Robert Hardy
One of England's most successful and enduring character actors, with a prolific screen career on television and in films, Robert Hardy was acclaimed for his versatility and the depth of his performances. Born in Cheltenham in 1925, he studied at Oxford University and, in 1949, he joined the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon. Television viewers most fondly remember him as the overbearing Siegfried Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small (1978) but his most critically acclaimed performance was as the title character of Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (1981). His portrayal of Britain's wartime leader was so accurately observed that, in the following years, he was called on to reprise the role in such productions as The Woman He Loved (1988) and War and Remembrance (1988). Unlike some British character actors, Hardy was not a Hollywood name and his work in films was therefore restricted to appearances in predominantly British-based productions such as The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) and Sense and Sensibility (1995). However, in the 21st century, Hardy came to the attention of a whole new generation for his performances in the hugely successful Harry Potter films, while also continuing to make regular appearances in British television series. His co-star from All Creatures Great and Small (1978), Peter Davison, quite simply described Hardy as an "extraordinary" actor who would "never do the same thing twice" when he was acting with him. He was awarded the CBE for services to acting. He died in August 2017.
Known For
Credits
- 2017 · Snapshot Wedding as Donald
- 2015 · Joseph's Reel as Old Joseph
- 2015 · Churchill: 100 Days That Saved Britain as Winston Churchill
- 2013 · Narnia's Lost Poet: The Secret Lives and Loves of C.S. Lewis as Self - Interviewee
- 2009 · Ghosts in the Machine as Narrator
- 2009 · Margaret as Willie Whitelaw
- 2007 · The Alan Titchmarsh Show as Self
- 2007 · Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as Cornelius Fudge
- 2007 · Lewis as Sir Arnold Raeburn
- 2006 · Goodbye Mr Snuggles as Mr. Stiles
- 2006 · Le Grand Charles as Franklin D. Roosevelt
- 2005 · Lassie as Judge Murray
- 2005 · Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as Cornelius Fudge
- 2004 · Agatha Christie's Marple as Winston Churchill
- 2004 · Making Waves as Father Parry
- 2004 · Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban as Cornelius Fudge
- 2003 · Death in Holy Orders as Father Martin
- 2003 · Lucky Jim as Professor Neddy Welch
- 2003 · The Gathering as Bishop
- 2002 · Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets as Cornelius Fudge
- 2002 · Foyle's War as
- 2002 · Bertie and Elizabeth as President Roosevelt
- 2002 · Thunderpants as Doctor
- 2002 · Spooks as Sir John Barry
- 2002 · The Falklands Play as Sir Anthony Parsons
- 2002 · Shackleton as Sir James Caird
- 2001 · The Lost World as Prof. Illingworth
- 2001 · The Lost World as Professor Illingworth
- 2000 · The 10th Kingdom as Chancellor Griswold
- 1999 · An Ideal Husband as Lord Caversham
- 1999 · Nancherrow as
- 1999 · Nancherrow as Viscount Berryan
- 1998 · The Barber of Siberia as Forsten
- 1998 · The Tichborne Claimant as Lord Rivers
- 1997 · Castle Ghosts of Wales as Self
- 1997 · Mrs. Dalloway as Sir William Bradshaw
- 1997 · Midsomer Murders as Robert Cavendish
- 1996 · Testament: The Bible in Animation as Abraham (voice)
- 1996 · Castle Ghosts of Ireland as Self
- 1996 · Gulliver's Travels as Dr. Parnell
- 1995 · Sense and Sensibility as Sir John Middleton
- 1995 · Castle Ghosts of England as Self
- 1995 · Look at the State We're In! as Judge Sutcliffe
- 1995 · Bramwell as Sir Herbert Hamilton
- 1995 · Bramwell as Sir Herbert Hamilton
- 1994 · Mary Shelley's Frankenstein as Prof. Krempe
- 1994 · A Feast At Midnight as Headmaster
- 1994 · Middlemarch as Arthur Brooke
- 1992 · The Master Blackmailer as Charles Augustus Milverton
- 1989 · Bomber Harris as Winston Churchill
- 1989 · Paris by Night as Adam Gillvray
- 1988 · Marcus Welby, M.D.: A Holiday Affair as Dr. Price
- 1988 · War and Remembrance as Winston Churchill
- 1988 · In from the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton as Self
- 1988 · The Woman He Loved as Winston Churchill
- 1987 · The Death of the Heart as Major Brutt
- 1987 · Northanger Abbey as General Tilney
- 1987 · Inspector Morse as Andrew Baydon
- 1987 · Make and Break as John Garrard
- 1986 · Paying Guests (Part 2) as Colonel Chase
- 1986 · Paying Guests (Part 1) as Colonel Chase
- 1986 · The Demon Lover as William Drover
- 1986 · Hot Metal as
- 1985 · Jenny's War as Klein
- 1985 · Jenny's War as Klein
- 1985 · The Shooting Party as Bob, Lord Lilburn
- 1984 · The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood as King Richard
- 1984 · Sherlock Holmes as Charles Augustus Milverton
- 1984 · The Far Pavilions as The Commandant
- 1984 · James Mason: The Star They Loved to Hate as Lord Bob Lilburn (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1983 · Natural World as Narrator
- 1983 · The Cleopatras as Julius Caesar
- 1982 · Countdown as
- 1981 · Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years as Winston Churchill
- 1981 · Fothergill as John Fothergill
- 1980 · The Morecambe and Wise Show as
- 1980 · The Pied Piper of Hamelin as Narrator
- 1980 · Twelfth Night as Sir Toby Belch
- 1979 · Speed King as Dorothy Campbell
- 1979 · Buck Rogers in the 25th Century as Clayton
- 1979 · Mrs. Columbo as Stuart
- 1978 · BBC Television Shakespeare as
- 1978 · All Creatures Great and Small as Siegfried Farnon
- 1977 · Supernatural as
- 1977 · Raffles as
- 1976 · Quincy, M.E. as
- 1976 · The Duchess of Duke Street as
- 1976 · Victorian Scandals as
- 1976 · Bill Brand as Mr. Marples
- 1975 · Caesar and Claretta as Benito Mussolini
- 1975 · Edward the Seventh as
- 1974 · The Gathering Storm as Joachim von Ribbentrop
- 1974 · The Slap as Robert Dickinson
- 1974 · Shoulder to Shoulder as Asquith
- 1974 · Playhouse as John Fothergill
- 1974 · Playhouse as Sir Malcolm Campbell
- 1973 · Yellow Dog as Alexander
- 1973 · Gawain and the Green Knight as Sir Bertilak
- 1973 · Dark Places as Edward Foster / Andrew Marr
- 1973 · Psychomania as Chief Inspector Hesseltine
- 1973 · The Silent One as The Assistant
- 1972 · Demons of the Mind as Zorn
- 1972 · The Incredible Robert Baldick: Never Come Night as Doctor Sir Robert Baldick
- 1972 · Young Winston as Prep School Headmaster
- 1971 · A Ghost Story for Christmas as
- 1971 · The Stalls of Barchester as Archdeacon Haynes
- 1971 · Upstairs, Downstairs as Sir Guy Paynter
- 1971 · Elizabeth R as Robert Dudley
- 1971 · 10 Rillington Place as Malcolm Morris
- 1970 · Warm Feet, Warm Heart as Albert Purvis
- 1970 · Manhunt as Abwehr Sergeant Gratz
- 1967 · Berserk! as Detective Superintendent Brooks
- 1967 · How I Won the War as British General
- 1966 · Mystery and Imagination as
- 1965 · The Spy Who Came in from the Cold as Dick Carlton
- 1965 · The Troubleshooters as Alec Stewart
- 1965 · Old Man's Fancy as Jason
- 1964 · The Wednesday Play as Nick Prockter
- 1962 · The Saint as Walter Faber
- 1962 · The Dark Island as
- 1960 · An Age of Kings as Henry, Prince of Wales
- 1958 · Torpedo Run as Lt. Redley
- 1958 · The Veil as
- 1956 · The Buccaneers as Lord Hinch
- 1956 · The Adventures of Sir Lancelot as Sir Rupert
- 1955 · Othello as Cassio
- 1953 · General Electric Theater as
- 1951 · Hallmark Hall of Fame as Joachim von Ribbentrop
- 1950 · Sunday Night Theatre as Orsino
- 1949 · Black Legend as Mad Thomas