Who was John Bird? Tributes pour in as comedian and actor dies aged 86

Chambers and Absolute Power star John Bird recently passed away on Saturday, December 24, at the age of 86. The satirist’s cause of death has not yet been disclosed and his health history is currently unavailable.

His representatives revealed that he passed away at Pendean care home in West Sussex, UK. A funeral has been planned only for family members and a celebration of his life is scheduled to be held sometime in 2023.

His co-stars, including impressionist Rory Bremner, paid tribute and expressed his grief on Twitter:

Bird was popular for his appearances in various TV shows and films like A Dandy in Aspic, This, That and the Other, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, and more.

John Bird played lead roles and made guest appearances in many TV shows

Born on November 22, 1936, John Michael Bird started his career in television during the 60s. He was a part of several shows like That Was The Week That Was, A Very Peculiar Practice, My Father Knew Lloyd George, and more.

He was mostly known for portraying Mr. Rembrandt in the BBC comedy series, The Melting Pot. The pilot episode of the show premiered in June 1976 and although the entire series was shot, the rest of the episodes remained unreleased.

The reason behind the show’s cancelation was never disclosed, but actor and comedian Spike Milligan speculated that the show probably didn't turn out too funny, which is why it was canceled.

Bird appeared as Raymond in an episode of the ninth season of the BBC anthology series, Play for Today. The show aired for 306 episodes from October 15, 1970, to August 28, 1984. The series also got involved in a few controversies.

The actor featured in two more shows – Yes, Prime Minister, and Joint Account. He appeared in a production of King Lear and portrayed Jack Ormand in an episode of the Granada TV series, Travelling Man.

Bird was mostly known for his appearances in comedy shows, but he was cast in the ITV crime drama comedy series, El C.I.D. The show's tone was serious compared to most of the other shows he appeared in.

He made guest appearances in shows like Jonathan Creek and One Foot in the Grave. He was also known for his performances in To Play the King, Absolute Power, and more.

Netizens pay tribute on Twitter

John Bird gained recognition over the years for his frequent appearances in films and television. Twitter was flooded with tributes when people heard about his demise:

About the author

Anupal is a pop culture writer at Sportskeeda with a degree in Political Science. He developed a keen interest in the lives of celebrities, films, TV shows, and box office collections since an early age. After accumulating significant experience as a content writer across varied fields at companies such as The Indian Wire, DigiStatement, and QuirkyByte Media, he eventually settled on writing about his favorite genre - pop culture.

Anupal believes in conducting in-depth research while writing about any topic and relies on varied sources to ensure he produces holistic articles. He also often glances through content that was published in the 80s and 90s to gain a better understanding of the subject he is covering.

Anupal admires Robert Downey Jr., who played one of his favorite Marvel superheroes, Iron Man. He is inspired by the actor's resilience and the determination in overcoming past struggles to building a successful Hollywood career and admires the way he articulates his thoughts while speaking in interviews.

If Anupal could travel back in time, he would love to experience James Cameron's 2009 film 'Avatar' in a theatre full of fans. When he's not busy working, he binges on the latest OTT titles across languages.

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