Robert Hardy
Known for: Acting
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
Series
Midsomer Murders
Robert Cavendish
1997
Series
Great Performances
Self
1971
Series
The Wednesday Play
Nick Prockter
1964
Series
The Wednesday Play
Pontius Pilate
1964
Series
The Saint
Walter Faber
1962
Series
Spooks
Sir John Barry
2002
Film
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Cornelius Fudge
2002
Series
Natural World
Narrator
1983
Series
Lewis
Sir Arnold Raeburn
2007
Series
Screen Two
General Tilney
1985
Film
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Cornelius Fudge
2004
Series
Agatha Christie's Marple
Winston Churchill
2004
Series
Sherlock Holmes
Charles Augustus Milverton
1984
Film
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Cornelius Fudge
2007
Series
ITV Playhouse
Ray Malcolm
1967
Film
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Cornelius Fudge
2005
Series
Foyle's War
Henry Beaumont
2002
Series
Inspector Morse
Andrew Baydon
1987
Series
Theatre 625
1964
Series
Theatre 625
Adriano
1964
Series
Playhouse
John Fothergill
1974
Series
Playhouse
Sir Malcolm Campbell
1974
The Alan Titchmarsh Show
Self
2007
Series
All Creatures Great and Small
Siegfried Farnon
1978
Series
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
Christopher Moore
1969
Series
Thirty-Minute Theatre
The Official
1965
Series
Sunday Night Theatre
Orsino
1950
Series
Sunday Night Theatre
Admetus
1950
Series
Sunday Night Theatre
William Herndon
1950
Series
ScreenPlay
Colonel Chase
1986
Series
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Clayton
1979
Series
Upstairs, Downstairs
Sir Guy Paynter
1971
Series
The BBC Television Shakespeare
Sir Toby Belch
1978
Drama 61-67
Adam Irwin
1961
Drama 61-67
Philip Weathers
1961
Film
Sense and Sensibility
Sir John Middleton
1995
Series
War and Remembrance
Winston Churchill
1988
Series
The Troubleshooters
Alec Stewart
1965
Series
The Duchess of Duke Street
George Duggan
1976
Thursday Theatre
Anatol
1964
Series
Theatre Night
John Garrard
1985
Series
The Buccaneers
Lord Hinch
1956
Series
An Age of Kings
Henry, Prince of Wales
1960
Series
An Age of Kings
Henry V
1960
Series
Churchill's People
King Oswy
1974
Series
The Adventures of Sir Lancelot
Sir Rupert
1956
Series
A Ghost Story for Christmas
Archdeacon Haynes
1971
Series
The 10th Kingdom
Chancellor Griswold
2000
Series
Bramwell
Sir Herbert Hamilton
1995
Series
Bramwell
Sir Herbert Hamilton
1995
Series
Manhunt
Abwehr Sergeant Gratz
1970
Series
Mystery and Imagination
William Oke
1966
Series
Countdown
1982
Series
Bill Brand
Mr. Marples
1976
Film
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
Prof. Krempe
1994
Series
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Joachim von Ribbentrop
1951
Series
Testament: The Bible in Animation
Abraham (voice)
1996
Series
Middlemarch
Arthur Brooke
1994
Series
Shackleton
Sir James Caird
2002
Series
Gulliver's Travels
Dr. Parnell
1996
Series
Elizabeth R
Robert Dudley
1971
Series
Strange Report
Doctor Michael Sanders
1969
Series
Raffles
1977
Series
Supernatural
Adrian Gall
1977
Series
Victorian Scandals
Arthur Munby
1976
Series
The Veil
1958
Series
Edward the Seventh
Prince Albert
1975
Series
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years
Winston Churchill
1981
Series
General Electric Theater
1953
Series
Death in Holy Orders
Father Martin Petrie
2003
Film
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
Dick Carlton
1965
Series
The Lost World
Professor Illingworth
2001
Series
The Cleopatras
Julius Caesar
1983
Series
Shades of Darkness
William Drover
1983
David Copperfield
David Copperfield
1956
Series
Armchair Theatre
Albert Purvis
1956
Series
The Far Pavilions
The Commandant
1984
Series
Le Grand Charles
Franklin D. Roosevelt
2006
Private Affairs
Benito Mussolini
1975
Look at the State We're In!
Judge Sutcliffe
1995
Series
The Spread of the Eagle
Caius Martius Coriolanus
1963
Film
The Barber of Siberia
Forsten
1998
Film
10 Rillington Place
Malcolm Morris
1971
Series
Hot Metal
Twiggy Rathbone / Russell Spam
1986
Film
Lassie
Judge Murray
2005
Big Brother
John Edge
1970
Film
The Gathering
Bishop
2003
Series
Shoulder to Shoulder
Asquith
1974
Sunday Premiere
Sidney Tolland
1986
The Velvet Glove
Charles Bradlaugh
1977
Film
Thunderpants
Doctor
2002
Film
Torpedo Run
Lt. Redley
1958
Between the Wars
Col. Tonge
1973
European Heritage
Narrator (voice)
1973
Film
The Lost World
Prof. Illingworth
2001
Film
Mrs. Dalloway
Sir William Bradshaw
1997
Film
How I Won the War
British General
1967
Series
Jenny's War
Klein
1985
Series
Nancherrow
1999
The Dark Island
1962
Film
Young Winston
Prep School Headmaster
1972
Film
The Master Blackmailer
Charles Augustus Milverton
1992
Film
Demons of the Mind
Zorn
1972
Film
Berserk!
Detective Superintendent Brooks
1967
Film
Northanger Abbey
General Tilney
1987
Film
The Shooting Party
Bob, Lord Lilburn
1985
Film
Yellow Dog
Alexander
1973
Film
Bertie and Elizabeth
President Roosevelt
2002
Film
The Woman He Loved
Winston Churchill
1988
Film
Son of Man
Pontius Pilate
1969
Film
Dark Places
Edward Foster / Andrew Marr
1973
Film
A Feast at Midnight
Headmaster
1994
Film
The Slap
Robert Dickinson
1974
Film
The Falklands Play
Sir Anthony Parsons
2002
Film
Margaret
Willie Whitelaw
2009
Film
James Mason: The Star They Loved to Hate
Lord Bob Lilburn (archive footage) (uncredited)
1984
Film
Twelfth Night
Sir Toby Belch
1980
Film
The Silent One
Assistant
1973
Getting In
Official
1971
Film
Marcus Welby, M.D.: A Holiday Affair
Dr. Price
1988
Film
The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood
King Richard
1984
Speed King
Dorothy Campbell
1979
Film
Goodbye Mr Snuggles
Mr. Stiles
2006
Film
Psychomania
Chief Inspector Hesseltine
1973
Film
In from the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton
Self
1988
Elementary My Dear Viewer
Self
2007
Film
The Death of the Heart
Major Brutt
1987
Film
Paying Guests (Part 1)
Colonel Chase
1986
Film
The Tichborne Claimant
Lord Rivers
1999
Film
Jenny's War
Klein
1985
Film
The Gathering Storm
Joachim von Ribbentrop
1974
Film
Marie Stopes: Sexual Revolutionary
Narrator
1970
Film
Gawain and the Green Knight
Sir Bertilak
1973
Film
Black Legend
Mad Thomas
1949
Film
The Incredible Robert Baldick: Never Come Night
Doctor Sir Robert Baldick
1972
Snapshot Wedding
Donald
2017
Film
The Stalls of Barchester
Archdeacon Haynes
1971
Film
Paying Guests (Part 2)
Colonel Chase
1986
Film
An Ideal Husband
Lord Caversham
1999
Ghosts in the Machine
Narrator
2009
Film
Caesar and Claretta
Benito Mussolini
1975
Film
The Pied Piper of Hamelin
Narrator (voice)
1980
Film
Blat
Sidney Tolland
1987
Film
Make and Break
John Garrard
1987
Warm Feet, Warm Heart
Albert Purvis
1970
Justice in Wonderland
Mr. Justice Morland
2000
Film
Nancherrow
Viscount Berryan
1999
Film
Churchill: 100 Days That Saved Britain
Winston Churchill
2015
Film
The Demon Lover
William Drover
1986
Old Man's Fancy
Jason
1965
The Secret Agent
The Assistant Commissioner
1975
Film
Bomber Harris
Winston Churchill
1989
Film
Paris by Night
Adam Gillvray
1989
Film
Othello
Cassio
1955
Film
Narnia's Lost Poet: The Secret Lives and Loves of C.S. Lewis
Self - Interviewee
2013
Film
Centenary: The BP Story
George Reynolds (voice)
2009
Film
Lucky Jim
Professor Neddy Welch
2003
Film
Fothergill
John Fothergill
1981
Film
Castle Ghosts of Wales
Self
1997
Film
Castle Ghosts of Ireland
Self
1996
Film
Making Waves
Father Parry
2004
Film
Joseph's Reel
Old Joseph
2015
Film
Castle Ghosts of England
Self
1995