- Robert Hardy
Infobox actor
imagesize =
name = Robert Hardy
birthdate = birth date and age|1925|10|29|df=y
birthplace =Cheltenham ,England
deathdate =
deathplace =
occupation = actor
yearsactive = 1962 - present
spouse = Sally Pearson (1961-1986)Timothy Sydney Robert Hardy, CBE (born
29 October ,1925 ) is an Englishactor with a long career in the theatre, film and television. He is also an acknowledged expert on thelongbow .Biography
Early life
Hardy was born in
Cheltenham ,England , the son of Jocelyn (née Dugdale) and Henry Harrison Hardy. [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/79/Robert-Hardy.html Robert Hardy Biography (1925-) ] ] His father was headmaster ofCheltenham College . He was educated atRugby School andMagdalen College, Oxford University where he gained a BA Honours degree in English.Career
Hardy began his career as a classical actor, appearing as Shakespeare's "Henry V" on stage and in television's "An Age of Kings" (1960), and subsequently played "Coriolanus" and Sir Toby Belch for the
BBC . It was while playing Henry V that Hardy developed an interest in medieval warfare, and he later wrote and presented an acclaimed television documentary on the subject of theBattle of Agincourt . He has also written two books on the subject of the Longbow, [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Longbow-Military-History-Robert-Hardy/dp/1852604123 Longbow: A Social and Military History] and "The Great War Bow" with Matthew Strickland (Sutton Publishing 2005. ISBN-10: 0750931671 ISBN-13: 978-0750931670). He was one of the experts consulted by the archaeologist responsible for raising the "Mary Rose ".Over the years, Hardy has played a huge range of parts on television and film. His first continuing role in a TV series was as businessman Alec Stewart in the award-winning oil company drama "
The Troubleshooters " for the BBC, which he played from 1966 to 1970. In 1975, Hardy appeared in the episode "Such a Lovely Man" in the fifth season of the series "Upstairs, Downstairs ". But his most famous role was as Siegfried Farnon in the long-running "All Creatures Great and Small"(1978–1990), a stylish and much loved adaptation ofJames Herriot 's novels. Some feel Hardy brought just the right touch of eccentricity and belligerence to the part of Siegfried.He also made a memorable appearance in the 1987
ITV comedy series "Hot Metal ", in which he played a dual role, that of a newspaper proprietor, Twiggy Rathbone (who bore more than a passing resemblance toRupert Murdoch ) and his put-upon and harassed editor, Russell Spam.In 1993 Hardy appeared in an episode of
Inspector Morse , playing Andrew Baydon in "Twilight of the Gods". Hardy played the part of the successful businessman with a murky wartime past with a characteristic blend of the vulnerable and the bombast.He has played former British Prime Minister
Winston Churchill in several productions, most notably in "" (1981), for which he won aBAFTA award, but also in "The Sittaford Mystery", "Bomber Harris" and "War and Remembrance ". He also playedRobert Dudley, Earl of Leicester in "Elizabeth R ", and Prince Albert in "Edward the Seventh " (known as "Edward the King" to the American audience). He took a leading role in the 1995 film version of "Sense and Sensibility". His most recent roles were as Minister of MagicCornelius Fudge in the "Harry Potter " movies, and as Lord Malan in "His Master's Voice".His voice performance as
Robin Hood in "Tale Spinners For Children " Robin Hood, a LP from the 1960s, is considered one of the best Robin Hood renditions.He was appointed a
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 1981.Personal life
His first marriage, in 1952, was to Elizabeth Fox, the daughter of Sir Lionel Fox. This marriage ended in 1956. In 1961 he married Sally Pearson, the daughter of Dame
Gladys Cooper and, thus, sister-in-law ofRobert Morley . This marriage ended in 1981. Robert Hardy has three children. He was a close friend of actorRichard Burton whom he met atOxford University Filmography
*"
Torpedo Run " (1958) .... Lt. Redley
*"The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" (1965) .... Dick Carlton
*"Berserk! " (1967) .... Supt. Brooks
*"How I Won the War " (1967) .... British General
*"Psychomania " (1971) .... Chief Inspector Hesseltine
*"10 Rillington Place " (1971) ....Malcolm Morris
*"Young Winston " (1972) .... Headmaster
*"Demons of the Mind " (1972) .... Zorn
*"Gawain and the Green Knight " (1973) .... Sir Bertilak
*"The Shooting Party " (1985) .... Lord Bob Lilburn
*"Paris by Night " (1988) .... Adam Gillvray
*"Mary Shelley's Frankenstein " (1994) .... Professor Krempe
*"Sense and Sensibility" (1995) .... Sir John Middleton
*"Mrs Dalloway " (1997) .... Sir William Bradshaw
*"An Ideal Husband" (1998) .... Lord Caversham
*"The Tichborne Claimant " (1998) .... Lord Rivers
*"The Gathering" (2002) .... The Bishop
*"Thunderpants " (2002) .... Doctor
*"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (2002) ....Cornelius Fudge
*"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (2004) .... Cornelius Fudge
*"Making Waves (2004)" .... Father Parry
*"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (2005) .... Cornelius Fudge
*"Lassie" (2005) .... Judge Murray
*"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix " (2007) .... Cornelius FudgeReferences
External links
*imdb name|id=0362735|name=Robert Hardy
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