Timothy Sydney Robert Hardy,
CBEThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 29 October 1925) is an
EnglishEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
with a long career in the theatre, film and television. He is also an acknowledged expert on the
longbowFor the military helicopter, see Apache LongbowA longbow is a type of bow that is tall ; this will allow its user a fairly long draw, at least to the jaw . A longbow is not significantly recurved...
.
Hardy was born in
CheltenhamCheltenham , or Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, England with a population of 110,013 at the 2001 census. The inhabitants are known as "Cheltonians". Its motto is: Salubritas et Eruditio ....
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of Jocelyn (
néeA married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage, and in speaking of the many cultures where the practice is traditional for women, the maiden name is the family name that the married name replaces....
Dugdale) and Henry Harrison Hardy. His father was headmaster of
Cheltenham CollegeCheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.The first of all the major public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893...
. He was educated at
Rugby SchoolRugby School, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, is regarded as one of the UK's leading co-educational boarding schools and is one of the oldest public schools in England.-History:...
and
Magdalen College, OxfordMagdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million....
University where he gained a BA Honours degree in English.
Hardy began his career as a classical actor, appearing as
ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's
Henry VHenry V is a history play by William Shakespeare, written in 1599. It is based on the life of King Henry V of England, and focuses on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years' War....
on stage and in television's
An Age of KingsHenry V is a history play by William Shakespeare, written in 1599. It is based on the life of King Henry V of England, and focuses on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years' War....
(1960), and subsequently played
CoriolanusCoriolanus is a 1608 tragedy by William Shakespeare, based on the life of the legendary Roman leader, Gaius Martius Coriolanus.-Characters:*Gaius Martius, later surnamed Coriolanus*Menenius Agrippa, Senator of Rome...
and Sir Toby Belch for the
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "BBC", is the longest established and largest broadcaster in the world...
.
Timothy Sydney Robert Hardy,
CBEThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 29 October 1925) is an
EnglishEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
with a long career in the theatre, film and television. He is also an acknowledged expert on the
longbowFor the military helicopter, see Apache LongbowA longbow is a type of bow that is tall ; this will allow its user a fairly long draw, at least to the jaw . A longbow is not significantly recurved...
.
Early life
Hardy was born in
CheltenhamCheltenham , or Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, England with a population of 110,013 at the 2001 census. The inhabitants are known as "Cheltonians". Its motto is: Salubritas et Eruditio ....
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of Jocelyn (
néeA married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage, and in speaking of the many cultures where the practice is traditional for women, the maiden name is the family name that the married name replaces....
Dugdale) and Henry Harrison Hardy. His father was headmaster of
Cheltenham CollegeCheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.The first of all the major public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893...
. He was educated at
Rugby SchoolRugby School, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, is regarded as one of the UK's leading co-educational boarding schools and is one of the oldest public schools in England.-History:...
and
Magdalen College, OxfordMagdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million....
University where he gained a BA Honours degree in English.
Career
Hardy began his career as a classical actor, appearing as
ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's
Henry VHenry V is a history play by William Shakespeare, written in 1599. It is based on the life of King Henry V of England, and focuses on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years' War....
on stage and in television's
An Age of KingsHenry V is a history play by William Shakespeare, written in 1599. It is based on the life of King Henry V of England, and focuses on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years' War....
(1960), and subsequently played
CoriolanusCoriolanus is a 1608 tragedy by William Shakespeare, based on the life of the legendary Roman leader, Gaius Martius Coriolanus.-Characters:*Gaius Martius, later surnamed Coriolanus*Menenius Agrippa, Senator of Rome...
and Sir Toby Belch for the
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "BBC", is the longest established and largest broadcaster in the world...
. 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 the
Battle of AgincourtThe Battle of Agincourt was an English victory against a much larger French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday 25 October 1415 , in northern France...
. He has also written two books on the subject of the longbow,
Longbow: A Social and Military History and
The Great War Bow with Matthew Strickland (Sutton Publishing 2005. ISBN 0750931671 ISBN 978-0750931670). He was one of the experts consulted by the
archaeologistArchaeology or archeology is the science that studies human cultures through the recovery, documentation, analysis, and interpretation of material culture and environmental data, including architecture, artifacts, biofacts, and landscapes...
responsible for raising the
Mary RoseThe Mary Rose was an English Tudor carrack warship and one of the first to be able to fire a full broadside of cannons.The Mary Rose was well equipped with 78 guns and was the pride of the English fleet. Built in Portsmouth, England she was thought to be named after King Henry VIII's sister Mary...
.
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, DownstairsUpstairs, Downstairs is a BAFTA and Emmy award-winning British drama television series set in a large townhouse in Edwardian London that depicted the lives of the servants "downstairs" and their masters "upstairs"...
. But his most famous role was as Siegfried Farnon in the long-running
All Creatures Great and SmallAll Creatures Great and Small is a popular television series, based on the books of the British veterinary surgeon Alf Wight, who wrote under the pseudonym James Herriot.-Background:...
(1978–1990), a stylish and much loved adaptation of
James HerriotJames Herriot is the pen name of James Alfred Wight, OBE, also known as Alf Wight , a British veterinary surgeon and writer...
's novels.
He also made an appearance in the 1987
ITVITV is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC. ITV is the oldest commercial television network in the UK...
comedy series
Hot MetalHot Metal was a London Weekend Television sitcom about the British Newspaper industry broadcast between 1986 and 1988.The Daily Crucible, the dullest newspaper in Fleet Street is suddenly taken over by media magnate Terence "Twiggy" Rathbone...
, in which he played a dual role, that of a newspaper proprietor, Twiggy Rathbone (who bore more than a passing resemblance to
Rupert MurdochKeith Rupert Murdoch, AC , usually known as Rupert Murdoch, is an Australian-born American global media mogul. He owns media outlets and is a major shareholder, chairman and managing director of News Corporation ....
) and his put-upon and harassed editor, Russell Spam.
In 1993 Hardy appeared in an episode of
Inspector MorseDetective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse is a fictional character in a series of thirteen detective novels by British author Colin Dexter, as well as the 33 episode television series produced by Central Independent Television from 1987–2000, in which he was portrayed by John Thaw...
, 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 holds the distinction of having played both
Winston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC was a British politician known chiefly for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II. He served as Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an officer...
and
Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt , the only U.S. President elected to more than two terms, was a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, and having played both roles on more than one occasion. He played Churchill most notably in
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness YearsWinston Churchill: The Wilderness Years is an 8-part 1981 drama serial based on the life of Winston Churchill, and particularly his years in enforced exile from political position during the 1920s and 30s. It was written and directed by Ferdinand Fairfax and Churchill was played by Robert...
(1981), for which he won a BAFTA award, but also in
The Sittaford Mystery,
Bomber HarrisBomber Harris is a 1989 television drama based on the life of Arthur Harris. It was directed by Michael Darlow and written by Don Shaw.-Cast:*John Thaw - Arthur Travers Harris*Robert Hardy - Winston Churchill*Frederick Treves - Sir Charles Portal...
and
War and RemembranceWar and Remembrance is a novel by Herman Wouk, published in 1978, which is the sequel to The Winds of War. It continues the story of the extended Henry family and the Jastrow family starting on 15 December 1941 and ending on 6 August 1945. This article mainly describes the mini-series...
. He played Roosevelt in the BBC serial,
Bertie and ElizabethBertie & Elizabeth is a 2002 television film produced by Carlton Television. The film explores the relationship between King George VI and his wife Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon from their very first meeting to the King's death in the winter of 1952...
, and in the French TV mini-series,
Le Grand CharlesLe Grand Charles was a 2006 French TV-drama on the life of Charles de Gaulle from 1939 to 1959, written and directed by Bernard Stora. De Gaulle was played by Bernard Farcy, and other actors in the cast included Dominic Gould, Sam Spiegel and Jay Benedict....
, about the life of Charles DeGaulle.
He also played Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester in
Elizabeth RElizabeth R is a BBC television drama serial of six 85-minute plays starring Glenda Jackson in the title role. It was first broadcast on terrestrial channel BBC Two from February to March 1971, through the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Australia and broadcast in America on the premiere...
, and Prince Albert in
Edward the Seventh (known as
Edward the King to the American audience). He took a role in the 1995 film version of
Sense and Sensibility. His most recent roles were as Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge in the
Harry PotterHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter, together with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, his friends from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
movies, and as Lord Malan in
His Master's VoiceHis Master's Voice is a satirical comedy series on BBC Radio 4. It is written by both Mark Tavener, who also wrote the satirical novel In The Red and the satirical radio series Absolute Power, and Steve Punt. Their writing satirises both the hard-right Conservatism and "caring Conservatism",...
.
His voice performance as
Robin HoodRobin Hood is a hero in English folklore, a highly-skilled archer and outlaw. In particular, he is known for "stealing from the rich and giving to the poor," assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men"...
in
Tale Spinners For ChildrenTale Spinners For Children was a series of stories and novels adapted for young audiences on vinyl records in the early 1960's. They included a collection of old fairy tales, folklore, literary classics such as Don Quixote and Robinson Crusoe, and time-honored fables with the title role sometimes...
Robin Hood, a
LPA gramophone record, commonly known as phonograph record, vinyl record, or simply record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed modulated spiral groove usually starting near the periphery and ending near the centre of the disc...
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 CooperDame Gladys Constance Cooper DBE was an English actress.-Early life and career:Cooper was born in Chiswick, London, England, one of the three daughters of Charles William Frederick Cooper by his marriage to Mabel Barnett.She made her stage début in 1905 touring with Seymour Hicks in his musical...
and, thus, sister-in-law of
Robert MorleyRobert Morley CBE was an English actor who, often in supporting roles, was usually cast as a pompous English gentleman representing the Establishment...
. This marriage ended in 1986. Robert Hardy has three children. He was a close friend of actor
Richard BurtonRichard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award and was at one time the highest-paid actor in Hollywood...
whom he met at the
University of OxfordThe University of Oxford , located in the UK city of Oxford, is the oldest surviving university in the English-speaking world and is regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. Although the exact date of foundation remains unclear, there is evidence of teaching there as far back...
.
Filmography
- Torpedo Run
Torpedo Run is a 1958 Metrocolor war film starring Glenn Ford as a World War II submarine commander in the Pacific who is obsessed with sinking a particular Japanese aircraft carrier.It was nominated for an Academy Award for Special Effects.-Plot:...
(1958) .... Lt. Redley
- The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is a 1965 film adaptation of the novel of the same name by John le Carré. It was adapted by Paul Dehn and Guy Trosper. The film stars Richard Burton as Alec Leamas, along with Claire Bloom, Oskar Werner, Peter van Eyck, Sam Wanamaker, Rupert Davies and Cyril Cusack...
(1965) .... Dick Carlton
- Berserk!
Berserk! is a thriller feature film starring Joan Crawford, Ty Hardin, and Judy Geeson in a macabre mother and daughter tale about a circus plagued with murders. The screenplay was written by Herman Cohen and Aben Kandel, and the film directed by Jim O'Connolly...
(1967) .... Supt. Brooks
- How I Won the War
How I Won the War is a black comedy film directed by Richard Lester, released in 1967. The film stars Michael Crawford as bungling British Army Officer Lieutenant Earnest Goodbody, with John Lennon , Jack MacGowran , Roy Kinnear and Lee Montague as soldiers under his command...
(1967) .... British General
- Psychomania
Psychomania is a 1971 British horror film starring Nicky Henson, and George Sanders as the devil worshiper.-Plot:Tom Latham enjoys riding his motorcycle with his girlfriend and loves his mother dearly, but Tom is no ordinary fellow, he is the leader of a violent, occult motorcycle gang...
(1971) .... Chief Inspector Hesseltine
- 10 Rillington Place (1971) .... Malcolm Morris
For the dermatologist, see Sir Malcolm Morris Malcolm Morris QC was a British lawyer. He was involved in many high-profile cases, such as the prosecutions of suspected serial killer John Bodkin Adams and pop star Mick Jagger, and the defence of Timothy Evans.-Career:Morris was called to the bar by...
- Young Winston
Young Winston is a 1972 British film based on the early years of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.The film was based on the book My Early Life: A Roving Commission by Winston Churchill. The first part of the film covers Churchill's unhappy schooldays, up to the death of his father...
(1972) .... Headmaster
- Demons of the Mind
Demons of the Mind is a 1972 British period horror film, produced by the Hammer studio. It was directed by Peter Sykes and its cinematographer was Arthur Grant. The cast includes Gillian Hills, Robert Hardy, Patrick Magee, Michael Hordern and Shane Briant....
(1972) .... Zorn
- Gawain and the Green Knight (1973) .... Sir Bertilak
- The Shooting Party
The Shooting Party is a 1985 film directed by Alan Bridges and based on a book by Isabel Colegate that won the 1981 WH Smith Literary Award. The film is set in 1913 and shows the way of life of English aristocrats, gathered for pheasant shooting and general self-indulgence...
(1985) .... Lord Bob Lilburn
- Paris by Night
Paris By Night is an on-going Vietnamese language musical variety show produced by the French company Thúy Nga.With the diaspora of Vietnamese after the Vietnam War, many Vietnamese turn to Paris By Night for Vietnamese language entertainment...
(1988) .... Adam Gillvray
- Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
Frankenstein is a 1994 film directed by Kenneth Branagh, starring Robert De Niro, Tom Hulce, Helena Bonham Carter, and Kenneth Branagh...
(1994) .... Professor Krempe
- Middlemarch
Middlemarch: A Study of Provincial Life is a novel by George Eliot, the pen name of Mary Anne Evans, later Marian Evans. It is her seventh novel, begun in 1869 and then put aside during the final illness of Thornton Lewes, the son of her partner George Henry Lewes...
(1994 ) .... Mr. Brooke
- Sense and Sensibility (1995) .... Sir John Middleton
- Mrs Dalloway
Mrs Dalloway is a novel by Virginia Woolf that details a day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway in post-World War I England...
(1997) .... Sir William Bradshaw
- An Ideal Husband
An Ideal Husband is a 1999 feature film based on the play by Oscar Wilde. The film stars Jeremy Northam, Rupert Everett, Julianne Moore, Minnie Driver and Oscar winning actress Cate Blanchett...
(1998) .... Lord Caversham
- The Tichborne Claimant (1998) .... Lord Rivers
- The Gathering
The Gathering is a 2002 thriller/horror film directed by Brian Gilbert and starring Christina Ricci.-Plot synopsis:Cassie Grant is a young girl from the United States who is wandering through England on foot. On her way to Ashby Wake Cassie is hit by a car. The driver of the car, Mrs Marion...
(2002) .... The Bishop
- Thunderpants
Thunderpants is a 2002 family film about a boy whose incredible capacity for flatulence gets him a job as an astronaut. The film was directed by Peter Hewitt, whose previous work included Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey and The Borrowers...
(2002) .... Doctor
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a fantasy adventure film, and the second film in the popular Harry Potter series, based on the novel by J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The film was released on 15 November 2002 in the UK and North America and 28 November in AUS...
(2002) .... Cornelius Fudge
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a fantasy adventure film, based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. Directed by Mexican film maker Alfonso Cuarón, it is the third film in the popular Harry Potter series. It stars Daniel Radcliffe as the teenage wizard Harry Potter, and...
(2004) .... Cornelius Fudge
- Making Waves (2004) .... Father Parry
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a fantasy adventure film, based on J. K. Rowling's novel of the same name. The film is the fourth installment in the Harry Potter film series, although 1492 Pictures decided to leave the series. The film was directed by Mike Newell and produced by David...
(2005) .... Cornelius Fudge
- Lassie
Lassie is a family-based British/Irish/French 2005 film directed by Charles Sturridge. When a family hits financial crisis, they have no choice but to sell Lassie...
(2005) .... Judge Murray
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a fantasy adventure film, based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. Directed by David Yates, produced by David Heyman's company Heyday Films, and written by Michael Goldenberg, it is the fifth film in the popular Harry Potter film series....
(2007) .... Cornelius Fudge
- Margaret (2009) ... Willie Whitelaw
External links