Robert Hardy profile
Actor profile

Robert Hardy

29th October 1925 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, UK 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.

78 Movies 65 TV Shows 143 Credits
Filmography

Movies & TV Shows

Margaret poster
Margaret 26th March 2009 as Willie Whitelaw
Lassie poster
Lassie 16th December 2005 as Judge Murray
Lucky Jim poster
Lucky Jim 11th April 2003 as Professor Neddy Welch
Blat poster
Blat 13th September 1987 as Sidney Tolland
The Slap poster
The Slap 23rd October 1974 as Robert Dickinson
Berserk! poster
Berserk! 1st November 1967 as Detective Superintendent Brooks
Lewis poster
Lewis 18th February 2007 as Sir Arnold Raeburn
Spooks poster
Spooks 13th May 2002 as Sir John Barry
Bramwell poster
Bramwell 1st May 1995 as Sir Herbert Hamilton
Playhouse poster
Playhouse 13th March 1974 as Sir Malcolm Campbell
Manhunt poster
Manhunt 2nd January 1970 as Abwehr Sergeant Gratz