Robert Hardy(1925-2017)
- Actor
- Additional Crew
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),
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.
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),
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.