Barry Norman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barry Norman
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Norman in 2012
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| Born |
Barry Leslie Norman
21 August 1933 Lambeth, London, England
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| Died | 30 June 2017 (aged 83) Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England
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| Education | Hurstpierpoint College Highgate School |
| Occupation | Film critic, television presenter, journalist |
| Years active | 1960–2001 |
| Television | Film... |
| Spouse(s) |
Diana Narracott
(m. 1957; died 2011) |
| Children | 2 |
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Barry Leslie Norman CBE (born August 21, 1933 – died June 30, 2017) was a famous British film critic, TV presenter, and journalist. He was best known for hosting the BBC's popular movie review show, Film..., for many years, from 1972 to 1998.
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Early Life
Barry Norman was born in London on August 21, 1933. He was the oldest of three children. His father, Leslie Norman, was a film director, and his mother was Elizabeth Norman.
Barry went to a state primary school first. Later, he attended Hurstpierpoint College in West Sussex. When he was 12, he moved to Highgate School, an all-boys school in North London, where he studied until 1951. Instead of going to university, he chose to study shipping management at Islington Technical College.
A Career in Media
Barry Norman started his career as a journalist. He worked for a local newspaper in West London called The Kensington News.
From Newspapers to TV
Barry then spent some time in South Africa, writing for a newspaper called The Star. He also worked in Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) for The Rhodesia Herald. While in Africa, he saw the unfairness of apartheid, which was a system of strict separation and discrimination based on race. He strongly disliked this system.
When he came back to the UK, Barry wrote for the Daily Sketch and later became the show business editor for the Daily Mail. After these papers merged, he wrote columns for The Observer and The Guardian. He also helped create the long-running cartoon strip Flook. For many years, he wrote a column for the Radio Times and even wrote several novels.
His Famous Film Show
Barry Norman became the presenter of BBC1's Film... programme in 1972. He became the only presenter the following year. He was known for his thoughtful and engaging reviews.
In 1982, he briefly left Film... to present another show called Omnibus. But he returned to Film... in 1983. He eventually left the BBC in 1998 because he was unhappy with the show's changing broadcast times. He then worked for BSkyB for three years. Jonathan Ross took over as the presenter of Film... at the BBC.
In 2013, Barry wrote an article for the Radio Times where he listed his top 49 British films of all time. This list included movies like The Cruel Sea (1953), Chariots of Fire (1981), and Skyfall (2012). He explained that he chose films he believed would still be enjoyed by new generations of viewers many years later.
Other TV and Radio Work
Besides Film..., Barry Norman also wrote and presented several documentary series for the BBC and ITV. These included Hollywood Greats (from 1977 to 1983), Barry Norman's Guide to American Soaps (1985), and Talking Pictures (1987).
In 1988, he was a main presenter for Channel 4's coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. He also presented parts of Comic Relief in 1990 and 1991, which is a charity event.
Barry was also a regular voice on BBC Radio 4. In 1974, he presented Today and was the first chairman of The News Quiz. He also hosted travel shows like Going Places and Breakaway.
He became associated with the phrase "and why not?". This phrase was often used by his puppet character on the satirical TV show Spitting Image. Barry later adopted the phrase himself, and it became the title of his 2003 autobiography.
Personal Life and Interests
Barry Norman married author Diana Narracott on October 12, 1957. They lived in Datchworth, Hertfordshire, for many years, and had two daughters, Samantha and Emma. Diana Norman passed away on January 27, 2011. Barry's 2013 book, See You in the Morning, was a tribute to their life together.
Barry loved cricket and even wrote a book about it. He was a member of the MCC and enjoyed watching cricket matches at Lord's.
His Legacy
Supporting Good Causes
Barry Norman was a supporter of the Liberal Democrats political party. Before that, he supported the Labour Party until 1981. He admired politician Shirley Williams.
Remembering Barry Norman
Barry Norman passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 30, 2017, at the age of 83. He had been ill with lung cancer. He was buried in the churchyard of All Saints' Church in Datchworth, Hertfordshire. A memorial service was held for him in London in April 2018.
Many people shared their thoughts about Barry Norman after he died. Journalists and film critics praised him for being able to talk about movies in a way that everyone could understand and enjoy. They said he was knowledgeable but not showy, and that his love for film always shone through. Mark Kermode, another film critic, called him "the Master" and said watching Barry review films was a pleasure and an inspiration. Jonathan Ross, who took over his show, described him as "a great critic and a lovely, lovely man."
Awards and Honours
- BAFTA's Richard Dimbleby Award, 1981.
- Magazine Columnist of the Year, 1991.
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), 1998.
