Panther as Marta Balls
- Fanny Hill as Mrs. Jones (uncredited)
- Separate Tables as Miss Meacham
- Now And Then as Gran - Then
- Mr. Right as Gran
1982
- Wogan as Self
- Trail of the Pink Panther as Martha Balls (archive footage)
- Britannia Hospital as Maisie
- Mike Leigh: Making Plays as Self (archive footage)
- Crystal Gazing as Lady in Pub
1981
- The French Lieutenant's Woman as Mrs. Fairley
- The Monster Club as Villager
1980
- Murder Rap as Elfie
- Sir Henry at Rawlinson End as Lady Phillipa of Staines
1979
- Agatha as Flora
1978
- An Audience with... as Self
1977
- The Duellists as Fortune Teller
- Nicholas Nickleby as Peg Sliderskew
- The Testing of Eric Olthwaite as Mrs. Bag
- Spend Spend Spend as Keith's Granny
- The Stick Up as Hotel Manageress
1976
- The Duchess of Duke Street as Nanny
- Ripping Yarns as Mrs. Bag
- It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet as Mrs. Dodds
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame as La Falourdel
1975
- The Sweeney as Mrs. Davies
- I Didn't Know You Cared as Annie Brandon
- Breath as Mrs. Pritchett
- It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow as Vi Bell
- Keep an Eye on Albert as Mrs. Oxfam
1974
- Bedtime Stories as Miss Long
- Seven Faces of Woman as Madge
- Taking Leave as Confused Lady
1973
- Last of the Summer Wine as Housekeeper
- Second City Firsts as Mrs. Murphy
- Hard Labour as Mrs. Thornley
- Jack Point as Mrs. Matthews
1972
1971
- Bleak Moments as Pat's Mother
1970
- Play for Today as Mrs. Thornley
- Leo the Last as Raving Tenant (uncredited)
1969
- In Loving Memory as Hilda Pardoe
1956
- Tony Awards as Self (archive footage)