Norman Mitchell Driver (27 August 1918 – 19 March 2001), known professionally as Norman Mitchell, was an English television, stage and film actor. Born in

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, situated south of Leeds and east of Manchester. The city is the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and some of its so ...

West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire was one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the riding was an administrative county named County of York, West Riding. The Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire, lieu ...

, his father was a mining engineer and his mother a concert singer. He attended Carterknowle Grammar School and the

University of Sheffield The University of Sheffield (informally Sheffield University or TUOS) is a public university, public research university in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Its history traces back to the foundation of Sheffield Medical School in 1828, Fir ...

, before appearing in repertory theatre and with the

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and opens around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, Stratf ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

he served with the

Royal Army Medical Corps The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) was a specialist corps in the British Army which provided medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. On 15 November 2024, the corps was amalgamated with the Royal Army De ...

. He then made many television appearances and appeared in over sixty films. Mitchell was married to actress Pauline Mitchell until her death in 1992. He was the father of Jacqueline Mitchell and actor Christopher Mitchell, known for his role in the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...

'' It Ain't Half Hot Mum''. His son Christopher predeceased him by a month.

Selected filmography

* ''

The Seekers The Seekers were an Australian folk music, folk-influenced pop music, pop group originally formed in Melbourne in 1962. They were the first Australian pop music group to achieve major chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the Unit ...

'' (1954) - Grayson * '' Up to His Neck'' (1954) - Fungus * '' A Kid for Two Farthings'' (1955) - Stallholder (uncredited) * ''

Police Dog A police dog, also known as a K-9 (phonemic abbreviation of canine), is a dog that is trained to assist police and other law enforcement officers. Their duties may include searching for drugs and explosives, locating missing people, findin ...

'' (1955) * '' You Lucky People!'' (1955) - Soldier (uncredited) * '' Five Clues to Fortune'' (1957) - Bert * '' Three Sundays to Live'' (1957) - Police Sergeant * '' The Man Who Wouldn't Talk'' (1958) - (uncredited) * '' Battle of the V-1'' (1958) - German in Kübelwagen (uncredited) * '' The Price of Silence'' (1960) - Landlord (uncredited) * ''

Beat Girl ''Beat Girl'' is a 1960 British teen exploitation drama film directed by Edmond T. Gréville. The film was released in the United States under the title ''Wild for Kicks''. The title character of ''Beat Girl'' was played by starlet Gillian H ...

'' (1960) - Club Doorman * ''

This Sporting Life ''This Sporting Life'' is a 1963 British kitchen sink realism, kitchen sink drama (film and television), drama film directed by Lindsay Anderson. Based on the This Sporting Life (novel), 1960 novel of the same name by David Storey, which won th ...

'' (1963) - Tenant (uncredited) * '' The Yellow Teddy Bears'' (1963) - Larry * '' West 11'' (1963) - Shop Customer (uncredited) * '' Carry On Cabby'' (1963) - Bespectacled Businessman (uncredited) * ''

Carry On Spying ''Carry On Spying'' is a 1964 British spy comedy film directed by Gerald Thomas. It is the ninth in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). It marks Barbara Windsor's first appearance in the series. Series regulars Kenneth Willia ...

'' (1964) - Native Policeman / Algerian Gent * ''

Carry On Cleo ''Carry On Cleo'' is a 1964 British historical comedy film, the tenth in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). Regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Kenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey, and Jim Dale are present and Connor made his l ...

'' (1964) - Heckler (uncredited) * '' A Home of Your Own'' (1964) - The Foreman * ''

The Little Ones ''The Little Ones'' is a 1965 British family comedy film directed and written by Jim O'Connolly and starring Carl Gonzales, Kim Smith, Dudley Foster and Derek Newark. Plot Two poor boys from London, Ted, an abused child and Jackie, the son ...

'' (1965) - (uncredited) * '' You Must Be Joking!'' (1965) - Billingsgate Fish Porter (uncredited) * '' Bunny Lake Is Missing'' (1965) - Mover * '' Three Hats for Lisa'' (1965) - Truck driver * ''

Invasion An invasion is a Offensive (military), military offensive of combatants of one geopolitics, geopolitical Legal entity, entity, usually in large numbers, entering territory (country subdivision), territory controlled by another similar entity, ...

'' (1965) - Lorry Driver * '' The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery'' (1966) - William (Willy the Jelly-Man) * '' I Was Happy Here'' (1966) * '' Carry On Screaming!'' (1966) - Cabby * '' The Jokers'' (1967) - Window Cleaner giving interview (uncredited) * '' A Challenge for Robin Hood'' (1967) - Dray Driver * ''

Two a Penny ''Two a Penny'' is a 1967 British film, released nationally in 1968, directed by James F. Collier and starring Cliff Richard. It was produced by Frank R. Jacobson for Billy Graham's film distribution and production company World Wide Pictures T ...

'' (1967) - Attendant * '' Half a Sixpence'' (1967) - Master of Ceremonies * '' I'll Never Forget What's'isname'' (1967) - Party Guest (uncredited one-line spoken part) * ''

Oliver! ''Oliver!'' is a stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel ''Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens. It premiered at the Wimbledon Theatre, southwest London in 1960 before opening in the W ...

'' (1968) - Arresting Policeman * '' Diamonds for Breakfast'' (1968) - (uncredited) * '' Two Gentlemen Sharing'' (1969) - Policeman * ''

Some Will, Some Won't ''Some Will, Some Won't'' is a 1970 British comedy film directed by Duncan Wood, starring an ensemble British cast including Michael Hordern, Ronnie Corbett, Dennis Price, Leslie Phillips and Arthur Lowe. It is a remake of ''Laughter in Paradise ...

'' (1970) - Policeman * ''

One More Time One More Time may refer to: Film and television * ''One More Time'' (1931 film), a Merrie Melodies cartoon * ''One More Time'' (1970 film), a film by Jerry Lewis * ''One More Time'', a 1974 TV special with Carol Channing, Pearl Bailey, and other ...

'' (1970) - Sergeant Smith * '' The Games'' (1970) - Harry's Boss (uncredited) * ''

Atlantic Wall The Atlantic Wall () was an extensive system of coastal defence and fortification, coastal defences and fortifications built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944 along the coast of continental Europe and Scandinavia as a defense (military), d ...

'' (1970) - Bobbie 1 * '' On the Buses'' (1971) - London Transport Official * '' Bless This House'' (1972) - Police Sergeant * '' Lady Caroline Lamb'' (1972) - Restaurant functionary * '' Nearest and Dearest'' (1972) - Vernon Smallpiece * '' And Now the Screaming Starts!'' (1973) - Constable * '' Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell'' (1974) - Police Sergeant * ''

Man About the House ''Man About the House'' is a British sitcom created by Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer. It starred Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett, Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy (actor), Brian Murphy. Six series were broadcast on ITV (TV netw ...

'' (1974) - Arthur Mulgrove - Doorman * '' Legend of the Werewolf'' (1975) - Tiny * ''

Barry Lyndon ''Barry Lyndon'' is a 1975 epic historical drama film written, directed, and produced by Stanley Kubrick, based on the 1844 novel '' The Luck of Barry Lyndon'' by William Makepeace Thackeray. Narrated by Michael Hordern, and starring Ryan O'N ...

'' (1975) - British Soldier (uncredited) * ''The Moon Over the Alley'' (1976) - Joe Tudge * '' The Pink Panther Strikes Again'' (1976) - Mr. Bullock * ''

The Prince and the Pauper ''The Prince and the Pauper'' is a novel by American author Mark Twain. It was first published in 1881 in Canada, before its 1882 publication in the United States. The novel represents Twain's first attempt at historical fiction. The plot conce ...

'' (1977) - Constable (uncredited) * '' The Big Sleep'' (1978) - Doorman at Eddie's Club (uncredited) * '' Carry On Emmannuelle'' (1978) - Drunken Husband * ''A Hitch in Time'' (1978) - Police Sergeant (uncredited) * ''

The Return of the Soldier ''The Return of the Soldier'' is the debut novel of English novelist Rebecca West, first published in 1918. The novel recounts the return of the shell shocked Captain Chris Baldry from the trenches of the First World War from the perspective ...

'' (1982) - Ernest * ''

The Wicked Lady ''The Wicked Lady'' is a 1945 British costume drama film directed by Leslie Arliss and starring James Mason and Margaret Lockwood. Lockwood plays a nobleman's wife who becomes a Highwayman, highwaywoman for the excitement. It had one of the l ...

'' (1983) - Man at Inn * ''Revenge of Billy the Kid'' (1992) - Mr. Allott * '' Dirty Weekend'' (1993) - Repair Man * ''

Lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Ligh ...

'' (1999) - Brownlow * ''Meanwhile'' (2003) - the Landlord (final film role)

Selected television credits

* ''

Lorna Doone ''Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor'' is a novel by R. D. Blackmore, first published in three volumes in London in 1869. It is a romance based on a group of historical characters and set in the late 17th century in Devon and Somerset, particu ...

'' (1963) - Sergeant Bloxham * '' No Cloak – No Dagger'' (1963) - Police Sergeant * '' The Saint'' (1962, Ep. #1-01) - Mr. Smith * ''

Gideon's Way ''Gideon's Way'' is a British television crime series that was made by ITC Entertainment and broadcast by ITV in 1964–1966, following the 1958 film, '' Gideon's Day''. The film and series are based on novels by John Creasey (writing as 'J. ...

'' (1964 - Ep. ''The Rhyme and the Reason'') - Club Manager * ''

The Sullavan Brothers ''The Sullavan Brothers'' is a British television drama series created by Ted Willis, Baron Willis, Ted Willis which originally aired 1964–1965 on ITV (TV network), ITV in 26 episodes. The series chronicles the adventures of four lawyer brothe ...

'' (1965) - Mr. Crisp * ''

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...

'' (1965) - Shinwell Johnson * ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...

(in the serial '' The Daleks' Master Plan'') (1965) - First Policeman * ''

The Prisoner ''The Prisoner'' is a British television series created by Patrick McGoohan. McGoohan portrays Number Six (The Prisoner), Number Six, an unnamed British intelligence agent who is abducted and imprisoned in a The Village (The Prisoner), mysteri ...

'' (1967) - Mechanic in the episode ''The General'' * '' Softly, Softly'' (1966-1969) - Steve / Dave Cullen * ''

Dad's Army ''Dad's Army'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard (United Kingdom), Home Guard during the World War II, Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft (TV producer), David Crof ...

'' (1969) - Captain Rogers * '' Up Pompeii!'' (1970) - Stovus Primus * '' Doctor at Large'' (1971) - Det. Sgt. Rowley * '' On the Buses'' (1970-1971) - Nobby * ''

The Moonstone ''The Moonstone: A Romance'' by Wilkie Collins is an 1868 British epistolary novel. It is an early example of the modern detective novel, and established many of the ground rules of the modern genre. Its publication was started on 4 January 18 ...

'' (1972) - Mr. Ablewhite * ''

Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? ''Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?'' is a British sitcom which was broadcast on BBC1 between 9 January 1973 and 9 April 1974. It was the colour sequel to the mid-1960s hit ''The Likely Lads''. It was created and written, as was its predec ...

'' (1973-1974) - Jack / Barman / Pub Manager * ''

Z-Cars ''Z-Cars'' or ''Z Cars'' (pronounced "zed cars") is a British television police procedural series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police and CID detectives in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, near Liverpool. Produced by ...

'' (1962-1977) - George Belling / Stanley Cook / Arnold Porter / PC Adams / Chizzy Black / 1st PC * ''

Beryl's Lot ''Beryl's Lot'' is a British comedy drama about a woman approaching middle-age and embarking on a programme of personal development. It was written by Kevin Laffan (who also created ''Emmerdale''), produced by David Cunliffe and Peter Willes, an ...

'' (1973-1977) - Charlie Mills * '' No Strings'' (1974) - 1st Workman * '' Thriller'' (1975) - 1st man in the pub * ''

Ripping Yarns ''Ripping Yarns'' is a British television adventure comedy anthology series. It was written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones of Monty Python fame and transmitted on BBC 2. Following an initial pilot episode in January 1976, it ran for two se ...

'' (1977) - 1st Pressman * '' It Ain't Half Hot Mum'' (1977) - Captain Owen * '' Robin's Nest'' (1978) - Fred * '' Come Back Mrs Noah'' (1978) - Mr. Noah * '' Wodehouse Playhouse'' (1978) - P.C. Popjoy * '' The Famous Five'' (1978) - Ben (the blacksmith) * ''

Danger UXB ''Danger UXB'' is a 1979 British ITV television series set during the Second World War. It was developed by John Hawkesworth and starred Anthony Andrews as Lieutenant Brian Ash, an officer in the Royal Engineers (RE). The series chronicl ...

'' (1979) - ARP Man * ''

Sykes "Sykes" is a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origins, which generally has topographical roots as it original linguistic origin. The name derives from the Old Norse word "sík" or "síkja", meaning a small stream, marshy hollow, or gully. It eventua ...

'' (1974-1979) - Leg Consultant * '' George and Mildred'' (1976-1979) - Mr Clayton / Stanley / Ted / Pet Shop Assistant * '' You're Only Young Twice'' (Series 3 - Episode Four - 21 June 1979) - "Use of Bath"- Landlord * ''

Yes Minister ''Yes Minister'' is a British political satire sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn. Comprising three seven-episode series, it was first transmitted on BBC2 from 1980 to 1984. A sequel, ''Yes, Prime Minister'', ran for 16 episodes f ...

'' (1980) - the Mayor * '' We, the Accused'' (1980) - Crompton * '' Why Didn't They Ask Evans?'' (1980) - Constable Browning * ''

The Goodies The Goodies were a trio of British comedians: Tim Brooke-Taylor (17 July 1940 – 12 April 2020), Graeme Garden (b. 18 February 1943) and Bill Oddie (b. 7 July 1941). The trio created, wrote for and performed in their The Goodies (TV series), ...

'' (1971) "The Music Master" (ep 2.5) * ''

'' (1973) "The Lost Island of Munga" (ep 3.5) * ''

Worzel Gummidge Worzel Gummidge is a scarecrow in British children's fiction, who originally appeared in a series of books by the English novelist Barbara Euphan Todd.

'' (1979-1980) - P.C. Parsons * '' Keep It in the Family'' (1980-1982) - Piano Mover / Burt * ''

Are You Being Served? ''Are You Being Served?'' is a British television sitcom that was broadcast from 1972 to 1985. It was created and written by David Croft (TV producer), David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd. Croft also served as executive producer and television directo ...

'' (1978-1983) - Customer / Wendel P. Clark * ''

Never the Twain ''Never the Twain'' is a British sitcom that ran for eleven series from 7 September 1981 to 9 October 1991. The series starred Windsor Davies (previously known for ''It Ain't Half Hot, Mum'') and Donald Sinden as rival antique dealers, and al ...

'' (1986-1988) - Waldo / George * '' All Creatures Great and Small'' (1988) - Mr. Birtwhistle * '' You Rang, M'Lord?'' (1993) - Perkins * ''

Casualty Casualty may refer to: *Casualty (person), a person who is killed or rendered unfit for service in a war or natural disaster **Civilian casualty, a non-combatant killed or injured in warfare * The emergency department of a hospital, also known as ...

'' (1994) - Johno Jenkins * ''

Last of the Summer Wine ''Last of the Summer Wine'' is a British sitcom set in Yorkshire created and written by Roy Clarke and originally broadcast by the BBC from 1973 to 2010. It premiered as an episode of ''Comedy Playhouse'' on 4 January 1973, and the first seri ...

'' (1998) - Coggy Duckworth

References

External links

*

Interview British Entertainment History Project {{DEFAULTSORT:Mitchell, Norman 1918 births 2001 deaths English male film actors English male stage actors English male television actors Male actors from Sheffield Royal Army Medical Corps soldiers British Army personnel of World War II Alumni of the University of Sheffield