Barry Norman
For over 25 years, his wry, accessible voice was the definitive guide to the movies for a generation of British television viewers.
1933–2017 (age 84)·British film critic·Birthday: August 21·The Silent Generation
Biography
Barry Norman didn't just review films; he became a national institution, the friendly face who brought cinema into British living rooms every week. A journalist by trade, he took over the BBC's 'Film' programme in 1972, transforming it from a niche interest show into a cultural touchstone. His style was understated, knowledgeable, and peppered with a dry wit that never felt pretentious. He interviewed the biggest stars of the era—from Clint Eastwood to Meryl Streep—with a calm authority that put them at ease, often eliciting more candid responses than other interviewers. His tenure, which lasted until 1998, spanned the rise of blockbusters, the birth of indie cinema, and countless Oscar campaigns, with Norman providing a steady, insightful commentary throughout. When he signed off with his trademark 'And why not?', it felt like a trusted friend was ending the conversation.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Barry was born in 1933, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Barry Was Born
The biggest hits of 1933
#1 Movie
King Kong
Best Picture
Cavalcade
Barry's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1933Born
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1938Started school
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1946Became a teenager
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1949Could drive
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1951Could vote
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1954Turned 21
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1963Turned 30
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 40
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 50
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 60
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 70
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 80
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2017Died at 84
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
Key Achievements
- Presented the BBC's flagship film review programme 'Film...' for 26 years, from 1972 to 1998.
- Authored numerous books on cinema, including 'The Hollywood Greats' and '100 Best Films of the Century.'
- Interviewed virtually every major film star and director of the late 20th century for television.
- Won a BAFTA TV Award for Best Factual Series in 1991 for 'Film...'
Did You Know?
His father, Leslie Norman, was a film director and producer at Ealing Studios.
He was a talented amateur boxer in his youth.
He once turned down an offer to become the head of production at Columbia Pictures.
The catchphrase 'And why not?' was ad-libbed during an early show and stuck.
“I don't enjoy being rude about films. I'd much rather praise them, but sometimes you can't.”
