We were saddened to hear of Robert Hardy’s passing on August 3, 2017, at the age of 91. He had a long, glorious life in historical costume TV and movies, and we’re very sorry to have not gotten around to featuring him in our Man Candy Monday already. He was a classically trained actor, having studied at Oxford (where he became friends with fellow actor Richard Burton), and he learned from many of his roles. To play Henry V in the 1960s, Hardy studied the longbow, becoming quite an expert, writing two books on the topic, and he later served as a consultant for great Tudor warship, the Mary Rose. The chief executive of the Mary Rose Trust, Helen Bonser-Wilton, said in the Portsmouth News last week:
“I remember within 24 hours of discovering what we initially thought was a Tudor longbow, Robert was there. He was a massive ambassador for the museum and from the beginning — right up until the reopening last year — he was a pleasure to be around. We are really going to miss him.”
Robert Hardy also became friends with James Herriot, author of All Creatures Great and Small, after acting in the TV series of the books and spoke at Herriot’s funeral. The All Creatures years are full of anecdotes from his costars, such as Peter Davison, about how much of a genial perfectionist “Tim” could be (full name: Timothy Sydney Robert Hardy). While his hard work didn’t make him a big Hollywood star, it did earn him a 13th-century Scottish castle with a walled garden and 50-foot tower as his later-life home. In the statement announcing his death, Hardy’s children said:
“Gruff, elegant, twinkly and always dignified, he is celebrated by all who knew him and loved him, and everyone who enjoyed his work.”
Hardy’s career has so many costume drama highlights that when I posted of his death on Facebook, it seemed like everyone mentioned a different beloved character he portrayed. I’m so glad he’s preserved in our videos, DVDs, and screens.
Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1959)
Stage performance, but historical-ish, and the RSC tweeted this out last week.
Lord Hinch in The Buccaneers (1957)
Yay, pirates!
Henry V in An Age of Kings (1960)
His first big-impact role.
Judi Dench was his Princess Katherine of France.
Philip Weathers in The Vanishing Trick (1965)
Costarring Sarah Lawson in this 1910s TV mystery.
Abwehr Sergeant Gratz in Manhunt (1970)
Playing a baddie hunting French Resistance fighters during World War II in this popular series.
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester in Elizabeth R (1971)
They are the perfect pairing, him and Glenda Jackson’s Elizabeth.
She is his eyes, her Robin.
Again, Hardy shows off his skill at the bow.
And other skills…
No other Leicester and Elizabeth will do for me!
Archdeacon Haynes in The Stalls of Barchester (1971)
I know it’s a gothic mystery, but that look says “I can’t even.”
Robert Baldick in The Incredible Robert Baldick: Never Come Night (1972)
Tiny pic from a TV mystery.
Prince Albert in Edward the King (1974)
An even tinier pic, even tho’ this was a big, popular miniseries — it’s all I got!
Sir Guy Paynte in Upstairs, Downstairs (1975)
Hardy popped in at 165 Eaton Place, if only at the end.
George Duggan in The Duchess of Duke Street (1976)
And he showed up at the Bentinck Hotel, of course.
Siegfried Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small (1978–1990)
The other great role everyone loves Robert Hardy for!
The irascible older brother.
Who always knows best.
Makes you want to get all tweedy.
Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night (1980)
Catch a short clip of this production on the BBC’s website.
Winston Churchill in Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (1981)
Hardy portrayed Churchill several times and called it “undoubtedly the greatest challenge of my acting career.”
Julius Caesar in The Cleopatras (1983)
Does not look like the highest budget of productions from all the stills I reviewed.
The Commandant in The Far Pavilions (1984)
Part of the ’80s Anglo-Indian film obsession.
Lord Bob Lilburn in The Shooting Party (1985)
With John Gielgud.
Winston Churchill in The Woman He Loved (1988)
Playing Churchill again, here in a TV movie about King Edward VIII & Wallis Simpson.
Winston Churchill in War and Remembrance (1988)
With Ralph Bellamy as FDR.
Charles Augustus Milverton in The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1992)
Hardy plays the sneaky villain in this Jeremy Brett Sherlock mystery.
Arthur Brooke in Middlemarch (1994)
This is such a good ensemble piece, based on a George Elliot book.
Professor Krempe in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994)
Can’t get a better screencap, but he plays one of Victor’s teachers.
Sir Herbert Hamilton in Bramwell (1995)
The main character, Eleanor, starts out working as a nurse under Sir Hamilton’s supervision.
Sir John Middleton in Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Another of Robert Hardy’s best historical roles!
He and Elizabeth Spriggs (as Mrs. Jennings) are hilarious.
He makes a fast friend of Margaret Dashwood.
Dr. Parnell in Gulliver’s Travels (1996)
Yes, I’m being a completist here!
President Roosevelt in Bertie and Elizabeth (2002)
With Juliet Aubrey as Queen Elizabeth during George VI’s visit to the states.
Cornelius Fudge in the Harry Potter series (2002-2007)
OK, it’s fantasy, but everyone knows this role so well, I had to include it.
Winston Churchill in Agatha Christie’s Marple (2006)
Churchill, in a mystery!
Tite Barnacle in Little Dorrit (2008)
In the 1950s, Hardy played David Copperfield on TV as well, but I couldn’t find screencaps.
Winston Churchill in Churchill: 100 Days That Saved Britain (2015)
Fitting that Hardy’s final TV role was the historical figure he admired most.
How will you remember Robert Hardy?
FYI: It’s Peter Davison, not Davidson.
Also, Hardy was in Robin of Sherwood as Richard the Lionhearted. The role was written to show Richard as just as manipulative, uncaring, and nasty as his brother Prince John. It was lovely.
His will always be the voice I hear when I read Sir John Middleton’s dialogue in S&S (or frankly, any other character of similar qualities), and I loved him as Siegfried in All Creatures Great and Small. I have not seen most of his other roles, but must add them to my list now.
My two favorite roles of Hardy’s are Arthur Brooke in “Middlemarch” and Sir John Middleton in “Sense and Sensibility”.
Dudley!
I didn’t realize that was him in Sense & Sensibility!
Only one word to describe him: Awesome! He, along with Ian Richardson, are part of a hand full of actors I know I can depend on to be -at the least- very good in anything.
I love the description from his children ‘Gruff, elegant, twinkly and always dignified’, I would add raconteur to that.
He will be missed & thank you for this perfect tribute x
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
There are so many favorite characters that the late and very lamented Robert Hardy made immortal. But if I had to narrow it down to three, they are Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, Baron Denbigh in Elizabeth R, the caring equine lover Siegfried Farnham in All Creatures Great and Small and Sir Winston Churchill KG
Elizabeth’s Robin every time!
Please have another look at the still for The Shooting Party. The man with Gielgud looks like James Mason to me. So many good actors lost!
Gielgud was what the meta-data said, so that’s what I used!
Yes, Gielgud, but the one on the left does look more like James Mason, I agree!
I thought he was excellent as Prince Albert in Edward the Seventh (Edward the King) and its been many, many years since I saw “War and Remembrance” but his portrayal of Churchill always stood out for me.
When the internet exploded with “Cornelius Fudge died” (from Harry Potter), twas me that sighed and said, “She’s horribly good at winkling!”
He also appeared briefly in The 10th Kingdom, which is a … well, zany Hallmark fairy tale. ;)
Such a talented actor. So many wonderful roles. I particularly loved his Prince Albert.
Could we have an MCM on Ralph Fiennes? The man has an impressive resume of historical movies, off the top of my head I can think of Schindler’s List, Sunshine, Wuthering Heights, Grand Budapest Hotel, a biopic about TE Lawrence, The Duchess, The White Countess, The Invisible Woman, Quiz Show, Onegin, Great Expectations, the list goes on and on.
The godawful Northanger Abbey from 1987!