Norman Beaton

Norman Beaton

Norman Beaton was a popular and much loved Guyanese born British actor. He arrived in the UK in 1960 and worked as a calypso singer and musician and a teacher - being the first black teacher employed by the education authority in Liverpool. His heart set on a career in showbusiness, he moved to Bristol and became a presenter on the regional news magazine Points West, before a two week prison sentence curtailed his presenting career. He subsequently found work in London's West End, appearing in The Tempest as Ariel, a role he subsequently cited as the most important in his career. He helped set up the Black Theatre in Brixton in the mid 70s and broke into television with the first black British sitcom, The Fosters in 1976, playing Lenny Henry's father. A star turn in the movie Black Joy followed a year later, as did the principal role in the fledgling black soap Empire Road for the BBC. But it is perhaps his performance as Desmond Ambrose, the crotchety Peckham barber in Channel 4's hit sitcom Desmond's that Beaton will forever be remembered for. The series ran from 1988 until his ill health curtailed the show in 1994. He retired to Georgetown, the place of his birth, but collapsed and died of a heart attack at the airport on arrival, on 13th December 1994. He was 60 years old.
Known For: Acting
Birthday: 1934-10-31
Place of Birth: Georgetown, Guyana
Also Known As:

Movies List of Norman Beaton

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Real Life

1984 Movie
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Up the Chastity Belt

1972 Movie
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Black Joy

1977 Movie
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Playing Away

1987 Movie
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The Mighty Quinn

1989 Movie
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Pressure

1976 Movie
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Endgame

1989 Movie
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Nice

1984 Movie
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Black Christmas

1977 Movie
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Big George Is Dead

1987 Movie
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When Love Dies

1990 Movie
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Easy Money

1982 Movie
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Eureka

1983 Movie
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Mark of the Hand

1987 Movie
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Growing Pains

1980 Movie
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Airbase

1988 Movie
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Easy Money

1982 Movie