image of Norman Beaton
Birthday: Oct 31, 1934
Place of Birth: Georgetown, Guyana

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.

Filmography
Movie Cast Year
In Sickness and in Health Mr Byron 1975
Real Life Leon McDonald 1984
Up the Chastity Belt Blacksmith 1972
Black Joy Dave King 1977
Playing Away Willie Boy 1987
The Mighty Quinn Governor Chalk 1989
Pressure Preacher 1976
Endgame Hamm 1989
Nice 1984
Black Christmas Bertie 1977
Big George Is Dead Boogie 1987
When Love Dies Pastor 1990
Easy Money Trevor 1982
Black and White in Colour Himself 1992
Eureka Byron Judson 1983
Mark of the Hand Narrator 1987
The Last Window Cleaner Leroy 1979
Growing Pains Ngenko 1980
Airbase Voice 1988
Easy Money Trevor All 1982
Series Cast Year
The Cosby Show Carleton 1984
Minder Billy 1979
Barlow 1971
Desmond's Desmond Ambrose 1989
Sykes Richard Kydd 1972
Empire Road 1978
Dead Head Caractacus 1986
Hammer House of Horror Mr. Ngenko 1980
Little Napoleons N.K. Edwards 1994
The Protectors Chauffeur 1972
My Favorite

Welcome back!

Support Us

Like Movienade?

Please buy us a coffee

scan qr code