Robert Hardy

Robert Hardy

1925-10-29

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.

Also appears in

Mrs. Dalloway

Mrs. Dalloway

5.6

Demons of the Mind

Demons of the Mind

5.3

The Master Blackmailer

The Master Blackmailer

7.1

Nancherrow

Nancherrow

6.0

Narnia’s Lost Poet: The Secret Lives and Loves of C.S. Lewis

Narnia’s Lost Poet: The Secret Lives and Loves of C.S. Lewis

6.1

How I Won the War

How I Won the War

5.5

James Mason: The Star They Loved to Hate

James Mason: The Star They Loved to Hate

Not yet rated

The Woman He Loved

The Woman He Loved

10.0

The Death of the Heart

The Death of the Heart

Not yet rated

Northanger Abbey

Northanger Abbey

5.7

Paying Guests (Part 2)

Paying Guests (Part 2)

Not yet rated

The Shooting Party

The Shooting Party

6.6

Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night

6.7

The Tichborne Claimant

The Tichborne Claimant

8.0

Psychomania

Psychomania

5.6

The Falklands Play

The Falklands Play

7.4

Speed King

Speed King

Not yet rated

Bertie and Elizabeth

Bertie and Elizabeth

5.6

Othello

Othello

8.5

Gawain and the Green Knight

Gawain and the Green Knight

4.6