Cedric Hardwicke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Cedric Hardwicke
On the radio show Three Thirds of the Nation, 3 June 1942
Born	Cedric Webster Hardwicke (1893-02-19)19 February 1893 Lye, Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England
Died	6 August 1964(1964-08-06) (aged 71) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1913–1964
Spouse(s)	Helena Pickard ​ ​ (m. 1928; div. 1948)​ Mary Scott ​ ​ (m. 1950; div. 1961)​
Children	2, including Edward Hardwicke

Sir Cedric Webster Hardwicke (born February 19, 1893 – died August 6, 1964) was a famous English actor. He worked on stage and in movies for almost 50 years. He was known for acting in plays by William Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw. He also played main characters in many classic book adaptations for films.

Early Life and Military Service

Cedric Hardwicke was born in a place called Lye, in Worcestershire, England. His parents were Edwin Webster Hardwicke and Jessie Masterson. He went to Bridgnorth Grammar School.

He first wanted to become a doctor. However, he didn't pass the exams needed for medical school. So, he decided to try acting instead. He trained at a famous acting school called the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

When World War I started, Cedric joined the army. He served as an officer in France from 1914 to 1921. He was one of the last British soldiers to leave France after the war. He even helped escort the body of the Unknown Warrior from France, which was a very important and respectful duty.

Acting Career

On Stage

Hardwicke in the 1937 Broadway play The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse

Cedric Hardwicke first appeared on stage in London in 1912. He took over a role in a play called The Monk and the Woman. He also worked at other London theatres and toured with different acting groups. In 1913, he traveled to South Africa and Rhodesia with Benson's Company.

After his time in the army, he returned to acting in 1922. He joined the Birmingham Repertory Company. There, he played many different kinds of characters. These included a shy young lover and a fun-loving knight.

He became very well-known for his roles in classic plays. He performed in many plays by George Bernard Shaw, a famous writer. Shaw even said that Hardwicke was one of his favorite actors! Cedric Hardwicke starred in plays like Caesar and Cleopatra and Pygmalion. He was so good that he became the youngest actor to be knighted at age 41. This means he was given the title "Sir" by the King.

Other successful plays he was in included The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse and Antigone. He was even nominated for a Tony Award for his role as a Japanese diplomat in A Majority of One.

In 1928, while acting in the play Show Boat in London, he married actress Helena Pickard.

In the late 1930s, he moved to the United States to work in films. But he also kept acting on stage in New York and on tours. He returned to Britain for a short time in 1944 to perform in plays. Later, he moved back to the U.S. permanently.

In Films and on Television

Hardwicke as Egyptian Pharaoh Sethi in The Ten Commandments (1956)

Cedric Hardwicke's first British film was in 1931. From the late 1930s, Hollywood wanted him for many movies. He played important historical figures like David Livingstone in Stanley and Livingstone (1939). He also played the villain Frollo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939). In 1942, he was Ludwig von Frankenstein in The Ghost of Frankenstein.

He appeared in many other famous films. These included Les Misérables (1935) and King Solomon's Mines (1937). He was in Alfred Hitchcock's thriller Rope (1948) and played King Edward IV in Richard III (1955). He also sang in the musical A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949). One of his most famous roles was as Pharaoh Sethi in the epic film The Ten Commandments (1956).

On television, he appeared in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents in 1956. He also guest-starred on The Ford Show and co-starred in a comedy series called Mrs. G. Goes to College in 1961.

On the Radio

In 1945, Cedric Hardwicke played the famous detective Sherlock Holmes in a BBC Radio show. Years later, his son, Edward Hardwicke, played Dr. Watson in a popular TV series about Sherlock Holmes. This was a fun connection!

Cedric also played the main character in a radio show called Bulldog Drummond for a short time in 1954.

Personal Life

Cedric Hardwicke married actress Helena Pickard in 1928. They had a son named Edward, who also became an actor. They later divorced in 1948. His second marriage was to Mary Scott, and they had a son named Michael. This marriage also ended in divorce in 1961.

Cedric Hardwicke was a heavy smoker throughout his life. He developed a lung condition and passed away in New York on August 6, 1964, at the age of 71. His body was returned to England, and his ashes were scattered in London.

Legacy

Cedric Hardwicke wrote two books about his life and career. They were called Let's Pretend and A Victorian in Orbit.

There is a special sculpture in his hometown of Lye, England, that honors him. It looks like a giant filmstrip. The metal panels show scenes from some of his most famous movies, like The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Ghost of Frankenstein. This memorial was put up in 2005. A local school also named its drama theatre the Hardwicke Theatre in his honor.

Cedric Hardwicke has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. One is for his work in motion pictures, and the other is for his television work.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Cedric Hardwicke para niños