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