Barry Norman

CBE
Norman in 2012
Born
Barry Leslie Norman

(1933-08-21)21 August 1933
Lambeth, London, England
Died30 June 2017(2017-06-30) (aged 83)
Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England[1]
Resting placeAll Saints' Church, Datchworth, Hertfordshire, England
EducationHurstpierpoint College
Highgate School
Occupation(s)Film critic, television presenter, journalist
Years active1960–2001
TelevisionFilm...
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1957; died 2011)​
Children2
Parents

Barry Leslie Norman CBE (21 August 1933 – 30 June 2017) was a British film critic, television presenter and journalist. He presented the BBC's cinema review programme, Film..., from 1972 to 1998.

Early life

Born at St Thomas's Hospital, London, on 21 August 1933,[1][2] Norman was the eldest of three children of film director Leslie Norman, and Elizabeth Norman (née Crafford).[3][4][5] He was brother of script editor and director Valerie Norman[5] (making him the former brother-in-law of Bernard Williams). Norman was educated at a state primary school and then at Hurstpierpoint College in West Sussex – at the time, the college did not admit the sons of tradespeople and there was a lengthy debate as to whether his father's occupation as a film editor was a trade or not.[6] At age 12 he went to Highgate School, then an all-boys independent school in North London from January 1946 until July 1951.[7] He did not go to university, opting instead to study shipping management at Islington Technical College.[8]

Career

Norman began his career in journalism with the West London newspaper The Kensington News. He later spent a period in South Africa working for The Star in Johannesburg, then moving to Salisbury, Rhodesia (now known as Harare, Zimbabwe) where he wrote for The Rhodesia Herald.[9] In Africa he developed a hostility to the effects of apartheid.[10]

When he returned to the UK, he became a gossip columnist for the Daily Sketch,[9] and then show business editor of the Daily Mail until March 1971, when he was made redundant when the two papers merged. Subsequently, he wrote a column for The Observer and each Wednesday for The Guardian, also contributing leader columns to the newspaper.[11] He was one of the collaborators with Wally Fawkes on the long-running cartoon strip Flook.[12] He contributed a column to the Radio Times for many years, and wrote several novels.[13][9]

He presented BBC1's Film... programme from 1972, becoming the sole presenter the following year. The theme was a recording of Billy Taylor playing his 1952 composition "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free". Norman's involvement was interrupted in 1982 by a brief spell presenting Omnibus. After returning to the Film series in 1983, Norman became increasingly irritated by the BBC's reluctance to screen it at a regular time, and in 1998 finally accepted an offer to work for BSkyB, where he remained for three years.[14] Jonathan Ross took his place as the BBC programme's presenter.[15]

In a 2013 article for the Radio Times, Norman listed what he considered to be the 49 best British films of all time. The list included The Cruel Sea (1953), Chariots of Fire (1981) and Skyfall (2012). Norman explained: "In most cases the criteria I used was whether these films were going to last; whether new generations of cinema goers would want to watch them in 20 years time [...] Most are quite old films, but they all appeal to this generation of film-goers as much as they did when they were first made."[16]

Norman wrote and presented a number of documentary series for the BBC and ITV, including Hollywood Greats (1977–1983), Barry Norman's Guide to American Soaps (1985),[17] Talking Pictures (1987)[18] and Soaps Down Under in 1991.[19]

In 1982 Norman presented Omnibus.

Norman was, together with Elton Welsby, the main anchorman for Channel 4's coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.[20]

Norman presented part of Comic Relief in 1990 and 1991.[21][22]

He was for some years a regular radio broadcaster on BBC Radio 4. In 1974, he presented Today, and was the first chairman of The News Quiz.[9] He was the original presenter of the BBC Radio 4 transport and travel show Going Places and of its sister travel magazine, Breakaway. Other shows included The Chip Shop, an early 1980s series dedicated to the emerging home computer industry.[23] In 1996, he presented an interview series for BBC Radio 5 Live.[9]

He was associated with the phrase "and why not?", which was often attributed to that of his puppet likeness on the satirical ITV show Spitting Image.[24] Norman explained to Empire magazine in 2014, however, that it had originated from a Rory Bremner sketch show on Channel 4.[25] Norman later adopted the phrase himself, and it is the title of his 2003 autobiography.[24][26]

In 2008, Norman launched a brand of pickled onions using a recipe handed down through his family.[27]

Personal life

He married author Diana Narracott on 12 October 1957;[1] the couple lived in Datchworth, Hertfordshire, for many years,[28][29] and both of their daughters (Samantha and Emma) were born there.[5][3] Diana Norman died on 27 January 2011 at the age of 77.[30] Norman's 2013 book See You in the Morning was written as a celebration of their life together.[31][32]

Norman had a passion for cricket and wrote a book on the subject.[33] He was a member of the MCC and enjoyed spending time at Lord's watching cricket.[34]

Politics

He was a supporter of the Liberal Democrats,[35] having been a supporter of the Labour Party until the formation of the Social Democratic Party in 1981. He named Shirley Williams as the politician he most admired.[36]

Death

Barry Norman died in his sleep, aged 83, on 30 June 2017, at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage having been afflicted with lung cancer in his later years.[2] He was buried in the graveyard of All Saints' Church, in Datchworth, Hertfordshire.[37] A memorial service was held at St Paul's, Covent Garden in April 2018.[38]

Tributes

Writing in The Guardian, journalist Dennis Barker and film critic Derek Malcolm said that Norman "perfected a flair for talking beguilingly about cinema to a mass television audience but in a way that did not make true aficionados wince. As the presenter and critic of BBC TV’s original Film 72 through to Film 98, he was knowledgeable without affectation, and he did not seem overawed by the industry's leading lights."[39] Chief Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw wrote that Norman's "enthusiasm and love for film always shone through" and he was "an accessible, unpretentious surveyor of cinema".[40] Mark Kermode wrote that "watching Barry Norman review films was a pleasure, an education, and an inspiration. Wit, knowledge and wry enthusiasm. He was the Master", and Jonathan Ross, who replaced him as presenter of the BBC's Film... series, described him as "a great critic and a lovely, lovely man".[41]

Awards and honours

Bibliography

References

  1. ^ a b c Johnstone, Iain (2021). "Norman, Barry Leslie (1933–2017)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.90000380321. ISBN 9780198614128. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ a b "Film critic Barry Norman dies". BBC News. 1 July 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  3. ^ a b Who's Who 2013
  4. ^ "Index entry: Norman, Barry L., mother's maiden name: Crafford, registration district: Lambeth, volume/page nbrs.: 1d/240". "FreeBMD" transcription of England and Wales births and deaths 1835–1983. ONS. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  5. ^ a b c Nick McGrath (12 November 2011). "Barry Norman: My family values". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  6. ^ The Times obituary 3 July 2017
  7. ^ Hughes, Patrick; Davies, Ian F. Highgate School Register 1833–1964 (6th ed.). p. 361.
  8. ^ Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2017. McFarland. 3 May 2018. ISBN 9781476633183.
  9. ^ a b c d e "My Life in Media: Barry Norman". The Independent. 10 December 2007. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  10. ^ Barry Norman (13 March 2014). See You in the Morning. Transworld Publishers Limited. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-552-77928-9.
  11. ^ "Barry Norman". Penguin Books. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  12. ^ Brooks, Libby (29 August 2002). "So I said to Liz Taylor..." The Guardian. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  13. ^ Gill, James (1 July 2017). "Legendary Radio Times film critic Barry Norman dies aged 83". Radio Times. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  14. ^ "Barry Norman defects to Sky". BBC News. 9 June 1998. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  15. ^ "Claudia Winkleman to replace Jonathan Ross on Film 2010". The Daily Telegraph. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  16. ^ "'The defining voice of film criticism' – Barry Norman dies aged 83". The Daily Telegraph. 1 July 2017.
  17. ^ "Barry Norman's Guide to American Soaps (1985)". BFI. Archived from the original on 15 February 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  18. ^ "Film critic Barry Norman dies aged 83". The Daily Telegraph. 1 July 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  19. ^ "Soap down Under (1991)". BFI. Archived from the original on 15 February 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  20. ^ Spanner, Huw (December 1993). "A Nice Judge of Film". Third Way. Vol. 16, no. 9. Hymns Ancient & Modern Ltd. p. 19. Retrieved 1 July 2017. Barry Norman presented Channel 4's coverage of the Seoul Olympics, and over the years has contributed to The Guardian as a columnist, the Observer as a sports writer and the Times as a television critic.
  21. ^ "A Night of Comic Relief 2 (1990)". Comedy.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  22. ^ "Comic Relief 1991". Comedy.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  23. ^ "The Chip Shop". BBC Genome. 4 February 1984. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  24. ^ a b Westbrook, Caroline (1 July 2017). "Film critic and TV presenter Barry Norman has died aged 83". Metro. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  25. ^ "The Best Barry Norman Anecdotes From His Empire Podcast Interview". Empire. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  26. ^ a b c International Who's Who of Authors and Writers 2004 (19th ed.). London; New York: Europa Publications. 2004. p. 413. ISBN 978-1-857431-797.
  27. ^ Siburn, Jonathan (31 May 2011). "Barry Norman moves into pickled onions". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 14 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  28. ^ Nick Willoughby (24 August 2014). "Business is 'fantastic': Hertfordshire couple relaunch village pub". The Comet. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  29. ^ Dave Burke. "Hertfordshire film critic Barry Norman in storm over Robin Williams tribute". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  30. ^ Wilson, Laura (4 February 2011). "Diana Norman obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  31. ^ "Barry Norman on bereavement". ageuk.org.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  32. ^ Claire Black (12 October 2013). "Barry Norman on dealing with the loss of his wife". The Scotsman. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  33. ^ a b Dearden, Lizzie (1 July 2017). "Barry Norman dead: 'Remarkable' former film critic, BBC presenter and writer dies aged 83". The Independent. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  34. ^ Clark, Pete (15 November 2002). "Who goes to... The MCC". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  35. ^ "Culture jobs show Labour bias". BBC News. 5 November 1998. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  36. ^ Barry Norman. And Why Not?: Memoirs of a Film Lover. ISBN 978-0743449700
  37. ^ Entry for Norman in Findagrave website (2020). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/182955698/barry-norman
  38. ^ Smith, Neil. "Barry Norman: 'Best of film critics' remembered at memorial", BBC News, 12 April 2018.
  39. ^ Barker, Dennis; Malcolm, Derek (1 July 2017). "A delightful and intelligent critic: Barry Norman obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  40. ^ Peter Bradshaw (1 July 2017). "Barry Norman: 'His enthusiasm and love for film always shone through'". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  41. ^ McLennan, Patrick. "The 'master' of film critics, Barry Norman, dies aged 83". What's on TV. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  42. ^ "Richard Dimbleby Award in 1981". BAFTA. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  43. ^ Quercus, ISBN 978-1847248442, 336pp
  44. ^ Chapmans Publishers, ISBN 978-1855925779, 276pp
  45. ^ Orion Publishing Co, ISBN 978-0752801896, 320pp
  46. ^ Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-0743449700Norman, Barry (1 October 2003). And Why Not?: Memoirs of a Film Lover. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9780684020884. Retrieved 1 July 2017 – via Google Books.
  47. ^ Doubleday, ISBN 978-0857521644

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