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.
Filmography
Snapshot Wedding
as Donald
Snapshot Wedding
as Donald
Joseph's Reel
as Old Joseph
Joseph's Reel
as Old Joseph
Churchill: 100 Days That Saved Britain
as Winston Churchill
Churchill: 100 Days That Saved Britain
as Winston Churchill
Narnia's Lost Poet: The Secret Lives and Loves of C.S. Lewis
as Self - Interviewee
Narnia's Lost Poet: The Secret Lives and Loves of C.S. Lewis
as Self - Interviewee
Ghosts in the Machine
as Narrator
Ghosts in the Machine
as Narrator
Margaret
as Willie Whitelaw
Margaret
as Willie Whitelaw
Centenary: The BP Story
as George Reynolds (voice)
Centenary: The BP Story
as George Reynolds (voice)
Elementary My Dear Viewer
as Self
Elementary My Dear Viewer
as Self
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
as Cornelius Fudge
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
as Cornelius Fudge
Goodbye Mr Snuggles
as Mr. Stiles
Goodbye Mr Snuggles
as Mr. Stiles
Lassie
as Judge Murray
Lassie
as Judge Murray
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
as Cornelius Fudge
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
as Cornelius Fudge
Making Waves
as Father Parry
Making Waves
as Father Parry
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
as Cornelius Fudge
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
as Cornelius Fudge
Lucky Jim
as Professor Neddy Welch
Lucky Jim
as Professor Neddy Welch
The Gathering
as Bishop
The Gathering
as Bishop
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
as Cornelius Fudge
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
as Cornelius Fudge
Bertie and Elizabeth
as President Roosevelt
Bertie and Elizabeth
as President Roosevelt
Thunderpants
as Doctor
Thunderpants
as Doctor
The Falklands Play
as Sir Anthony Parsons
The Falklands Play
as Sir Anthony Parsons
The Lost World
as Prof. Illingworth
The Lost World
as Prof. Illingworth
Justice in Wonderland
as Mr. Justice Morland
Justice in Wonderland
as Mr. Justice Morland
The Tichborne Claimant
as Lord Rivers
The Tichborne Claimant
as Lord Rivers
An Ideal Husband
as Lord Caversham
An Ideal Husband
as Lord Caversham
Nancherrow
as Viscount Berryan
Nancherrow
as Viscount Berryan
The Barber of Siberia
as Forsten
The Barber of Siberia
as Forsten
Castle Ghosts of Wales
as Self
Castle Ghosts of Wales
as Self
Mrs. Dalloway
as Sir William Bradshaw
Mrs. Dalloway
as Sir William Bradshaw
Castle Ghosts of Ireland
as Self
Castle Ghosts of Ireland
as Self
Sense and Sensibility
as Sir John Middleton
Sense and Sensibility
as Sir John Middleton
Castle Ghosts of England
as Self
Castle Ghosts of England
as Self
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
as Prof. Krempe
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
as Prof. Krempe
A Feast at Midnight
as Headmaster
A Feast at Midnight
as Headmaster
The Master Blackmailer
as Charles Augustus Milverton
The Master Blackmailer
as Charles Augustus Milverton
Bomber Harris
as Winston Churchill
Bomber Harris
as Winston Churchill
Paris by Night
as Adam Gillvray
Paris by Night
as Adam Gillvray
Marcus Welby, M.D.: A Holiday Affair
as Dr. Price
Marcus Welby, M.D.: A Holiday Affair
as Dr. Price
In from the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton
as Self
In from the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton
as Self
The Woman He Loved
as Winston Churchill
The Woman He Loved
as Winston Churchill
Blat
as Sidney Tolland
Blat
as Sidney Tolland
The Death of the Heart
as Major Brutt
The Death of the Heart
as Major Brutt
Northanger Abbey
as General Tilney
Northanger Abbey
as General Tilney
Make and Break
as John Garrard
Make and Break
as John Garrard
Paying Guests (Part 2)
as Colonel Chase
Paying Guests (Part 2)
as Colonel Chase
Paying Guests (Part 1)
as Colonel Chase
Paying Guests (Part 1)
as Colonel Chase
The Demon Lover
as William Drover
The Demon Lover
as William Drover
Jenny's War
as Klein
Jenny's War
as Klein
The Shooting Party
as Bob, Lord Lilburn
The Shooting Party
as Bob, Lord Lilburn
The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood
as King Richard
The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood
as King Richard
James Mason: The Star They Loved to Hate
as Lord Bob Lilburn (archive footage) (uncredited)
James Mason: The Star They Loved to Hate
as Lord Bob Lilburn (archive footage) (uncredited)
Fothergill
as John Fothergill
Fothergill
as John Fothergill
The Pied Piper of Hamelin
as Narrator (voice)
The Pied Piper of Hamelin
as Narrator (voice)
Twelfth Night
as Sir Toby Belch
Twelfth Night
as Sir Toby Belch
Speed King
as Dorothy Campbell
Speed King
as Dorothy Campbell
The Secret Agent
as The Assistant Commissioner
The Secret Agent
as The Assistant Commissioner
Caesar and Claretta
as Benito Mussolini
Caesar and Claretta
as Benito Mussolini
The Gathering Storm
as Joachim von Ribbentrop
The Gathering Storm
as Joachim von Ribbentrop
The Slap
as Robert Dickinson
The Slap
as Robert Dickinson
Yellow Dog
as Alexander
Yellow Dog
as Alexander
Gawain and the Green Knight
as Sir Bertilak
Gawain and the Green Knight
as Sir Bertilak
Dark Places
as Edward Foster / Andrew Marr
Dark Places
as Edward Foster / Andrew Marr
Psychomania
as Chief Inspector Hesseltine
Psychomania
as Chief Inspector Hesseltine
The Silent One
as Assistant
The Silent One
as Assistant
Demons of the Mind
as Zorn
Demons of the Mind
as Zorn
The Incredible Robert Baldick: Never Come Night
as Doctor Sir Robert Baldick
The Incredible Robert Baldick: Never Come Night
as Doctor Sir Robert Baldick
Young Winston
as Prep School Headmaster
Young Winston
as Prep School Headmaster
The Stalls of Barchester
as Archdeacon Haynes
The Stalls of Barchester
as Archdeacon Haynes
Getting In
as Official
Getting In
as Official
10 Rillington Place
as Malcolm Morris
10 Rillington Place
as Malcolm Morris
Warm Feet, Warm Heart
as Albert Purvis
Warm Feet, Warm Heart
as Albert Purvis
Marie Stopes: Sexual Revolutionary
as Narrator
Marie Stopes: Sexual Revolutionary
as Narrator
Son of Man
as Pontius Pilate
Son of Man
as Pontius Pilate
Berserk!
as Detective Superintendent Brooks
Berserk!
as Detective Superintendent Brooks
How I Won the War
as British General
How I Won the War
as British General
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
as Dick Carlton
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
as Dick Carlton
Old Man's Fancy
as Jason
Old Man's Fancy
as Jason
Torpedo Run
as Lt. Redley
Torpedo Run
as Lt. Redley
Othello
as Cassio
Othello
as Cassio
Black Legend
as Mad Thomas
Black Legend
as Mad Thomas