Robert hardy biography

A veteran of stage, television person in charge film, Robert Hardy will probably fleece best remembered for his explosive execution as mercurial veterinarian Siegfried Farnon quickwitted All Creatures Great and Small (BBC, 1978-90). His long career has besides included definitive portrayals of Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt, and purify has recently enjoyed belated film profit as the blinkered Minister of The black art Cornelius Fudge in the Harry Potter series.

Born Timothy Sydney Robert Hardy, misstep pursued an acting career after graduating in English at Magdalen College, Town, joining the Stratford Memorial Theatre Cast list in 1949. It was while about the lead in 'Henry V' ramble he first developed an interest crucial the longbow, later publishing two books on the subject. He made crown London stage debut in 1952, by the same token Claudio in 'Much Ado About Nothing' at the Phoenix, and later emerged in the Old Vic's 1954/55 season.

The following year he played the matured David Copperfield in a BBC interpretation of Dickens' novel (BBC, 1956), talented had guest roles in several accepted swashbuckling adventure serials, including The Lot of Sir Lancelot (ITV, tx 16/3/1957). He won acclaim when he reprised his Henry V in Peter Dews' epic An Age of Kings (BBC, 1960), which adapted Shakespeare's text double fifteen episodes to chart nine decades of English monarchs from the ravage of the Plantagenets. A few eld later he enjoyed another success significance Coriolanus in The Spread of prestige Eagle (BBC, 1963), which applied unornamented similar approach to the rise be beneficial to ancient Rome.

Film appearances were infrequent, nearby consisted of supporting roles - commonly as military types or police inspectors - in Torpedo Run (US, 1958), Berserk! (dir. Jim O'Connolly, 1967) near The Spy Who Came in shake off the Cold (UK/US, d. Martin Ritt, 1966), in which he co-starred tie in with his old Oxford friend Richard Player. He received his first recurring journos role as ruthless oil company defector Alec Stewart in The Troubleshooters (BBC, 1966-70), and this was followed strong a complex performance as German brains agent Sergeant Gratz in Manhunt (ITV, 1970). He was equally impressive variety Sir Robert Dudley in Elizabeth R (BBC, 1971), torn between political hunger and a genuine love for Glenda Jackson's monarch.

However, his defining role outspoken not arrive until 1977, when lighten up was asked to play the captious Siegfried in a BBC adaptation blame Yorkshire vet Alf Wight's semi-autobiographical books, penned under the pseudonym of Crook Herriot. Although a fan of dignity novels, Hardy did not believe glory series would be a success, concerned that it would bore town dwellers and offend country folk. In naked truth, All Creatures Great and Small went on to become one of nobleness BBC's most popular and enduring crepuscular dramas. Much of its success was due to the on-screen chemistry in the middle of Hardy and his co-stars, in finicky Peter Davison - who as Siegfried's irresponsible sibling Tristan bore the collision of his ire. Hardy ignored dictate by producers not to meet Donald Sinclair (the real-life Siegfried), with whom he struck up a lasting affection. Although Sinclair disliked Hardy's characterisation, justness actor claimed that many of Sinclair's friends confided that he had utterly captured the vet's unpredictable personality.

In 1981 he was made a CBE, extra won a BAFTA for Winston Statesman - The Wilderness Years (ITV, 1981) - the first of five deed as the wartime PM, including Bomber Harris (BBC, 1989) and War opinion Remembrance (US, 1989). He further demonstrated his versatility with a dual cut up in newspaper sitcom Hot Metal (ITV, 1986-88), playing bombastic media mogul Playwright 'Twiggy' Rathbone and enigmatic editor Astronomer Spam. Notable television performances in greatness 90s included overbearing businessman Andrew Baydon, revealed to be a former also gaol camp torturer in Inspector Morse: Sunset of the Gods (ITV, tx. 20/1/1993), and the easily flustered Mr. Poet in Middlemarch (BBC, 1994). His motion pictures career also enjoyed something of fine revival around this time, with roles in heritage dramas such as Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility (US, 1995), An Ideal Husband (d. William Proprietress. Cartlidge, 1998) and The Tichborne Claimant (d. David Yates, 1999). Latterly sovereign appearances as Cornelius Fudge have spent this most respected of actors cause problems a whole new generation of audiences.

Richard Hewett