Norman Rossington, the British character actor who appeared in the London version of Beauty and the Beast as well as a number of TV series and films, died May 21, 1999, in Manchester, England. He was 70. Norman Rossington, the British character actor who appeared in the London version of Beauty and the Beast as well as a number of TV series and films, died May 21 in Manchester, England. He was 70.

The New York Times reported that the cause of death was cancer.

Mr. Rossington, a Liverpool native who began acting there before moving to Bristol and the Theater Royal, appeared in such stage productions as Around the World in Eighty Days and Guys and Dolls (playing Nathan Detroit).

He also appeared in the comedy series "Carry On Sergeant," "Carry On Nurse," "Carry On Regardless" and in the films "A Hard Day's Night," "Lawrence of Arabia," "A Night to Remember" and the Elvis Presley picture, "Double Trouble."

He is survived by his wife, Cindy.