Editing John Bird (actor)

{{Short description|English actor (1936–2022)}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name         = John Bird
| image        = John Bird (1936–2022).jpg
| birth_name   = John Michael Bird
| birth_date   = {{birth date|1936|11|22|df=y}}
| birth_place  = [[Bulwell]], Nottinghamshire, England
| death_date   = {{death date and age|2022|12|24|1936|11|22|df=y}} 
| death_place  = [[Midhurst]], West Sussex, England
| occupation   = Actor
| years_active = 1962–2017
| spouse       = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Ann Stockdale|1965|1970|end = divorced}}
* {{marriage|Bridget Simpson|1975|1978|end = divorced}}
* {{marriage|Libby Crandon||2012|end = died}}
}}
| alma_mater   = [[King's College, Cambridge]]
}}

'''John Michael Bird''' (22 November 1936 – 24 December 2022) was an English actor, director, writer and satirist. He performed in the television satire boom of the 1960s, appearing in ''[[That Was the Week That Was]]''. His television work included many appearances with [[John Fortune]]. Bird had an acting career in film, television, theatre and radio for over 55 years. He appeared in films including ''[[Take a Girl Like You (film)|Take A Girl Like You]]'' (1970) and ''[[Jabberwocky (film)|Jabberwocky]]'' (1977) as well as in television shows such as ''[[Joint Account (TV series)|Joint Account]]'', ''[[Marmalade Atkins]]'', ''[[El C.I.D.]]'' and ''[[Chambers (series)|Chambers]]''. He and Fortune also starred with [[Rory Bremner]] in the sketch show ''[[Bremner, Bird and Fortune]]'' (1993–2010), on [[Channel 4]], which was nominated for [[British Academy Television Awards|BAFTA TV Awards]].

==Early life==
John Michael Bird was born in [[Bulwell]], Nottingham,<ref name = Coveney>{{cite news|url = https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/dec/28/john-bird-obituary|title = John Bird obituary|newspaper = [[The Guardian]]|date = 28 December 2022|accessdate = 28 December 2022|last = Coveney|first = Michael}}</ref> where his father ran a small [[Pharmacy (shop)|chemist's shop]]. He lived at 445 Perry Road in New Basford, north of the (current) Nottingham Perry Road [[Sainsbury's]].<ref>''Nottingham Guardian'' Tuesday 31 May 1955</ref><ref>''Nottingham Evening Post'' Thursday 2 June 1955, page 6</ref>

He failed his [[11-plus]], but his [[Secondary modern school|secondary modern]] headmaster managed to have him transferred, aged 12, to [[New College Nottingham|High Pavement Grammar School]]. At grammar school, he honed his acting skills in the dramatic society. In late January 1955 at the Co-operative Arts Centre (the former [[George Street Particular Baptist Church]], which is now the [[Nottingham Arts Theatre]] in the city centre), he appeared in a school production of ''[[Strife (play)|Strife]]'', by [[John Galsworthy]] (known for ''[[The Forsyte Saga]]''), where he played David Roberts; Geoffrey Braman played Simon Harness and Michael Hurworth played John Anthony. The female parts were played by girls from the [[Nottingham Girls' Academy|Manning School]], a girls grammar school, notably Angela Williams and Jacqueline Le Vick. The play was produced by a modern languages teacher, and the same group of people had taken part in a production of Julius Caesar, the year before, where he played Brutus.<ref>''Nottingham Guardian'' Monday 24 January 1955</ref><ref>''Nottingham Guardian'' Friday 28 January 1955, page 2</ref> At the Arts Centre, he appeared in many productions of the Nottingham County Theatre Company.

In 1956 he passed the entrance exam for [[King’s College, Cambridge]]; he read English literature and stayed for postgraduate studies with a thesis entitled "European Drama 1888–1914".<ref name="telegraph"/> At Cambridge in 1958, he jointly wrote a review, deliberately against the style of works by writers such as [[Julian Slade]], who he disliked. He found American politics far more interesting than British politics, in content, but realised that American politics was much more coarser and uncivilised in tone; he thought that British politics, instead, was a lot more disciplined, but possibly too disciplined and straight-laced. He took an interest in anarchy, after reading ''[[The Secret Agent]]'' by [[Joseph Conrad]].<ref>''Nottingham Guardian'' Wednesday 27 January 1965, page 6</ref>

==Acting career==
===1960s and 1970s===
While studying at Cambridge, Bird met fellow King's student [[John Fortune]]. During the television satire boom of the 1960s, Bird appeared in ''[[That Was the Week That Was]]'' (1962–1963), the title of which he had coined. The stage director [[Ned Sherrin]] intended for him to play [[David Frost]]'s role in the series but Bird was committed elsewhere. He also appeared in the television programmes ''[[Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life]]'' (1964–1965), and ''If It Moves File It'' (1970).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/if_it_moves_file_it/cast_crew/|title=If It Moves, File It Cast and Crew Credits|website=British Comedy Guide}}</ref>

Bird acted in straight and comic roles in several television series and in films including ''[[My Father Knew Lloyd George (TV programme)|My Father Knew Lloyd George]]'' (1965), ''[[Red, White and Zero|Red and Blue]]'' (1967), ''[[A Dandy in Aspic]]'' (1968), ''[[30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia]]'' (1968), ''[[A Promise of Bed|This, That and the Other]]'' (1969), ''[[Take a Girl Like You (film)|Take A Girl Like You]]'' (1970), ''[[The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (film)|The Seven-Per-Cent Solution]]'' (1976) and ''[[Jabberwocky (film)|Jabberwocky]]'' (1977).<ref name="bfi">{{cite web |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9efd8637 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425225630/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9efd8637 |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 April 2018 |title=John Bird |publisher=[[British Film Institute]] |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref> Bird also became an active stage director writer and actor, directing ''The Naming of Murderers’ Rock'' in 1960 at the [[Royal Court Theatre]] in London.<ref name="auto6">{{Cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/play/efj/the-naming-of-murderers-rock/production/xbv|title=Production of The Naming of Murderers' Rock &#124; Theatricalia|website=theatricalia.com}}</ref> He toured with the production ''[[One Over The Eight]]'' in 1961<ref name="auto5">{{Cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/play/hy8/one-over-the-eight/production/18np|title=Production of One Over the Eight &#124; Theatricalia|website=theatricalia.com}}</ref> and appeared in ''Alice in Wonderland'', directed by [[Jonathan Miller]] in 1966.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/play/155/alice-in-wonderland/production/a5f|title=Production of Alice in Wonderland &#124; Theatricalia|website=theatricalia.com}}</ref> His stage career continued into the 1970s, with his writing of the adaptation of ''Council Of Love'' in 1970,<ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/play/7tt/council-of-love/production/15d9|title=Production of Council Of Love &#124; Theatricalia|website=theatricalia.com}}</ref> which was shown at the [[Criterion Theatre]] in London, his appearance in ''Who’s Who?'' in 1972 in Guildford and Southsea<ref name="auto4">{{Cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/play/g58/whos-who/production/11gv|title=Production of Who's Who? &#124; Theatricalia|website=theatricalia.com}}</ref> and in ''[[Habeas Corpus (play)|Habeas Corpus]]'' by [[Alan Bennett]] at the [[Oxford Playhouse]] in 1973, as well as at the [[Lyric Theatre, London|Lyric Theatre]] from 1973 to 1974.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/play/4yx/habeas-corpus/production/k8r|title=Production of Habeas Corpus &#124; Theatricalia|website=theatricalia.com}}</ref>

During the 1970s, while [[Idi Amin]] was at the height of his infamy, Bird starred on the album ''[[The Collected Broadcasts of Idi Amin]]'', with lyrics based on [[Alan Coren]]'s anti-Amin ''[[Punch (magazine)|Punch]]'' columns.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-collected-broadcasts-of-idi-amin-mw0000333589 |title=The Collected Broadcasts of Idi Amin |publisher=allmusic.com |access-date=30 December 2022}}</ref> In 1975 the single "Amazin' Man", from the album, was released on the [[Transatlantic Records|Transatlantic]] label.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}} The record stayed for 12 weeks in the [[Australian Singles Chart]], peaking at number 26. In 1975, Bird took the part of Mr Rembrandt in ''[[The Melting Pot (television programme)|The Melting Pot]]'', a sitcom written by [[Spike Milligan]] and [[Neil Shand]]. Milligan played Mr. Van Gogh (in [[Racial brownface|brownface]]) alongside Bird as Mr. Rembrandt, father and son illegal Asian immigrants who are first seen being rowed ashore in England, having been told that the beach is in fact [[Piccadilly Circus]].<ref>{{cite web |first=Mark |last=Duguid |url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1108234/index.html |title=Race and the Sitcom |publisher= BFI screenonline |date=2003–14 |access-date=1 January 2022}}</ref> It was cancelled by the BBC after one episode had been broadcast.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Milligan |first1=Spike |author-link1=Spike Milligan |last2=Shand |first2=Neil |author-link2=Neil Shand |title=The Melting Pot |year=1983 |publisher=[[Robson Books]] |location=London |isbn=0-86051-195-2 |at=introductory pages }}</ref> In 1979, Bird played an African chieftain in a cinema commercial for [[Silk Cut]] cigarettes.<ref>{{cite AV media |title=It was Alright in the... |medium=Television production |year=2015 |publisher=[[Objective Productions]], [[Channel 4]] |series=Series 2 Episode 6 "1970s" |url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/it-was-alright-in-the/on-demand/61558-006?intcmp=video_link:bip_ondemand:episodes |via=[[All 4]] |url-access=registration  |location=United Kingdom |editor-last=McLean |editor-first=Adam}}</ref> He played Raymond, a nervous boy who stuttered, in [[Dennis Potter]]'s play ''[[Blue Remembered Hills]]'' which was also broadcast in 1979.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6f6bbd73|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023062102/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6f6bbd73|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 October 2020|title=Blue Remembered Hills (1979)|website=BFI}}</ref>

===1980s===
In 1980 Bird appeared in ''[[The Dangerous Brothers]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/the-dangerous-brothers-1985|title=The Dangerous Brothers – 1985 – British Classic Comedy|date=16 January 2020 }}</ref> From 1981 to 1984, Bird made his mark in the world of children's entertainment taking the role of Mr Humphrey Atkins, the roguish father of [[Marmalade Atkins]] (played by [[Charlotte Coleman]]) for [[Thames Television]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/5842 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522001020/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/5842 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-05-22 |title=BFI &#124; Film & TV Database &#124; MARMALADE ATKINS IN SPACE (1981) |publisher=Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk |date=2009-04-16 |accessdate=2010-07-04}}</ref> In 1982, Bird performed in the role of the Duke of Albany in the [[BBC Television Shakespeare]] production of ''[[King Lear]]''. In 1984 he played the part of Jack Ormand, a local gang boss, in the tenth episode of the [[ITV Granada|Granada TV]] series ''[[Travelling Man (TV series)|Travelling Man]]''. From 1986 to 1988 he starred as Ernest Hemmingway, the university vice chancellor, in the first series of ''[[A Very Peculiar Practice]]'', working alongside [[Peter Davison]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/a-very-peculiar-practice-1986|title=A Very Peculiar Practice – British Classic Comedy|date=2 March 2020 }}</ref> Bird played the director of the British [[Royal National Theatre|National Theatre]] in an episode of the [[BBC]] situation comedy ''[[Yes Minister|Yes, Prime Minister]]'' broadcast in 1988. In 1988 he appeared in ''[[One Way Pendulum (play)|One Way Pendulum]]'' at the [[Old Vic Theatre]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/play/4d3/one-way-pendulum/production/c7t|title=Production of One Way Pendulum &#124; Theatricalia|website=theatricalia.com}}</ref> From 1989 to 1990, he played opposite [[Hannah Gordon]] in the 16-episode sitcom ''[[Joint Account (TV series)|Joint Account]]'' which was set in a bank.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-28 |title=John Bird dies aged 86 |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/news/7133/rip-john-bird/ |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=British Comedy Guide}}</ref>

===1990–2017===
From 1990 to 1992, he starred in 18 episodes of the television detective series ''[[El C.I.D.]]'' which was set in Spain. The series was serious rather than comedy-based and co-starred [[Alfred Molina]] in the first two series and [[Amanda Redman]] in the third. In 1993, Bird featured in the role of [[Cluedo characters#Professor Plum|Professor Plum]] in the fourth series of ''[[Cluedo (British game show)|Cluedo]]'' and appeared as a newspaper editor in the political drama ''[[To Play the King]]''. Also in 1993, he was the guest star in the ''[[Sooty & Co.]]'' episode "Voice Problems".{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}} From 1996 to 1999, Bird starred as barrister John Fuller-Carp in the BBC radio and television sitcom ''[[Chambers (sitcom)|Chambers]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Chambers - Radio 4 Sitcom |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/chambers/ |website=British Comedy Guide}}</ref> He starred as well in the [[BBC Radio 4]] and [[BBC Two]] series ''[[Absolute Power (comedy)|Absolute Power]]'' with [[Stephen Fry]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3453603.stm |title=UK &#124; Politics &#124; BBC denies axing political satire |work=BBC News |date=3 February 2004 |access-date=20 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.writewords.org.uk/news/381.asp |title=BBC censor comedy scripts in post-Hutton panic and paranoia |publisher=Writewords.org.uk |access-date=20 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204071940/http://www.writewords.org.uk/news/381.asp |archive-date=4 February 2012 }}</ref> Bird guest-starred in two television series by writer [[David Renwick]], namely in three episodes of the BBC mystery crime drama series ''[[Jonathan Creek]]'' as well as in one episode of the BBC sitcom ''[[One Foot in the Grave]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Jonathan Creek Series 5, Episode 2 - The Sinner And The Sandman |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/jonathan_creek/episodes/5/2/ |website=British Comedy Guide}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=One Foot In The Grave Series 5, Episode 5 - The Exterminating Angel |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/one_foot_in_the_grave/episodes/5/6/ |website=British Comedy Guide}}</ref>

Bird worked with [[John Fortune]] and [[Rory Bremner]] in the Channel 4 sketch comedy show'' [[Bremner, Bird and Fortune]]'', which was nominated for [[British Academy Television Awards|BAFTA TV Awards]]. In the series of sketches with Fortune, ''The Long Johns'', one of the two men interviewed the other, with the latter in the guise of a senior figure such as a politician, businessman or government consultant. Invariably the character was named George Parr.<ref name="BBCobit">{{Cite news |date=28 December 2022 |title=John Bird: Actor and comedian dies aged 86 |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64108691|access-date=28 December 2022}}</ref> In 2012, Bird appeared in the BBC produced TV film ''[[Bert and Dickie]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/3sKhfTydskvwz0gPb5BF5Yv/lord-clarence-aberdare |title=Bert and Dickie: Lord Clarence Aberdare |publisher=bbc.co.uk |access-date=29 December 2022}}</ref> Bird worked with David Renwick again in 2016 on the BBC Radio 4 comedy show ''Desolation Jests''.<ref name="bfi" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Radio 4 Extra - Desolation Jests - Available now |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b085zq0d/episodes/player |website=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Desolation Jests (Radio Series) |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/radio-programme/e/fgyr6j/desolation-jests-episode-guide/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505224212/https://www.radiotimes.com/radio-programme/e/fgyr6j/desolation-jests-episode-guide/ |archive-date=5 May 2021 |access-date=19 February 2021 |website=Radio Times}}</ref> Bird's final television appearance was in an episode of ''[[Midsomer Murders]]'' in 2017.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-12-28 |title=John Bird: Actor and comedian dies aged 86 |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-64108691 |access-date=2023-01-02}}</ref>

==Personal life and death==
Bird married Ann Stockdale on 8 February 1965. They were married from 1965 to 1970; she was the daughter of [[Grant Stockdale]], who served as the [[US Ambassador to Ireland]] from 1961 to 1962, the marriage ended in divorce.<ref name = Coveney/> He married television presenter Bridget Simpson in 1975, however they divorced in 1978. He was unhappy in his private life and his career was stalled; he began drinking heavily and taking [[amphetamine]]s. During the mid-1970s he was seriously ill, [[paranoid]], and was contemplating suicide.<ref name = Coveney/><ref name=telegraph>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2022/12/28/john-bird-satirist-actor-who-john-fortune-became-best-known/ |title=John Bird, satirist and actor who with John Fortune became best known for excoriating the New Labour government of Tony Blair – obituary |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=28 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |access-date=28 December 2022}}</ref>

Bird lived with concert pianist and teacher Libby Crandon after 1978 and they later married. He had two stepsons from her previous marriage.<ref name=telegraph/> Crandon died in 2012.<ref name = Coveney/>

Bird died from complications of a stroke at Pendean House Care Home in [[Midhurst]], West Sussex, on 24 December 2022, aged 86.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=John Bird obituary |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/obituaries/article/john-bird-obituary-9dv223tqj |access-date=29 December 2022 |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=29 December 2022}}</ref><ref name="BBCobit"/>

==Selected acting credits==
*Source:[https://web.archive.org/web/20180425225630/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9efd8637 John Bird] at the [[British Film Institute]]{{better source needed|reason=Help request: a live link can be searched for at https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/expert - if available, replace the archive URL with the live link. Or if none found, remove this 'better source needed' template. | date=October 2023}}

===Film===
{{div col}}
*''[[Red, White and Zero|Red and Blue]]'' (1967)
*''[[A Dandy in Aspic]]'' (1968)
*''[[30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia]]'' (1968)
*''[[A Promise of Bed|This, That and the Other]]'' (1969)
*''[[Take a Girl Like You (film)|Take A Girl Like You]]'' (1970)
*''[[The Breaking of Bumbo]]'' (1970)
*''[[The Alf Garnett Saga]]'' (1972)
*''[[The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (film)|The Seven-Per-Cent Solution]]'' (1976)
*''[[Jabberwocky (film)|Jabberwocky]]'' (1977)
*''Yellow Pages'' (1985)
*''[[A Fish Called Wanda]]'' (1988) (uncredited)
*''The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka: The Mystery of Chopin'' (1999)
{{div col end}}

===Television===
{{div col}}
*''[[That Was the Week That Was]]'' (1962–1963)
*''[[Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life]]'' (1964–1965)
*''[[My Father Knew Lloyd George (TV programme)|My Father Knew Lloyd George]]'' (1965)
*''[[Alice in Wonderland (1966 TV play)|Alice in Wonderland]]'' (1966)
*''If It Moves File It'' (1970)
*''[[The Melting Pot (television programme)|The Melting Pot]]'' (1975)
*''[[Blue Remembered Hills]]'' (1979)
*''[[The Dangerous Brothers]]'' (1980)
*''Marmalade Atkins'' (1981–4)
*''King Lear'' (1982)<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.sky.com/story/satirist-john-bird-dies-on-christmas-eve-rory-bremner-calls-him-one-of-the-greatest-12775627 | title=Satirist John Bird dies on Christmas Eve – Rory Bremner calls him 'one of the greatest'|work=Sky News}}</ref>
*''[[Travelling Man (TV series)|Travelling Man]]'' (1984)
*''[[A Very Peculiar Practice]]'' (1986–8)
*''[[Yes Minister|Yes, Prime Minister]]'' (1988)
*''[[Joint Account (TV series)|Joint Account]]'' (1989–90)
*''[[El C.I.D.]]'' (1990–2)
*''[[Cluedo (British game show)|Cluedo]]'' (1993)
*''[[To Play the King]]'' (1993)
*''[[Sooty & Co.]]'' (1993)
*''[[Bremner, Bird and Fortune|Rory Bremner...Who Else?]]'' (1993–1998) / ''[[Bremner, Bird and Fortune]]'' (1999–2010)
*''[[One Foot in the Grave]]'' (1995)
*''[[Chambers (sitcom)|Chambers]]'' (1996–9)
*''[[Jonathan Creek]]'' (2000, 2014)
*''[[Absolute Power (comedy)|Absolute Power]]'' (2003–5)
*''[[Bert and Dickie]]'' (2012)<ref name="bfi" />
*''[[Midsomer Murders]]'' (2017)
{{div col end}}

===Theatre===
{{div col}}
*''The Naming of Murderers’ Rock'' (1960)<ref name="auto6"/>
*''[[One Over The Eight]]'' (1961)<ref name="auto5"/>
*''Alice in Wonderland'' (1966–7)<ref name="auto"/>
*''Council Of Love'' (1970)<ref name="auto3"/>
*''Who’s Who?'' (1972)<ref name="auto4"/>
*''[[Habeas Corpus (play)|Habeas Corpus]]'' (1973–4)<ref name="auto1"/>
*''Murder in a Bad Light'' (1979)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/play/h6k/murder-in-a-bad-light/production/13zc|title=Production of Murder in a Bad Light &#124; Theatricalia|website=theatricalia.com}}</ref>
*''[[One Way Pendulum (play)|One Way Pendulum]]'' (1988)<ref name="auto2"/>
{{div col end}}

===Radio===
*''[[Chambers (series)|Chambers]]'' (1996–9)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00dzkln|title=BBC Radio 4 Extra - Chambers|website=BBC}}</ref>
*''[[Absolute Power (radio and TV series)|Absolute Power]]'' (2000–6)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/comedy/absolute.shtml|title=BBC - Radio 4 - Comedy - Absolute Power|website=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00cjsgz|title=BBC Radio 4 Extra - Absolute Power|website=BBC}}</ref>
*''Desolation Jests'' (2016)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b085zq0d|title=BBC Radio 4 Extra - Desolation Jests|website=BBC}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{Cite book|title=The Long Johns|author1=Bird, John  |author2=Fortune, John|publisher=Hutchinson|location=London|year=1996|isbn=0-09-180216-4}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|id=0083392|name=John Bird}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20180425225630/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9efd8637 John Bird] at the [[British Film Institute]]{{better source needed|reason=Help request: a live link can be searched for at https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/expert - if available, replace the archive URL with the live link. Or if none found, remove this 'better source needed' template. | date=October 2023}}
*[https://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=1540 John Bird] (Aveleyman)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091003031800/http://www.bafta.org/learning/webcasts/bird-and-fortune,698,BA.html Bird and Fortune: A Life in Television] [[BAFTA]] filmed event, March 2009
*[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2022/12/28/john-bird-satirist-actor-who-john-fortune-became-best-known/ Obituary] at ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]''

{{British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bird, John}}
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:2022 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century English male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century English male actors]]
[[Category:Alumni of King's College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Best Entertainment Performance BAFTA Award (television) winners]]
[[Category:English male comedians]]
[[Category:English satirists]]
[[Category:Male actors from Nottingham]]
[[Category:People educated at Nottingham High Pavement Grammar School]]
[[Category:People from Bulwell]]
[[Category:Socialist Party of Great Britain members]]
[[Category:Comedians from Nottinghamshire]]
[[Category:Actors from the City of Nottingham]]