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Showbiz world mourns daily theatre critic who died aged 88

A journalist who spent 50 years as a regional daily’s theatre critic has died aged 88.

Comedian Ken Dodd has been among those to pay tribute to Fred Norris, formerly of the Birmingham Evening Mail, described as the city’s “Mr Showbiz”.

Fred, born in the Handsworth area of Birmingham, joined the Evening Mail in 1944 as a pencil sharpener and copy boy, but rose to attain the theatre critic role.

He retired from the newspaper in 2006, and was made a life member of the Birmingham Press Club in 2011.

Fred, pictured centre, with his journalism student grandson Alexander Horton, front left, and former colleagues Tony Dickens, Fred Bromwich, John Lamb, Tony Bell and Press Club member Lisa Kennedy

Fred, pictured centre, with his journalism student grandson Alexander Horton, front left, and former colleagues Tony Dickens, Fred Bromwich, John Lamb, Tony Bell, Steve Dyson and Press Club member Lisa Kennedy

Ken led the tributes to Fred at the club’s annual Christmas lunch when, in a specially recorded video message, he described him as a “fabulous man” and a great supporter of theatre.

The pair had known each other since the 1950s and Ken recalled Fred had given him his “first good write-up”.

Upon hearing the news of Fred’s death, Ken said: “It’s very sad news because he was one of the Mail’s biggest characters and will be sorely missed.”

Showbiz PR consultant Robert Holmes was told in 1970 that Fred could be a “difficult” journalist to liaise with who was “acerbic and hard-hitting”.

He added: “But I never found him to be anything other than a kind, intelligent and knowledgeable man to sit down and talk to.

“Some theatre PRs were ‘terrified’ when he turned up in his white raincoat fashionably late to review their latest production and I sometimes thought that he enjoyed a reputation that actually belied the real man.

“I had, and still have, a real admiration for Fred and was privileged and honoured to be at his ‘retirement’ party a few years ago.

“I feel that I served my apprenticeship under Fred Norris’s stewardship of Birmingham theatre land. He was a real character the like of which will never be seen again and I will miss him greatly.”

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  • September 22, 2015 at 10:06 am
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    A wonderful and thoroughly knowledgeable gentleman of the press. You’ll be hard pressed to see the like of Fred again.
    He’ll probably be reviewing ‘angelic’ performances in his final resting place. Rest in peace.

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  • September 22, 2015 at 10:27 am
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    I was lucky enough to work with Fred in the late Seventies and early Eighties and he was a delight. He was never precious about his copy and was always prepared to work with subs, appreciating space constraints and the need to edit and to polish, although, truth be told, you never had to polish Fred’s copy. He was a gent and a wonderful drinking partner. He was despatched to London to cover the wedding of Charles and Diana for the Birmigham Evening Mail and I would say his words that day would easily stand alongside those of his Fleet Street rivals.

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  • September 22, 2015 at 11:54 am
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    So farewell, Fred, a great interviewer, writer and raconteur. I cannot remember him ever returning to the office without an amusing yarn about the day’s events. He had a wonderfully dry sense of humour, as when describing the damage done to Birmingham’s buildings by our own anti-aircraft shells in the Second World War (he was a young fire-watcher). “We had this arrangement with the Germans,” said Fred. “They’d send over a spotter plane and we’d wreck the city.”

    With fond memories,
    Peter Rhodes

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  • September 22, 2015 at 12:23 pm
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    I was lucky enough to be a colleague of Fred’s in the 70s and what a joy it was to know him!. I would have happily sharpened his pencils!! In those days the Evening Mail had a staff that would have matched any in Fleet Street. One was proud to be amongst them continuing to learn the ropes – he’ll be really useful to Peter when he gets there. Always remembered, Ken Jackson

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  • September 25, 2015 at 11:23 am
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    Thanks for the pic of former Mail colleagues Tony Dickens and Fred Bromwich used as part of your obit/tribute to Fred Norris. Fred was one of the liveliest of Mail operatives and part of a formidable team which included Roy Smith (municipal matters) Harry Hawkes (crime) and Arthur Steele (movie critic). Mention of the B’ham Press Club brought back memories too. Back in the 60s it was housed in Bull Street, Birmingham, scene of many a late-night card game and a fruit machine which offered a jackpot of about 15 bob – hardly a fortune. But at least those of us who were there at the Mail in the 60s and 70s had the good fortune of enjoying the halycon years of the Birmingham Bible. cheers all. Peter.

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