Robert Hardy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Robert Hardy CBE
Hardy as Cornelius Fudge in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Born	Timothy Sydney Robert Hardy (1925-10-29)29 October 1925 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
Died	3 August 2017(2017-08-03) (aged 91) Northwood, London, England
Alma mater	Magdalen College, Oxford
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1949–2017
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Fox ​ (1952⁠–⁠1956)​ Sally Pearson ​ (1961⁠–⁠1986)​

Timothy Sydney Robert Hardy (October 29, 1925 – August 3, 2017) was a famous English actor. He had a very long career in plays, movies, and TV shows.

He started as a classical actor, performing in serious plays. Later, he became well-known for many roles. These included Siegfried Farnon in the TV series All Creatures Great and Small. He also played Cornelius Fudge in the Harry Potter movies. Another famous role was Winston Churchill in several productions. He was even nominated for awards for his acting in All Creatures Great and Small and Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years. Besides acting, Robert Hardy was an expert on the medieval English longbow. He even wrote two books about it!

Early Life and Education

Robert Hardy was born in Cheltenham, England, in 1925. His father, Henry Harrison Hardy, was a headmaster. He led schools like Cheltenham College and Shrewsbury School.

Robert went to Rugby School and then to Magdalen College, Oxford University. His studies were paused when he joined the Royal Air Force during World War II. He trained to be a pilot. After the war, he returned to Oxford and studied English. He was taught by famous writers like C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien.

Acting Career Highlights

Robert Hardy began his acting career in classical theater. In 1959, he performed in "All's Well That Ends Well" and Coriolanus at Stratford-upon-Avon. He worked alongside famous actors like Laurence Olivier and Vanessa Redgrave.

He also appeared in Shakespeare's Henry V on stage and TV. Over the years, he played many different characters. His first regular TV role was Alec Stewart in The Troubleshooters from 1966 to 1970. In 1975, he played Albert, Prince Consort in the TV series Edward the Seventh. He thought this was one of his best performances.

A role many people remember him for is Siegfried Farnon. This was in the popular TV series All Creatures Great and Small. He played a somewhat grumpy but kind animal doctor. He was in this show from 1978 to 1990.

Playing Famous Leaders

Robert Hardy was well-known for playing important historical figures. He played Winston Churchill many times. Churchill was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II. Hardy played him in Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (1981) and other shows. He even read Churchill's famous "Never was so much owed by so many to so few" speech at an event.

He also played Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was a President of the United States. He took on this role in the BBC show Bertie and Elizabeth.

Harry Potter and Other Films

For many young fans, Robert Hardy is best known as Cornelius Fudge. Fudge was the Minister for Magic in the Harry Potter films. He appeared in Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire, and Order of the Phoenix.

He also had roles in other movies. These included Professor Krempe in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. He also played Sir John Middleton in the 1995 film Sense and Sensibility.

Voice Acting

Robert Hardy also used his voice for characters. He was the voice of Robin Hood in a 1960s record series called Tale Spinners For Children. Many people think his Robin Hood was one of the best. He also voiced D'Artagnan in The Three Musketeers and Frédéric Chopin in The Story of Chopin.

Awards and Recognition

In 1981, Robert Hardy was given a special honor. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This is a high award in the United Kingdom.

Personal Interests

Robert Hardy had a deep interest in medieval history. Especially in the Battle of Agincourt and the English longbow. In 1963, he made a TV documentary about the Battle of Agincourt. He also wrote two books about the longbow. These books are called Longbow: A Social and Military History and The Great Warbow: From Hastings to the Mary Rose. He was even an expert who helped with the Mary Rose project. The Mary Rose was a famous warship from the 1500s.

He was also a good friend of the actor Richard Burton. They met when they were students at Oxford University.

Later Life and Death

In 2013, Robert Hardy had to stop performing in a play. He had a fall and cracked his ribs.

Robert Hardy passed away on August 3, 2017, at the age of 91. He died at Denville Hall, a home for retired actors.

TV and Filmography

Films

Television

• David Copperfield (1956) ... David Copperfield
• An Age of Kings (1960)
• The Spread of the Eagle (1963) .... Coriolanus
• The Troubleshooters (1966–1970)
• The Baron (1966), episode "A Memory of Evil"
• The Saint (1968), series 6, episode 4, "The Desperate Diplomat" .... Walter Faber
• Manhunt (1969) .... Abwehr Sgt. Graz
• Elizabeth R (1971) .... Robert Dudley
• The Stalls of Barchester (1971)... Dr. Haynes
• The Incredible Robert Baldick (1972) .... Sir Robert Baldick
• The Gathering Storm (1974) .... Joachim von Ribbentrop
• Edward the Seventh (1975) .... Albert, Prince Consort
• Upstairs, Downstairs (1975), series 5, episode 8, "Such A Lovely Man"
• The Duchess of Duke Street (1976) Episode: "A Lady of Virtue" ... George Duggan
• All Creatures Great and Small (1978–1980 and 1988–1990; entire series) .... Siegfried Farnon
• Twelfth Night (1980)
• The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1980), narrator of BAFTA winning animation by Cosgrove Hall Films
• Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (1981), Winston Churchill
• The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood (1984) .... King Richard
• Jenny's War (1985) .... Klein
• Hot Metal (1986–1988) .... Terence "Twiggy" Rathbone
• Northanger Abbey (1987) .... General Tilney
• War and Remembrance (1988) .... Winston Churchill
• The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, episode "The Master Blackmailer" (1992) .... Charles Augustus Milverton
• Middlemarch (1994) .... Mr. Brooke
• Gulliver's Travels (1996) ....TV Mini-Series, Dr. Parnell
• Castle Ghosts of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland (1997) .... Host
• Inspector Morse (1993), series 7, episode 3, "Twilight of the Gods"
• Midsomer Murders (1999), series 2, episode 3, "Dead Man's Eleven" - Robert Cavendish
• The 10th Kingdom (2000) .... Chancellor Griswold
• The Lost World (2001) .... Professor Illingworth
• Foyle's War, "The German Woman"
• The Falklands Play (2002) .... Anthony Parsons (HM Ambassador to the UN)
• Lucky Jim (2003) .... Professor Neddy Welch
• Spooks (2003), second series, episode 4, "Blood and Money" .... Governor of the Bank of England
• Making Waves (2004)
• Agatha Christie's Marple, series 2, episode 4, "The Sittaford Mystery" (2006) .... Winston Churchill
• Little Dorrit (2008)
• Margaret (2009) .... Willie Whitelaw
• Lewis, series 4, episode 2, "Dark Matter" (2010)
• Churchill: 100 Days That Saved Britain (2015) .... Winston Churchill

See also

In Spanish: Robert Hardy para niños