ACTOR
Liz Smith
Known for The Graham Norton Show · Casualty · American Masters
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…
Snapshot 2026-10-15
- Born
- Dec 11, 1921
- Died
- Dec 24, 2016
- Birthplace
- Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, UK
- 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.
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Known For
Filmography
Movies
Leo the LastRaving Tenant (uncredited)
1970
Bleak MomentsPat's Mother
1972
Hard LabourMrs. Thornley
1973
Jack PointMrs. Matthews
1973
Taking LeaveConfused Lady
1974
BreathMrs. Pritchett
1975
It's a Lovely Day TomorrowVi Bell
1975
Keep an Eye on AlbertMrs. Oxfam
1975
It Shouldn't Happen to a VetMrs. Dodds
1976
The Hunchback of Notre DameLa Falourdel
1976
Spend Spend SpendKeith's Granny
1977
The DuellistsFortune Teller
1977
The Stick UpHotel Manageress
1977
The Testing of Eric OlthwaiteMrs. Bag
1977
AgathaFlora
1979
Murder RapElfie
1980
Sir Henry at Rawlinson EndLady Phillipa of Staines
1980
The French Lieutenant's WomanMrs. Fairley
1981
The Monster ClubVillager
1981
Britannia HospitalMaisie
1982
Crystal GazingLady in Pub
1982
Mike Leigh: Making PlaysSelf (archive footage)
1982
Trail of the Pink PantherMartha Balls (archive footage)
1982
Curse of the Pink PantherMarta Balls
1983
Fanny HillMrs. Jones (uncredited)
1983
Separate TablesMiss Meacham
1983
A Christmas CarolMrs. Dilber
1984
A Private FunctionMother
1984
HaremMrs. Pendleton
1986
Little DorritMrs. Bangham
1987
On the PalmMrs Slatterthwaite
1987
When We Are MarriedMrs Northrop
1987
High SpiritsMrs. Plunkett
1988
Jake's JourneyWitch
1988
We Think the World of YouMillie
1988
Apartment ZeroMary Louise McKinney
1989
Bert Rigby, You're a FoolMrs. Rigby
1989
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her LoverGrace
1989
Words of LoveGran
1989
Drowning in the Shallow EndAgent
1990
Night of 100 Stars IIISelf
1990
Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His MusicSelf
1990N
NonaAnyula
1991DR
Dakota RoadJoan Benson
1992
Pretty Princessregina madre
1993
Son of the Pink PantherMarta Balls
1993
Doggin' AroundMrs. Thompson
1994
HauntedOld gypsy woman
1995
An Evening with Lily SavageSelf - Audience Member
1996
Secrets & LiesWoman with Cat
1996
Keep the Aspidistra FlyingMrs Meakin
1997A
AnthrakitisDolly
1998
The Revengers' ComediesWinnie
1998
Wife of BathHag (voice)
1998
A Christmas CarolMrs. Dilber
1999
Alice in WonderlandMiss Lory
1999
Tom's Midnight GardenMrs Willows
1999
Tube TalesOlder Lady (segment "Horny")
1999
A Christmas CarolJoyce
2000
Donovan QuickGranny
2000
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Espionage EscapadesDelfina
2000
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas NicklebyPeg Sliderskew
2001AG
A Good ThiefLizzie
2002
Anna SpudGran
2003
NeroSoothsayer
2004
Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryGrandma Georgina
2005
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Designer ChocolateSelf
2005Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Different Faces, Different Flavors
2005
Dead CoolLiz
2005
Keeping MumMrs. Parker
2005
Oliver TwistOld Woman
2005
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-RabbitMrs. Mulch (voice)
2005
The Magic FluteThe Old Papagena
2006
City of EmberGranny
2008
FlickMa
2008TA
The Antiques Rogue ShowOlive Greenhalgh
2009
The Royle Family: Behind the SofaSelf
2010Television
Tony AwardsSelf (archive footage) · 1 eps
1956
In Loving MemoryHilda Pardoe · 2 eps
1969
Play for TodayMrs. Mathews · 1 eps
1970Play for TodayKeith's Granny · 1 eps
1970Play for TodayMrs. Thornley · 1 eps
1970Play for TodayMrs. Pritchett · 1 eps
1970Play for TodayMrs. Oxfam · 1 eps
1970Play for TodayElfie · 1 eps
1970Play for Today1 eps
1970
Crown Court1 eps
1972Crown CourtMrs. Fowkes · 1 eps
1972Crown CourtMrs. Flynn · 3 eps
1972
Last of the Summer WineHousekeeper · 1 eps
1973SC
Second City FirstsMrs. Murphy · 1 eps
1973
Bedtime StoriesMiss Long · 1 eps
1974
No, HonestlyMay · 1 eps
1974SF
Seven Faces of WomanMadge · 1 eps
1974
Village HallMrs Whalley · 1 eps
1974
I Didn't Know You CaredAnnie Brandon · 27 eps
1975
The SweeneyMrs. Davies · 1 eps
1975
Ripping YarnsMrs. Bag · 1 eps
1976
The Duchess of Duke StreetNanny · 2 eps
1976
Nicholas NicklebyPeg Sliderskew · 2 eps
1977
An Audience with...Self · 2 eps
1978
WoganSelf · 1 eps
1982
Agatha Christie's Partners in CrimeHannah Macpherson · 1 eps
1983MR
Mr. RightGran · 4 eps
1983NA
Now And ThenGran - Then · 13 eps
1983
The Bill3 eps
1984
Mann's Best FriendsMrs. Anstruther · 6 eps
1985
Screen TwoMrs. Slatterthwaite · 1 eps
1985Screen TwoGran · 1 eps
1985Screen TwoAgent · 1 eps
1985
American MastersSelf · 1 eps
1986
CasualtyTillie · 1 eps
1986
LovejoyFlorence · 1 eps
1986
The Life and Loves of a She-DevilMrs Fisher · 3 eps
1986
Worlds BeyondMrs Watts · 1 eps
1986
Imaginary FriendsMilly Munger · 3 eps
1987
The Ruth Rendell MysteriesLena Finn · 1 eps
1987
Valentine ParkMrs. Giles · 12 eps
1987
Screen OneMrs. Thompson · 1 eps
1989
Young Charlie ChaplinMrs. Greenwood · 1 eps
1989
CluedoMrs. White · 6 eps
1990EC
El C.I.D.Mildred · 1 eps
1990
2Point4 ChildrenBette · 10 eps
19912Point4 ChildrenAuntie Belle · 1 eps
1991
BottomFortune Teller · 1 eps
1991
PerformanceAnyula · 1 eps
1991
The Young Indiana Jones ChroniclesDelfina · 1 eps
1992
Shooting StarsSelf · 1 eps
1993
PiratesGran · 18 eps
1994
Takin' Over the AsylumHarriet · 6 eps
1994
The Vicar of DibleyLetitia Cropley · 14 eps
1994
Crapston VillasDelia (voice) · 20 eps
1995
The Queen's NoseGrandma · 6 eps
1995
KaraokeMrs Baglin · 3 eps
1996
Trial & RetributionMrs Dorothy Norton · 1 eps
1997
So Graham NortonSelf · 1 eps
1998
The Royle FamilyNorma 'Nana' Speakman · 10 eps
1998
V.I.P.Self - Gossip Columnist · 1 eps
1998IO
It's Only TV But I Like ItSelf · 1 eps
1999
Oliver TwistSally · 4 eps
1999
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas NicklebyPeg Sliderskew · 2 eps
2001
TreasureVoices · 13 eps
2001
V Graham NortonSelf · 1 eps
2002
Between The Sheets6 eps
2003
Imperium: NeroSacrilega · 2 eps
2004
The Paul O'Grady Show2 eps
2004
The Graham Norton ShowSelf · 2 eps
2007
Lark Rise to CandlefordZillah · 10 eps
2008
Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top ModelSelf - Good Day New York (archive footage) · 1 eps
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