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Sir

Nigel Hawthorne

CBE
Nigel Hawthorne photo.jpg
As the Duke of
Clarence in the 1995 film Richard III
Born
Nigel Barnard Hawthorne

(1929-04-05)5 April 1929
Coventry, Warwickshire, England
Died 26 December 2001(2001-12-26) (aged 72)
Thundridge, Hertfordshire, England
Occupation Actor
Years active 1950–2001
Partner(s) Trevor Bentham (1979–2001; his death)

Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne (born April 5, 1929 – died December 26, 2001) was a famous English actor. He was well-known for his amazing performances on stage. He also played a very popular character, Sir Humphrey Appleby, in the TV shows Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. Sir Humphrey was a high-ranking government official.

For his role as Sir Humphrey, Nigel Hawthorne won four BAFTA TV Awards. These awards are like the British Oscars for television. He also won a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for playing King George III in the movie The Madness of King George (1994). He was even nominated for an Academy Award for this role! Later, he won another BAFTA TV Award for his acting in the 1996 TV series The Fragile Heart. He also won important awards for his theatre work, like the Olivier Award and Tony Award.

Early Life and Education

Nigel Hawthorne was born in Coventry, England. He was the second of four children. His father, Charles Barnard Hawthorne, was a doctor.

When Nigel was three years old, his family moved to Cape Town, South Africa. His father had bought a medical practice there. They lived in different parts of Cape Town, including a new house near Camps Bay.

Nigel went to St George's Grammar School in Cape Town. He also attended a Christian Brothers College. He played rugby there, but he didn't enjoy his time at that school very much.

He started studying at the University of Cape Town. There, he met and acted in plays with Theo Aronson, who later became a famous writer. However, Nigel left the university. In the 1950s, he moved back to the United Kingdom to become an actor.

Acting Career

Nigel Hawthorne started his acting career on stage in 1950. His first professional role was in a play called The Shop at Sly Corner in Cape Town. He wasn't happy in South Africa, so he moved to London. He took many small roles at first. Soon, he became known as a fantastic character actor.

After finding success in London, Nigel decided to try acting in New York City. In 1974, he got a part in a Broadway play called As You Like It. Around this time, famous actors Ian McKellen and Judi Dench encouraged him to join the Royal Shakespeare Company. To earn more money, he also appeared in TV commercials. He was in ads for Mackeson Stout and, in the early 1990s, for Vauxhall cars.

He returned to the New York stage in 1990 in the play Shadowlands. For this role, he won the 1991 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.

Becoming a Household Name

Nigel Hawthorne had been in British TV shows since the late 1950s. But his most famous role was Sir Humphrey Appleby. Sir Humphrey was a very clever, but sometimes tricky, government official. He appeared in the TV series Yes Minister and its follow-up, Yes, Prime Minister. For this role, Nigel won four BAFTA awards in the 1980s. He became a household name across the United Kingdom. This success helped him get more roles in movies.

In 1982, Nigel Hawthorne appeared in Richard Attenborough's film Gandhi. He acted alongside many famous international stars. That same year, he starred with Clint Eastwood in the cold war thriller Firefox. In this movie, he played a Russian scientist.

Film Success and Awards

Nigel Hawthorne also had roles in other films. He was in Demolition Man, which he didn't enjoy. However, this film led to his most famous movie role. He played King George III in Alan Bennett's stage play The Madness of George III. He won an Olivier Award for this play. Then, he starred in the film version, The Madness of King George. For this movie, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. He also won the BAFTA Film Award for Best Actor.

After this big success, his friend Ian McKellen asked him to play his brother, Clarence, in Richard III. Steven Spielberg also asked him to play President Martin Van Buren in the film Amistad. He won a sixth BAFTA award for the 1996 TV mini-series The Fragile Heart. He also received praise for his role as Georgie Pillson in the TV series "Mapp and Lucia."

Nigel Hawthorne also used his voice for animated films. He was the voice of Fflewddur Fflam in Disney's The Black Cauldron (1985). He also voiced Professor Porter in Disney's Tarzan (1999). In 1978, he voiced Captain Campion in the animated film Watership Down.

Personal Life

Nigel Hawthorne was a very private person. He had a long-time partner, Trevor Bentham. They met in 1968. From 1979 until Nigel's death in 2001, they lived together in Radwell and then in Thundridge, both in Hertfordshire. They both helped raise money for a local hospice and other charities in their area.

Death and Legacy

Nigel Hawthorne passed away from a heart attack on December 26, 2001. He was 72 years old. He had been battling pancreatic cancer and had several operations. He had just been discharged from the hospital for Christmas. His partner, Trevor Bentham, survived him.

His funeral service was held at St Mary's Church in Thundridge. Many friends, including fellow actors Derek Fowlds and Maureen Lipman, attended. The service was led by the Bishop of St Albans.

After Nigel's death, Alan Bennett, who wrote The Madness of King George, described him. He said Nigel was "Courteous, grand, a man of the world and superb at what he did." He praised Nigel's acting technique, saying it was never too obvious.

Honours

Nigel Hawthorne received several important honours. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1987. This is a special award from the British monarch. In 1999, he was knighted by the Queen. This means he became "Sir Nigel Hawthorne" for his great contributions to theatre, film, and television.

Selected Filmography

Nigel Hawthorne appeared in many films and television shows. Here are some of his notable roles:

Selected Television Roles

Nigel Hawthorne had a long and successful career in television.

  • 1980–1984: Yes Minister (Sir Humphrey Appleby)
  • 1985–1986: Mapp & Lucia (Georgie Pillson)
  • 1986–1988: Yes, Prime Minister (Sir Humphrey Appleby)
  • 1996: The Fragile Heart (Dr. Edgar Pascoe)
  • 2001: Victoria & Albert (Lord William Lamb)
  • 2001: Call Me Claus (Nick) - his final film role.

Stage Performances

Nigel Hawthorne was also a highly respected stage actor. Here are some of the plays he performed in:

Awards and Nominations

Nigel Hawthorne won many awards for his acting:

  • 1977: Won Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Privates on Parade
  • 1981: Won Broadcasting Press Guild Award for Best Actor in a Light Entertainment Program for Yes Minister
  • 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988: Won BAFTA TV Award for Best Light Entertainment Performance for Yes Minister
  • 1991: Won Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for Shadowlands
  • 1992: Won Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for The Madness of George III
  • 1995: Nominated for Academy Award for Best Actor for The Madness of King George
  • 1996: Won BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for The Madness of King George
  • 1996: Won London Critics Circle Film Award for British Actor of the Year for The Madness of King George
  • 1997: Won BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor for The Fragile Heart
  • 1999: Won London Critics Circle Film Award for British Supporting Actor of the Year for The Object of My Affection

See also

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