Smith, Liz 1925–

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Smith, Liz 1925–

PERSONAL

Original name, Betty Smith; born December 11, 1925, in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England; married Jack Thomas, 1945 (divorced, 1959); children: Robert, Sarah. Education: Trained for the stage at Little Theatre. Avocational Interests: Painting.

Career:

Actress. Worked at Little Theatre in the 1950s; spent five years in improvisational theatre. Friend of the Royal Academy, member; North London Animal Aid, president. Military service: Royal Navy, served during World War II.

Member:

British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Awards, Honors:

Film Award, best supporting actress, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1984, and Italian film award, both for A Private Function; Television Award nomination, best comedy performance, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 2007, for The Royale Family.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

Raving tenant, Leo the Last, 1970.

Pat's mother, Bleak Moments (also known as Loving Moments), Contemporary, 1972.

Hard Labour, 1973.

Marta Balls, The Pink Panther Strikes Again, 1976.

Hotel manager, The Stick Up, Trident-Barber, 1977.

Fortune teller, The Duellists, 1977.

Mrs. Dodds, All Things Bright and Beautiful (also known as It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet), World, 1979.

Flora, Agatha, Warner Bros., 1979.

Lady Philippa of Staines, Sir Henry at Rawlinson End, Charisma, 1980.

The Monster Club, 1980.

The Fan, Paramount, 1981.

Mrs. Fairley, The French Lieutenant's Woman, United Artists, 1981.

Landlady, Give Us This Day, Concord, 1982.

Maizie, Britannia Hospital, United Artists, 1982.

Lady in pub, Crystal Gazing, British Film Institute, 1982.

The Trail of the Pink Panther, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1982.

Martha, Curse of the Pink Panther, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1983.

Fanny Hill (also known as Fanny Hill—Die Memoiren eines freudenmaedchen), 1983.

Mother, A Private Function, Island Alive, 1985.

Millie, We Think the World of You, Cinecom, 1988.

Mary Louise McKinney, Apartment Zero, Skouras, 1988.

Mrs. Plunkett, High Spirits, TriStar, 1988.

Mrs. Bangham, Little Dorrit (also known as Little Dorrit's Story and Nobody's Fault), Cannon, 1988.

Mrs. Rigby, Bert Rigby, You're a Fool, Warner Bros., 1989.

Agent, Drowning in the Shallow End, 1989.

Grace, The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover (also known as Le cuisinier, le voleur, sa femme, et son amant and Spica), Miramax, 1990.

Joan Benson, Dakota Road, 1990.

Reporter, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1992.

Madame Balls, Son of the Pink Panther (also known as Blake Edwards' "Son of the Pink Panther" and Il figlio della pantera rosa), 1993.

Queen Mother, Piccolo grande amore (also known as Pretty Princess), 1993.

Old gypsy woman, Haunted, 1995.

Cat owner, Secrets and Lies (also known as Secrets et mensonges), October Films, 1996.

Tango teacher, The Disappearance of Finbar, 1996.

Mrs. Meakin, Keep the Aspidistra Flying (also known as Comstock and Rosemary and A Merry War), Lions Gate Films/A-Pix Entertainment, 1997.

Winnie, The Revengers' Comedies (also known as Sweet Revenge and Amour, vengeance et trahison), Miramax/Buena Vista, 1998.

Mrs. Willows, Tom's Midnight Garden, 1999.

Horny, Tube Tales, 1999.

Gran, Donovan Quick, 2000.

Gran, Anna Spud, National Film and Tele School, 2003.

Lizzie, Dead Cool, Shoreline, 2004.

Grandma Georgina, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (also known as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The IMAX Experience), Warner Bros., 2005.

Mrs. Mulch, Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit (also known asWallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit), United International, 2005.

Old woman, Oliver Twist, Sony, 2005.

Mrs. Parker, Keeping Mum, Independent, 2005.

Flick, AV, 2007.

Granny, City of Ember, Independent, 2008.

Television Appearances; Series:

Hilda Semple, Emmerdale Farm, YTV, 1972.

Mrs. Brandon, I Didn't Know You Cared, 1975.

Madhouse (also known as Russ Abbot's "Madhouse" and Russ Abbot's "Saturday Madhouse"), ITV, 1980.

Gran, One by One, 1984.

Mrs. Anstruther, Mann's Best Friends, 1985.

You and Me, BBC, 1986.

Bette/Aunt Belle, 2point4 Children, 1991.

Miss White, Cluedo (also known as Clue), 1991.

Letitia Cropley, The Vicar of Dibley, 1994.

Gran, Pirates, 1994.

Norma "Nanna" Speakman, The Royle Family, BBC, 1998.

Voice of Delia, Crapston Villas, Channel 4, 1998.

Zillah, Lark Rise to Candleford, BBC, 2008.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Mrs. Heep, David Copperfield, BBC, 1974.

Peg Sliderskew, Nicholas Nickleby, 1977.

Gran, Love Story: Mr. Right, BBC, 1983.

Mrs. Pendleton, Harem, ABC, 1986.

Mary's mother, The Life and Loves of a She-Devil (also known as She Devil), Arts and Entertainment, 1987.

Imaginary Friends, 1987.

Mrs. Baglin, Karaoke, Bravo, 1996.

Sally, Oliver Twist, PBS, 1999.

Peg Sliderskew, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (also known as Nicholas Nickleby), ITV and Bravo, 2001.

Mrs. Dorothy Norton, Trial & Retribution V, ITV, 2002.

Audrey Delany, Between the Sheets, ITV, 2003.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Mrs. Thornley, Hard Labour (also known as Play for Today: Hard Labour), 1973.

It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow, ATV, 1975.

La Falourdel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, NBC, 1977.

Miss Meacham, Separate Tables, HBO, 1983.

Mrs. Dilber, A Christmas Carol, CBS, 1984.

Gran, Words of Love, 1989.

Agent, Drowning in the Shallow End, BBC, 1990.

Mrs. Thompson, Doggin' Around, BBC, 1994.

Older lady, "Horny," Tube Tales, 1999.

Miss Lory, Alice in Wonderland, ABC, 1999.

Mrs. Dilber, A Christmas Carol, TNT, 1999.

Granny, Donovan Quick, BBC, 1999.

Miss Lory, Alice in Wonderland, NBC, 1999.

Mrs. Dilber, A Christmas Carol, Arts and Entertainment, 1999.

Joyce, A Christmas Carol, ITV, 2000.

Lizzie, A Good Thief, ITV, 2002.

Soothsayer, Imperium: Nerone (also known as Imperium: Nero and Neron), Movie, 2004.

Television Appearances; Specials:

It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow, 1975.

Keith's granny, Spend Spend Spend (also known as Play for Today: Spend Spend Spend), 1977.

Miss Meachum, Separate Tables, HBO, 1983.

"The House of Lurking Death," Partners in Crime, Series I, 1984.

Mary's mother, The Life and Loves of a She-Devil, 1987.

The Politics of Privacy, 1988.

"Young Charlie Chaplin," WonderWorks, PBS, 1988.

Night of 100 Stars III, 1990.

Mrs. Trodd, Dunrulin, BBC, 1990.

America at Risk: All the President's Women, 1992.

Elizabeth Taylor, 1993.

Marilyn Monroe: Life After Death, 1994.

In a New Light "94, 1994.

Mrs. Thompson, Doggin' Around, 1994.

Walter Winchell: The Voice of America, 1995.

Lena Home: In Her Own Voice, 1996.

Mrs. Baglin, Karaoke, 1996.

Intimate Portrait: Marilyn Monroe, Lifetime, 1996.

Carol Burnett: Just to Have a Laugh, 1996.

An Evening with Lily Savage, ITV, 1996.

Truman Capote: The Tiny Terror, 1997.

Gloria Vanderbilt: An Heir of Style, 1997.

Host, Skitch Henderson at 80, PBS, 1998.

Elizabeth Taylor: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 1998.

The Canterbury Tales, HBO, 1998.

Lena Finn, Ruth Rendell Mysteries: The Lake of Darkness, 1999.

Granny, Donovan Quick, 1999.

Voice, The Canterbury Tales, HBO, 1999.

Roy Cohn: Joe McCarthy's Right-Hand Man, Arts and Entertainment, 1999.

Sally, Oliver Twist, ITV and PBS, 1999.

Gossip Year-End Show, E! Entertainment Television, 1999.

George Hamilton: Playing the Movie Star, Arts and Entertainment, 2000.

Hedda Hopper: Hollywood's Gossip Queen, Arts and Entertainment, 2000.

Donald Trump: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 2000.

Barbara Walters: A Driving Force, Arts and Entertainment, 2000.

Ladies' home Journal's Most Fascinating Women to Watch, CBS, 2001.

Intimate Portrait: Liz Smith, Lifetime, 2001.

Dominick Dunne: Murder He Wrote, Arts and Entertainment, 2001.

Richard Burton: Taylor-Made for Stardom, Arts and Entertainment, 2002.

Intimate Portrait: Ivana Trump, Lifetime, 2002.

Intimate Portrait: Elizabeth Taylor, Lifetime, 2002.

Gossip: Tabloid Tales, Arts and Entertainment, 2002.

Presenter, The 2nd Annual Quill Awards, NBC, 2006.

The British Academy Television Awards, BBC, 2007.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Compo's date, "Spring Fever," Last of the Summer Wine, 1973.

Miss Young, "Jack and the Beanstalk," Bedtime Stories, BBC, 1974.

Madge, "Polly Put the Kettle On," Seven Faces of Woman (also known as She), ITV, 1974.

Mrs. Partridge, "Up the Downstairs," Bootsie and Snudge (also known as Bootsie and Snudge in Civvy Life), ITV, 1974.

"The Festive Poacher," Second City Firsts, BBC, 1974.

Mrs. Fowkes, "Hidden Scars," Crown Court, ITV, 1974.

"Taking Leave," Play for Today, BBC1, 1974.

"Breath," Play for Today, BBC1, 1975.

"Keep an Eye on Albert," Play for Today, BBC1, 1975.

Kitty Ross, "Two in the Mind of One," Crown Court, ITV, 1975.

Mrs. Davies, landlady, "Hit and Run," The Sweeney, 1975.

Mrs. Flynn, "Accepted Standards," Crown Court, ITV, 1976.

Nanny, "Winter Lament," The Duchess of Duke Street, BBC and PBS, 1977.

Nanny, "The Legion of the Living," The Duchess of Duke Street, BBC and PBS, 1977.

Mrs. Bag, "The Testing of Eric Olthwaite," Ripping Yarns, 1977.

Keith's granny, "Spend Spend Spend," Play for Today, BBC1, 1977.

Tottie Dodd, "Nemesis," Within These Walls, ITV, 1978.

Tottie Dodd, "Is There Anyone There?," Within These Walls, ITV, 1978.

Headliners with David Frost, 1978.

Elfie, "Murder Rap," Play for Today, BBC1, 1980.

Hilda Pardoe, "The Outing," In Living Memory, ITV, 1980.

Edna, "One of Those Days," The Gentle Touch, 1981.

Edna, "One of Those Days," The Gentle Touch, LWT, 1982.

Hannah MacPherson, "The House of Lurking Death," Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime, ITV and PBS, 1983.

Gran, a recurring role, Now and Then, ITV, 1983-1984.

Maggie, "The Drugs Raid," The Bill, 1984.

The Lenny Henry Show, 1984.

Mrs. Chalmers, "Friends," King and Castle, 1986.

"Undying Love," Worlds Beyond, 1987.

Mrs. Giles, a recurring role, Valentine Park, 1987-1988.

Mrs. Greenwood, Young Charlie Chaplin (also known as Charlie Chaplin and Wonderworks: Young Charlie Chaplin), Thames and PBS, 1989.

A Bit of Fry and Laurie, BBC, 1990.

Feature correspondent, E.D.J. Entertainment Daily Journal, 1990.

Mildred, "Paradise Mislaid," El C.I.D., ITV, 1991.

Making Out, BBC and TVNZ, 1991.

Fortune teller, "Apocalypse," Bottom, 1991.

Delfina, "Barcelona, May 1917," The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, 1992.

Florence, "God Helps Those," Lovejoy, 1993.

Reporter, The Gossip Show, 1993.

Harriet, "Fly Like an Eagle," Takin' Over the Asylum, BBC, 1994.

The Nanny, 1994-1995.

Tillie, "Hit and Run," Casualty, BBC1, 1995.

Murphy Brown, 1995-1996.

Shooting Stars, BBC, 1996.

Edna Finch, "Sucking Eggs," The Bill, 1998.

Gossip columnist, "Beats Working at a Hot Dog Stand," V.I.P. (also known as V.I.P.-Die Bodyguards), syndicated, 1998.

The Hag, "Leaving London," The Canterbury Tales, BBC and HBO, 1998.

Norma Speakman, The Royle Family, BBC America, 1998.

"Harmony's Return," The Queen's Nose, BBC, 1999.

So Graham Norton, 1999.

Megan Roberts, "Half Man Half Cop," City Central, 2000.

Primetime Glick, Comedy Central, 2000-2002.

Lena Finn, "The Lake of Darkness," Ruth Rendell Mysteries, PBS, 2000.

It's Only TV … But I Like It, 2001.

V Graham Norton, Channel 4, 2002.

Harriet "Tatsie" Wright, "040," The Bill, ITV1, 2002.

Harriet "Tatsie"' Wright, "041," The Bill, ITV1, 2002.

Agatha Clifford, "An English Woman's Home," Doctors, BBC, 2003.

Today with Des and Mel!, ITV, 2003.

(Four episodes) Richard and Judy, Channel 4, 2003, 2006, 2007.

The Paul O'Grady Show (also known as The New Paul O'Grady Show), 2004.

Loose Women, ITV, 2006.

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, BBC, 2006.

The Graham Norton Show, BBC, 2007.

Appeared in numerous situation comedies; The Heaven and Earth Show (also known as Heaven and Earth with Gloria Hunniford); and as voice of third aunt, "A Story from Taiwan: Aunt Tiger," Animated Tales of the World (animated), Channel 4 and HBO.