Norman Bird
Also Known As: Норман Бёрд, John George Norman Bird
Biography: John George Norman Bird (30 October 1924 – 22 April 2005) was an English character actor. Bird was born in Coalville, Leicestershire, England. A RADA graduate, he made his West End debut in Peter Brook's production of The Winter's Tale at the Phoenix Theatre in 1951. He was also a member of the BBC's Radio Drama Company. His first film appearance was as the foreman in An Inspector Calls (1954). He was a familiar face to British cinema audiences of the 1950s and 1960s, appearing in nearly 50 films such as The Angry Silence (1960), The League of Gentlemen (1960), Whistle Down the Wind (1961), Victim (1961) and Term of Trial (1962) with Laurence Olivier and The Hill with Sean Connery (1965). He had over 200 television appearances, notably as Mr Braithwaite in Worzel Gummidge (1979–81) and Mr Arrad in the Fawlty Towers episode "Waldorf Salad" (1979). His long list of credits include Steptoe and Son, Till Death Us Do Part, Rising Damp, Ever Decreasing Circles, Yes Minister, To Serve Them All My Days, All Creatures Great and Small, Z-Cars, Public Eye, The Saint, Department S, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and Boon. In 1990 he appeared in Stay Lucky, with Dennis Waterman, which marked his 200th television appearance. One of his last film appearances was as a taxi driver in Richard Attenborough's Shadowlands (1993).
Department: Acting
Place of Birth: Coalville, Leicestershire, England, UK
Birthday: October 30, 1920
Deathday: April 22, 2005
Adult: No
Gender: Male
Popularity:
Known For:
The Lord of the Rings
Overview: The Fellowship of the Ring embark on a journey to destroy the One Ring and end Sauron's reign over Middle-earth.
Genres: Adventure Animation Fantasy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1978-11-15
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The Hill
Overview: North Africa, World War II. British soldiers on the brink of collapse push beyond endurance to struggle up a brutal incline. It's not a military objective. It's The Hill, a manmade instrument of torture, a tower of sand seared by a white-hot sun. And the troops' tormentors are not the enemy, but their own comrades-at-arms.
Genres: Drama War
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1965-06-17
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Doomwatch
Overview: The waters surrounding an island become contaminated by chemical dumping, and people who eat fish caught in those waters become deformed and violent.
Genres: Horror Science Fiction
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1972-03-01
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First Men in the Moon
Overview: The world is delighted when a spacecraft containing a crew made up of the world's astronauts lands on the moon, but are shocked when the astronauts discover an old British flag and a document declaring that the moon is taken for Queen Victoria proving that the astronauts were not the first men on the moon.
Genres: Adventure Science Fiction
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1964-07-01
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Whistle Down the Wind
Overview: When an injured wife-murderer takes refuge on a remote Lancashire farm, the farmer’s three children mistakenly believe him to be the Second Coming of Christ.
Genres: Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1961-07-25
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In Search of the Castaways
Overview: Two teenagers, Mary (Hayley Mills) and Robert (Keith Hamshere) are lead by Professor Paganel (Maurice Chevalier) on a search expedition for the children's shipwrecked sea captain father. This Disney film was based upon Jules Verne's 1868 adventure novel Captain Grant's Children.
Genres: Adventure Family
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1962-12-01
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Maniac
Overview: When a stranger enters a quiet, country town and is seduced by a sensuous married woman he unwittingly finds himself at the centre of a storm of sexual guilt and murder.
Genres: Crime Mystery Horror Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1963-05-20
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Cash on Demand
Overview: A charming but ruthless criminal holds the family of a bank manager hostage as part of a cold-blooded plan to steal £90,000.
Genres: Crime Drama Mystery Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1961-12-20
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Night of the Eagle
Overview: A skeptical college professor discovers that his wife has been practicing magic for years. Like the learned, rational fellow he is, he forces her to destroy all her magical charms and protective devices, and stop that foolishness. He isn't put off by her insistence that his professional rivals are working magic against him, and her protections are necessary to his career and life.
Genres: Horror
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1962-04-25
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The League of Gentlemen
Overview: Involuntarily-retired Colonel Hyde recruits seven other dissatisfied ex-servicemen for a special project. Each of the men has a skeleton in the cupboard, is short of money, and is a service-trained expert in his field. The job is a bank robbery, and military discipline and planning are imposed by Hyde and second-in-command Race on the team, although civilian irritations do start getting in the way.
Genres: Comedy Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1960-04-15
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The Mind Benders
Overview: A British scientist is discovered to have been passing information to the Communists, then kills himself. Another scientist decides that they might have brainwashed him by a sensory deprivation technique, but he doesn’t know if someone really can be convinced to act against their strongest feelings. So he agrees to be the subject in an experiment in which others will try to make him stop loving his wife.
Genres: Thriller Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1963-02-01
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Shadowlands
Overview: C.S. Lewis, a world-renowned writer and professor, leads a passionless life until he meets spirited poet Joy Gresham.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1993-12-25
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The Angry Silence
Overview: When the union in his factory walks out on strike, a family man refuses to participate, risking the wrath — and retaliation — of his fellow workers.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1960-03-10
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Ooh... You Are Awful
Overview: Charlie Tully and womanising Reggie Peek con two rich Italians out of £500,000 but during their flight out Charlie is arrested for coning an American and a dog. Reggie stores the money in a Swiss Bank and after Charlie is released is about to tell him which Bank when he is killed by Sid Sabbath's gang whose girlfriend Reggie had an affair with. The only lead is four tattoos that is on the girls Reggie had affairs with while Charlie was in jail. But Sabbath is on Charlie's trail to kill him and the Italians contract the mob - to find the money and then kill him.....
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1972-12-01
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Man in the Moon
Overview: William is an unsuccessful guinea pig for a medical group interested in researching the common cold. He is soon fired and offered a job by the nearby National Atomic Research Center where they figure anyone who could fail at being a guinea pig is just what they need. They con William into thinking he will continue his guinea pig career by testing out some equipment for them before they send a group of astronauts to the moon.
Genres: Comedy Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1960-10-31
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Term of Trial
Overview: A schoolteacher plagued by alcoholism and his refusal to serve in World War II, Graham Weir inspires contempt in almost everyone around him, including his bitter wife, Anna. When the lovely young Shirley Taylor, one of Weir's students, falls for her unfortunate instructor, he is tempted and flattered but turns down her advances. Taylor's subsequent actions make Weir's life even more complicated.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1962-08-16
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The Secret Partner
Overview: A shipping tycoon with a record becomes a suspect when money goes missing from the company vault.
Genres: Mystery Drama Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1961-05-01
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The Black Torment
Overview: A lord returns to his manor with his new wife, to hear rumours that he had already secretly returned and had committed several murders. Has he lost his mind, or is something dark afoot ?
Genres: Horror Mystery
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1964-10-19
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If You Go Down in the Woods Today
Overview: A Boy Scout troupe led by their scoutmaster (Sykes) is on a field trip to a seemingly-peaceful English woodland. However, the woods are actually teeming with strange characters, some of whom turn out to be disguised police officers and others criminals. The police are searching for £2,000,000 in stolen banknotes and hope that the criminals will lead them to them. The criminals, on the other hand, are aware that the police are looking for them and doing their best to avoid betraying the location of their stash.
Genres: Comedy TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1981-04-29
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The Bargee
Overview: After a lock-keeper entrusts his daughter to a canal Casanova, he is shocked to learn that she is pregnant. He then refuses to open his locks - causing barges to pile up in every direction until the guilty party confesses.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1964-01-01
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Sky West and Crooked
Overview: A young, lonely, emotionally challenged teenage girl finds solace in burying dead animals after the sudden traumatic death of a childhood friend 10 years earlier.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1965-08-31
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A Dandy in Aspic
Overview: Double-agent Alexander Eberlin is assigned by the British to hunt out a Russian spy, known to them as Krasnevin. Only Eberlin knows that Krasnevin is none other than himself! Accompanying him on his mission is a ruthless partner, who gradually discovers his secret as Eberlin tries to maneuver himself out of a desperate situation.
Genres: Thriller Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1968-04-02
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The Beauty Jungle
Overview: A Bristol typist joins the world of beauty contests.
Genres: Comedy Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1964-08-25
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80,000 Suspects
Overview: A doctor's already-shaky marriage is tested to an even greater extent when he has to contend with a smallpox epidemic.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1963-08-15
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The Cracksman
Overview: Ernest Wright's peerless prowess as a locksmith comes to the attention of a tough big-time crook, who feels that the little man would be a valuable asset to his crime kingdom. In order to inveigle him into a series of jobs, he sets up a beautiful hostess as a trap, into which the hapless Ernest inevitably falls..!
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: de
Release Date: 1963-01-01
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Run a Crooked Mile
Overview: A man witnesses a murder in a secluded mansion. When he reports it, there's no evidence of the murder, or that anyone was there. Two years later he wakes up in a hospital room after a polo accident to find he's had amnesia, is now married, and living in Switzerland. Now remembering the incident he returns to England to try to solve the mystery.
Genres: TV Movie Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1969-11-18
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This Office Life
Overview: On arrival at British Albion, Mr Gryce felt that his lack of ambition would be completely fulfilled. There was a luncheon voucher scheme, a pension fund, paid holidays - and (apparently) nothing much doing between the hours of nine to five. Then his colleagues began to take an unhealthy interest in him. They asked questions he couldn't answer, and answered questions he hadn't asked. Only the lovely Pam made life bearable, but even she was not quite what she seemed....
Genres: Drama Comedy TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1984-12-30
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The Virgin and the Gypsy
Overview: Film adaptation from the novel by D.H. Lawrence, discovered after the celebrated author's death in 1930, a romantic love story tells of a prim young English girl who is sexually attracted to a seductively virile gypsy. The climatic dam burst is linked with the consummation of her desire.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1970-06-01
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Up Among the Cuckoos
Overview: A couple rebel against being forced out of their home (in the name of progress) and into a high rise publicly owned apartment.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1970-06-07
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Victim
Overview: A web of blackmail and murder attracts the attention of a barrister with a seemingly idyllic life, threatening to derail his career on the path of success.
Genres: Drama Crime Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1961-08-01
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All at Sea
Overview: The unexpected adventures of children on a school cruise to Portugal and North Africa. In Tangier, Steve, whose hobby is detecting, suspects that a parcel carried by another boy is contraband. Steve and his pals get into trouble trying to get hold of the parcel, but, in the process they uncover and foil the plans of a passenger to smuggle a stolen painting back to England.
Genres: Family
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1969-01-01
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The Wrong Box
Overview: In Victorian England, a fortune now depends on which of two brothers outlives the other—or can be made to have seemed to do so.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1966-06-19
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Baby Sitters
Overview:
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1976-01-01
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On the Tiles
Overview: Alice's attempts to reach the children by climbing down the chimney of their grandmother's house result in various people being stranded on the roof. Eventually the Fire Brigade is called.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1976-01-01
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The Big Kick
Overview: The exploits of Judy, Joey and Josh and a chimpanzee called Alice.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1976-01-01
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Double Trouble
Overview:
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1976-01-01
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Wedding Bells
Overview: 'Alice' and the children try to foil the attempt of thieves to steal the presents from a wedding reception, with hilarious results.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1976-01-01
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Monkey Tricks
Overview: 'Alice's' attempts to help with house decorating result in disaster. She is banished to the tree-house but a violent storm drives her indoors, to the consternation of the children's mother.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1976-01-01
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Pot Luck
Overview: The Chiffy Kids go camping on a farm. Magpie causes a tent to collapse and as a punishment is tied to a large cooking pot. Freeing herself, she prepares a stew which is eaten by Herbert. The kids find only bones in the pot, and the repentant Herbert returns with sausages.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1976-01-01
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Oh! What a Lovely War
Overview: The working-class Smiths change their initially sunny views on World War I after the three boys of the family witness the harsh reality of trench warfare.
Genres: Comedy Music War
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1969-03-10
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Elementary, My Dear Watson
Overview: John Cleese stars as Sherlock Holmes in this Comedy Playhouse pilot episode from 1973.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1973-01-18
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The Slipper and the Rose
Overview: Prince Edward wants to marry for love, but the King and court of the kingdom of Euphrania are anxious for the prince to wed no matter what. When the prince meets Cinderella at a ball, he's sure she's the one, and when she loses her slipper upon exiting the dance, the prince is determined to find and marry her.
Genres: Adventure Fantasy Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1976-03-25
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A Voyage Round My Father
Overview: A successful lawyer struck with blindness in middle age continues his battles in the courtroom with the assistance of his family. As his son deals with bitter memories of their relationship, he also seeks his father's respect and love and in the process learns to love in return.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1984-04-19
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The Ghost Downstairs
Overview: British TV-Drama
Genres: Fantasy TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1982-12-26
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Bitter Harvest
Overview: A pretty young woman will do anything to escape her deadly dull existence in the backlots of Wales. But when she reaches the bright lights of London is the price too high?
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1963-03-08
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Hands of the Ripper
Overview: A series of murders occur that mirror those committed by the Whitechapel Ripper. Through his experiments with psychoanalysis Dr Pritchard discovers a deadly violence in one of his young female patients. As he delves into the recesses of her mind he uncovers that Anna is possessed by her dead father's spirit, willing her to commit acts of gruesome savagery over which she has no control. But the most chilling revelation of all is the identity of her father: Jack the Ripper himself.
Genres: Horror Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1971-10-17
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Crossing the Floor
Overview: Political satire closely mirroring real-life British politics of the time - a self-serving Conservative minister "crosses the floor" to join the opposition Labour Party, at a time when the Conservative Party has a majority in Parliament of just one seat. Sequel to A Very Open Prison.
Genres: TV Movie Comedy Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1996-10-05
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Hot Enough for June
Overview: A young man travels to Prague to join his new employer, unaware that he is being used as an espionage courier.
Genres: Comedy Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1964-01-01
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An Inspector Calls
Overview: An upper-crust family dinner is interrupted by a police inspector who brings news that a girl known to everyone present has died in suspicious circumstances. It seems that any or all of them could have had a hand in her death. But who is the mysterious Inspector and what can he want of them?
Genres: Crime Drama Mystery Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1954-03-16
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Very Important Person
Overview: Comedy set in World War Two, starring James Robertson-Justice and Leslie Phillips. Sir Ernest Pease (Robertson-Justice) is a self-important scientist who is sent undercover on a bombing mission to monitor the effectiveness of his latest invention, a new-fangled radar. When the plane is attacked, he parachutes to safety - only to be sent to a POW camp, where he takes on the alias of Lieutenant Farrow. There, the somewhat happy-go-lucky bunch of Brits suspect their acerbic new fellow prisoner of being a spy, and all sorts of culture clashes and misunderstandings ensue.
Genres: War Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1961-04-24
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A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
Overview: Christmas is coming to Ten Acre Field and Worzel Gummidge (Jon Pertwee) is determined to enjoy it in style. He goes searching for Aunt Sally (Una Stubbs), hoping to invite her to the Scarecrow Ball, but before he can find her he runs into his old friend Saucy Nancy (Barbara Windsor), herself heading for a spell in panto. Then, before he gets much further, our multi-headed hero gets sidetracked again when he runs into angry Scots scarecrow Bogle McNeep (Billy Connolly) and his anti-Christmas brigade. Will Worzel ever get to enjoy the season with his beloved?
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1980-12-27
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Born Kicking
Overview: Roxanne (known as Roxy) is a star performer in her local soccer team. Her natural talent is noticed by local team owner Victor Grace who signs her up. However it's not so easy being the only female professional soccer star in the country.
Genres: Drama TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1992-09-20
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The Raging Moon
Overview: Bruce Pritchard is paralysed in a soccer game and is confined to a wheelchair in a convalescence home. But this doesn't slow his lust for life. Then he meets Jill and has to think about the effects of disability.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1971-01-21
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The Punch and Judy Man
Overview: Walter Pinner is the titular Punch And Judy Man plying his trade in the seaside town of Piltdown. Unhappily married to his social climbing wife, who gets him to perform at the 60th Anniversary celebrations of the town in front of all the local dignitaries, his hatred of snobbery comes to a hilarious head.
Genres: Comedy Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1963-04-08
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The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
Overview: Fresh-faced young Michael Rimmer worms his way into an opinion poll company and is soon running the place. He uses this as a springboard to get into politics and in the mini-skirted flared-trousered world of 1970 Britain starts to rise through the Tory ranks.
Genres: Comedy Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1970-11-12
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The Medusa Touch
Overview: A French detective in London reconstructs the life of a man lying in hospital with severe injuries with the help of journals and a psychiatrist. He realises that the man had powerful telekinetic abilities.
Genres: Horror Thriller Science Fiction Mystery
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1978-04-13
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The Limbo Line
Overview: The Limbo Line tells a story of Cold War double-crossing with British secret agent Manston trying to break up a group of Russian agents who return defectors to Moscow for brainwashing. When a Russian ballerina defects to Germany, Manston goes after the head of The Limbo Line in an effort to stop the group from kidnapping the defectors. Acting against the orders of his boss, Manston is faced with killing the communist leader of the movement in Germany or allowing the dancer to be turned over for interrogation and reprisals for her political beliefs. Matters are further complicated when Manston finds himself falling for the ballerina…
Genres: Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1969-03-03
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The Final Conflict
Overview: Damien Thorn has helped rescue the world from a recession, appearing to be a benign corporate benefactor. When he then becomes U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Damien fulfills a terrifying biblical prophecy. He also faces his own potential demise as an astronomical event brings about the second coming of Christ.
Genres: Horror Mystery Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1981-03-20
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King Arthur, the Young Warlord
Overview: This is the inspiring, epic journey of a noble warrior's quest to prove his worth, his might, and his destined fate to become the next ruler of Britain.
Genres: Adventure Drama TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1975-01-01
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Please Sir!
Overview: Mr. Hedges, the somewhat naive and idealistc teacher of the rebellious Class 5C, lobbies to have them allowed on the school camping trip despite much precedent to the contrary. Once on the camping trip Mr. Hedges pursues the local barmaid and the class indulge in their usual activities. A small feud with some stereotypical upper class children in red blazers is resolved with a false rape allegation. A case of some stolen money is resolved through Mr. Hedges trusting the class. At the final dance Mr. Hedges is ensnared in the romantic clutches of Miss Cutforth, contrary to his wishes.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1971-05-01
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Buddy
Overview: Buddy (1986) is a BBC schools drama, based on the novel of the same name by Nigel Hinton. It was shown as part of the social studies strand. It starred Wayne Goddard as Buddy Clark, a teenager dealing with various life problems, Roger Daltrey as his father Terry and pupils from the Cavendish School in Eastbourne. Daltrey reprised his role in the 1991 film Buddy's Song with Chesney Hawkes as Buddy.
Genres: Drama Family
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1986-01-01
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Black Carrion
Overview: Two journalists search for a rock band that was popular 20 years ago but just seemed to have vanished and was never heard from again. Their investigation leads them to discover more about the band than they bargained for.
Genres: Horror Mystery Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1984-11-12
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Miss Pym's Day Out
Overview: In 1977, after a fourteen year dry spell, the novelist Barbara Pym was nominated for a Booker Award for her novel, Quartet in Autumn. This drama documentary biopic sees Patricia Routledge as Pym and follows the day of the prize presentation, as she observes people and reminisces about life and love.
Genres: Drama Documentary TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1992-02-19
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Young Winston
Overview: This historical drama is an account of the early life of British politician Winston Churchill, including his childhood years, his time as a war correspondent in Africa, and culminating with his first election to Parliament.
Genres: Action Adventure Drama War
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1972-07-20
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