Robert Hardy
Born: 1925-10-29 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, UK
Died: 2017-08-03
Known For: Acting
Biography
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.
Filmography
2022
- Pamela's Garden of Eden ... (Executive Producer)
2017
- Snapshot Wedding as Donald
2015
- Joseph's Reel as Old Joseph
- 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
- Margaret as Willie Whitelaw
- Centenary: The BP Story as George Reynolds (voice)
- Ghosts in the Machine as Narrator
2007
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as Cornelius Fudge
- Lewis as Sir Arnold Raeburn
- The Alan Titchmarsh Show as Self
- Elementary My Dear Viewer as Self
2006
- Goodbye Mr Snuggles as Mr. Stiles
- Le Grand Charles as Franklin D. Roosevelt
2005
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as Cornelius Fudge
- Lassie as Judge Murray
2004
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban as Cornelius Fudge
- Agatha Christie's Marple as Winston Churchill
- Making Waves as Father Parry
2003
- The Gathering as Bishop
- Death in Holy Orders as Father Martin Petrie
- Lucky Jim as Professor Neddy Welch
2002
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets as Cornelius Fudge
- Foyle's War as Henry Beaumont
- Spooks as Sir John Barry
- Thunderpants as Doctor
- Bertie and Elizabeth as President Roosevelt
- Shackleton as Sir James Caird
- The Falklands Play as Sir Anthony Parsons
2001
- The Lost World as Prof. Illingworth
- The Lost World as Professor Illingworth
2000
- The 10th Kingdom as Chancellor Griswold
1999
- Nancherrow as Viscount Berryan
- An Ideal Husband as Lord Caversham
- Nancherrow
- The Tichborne Claimant as Lord Rivers
1998
- The Barber of Siberia as Forsten
1997
- Midsomer Murders as Robert Cavendish
- Mrs. Dalloway as Sir William Bradshaw
- Castle Ghosts of Wales as Self
1996
- Gulliver's Travels as Dr. Parnell
- Testament: The Bible in Animation as Abraham (voice)
- Castle Ghosts of Ireland as Self
1995
- Sense and Sensibility as Sir John Middleton
- Bramwell as Sir Herbert Hamilton
- Look at the State We're In! as Judge Sutcliffe
- Castle Ghosts of England as Self
1994
- Mary Shelley's Frankenstein as Prof. Krempe
- Middlemarch as Arthur Brooke
- A Feast at Midnight as Headmaster
1992
- The Master Blackmailer as Charles Augustus Milverton
1989
- Bomber Harris as Winston Churchill
- Paris by Night as Adam Gillvray
1988
- War and Remembrance as Winston Churchill
- The Woman He Loved as Winston Churchill
- In from the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton as Self
- Marcus Welby, M.D.: A Holiday Affair as Dr. Price
1987
- Inspector Morse as Andrew Baydon
- Northanger Abbey as General Tilney
- Blat as Sidney Tolland
- The Death of the Heart as Major Brutt
- Make and Break as John Garrard
1986
- The Demon Lover as William Drover
- Hot Metal
- Paying Guests (Part 2) as Colonel Chase
- Paying Guests (Part 1) as Colonel Chase
1985
- Screen Two as General Tilney
- The Shooting Party as Bob, Lord Lilburn
- Jenny's War as Klein
- Jenny's War as Klein
1984
- Sherlock Holmes as Charles Augustus Milverton
- The Far Pavilions as The Commandant
- James Mason: The Star They Loved to Hate as Lord Bob Lilburn (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood as King Richard
1983
- Natural World as Narrator
- The Cleopatras as Julius Caesar
1982
1981
- Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years as Winston Churchill
- Fothergill as John Fothergill
1980
- Twelfth Night as Sir Toby Belch
- The Pied Piper of Hamelin as Narrator (voice)
1979
- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century as Clayton
- Speed King as Dorothy Campbell
1978
- All Creatures Great and Small as Siegfried Farnon
1977
1976
- Bill Brand as Mr. Marples
- The Duchess of Duke Street
- Victorian Scandals
1975
- Edward the Seventh as Prince Albert
- Caesar and Claretta as Benito Mussolini
- The Secret Agent as The Assistant Commissioner
1974
- Playhouse as John Fothergill
- The Slap as Robert Dickinson
- Churchill's People as King Oswy
- Shoulder to Shoulder as Asquith
- The Gathering Storm as Joachim von Ribbentrop
1973
- The Silent One as Assistant
- Dark Places as Edward Foster / Andrew Marr
- Psychomania as Chief Inspector Hesseltine
- Gawain and the Green Knight as Sir Bertilak
- Yellow Dog as Alexander
- European Heritage as Narrator (voice)
1972
- Young Winston as Prep School Headmaster
- The Incredible Robert Baldick: Never Come Night as Doctor Sir Robert Baldick
- Demons of the Mind as Zorn
1971
- Great Performances as Self
- Upstairs, Downstairs as Sir Guy Paynter
- A Ghost Story for Christmas as Archdeacon Haynes
- 10 Rillington Place as Malcolm Morris
- Elizabeth R as Robert Dudley
- The Stalls of Barchester as Archdeacon Haynes
- Getting In as Official
1970
- Manhunt as Abwehr Sergeant Gratz
- Warm Feet, Warm Heart as Albert Purvis
- Marie Stopes: Sexual Revolutionary as Narrator
1969
- Strange Report as Doctor Michael Sanders
- Son of Man as Pontius Pilate
1967
- How I Won the War as British General
- Berserk! as Detective Superintendent Brooks
1965
- Thirty-Minute Theatre as The Official
- The Troubleshooters as Alec Stewart
- The Spy Who Came In from the Cold as Dick Carlton
- Old Man's Fancy as Jason
1964
- The Wednesday Play as Nick Prockter
- Theatre 625
1963
- The Spread of the Eagle as Caius Martius Coriolanus
1962
- The Saint as Walter Faber
- The Dark Island
1960
- An Age of Kings as Henry, Prince of Wales
1958
- Torpedo Run as Lt. Redley
- The Veil
1956
- The Buccaneers as Lord Hinch
- The Adventures of Sir Lancelot as Sir Rupert
- Armchair Theatre as Albert Purvis
1955
- Othello as Cassio
1951
- Hallmark Hall of Fame as Joachim von Ribbentrop
1950
- Sunday Night Theatre as Orsino
1949
- Black Legend as Mad Thomas