Robert Hardy
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Oct 29, 1925
- Died
- Aug 3, 2017 (aged 91)
- Place of birth
- Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, UK
- Credits
- 155
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.
Known for
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
2002Movie
Cornelius Fudge
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2004Movie
Cornelius Fudge
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2005Movie
Cornelius Fudge
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
2007Movie
Cornelius Fudge
Sense and Sensibility
1995Movie
Sir John Middleton
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
1994Movie
Prof. Krempe
Filmography
Snapshot Wedding
2017Movie
Donald
Joseph's Reel
2015Movie
Old Joseph
Churchill: 100 Days That Saved Britain
2015Movie
Winston Churchill
Narnia's Lost Poet: The Secret Lives and Loves of C.S. Lewis
2013Movie
Self - Interviewee
Ghosts in the Machine
2009Movie
Narrator
Margaret
2009Movie
Willie Whitelaw
Centenary: The BP Story
2009Movie
George Reynolds (voice)
Elementary My Dear Viewer
2007Movie
Self
The Alan Titchmarsh Show
2007TV
Self
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
2007Movie
Cornelius Fudge
Lewis
2007TV
Sir Arnold Raeburn
Goodbye Mr Snuggles
2006Movie
Mr. Stiles
Le Grand Charles
2006TV
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Lassie
2005Movie
Judge Murray
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2005Movie
Cornelius Fudge
Agatha Christie's Marple
2004TV
Winston Churchill
Making Waves
2004Movie
Father Parry
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2004Movie
Cornelius Fudge
Death in Holy Orders
2003TV
Father Martin Petrie
Lucky Jim
2003Movie
Professor Neddy Welch
The Gathering
2003Movie
Bishop
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
2002Movie
Cornelius Fudge
Foyle's War
2002TV
Henry Beaumont
Bertie and Elizabeth
2002Movie
President Roosevelt
Thunderpants
2002Movie
Doctor
Spooks
2002TV
Sir John Barry
The Falklands Play
2002Movie
Sir Anthony Parsons
Shackleton
2002TV
Sir James Caird
The Lost World
2001Movie
Prof. Illingworth
The Lost World
2001TV
Professor Illingworth
Justice in Wonderland
2000Movie
Mr. Justice Morland
The 10th Kingdom
2000TV
Chancellor Griswold
The Tichborne Claimant
1999Movie
Lord Rivers
An Ideal Husband
1999Movie
Lord Caversham
Nancherrow
1999TV
Nancherrow
1999Movie
Viscount Berryan
The Barber of Siberia
1998Movie
Forsten
Castle Ghosts of Wales
1997Movie
Self
Mrs. Dalloway
1997Movie
Sir William Bradshaw
Midsomer Murders
1997TV
Robert Cavendish
Testament: The Bible in Animation
1996TV
Abraham (voice)
Castle Ghosts of Ireland
1996Movie
Self
Gulliver's Travels
1996TV
Dr. Parnell
Sense and Sensibility
1995Movie
Sir John Middleton
Castle Ghosts of England
1995Movie
Self
Look at the State We're In!
1995TV
Judge Sutcliffe
Bramwell
1995TV
Sir Herbert Hamilton, Sir Herbert Hamilton
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
1994Movie
Prof. Krempe
A Feast at Midnight
1994Movie
Headmaster
Middlemarch
1994TV
Arthur Brooke
The Master Blackmailer
1992Movie
Charles Augustus Milverton
Bomber Harris
1989Movie
Winston Churchill
Paris by Night
1989Movie
Adam Gillvray
Marcus Welby, M.D.: A Holiday Affair
1988Movie
Dr. Price
War and Remembrance
1988TV
Winston Churchill
In from the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton
1988Movie
Self
The Woman He Loved
1988Movie
Winston Churchill
Blat
1987Movie
Sidney Tolland
The Death of the Heart
1987Movie
Major Brutt
Northanger Abbey
1987Movie
General Tilney
Inspector Morse
1987TV
Andrew Baydon
Make and Break
1987Movie
John Garrard
Paying Guests (Part 2)
1986Movie
Colonel Chase
Paying Guests (Part 1)
1986Movie
Colonel Chase
Sunday Premiere
1986TV
Sidney Tolland
ScreenPlay
1986TV
Colonel Chase
The Demon Lover
1986Movie
William Drover
Hot Metal
1986TV
Twiggy Rathbone / Russell Spam
Jenny's War
1985Movie
Klein
Theatre Night
1985TV
John Garrard
Jenny's War
1985TV
Klein
The Shooting Party
1985Movie
Bob, Lord Lilburn
Screen Two
1985TV
General Tilney
The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood
1984Movie
King Richard
Sherlock Holmes
1984TV
Charles Augustus Milverton
The Far Pavilions
1984TV
The Commandant
James Mason: The Star They Loved to Hate
1984Movie
Lord Bob Lilburn (archive footage) (uncredited)
Natural World
1983TV
Narrator
Shades of Darkness
1983TV
William Drover
The Cleopatras
1983TV
Julius Caesar
Countdown
1982TV
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years
1981TV
Winston Churchill
Fothergill
1981Movie
John Fothergill
The Pied Piper of Hamelin
1980Movie
Narrator (voice)
Twelfth Night
1980Movie
Sir Toby Belch
Speed King
1979Movie
Dorothy Campbell
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
1979TV
Clayton
The BBC Television Shakespeare
1978TV
Sir Toby Belch
All Creatures Great and Small
1978TV
Siegfried Farnon
Supernatural
1977TV
Adrian Gall
Raffles
1977TV
The Velvet Glove
1977TV
Charles Bradlaugh
The Duchess of Duke Street
1976TV
George Duggan
Victorian Scandals
1976TV
Arthur Munby
Bill Brand
1976TV
Mr. Marples
The Secret Agent
1975Movie
The Assistant Commissioner
Caesar and Claretta
1975Movie
Benito Mussolini
Private Affairs
1975TV
Benito Mussolini
Edward the Seventh
1975TV
Prince Albert
Churchill's People
1974TV
King Oswy
The Gathering Storm
1974Movie
Joachim von Ribbentrop
The Slap
1974Movie
Robert Dickinson
Shoulder to Shoulder
1974TV
Asquith
Playhouse
1974TV
John Fothergill, Sir Malcolm Campbell
Yellow Dog
1973Movie
Alexander
European Heritage
1973TV
Narrator (voice)
Gawain and the Green Knight
1973Movie
Sir Bertilak
Between the Wars
1973TV
Col. Tonge
Dark Places
1973Movie
Edward Foster / Andrew Marr
Psychomania
1973Movie
Chief Inspector Hesseltine
The Silent One
1973Movie
Assistant
Demons of the Mind
1972Movie
Zorn
The Incredible Robert Baldick: Never Come Night
1972Movie
Doctor Sir Robert Baldick
Young Winston
1972Movie
Prep School Headmaster
The Stalls of Barchester
1971Movie
Archdeacon Haynes
A Ghost Story for Christmas
1971TV
Archdeacon Haynes
Getting In
1971Movie
Official
Upstairs, Downstairs
1971TV
Sir Guy Paynter
Elizabeth R
1971TV
Robert Dudley
10 Rillington Place
1971Movie
Malcolm Morris
Great Performances
1971TV
Self
Warm Feet, Warm Heart
1970Movie
Albert Purvis
Big Brother
1970TV
John Edge
Marie Stopes: Sexual Revolutionary
1970Movie
Narrator
Manhunt
1970TV
Abwehr Sergeant Gratz
Strange Report
1969TV
Doctor Michael Sanders
Son of Man
1969Movie
Pontius Pilate
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
1969TV
Christopher Moore
Berserk!
1967Movie
Detective Superintendent Brooks
How I Won the War
1967Movie
British General
ITV Playhouse
1967TV
Ray Malcolm
Mystery and Imagination
1966TV
William Oke
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
1965Movie
Dick Carlton
Thirty-Minute Theatre
1965TV
The Official
The Troubleshooters
1965TV
Alec Stewart
Old Man's Fancy
1965Movie
Jason
Thursday Theatre
1964TV
Anatol
The Wednesday Play
1964TV
Nick Prockter, Pontius Pilate
Theatre 625
1964TV
Adriano
The Spread of the Eagle
1963TV
Caius Martius Coriolanus
The Saint
1962TV
Walter Faber
The Dark Island
1962TV
Drama 61-67
1961TV
Adam Irwin, Philip Weathers
An Age of Kings
1960TV
Henry, Prince of Wales, Henry V
Torpedo Run
1958Movie
Lt. Redley
The Veil
1958TV
David Copperfield
1956TV
David Copperfield
The Buccaneers
1956TV
Lord Hinch
The Adventures of Sir Lancelot
1956TV
Sir Rupert
Armchair Theatre
1956TV
Albert Purvis
Othello
1955Movie
Cassio
General Electric Theater
1953TV
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951TV
Joachim von Ribbentrop
Sunday Night Theatre
1950TV
Orsino, Admetus, William Herndon
Black Legend
1949Movie
Mad Thomas