
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. Mathews / Keith's Granny / Mrs. Thornley / Mrs. Pritchett / Mrs. Oxfam / Elfie

Crown Court
1972
as Mrs. Fowkes

Wogan
1982
as Self

Tony Awards
1956
as Self (archive footage)

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

The Bill
1984

American Masters
1986
as Self

Screen Two
1985
as Mrs. Slatterthwaite / Gran / Agent

Last of the Summer Wine
1973
as Housekeeper

The Sweeney
1975
as Mrs. Davies

The Paul O'Grady Show
2004

V Graham Norton
2002
as Self

The Ruth Rendell Mysteries
1987
as Lena Finn

An Audience with...
1978
as Self

Lovejoy
1986
as Florence

Performance
1991
as Anyula

Lark Rise to Candleford
2008
as Zillah

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
1992
as Delfina

Shooting Stars
1993
as Self

2Point4 Children
1991
as Bette / Auntie Belle

The Vicar of Dibley
1994
as Letitia Cropley

Screen One
1989
as Mrs. Thompson

So Graham Norton
1998
as Self

The Duchess of Duke Street
1976
as Nanny

Cluedo
1990
as Mrs. White

The Royle Family
1998
as Norma 'Nana' Speakman

The Queen's Nose
1995
as Grandma

Bottom
1991
as Fortune Teller

Oliver Twist
1999
as Sally

Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime
1983
as Hannah Macpherson

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

Karaoke
1996
as Mrs Baglin

Ripping Yarns
1976
as Mrs. Bag

Worlds Beyond
1986
as Mrs Watts
It's Only TV But I Like It
1999
as Self

Crapston Villas
1995
as Delia (voice)

In Loving Memory
1969
as Hilda Pardoe

I Didn't Know You Cared
1975
as Annie Brandon

Between The Sheets
2003
El C.I.D.
1990
as Mildred

Takin' Over the Asylum
1994
as Harriet

Young Charlie Chaplin
1989
as Mrs. Greenwood

Bedtime Stories
1974
as Miss Long

Nicholas Nickleby
1977
as Peg Sliderskew

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

Imperium: Nero
2004
as Sacrilega

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

Mann's Best Friends
1985
as Mrs. Anstruther

Valentine Park
1987
as Mrs. Giles
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

Oliver Twist
2005
as Old Woman

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

The Duellists
1977
as Fortune Teller

Haunted
1995
as Old gypsy woman

Secrets & Lies
1996
as Woman with Cat

The French Lieutenant's Woman
1981
as Mrs. Fairley

Alice in Wonderland
1999
as Miss Lory

Keeping Mum
2005
as Mrs. Parker

A Christmas Carol
1999
as Mrs. Dilber

A Christmas Carol
1984
as Mrs. Dilber

High Spirits
1988
as Mrs. Plunkett

Son of the Pink Panther
1993
as Marta Balls

Curse of the Pink Panther
1983
as Marta Balls

The Monster Club
1981
as Villager

Little Dorrit
1987
as Mrs. Bangham

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

Dead Cool
2005
as Liz

Night of 100 Stars III
1990
as Self

Harem
1986
as Mrs. Pendleton

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

Britannia Hospital
1982
as Maisie

A Private Function
1984
as Mother

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

Pretty Princess
1993
as regina madre

Keep an Eye on Albert
1975
as Mrs. Oxfam

The Magic Flute
2006
as The Old Papagena

Keep the Aspidistra Flying
1997
as Mrs Meakin

Agatha
1979
as Flora

Doggin' Around
1994
as Mrs. Thompson

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

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

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
2001
as Peg Sliderskew

Tom's Midnight Garden
1999
as Mrs Willows

Nero
2004
as Soothsayer

Fanny Hill
1983
as Mrs. Jones (uncredited)

Apartment Zero
1989
as Mary Louise McKinney

Bleak Moments
1971
as Pat's Mother

The Revengers' Comedies
1998
as Winnie

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

An Evening with Lily Savage
1996
as Self - Audience Member

Flick
2008
as Ma

The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa
2010
as Self

When We Are Married
1987
as Mrs Northrop

Breath
1975
as Mrs. Pritchett

Drowning in the Shallow End
1990
as Agent

Sir Henry at Rawlinson End
1980
as Lady Phillipa of Staines

Anna Spud
2003
as Gran

Separate Tables
1983
as Miss Meacham

Jack Point
1973
as Mrs. Matthews

Donovan Quick
2000
as Granny

Words of Love
1989
as Gran

Wife of Bath
1998
as Hag (voice)

The Testing of Eric Olthwaite
1977
as Mrs. Bag

On the Palm
1987
as Mrs Slatterthwaite

The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1976
as La Falourdel
Nona
1991
as Anyula

It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow
1975
as Vi Bell
Dakota Road
1992
as Joan Benson

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

Jake's Journey
1988
as Witch

Murder Rap
1980
as Elfie

A Christmas Carol
2000
as Joyce

Spend Spend Spend
1977
as Keith's Granny

Hard Labour
1973
as Mrs. Thornley

Taking Leave
1974
as Confused Lady

The Stick Up
1977
as Hotel Manageress

Crystal Gazing
1982
as Lady in Pub
Anthrakitis
1998
as Dolly
The Antiques Rogue Show
2009
as Olive Greenhalgh
A Good Thief
2002
as Lizzie
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 CineFlixo, 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
- Oliver Twist (2005) — as Old Woman
- The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989) — as Grace
Where to Watch Liz Smith Films
Most Liz Smith movies and series are available to stream on CineFlixo 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.