Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

131

Gender

Female

Birthday

1921-12-11

Day of Death

2016-12-24 (95 years old)

Place of Birth

Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, UK

Also Known As

Betty Gleadle

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

Acting

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

2005

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

as

Grandma Georgina

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

2005

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

as

Mrs. Mulch (voice)

Apartment Zero

1989

Apartment Zero

as

Mary Louise McKinney

High Spirits

1988

High Spirits

as

Mrs. Plunkett

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover

1989

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover

as

Grace

Agatha

1979

Agatha

as

Flora

Britannia Hospital

1982

Britannia Hospital

as

Maisie

Little Dorrit

1987

Little Dorrit

as

Mrs. Bangham

Keeping Mum

2005

Keeping Mum

as

Mrs. Parker

An Evening with Lily Savage

1996

An Evening with Lily Savage

as

Self - Audience Member

Anthrakitis

1998

Anthrakitis

as

Dolly

Keep the Aspidistra Flying

1997

Keep the Aspidistra Flying

as

Mrs Meakin

Pretty Princess

1993

Pretty Princess

as

regina madre

The Stick Up

1977

The Stick Up

as

Hotel Manageress

Bleak Moments

1971

Bleak Moments

as

Pat's Mother

Words of Love

1989

Words of Love

as

Gran

Son of the Pink Panther

1993

Son of the Pink Panther

as

Marta Balls

Leo the Last

1970

Leo the Last

as

The Revengers' Comedies

1998

The Revengers' Comedies

as

Winnie

Anna Spud

2003

Anna Spud

as

Gran

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

2001

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

as

Peg Sliderskew

Night of 100 Stars III

1990

Night of 100 Stars III

as

Self

Curse of the Pink Panther

1983

Curse of the Pink Panther

as

Marta Balls

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

1976

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

as

La Falourdel

Fanny Hill

1983

Fanny Hill

as

Mrs. Jones (uncredited)

The Antiques Rogue Show

2009

The Antiques Rogue Show

as

Olive Greenhalgh

It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow

1975

It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow

as

Vi Bell

Nona

1991

Nona

as

Anyula

A Private Function

1984

A Private Function

as

Mother

A Christmas Carol

2000

A Christmas Carol

as

Joyce

Tube Tales

1999

Tube Tales

as

Older Lady (segment "Horny")

Harem

1986

Harem

as

Mrs. Pendleton

Donovan Quick

2000

Donovan Quick

as

Granny

Flick

2008

Flick

as

Ma

Doggin' Around

1994

Doggin' Around

as

Mrs. Thompson

The Testing of Eric Olthwaite

1977

The Testing of Eric Olthwaite

as

Mrs. Bag

Alice in Wonderland

1999

Alice in Wonderland

as

Miss Lory

Dakota Road

1992

Dakota Road

as

Joan Benson

City of Ember

2008

City of Ember

as

Granny

Mike Leigh: Making Plays

1982

Mike Leigh: Making Plays

as

Self (archive footage)

Hard Labour

1973

Hard Labour

as

Mrs. Thornley

It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet

1976

It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet

as

Mrs. Dodds

A Good Thief

2002

A Good Thief

as

Lizzie

Secrets & Lies

1996

Secrets & Lies

as

Woman with Cat

Jake's Journey

1988

Jake's Journey

as

Witch

We Think the World of You

1988

We Think the World of You

as

Millie

Sir Henry at Rawlinson End

1980

Sir Henry at Rawlinson End

as

Lady Phillipa of Staines

Oliver Twist

2005

Oliver Twist

as

Old Woman

A Christmas Carol

1984

A Christmas Carol

as

Mrs. Dilber

Tom's Midnight Garden

1999

Tom's Midnight Garden

as

Mrs Willows

A Christmas Carol

1999

A Christmas Carol

as

Mrs Dilber

Spend Spend Spend

1977

Spend Spend Spend

as

Keith's Granny

Nero

2004

Nero

as

Soothsayer

Separate Tables

1983

Separate Tables

as

Miss Meacham

Dead Cool

2005

Dead Cool

as

Liz

The French Lieutenant's Woman

1981

The French Lieutenant's Woman

as

Mrs. Fairley

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Espionage Escapades

2000

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Espionage Escapades

as

Delfina

Jack Point

1973

Jack Point

as

Mrs. Matthews

Taking Leave

1974

Taking Leave

as

Confused Lady

Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music

1990

Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music

as

Self

The Magic Flute

2006

The Magic Flute

as

The Old Papagena

Haunted

1995

Haunted

as

Old Gypsy Woman

Breath

1975

Breath

as

Mrs. Pritchett

Bert Rigby, You're a Fool

1989

Bert Rigby, You're a Fool

as

Mrs. Rigby

Keep an Eye on Albert

1975

Keep an Eye on Albert

as

Mrs. Oxfam

The Duellists

1977

The Duellists

as

Fortune Teller

The Monster Club

1981

The Monster Club

as

Villager

Murder Rap

1980

Murder Rap

as

Elfie

Trail of the Pink Panther

1982

Trail of the Pink Panther

as

Martha Balls (archive footage)

On the Palm

1987

On the Palm

as

Mrs Slatterthwaite

The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa

2010

The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa

as

Self

When We Are Married

1987

When We Are Married

as

Mrs Northrop

Drowning in the Shallow End

1990

Drowning in the Shallow End

as

Agent

The Sweeney

The Sweeney

as

Mrs. Davies

Shooting Stars

Shooting Stars

as

Self

The Bill

The Bill

as

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles

as

Delfina

The Vicar of Dibley

The Vicar of Dibley

as

Letitia Cropley

The Paul O'Grady Show

The Paul O'Grady Show

as

Crown Court

Crown Court

as

Bottom

Bottom

as

Fortune Teller

The Royle Family

The Royle Family

as

Norma 'Nana' Speakman

Lovejoy

Lovejoy

as

Florence

Between The Sheets

Between The Sheets

as

Lark Rise to Candleford

Lark Rise to Candleford

as

Zillah

I Didn't Know You Cared

I Didn't Know You Cared

as

Annie Brandon

Crapston Villas

Crapston Villas

as

Delia (voice)

Trial & Retribution

Trial & Retribution

as

Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime

Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime

as

Hannah Macpherson

So Graham Norton

So Graham Norton

as

Self

V Graham Norton

V Graham Norton

as

Self

Within These Walls

Within These Walls

as

Wogan

Wogan

as

Self

Pirates

Pirates

as

Gran

Now And Then

Now And Then

as

It's Only TV But I Like It

It's Only TV But I Like It

as

Self

Young Charlie Chaplin

Young Charlie Chaplin

as

Mrs. Greenwood

Bedtime Stories

Bedtime Stories

as

Miss Long

The Ruth Rendell Mysteries

The Ruth Rendell Mysteries

as

Lena Finn

Crown Court

Crown Court

as

Mrs. Fowkes

Tony Awards

Tony Awards

as

Self (archive footage)

Last of the Summer Wine

Last of the Summer Wine

as

Housekeeper

The Graham Norton Show

The Graham Norton Show

as

Self

2Point4 Children

2Point4 Children

as

Bette

2Point4 Children

2Point4 Children

as

Auntie Belle

Ripping Yarns

Ripping Yarns

as

Mrs. Bag

An Audience with...

An Audience with...

as

Self

Casualty

Casualty

as

Tillie

Oliver Twist

Oliver Twist

as

Sally

Takin' Over the Asylum

Takin' Over the Asylum

as

Harriet

Imperium: Nero

Imperium: Nero

as

Sacrilega

El C.I.D.

El C.I.D.

as

Mildred

Valentine Park

Valentine Park

as

Mrs. Giles

The Gentle Touch

The Gentle Touch

as

Edna Slater

Play for Today

Play for Today

as

Mrs. Thornley

Play for Today

Play for Today

as

Mrs. Mathews

Play for Today

Play for Today

as

Mrs. Pritchett

Play for Today

Play for Today

as

Mrs. Oxfam

Play for Today

Play for Today

as

Keith's Granny

Play for Today

Play for Today

as

Elfie

In Loving Memory

In Loving Memory

as

Hilda Pardoe

The Life and Loves of a She-Devil

The Life and Loves of a She-Devil

as

Mrs. Fisher

American Masters

American Masters

as

Self

Karaoke

Karaoke

as

Mrs. Baglin

Performance

Performance

as

Anyula

Cluedo

Cluedo

as

Mrs. White

Play for Today

Play for Today

as

V.I.P.

V.I.P.

as

Self - Gossip Columnist

Mann's Best Friends

Mann's Best Friends

as

Mrs. Anstruther

Mr. Right

Mr. Right

as

Gran

Queen's Nose

Queen's Nose

as

Grandma

Production

Crew

Directing