Jim Norton (born 4 January 1938) is an Irishstage, film and televisioncharacter actor, known for his work in the theatre, most notably inConor McPherson'sThe Seafarer, and on television asBishop Brennan in the sitcomFather Ted.

Jim Norton was born on 4 January 1938^[1] in Dublin, Ireland, and educated atSynge Street CBS.^[2] From an early age he wanted to be an actor, and regularly attended performances at theAbbey Theatre.^[3] His mother, Frances, played the violin and his father, Eugene, was a baritone singer. Eugene worked as a bakery manager. Jim had one sibling, the late acting teacherBetty Ann Norton.^[4]

Norton has been acting for over fifty years in theatre, television, and film, and frequently plays clergymen, most notablyBishop Brennan in the sitcomFather Ted, as well as roles inThe Sweeney (1975),Peak Practice (1993),Sunset Heights (1997),A Love Divided (1999),Rebus: Black and Blue (2000),Mad About Mambo (2000),Boxed (2003) andJimmy's Hall (2014).

Norton starred as Finian McLonergan in the critically acclaimed New York City Center's 2009 production ofFinian's Rainbow,^[5][6] and in October 2009 reprised the role in theBroadway revival at theSt. James Theatre. His co-stars wereCheyenne Jackson (Woody) andKate Baldwin (Sharon).

As well asBishop Brennan inFather Ted, Norton also played:Albert Einstein in two episodes ofStar Trek: The Next Generation (namely "The Nth Degree" and "Descent"); the librarian Lieutenant James Porteous in the highly acclaimed 1970s British television drama seriesColditz; Phil Harrister, a criminal involved in an intricate bank robbery, inThe Sweeney episode"Contact Breaker"; O'Brady in theMinder episode "National Pelmet"; and Rory, a roguish but genteel Irishman who is diagnosed withcirrhosis of the liver, inThe Royal episode"Beggars and Choosers". Norton also played the role of theatre director, Jeremy Williams, in the 1973 episode ofCrown Court (TV series) called "Public Lives".

Norton has appeared in two episodes ofVan der Valk. OnBabylon 5 he appeared in a number of roles, including that ofOmbuds Wellington in the 1994 episodes "Grail" and "The Quality of Mercy"; aNarn in "Dust to Dust" (1996); and Dr. Lazarenn, aMarkab doctor, in "Confessions and Lamentations" (1995). InFall of Eagles he playedAlexander Kerensky.

Other television work includes:1990,Agatha Christie's Poirot;Waking the Dead;Cheers;Frasier;Midsomer Murders;Maigret andRumpole of the Bailey as Fig Newton,Stan Laurel in the BBC dramaStan (2006) and Larry Joyce in the 2013 television dramaDeception, Silas Mitton, Brendan Robinson and Digger in the stop motion seriesThe Treacle People (1996–1997) and as the timid Gardener in the first series of the long-runningCITV children's seriesT-Bag: "Wonders in Letterland" (1985) He also appeared as a prison psychiatrist in "The Bill" titled Karma (Season 12, Episode 109) (1996)

1960s

Norton made his film debut with a small role in the 1965 thrillerThe Face of Fu Manchu starringChristopher Lee, and later appeared in the 1969 epic filmAlfred the Great as Thanet.

1970s

Norton played the part of Pongo in the screen version ofSpike Milligan's war-time memoirAdolf Hitler: My Part in his Downfall. In 1971 he played Chris Cawsey (aka "The Rat Man"), one of several villains in the controversialSam Peckinpah filmStraw Dogs starringDustin Hoffman. His character had a deviously infectious, deliberately irritating laugh that helped build tension throughout the film.

1990s

Norton appeared in the movieMemoirs of an Invisible Man alongsideChevy Chase in 1992. In the same year he also appeared in the Irish-made filmInto the West.He also appeared in the hit comady sitcom Father Ted where he played his famous role as Bishop Brennan

2000s

Norton appeared in the comedyOn the Nose as Patrick Cassidy, along with Dan Aykroyd and Robbie Coltrane, in 2001. He appeared in a cameo inHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in 2002 as Mr. Mason. He played an Irish immigrant in the 2005 Australian/UK co-production,The Oyster Farmer. He played title role of Stan Laurel in the 2006 TV movieStan, based onNeil Brand's radio play of the same name. He played Herr Liszt in the 2008holocaust filmThe Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

2010s

In 2011 Norton appeared as the character Old Mr Black in the filmExtremely Loud & Incredibly Close directed byStephen Daldry. He appeared in the 2011 filmWater for Elephants, in which he portrays a circus worker called "Camel" who befriends a character played byRobert Pattinson. In 2012 he appeared as the character Tommy in the short filmHomemade written by Matthew Roche and directed byLuke McManus. He was in theKen Loach filmJimmy's Hall which was released in 2014. He plays the role of Mr. Heelshire in 2016 filmThe Boy. In 2018 he played the role of Mr. Binnacle inMary Poppins Returns. In 2019 he played the role of the plane passenger Padraig whose death instigates the plan to bury him next to his brother inThe Last Right.

Norton has a longtime partnership with playwright Conor McPherson, having originated roles in six of his plays in Dublin, London and New York, and for which he has won both the Tony and Olivier Award. Norton played Jack inThe Weir (1997), Joe inPort Authority (2001), Matthew inCome on Over (2001), Richard inThe Seafarer (2006–7), Reverend Berkeley inThe Veil (2011), and Maurice inThe Night Alive (2013).

In 1990 he appeared in the original production ofFrank McGuinness'sThe Bread Man at theGate Theatre.^[7]

In 2004 he took part in the touring production ofMartin McDonagh'sThe Pillowman.

In 2006/7 he appeared inConor McPherson'sThe Seafarer atThe National Theatre, and reprised the same role in the 2008 Broadway theatre production of the play.

In 2012, he performed as The Chairman in a Broadway adaptation ofThe Mystery of Edwin Drood.

In 2013/2014 he played Maurice in Conor McPherson'sThe Night Alive, a Donmar Warehouse production, transferred to the Atlantic Theatre Company in New York.

Norton starred as Candy in the 2014 Broadway revival of John Steinbeck'sOf Mice and Men (alongside James Franco and fellow Irishman Chris O'Dowd) at theLongacre Theatre. In 2016, he playedGiles Corey inIvo van Hove's production ofArthur Miller'sThe Crucible at theWalter Kerr Theatre.

In 2022/2023, he portrayed Judge Taylor inTo Kill A Mockingbird in London'sWest End.

Norton provided the voice for Major Kennet for the 2003Doctor Who animated serial,Scream of the Shalka.

Norton has recorded the whole ofJames Joyce'sUlysses (with Marcella Riordan),Dubliners,Finnegans Wake (abridged with Marcella Riordan) andA Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man forNaxos Records, released in 2004.^[8]

The Third Policeman byFlann O'Brien 2009.^[9]

Thorndyke: Forensic Investigator: forBBC Radio 4 Extra 2011.

BBC Radio production of 'The Mustard Seed' byNick Warburton

The House on the Borderland byWilliam Hope Hodgson: BBC Radio 4 Extra, May 2012

Mr Deasy inUlysses:BBC Radio 4 production forBloomsday 16 June 2012

Narrator: The Stack, short story byRose Tremain, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra, 24 September 2012.

Death inBBC Radio 4 production ofGood Omens byTerry Pratchett andNeil Gaiman, December 2014.

• Jim Norton atIMDb
• Jim Norton at theInternet Broadway Database
• List of Performances at FilmReference.com

• 1938 births
• Irish male film actors
• Irish male television actors
• Irish male voice actors
• Jacob's Award winners
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• Laurence Olivier Award winners
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