
Liz Smith
Known for Acting · 128 credits
- Born
- 1921-12-11
- Died
- 2016-12-24
- Place of birth
- Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, UK
- Also known as
- Betty Gleadle
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
TV Shows (53)

The Graham Norton Show
2007
as Self

Casualty
1986
as Tillie

Play for Today
1970
as Mrs. Thornley / Mrs. Mathews / Mrs. Pritchett / Mrs. Oxfam / Keith's Granny / Elfie

Crown Court
1972
as Mrs. Fowkes

Wogan
1982
as Self

V.I.P.
1998
as Self - Gossip Columnist

Tony Awards
1956
as Self (archive footage)

The Bill
1984

American Masters
1986
as Self

Last of the Summer Wine
1973
as Housekeeper

Screen Two
1985
as Mrs. Slatterthwaite / Gran / Agent

The Sweeney
1975
as Mrs. Davies

The Paul O'Grady Show
2004

V Graham Norton
2002
as Self

An Audience with...
1978
as Self

Lovejoy
1986
as Florence

The Ruth Rendell Mysteries
1987
as Lena Finn

Performance
1991
as Anyula

Lark Rise to Candleford
2008
as Zillah

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
1992
as Delfina

Shooting Stars
1993
as Self

The Vicar of Dibley
1994
as Letitia Cropley

2Point4 Children
1991
as Bette / Auntie Belle

So Graham Norton
1998
as Self

Screen One
1989
as Mrs. Thompson

The Duchess of Duke Street
1976
as Nanny

Cluedo
1990
as Mrs. White

The Royle Family
1998
as Norma 'Nana' Speakman

Bottom
1991
as Fortune Teller

The Queen's Nose
1995
as Grandma

Oliver Twist
1999
as Sally

Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime
1983
as Hannah Macpherson
It's Only TV But I Like It
1999
as Self

Ripping Yarns
1976
as Mrs. Bag

Karaoke
1996
as Mrs Baglin
El C.I.D.
1990
as Mildred

In Loving Memory
1969
as Hilda Pardoe

Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model
2026
as Self - Good Day New York (archive footage)

Worlds Beyond
1986
as Mrs Watts

Takin' Over the Asylum
1994
as Harriet

Crapston Villas
1995
as Delia (voice)

Between The Sheets
2003

I Didn't Know You Cared
1975
as Annie Brandon

Young Charlie Chaplin
1989
as Mrs. Greenwood

Nicholas Nickleby
1977
as Peg Sliderskew

Imperium: Nero
2004
as Sacrilega

The Life and Loves of a She-Devil
1986
as Mrs Fisher

Bedtime Stories
1974
as Miss Long

Pirates
1994
as Gran
Now And Then
1983
Mr. Right
1983
as Gran

Valentine Park
1987
as Mrs. Giles

Mann's Best Friends
1985
as Mrs. Anstruther
Movies (75)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
2005
as Grandma Georgina

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
2005
as Mrs. Mulch (voice)

City of Ember
2008
as Granny

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
1989
as Grace

Oliver Twist
2005
as Old Woman

Secrets & Lies
1996
as Woman with Cat

The Duellists
1977
as Fortune Teller

Alice in Wonderland
1999
as Miss Lory

Keeping Mum
2005
as Mrs. Parker

Haunted
1995
as Old gypsy woman

The French Lieutenant's Woman
1981
as Mrs. Fairley

A Christmas Carol
1999
as Mrs. Dilber

High Spirits
1988
as Mrs. Plunkett

A Christmas Carol
1984
as Mrs. Dilber

Little Dorrit
1987
as Mrs. Bangham

Trail of the Pink Panther
1982
as Martha Balls (archive footage)

The Monster Club
1981
as Villager

Curse of the Pink Panther
1983
as Marta Balls

Son of the Pink Panther
1993
as Marta Balls

Night of 100 Stars III
1990
as Self

Tube Tales
1999
as Older Lady (segment "Horny")

Dead Cool
2005
as Liz

Harem
1986
as Mrs. Pendleton

Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music
1990
as Self

A Private Function
1984
as Mother

Pretty Princess
1993
as regina madre

Keep the Aspidistra Flying
1997
as Mrs Meakin

Nero
2004
as Soothsayer

Fanny Hill
1983
as Mrs. Jones (uncredited)

Britannia Hospital
1982
as Maisie

Tom's Midnight Garden
1999
as Mrs Willows

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
2001
as Peg Sliderskew

When We Are Married
1987
as Mrs Northrop

Agatha
1979
as Flora

Apartment Zero
1989
as Mary Louise McKinney

The Magic Flute
2006
as The Old Papagena

The Revengers' Comedies
1998
as Winnie

Flick
2008
as Ma

We Think the World of You
1988
as Millie

Leo the Last
1970
as Raving Tenant (uncredited)

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Espionage Escapades
2000
as Delfina

An Evening with Lily Savage
1996
as Self - Audience Member

Keep an Eye on Albert
1975
as Mrs. Oxfam

Bert Rigby, You're a Fool
1989
as Mrs. Rigby

Doggin' Around
1994
as Mrs. Thompson

It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet
1976
as Mrs. Dodds

The Testing of Eric Olthwaite
1977
as Mrs. Bag

Drowning in the Shallow End
1990
as Agent

The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa
2010
as Self

Donovan Quick
2000
as Granny

Mike Leigh: Making Plays
1982
as Self (archive footage)

Bleak Moments
1971
as Pat's Mother

Sir Henry at Rawlinson End
1980
as Lady Phillipa of Staines

Separate Tables
1983
as Miss Meacham
Nona
1991
as Anyula

It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow
1975
as Vi Bell

Jack Point
1973
as Mrs. Matthews

On the Palm
1987
as Mrs Slatterthwaite
Dakota Road
1992
as Joan Benson

Taking Leave
1974
as Confused Lady

The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1976
as La Falourdel

Anna Spud
2003
as Gran

The Stick Up
1977
as Hotel Manageress

A Christmas Carol
2000
as Joyce

Words of Love
1989
as Gran

Wife of Bath
1998
as Hag (voice)

Crystal Gazing
1982
as Lady in Pub

Jake's Journey
1988
as Witch

Hard Labour
1973
as Mrs. Thornley
A Good Thief
2002
as Lizzie

Murder Rap
1980
as Elfie
The Antiques Rogue Show
2009
as Olive Greenhalgh
Anthrakitis
1998
as Dolly

Breath
1975
as Mrs. Pritchett

Spend Spend Spend
1977
as Keith's Granny
About Liz Smith
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 Priv… With 128 credits spanning from 1956 to 2026, Liz Smith has appeared in 75 films and 53 TV shows.
Fans searching for Liz Smith movies, Liz Smith filmography, or the latest projects starring Liz Smith can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Liz Smith Movies
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) — as Grandma Georgina
- Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) — as Mrs. Mulch (voice)
- City of Ember (2008) — as Granny
- The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989) — as Grace
- Oliver Twist (2005) — as Old Woman
Where to Watch Liz Smith Films
Most Liz Smith movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Liz Smith, check our movies catalogue and browse page.