One of Englands most successful and enduring character actors with a prolific screen career on television and in films Robert Hardy was acclaimed for his versatility and the depth of his performances Born in Cheltenham in 1925 he studied at Oxford University and in 1949 he joined the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at StratforduponAvon Television viewers most fondly remember him as the overbearing Siegfried Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small 1978 but his most critically acclaimed performance was as the title character of Winston Churchill The Wilderness Years 1981 His portrayal of Britains wartime leader was so accurately observed that in the following years he was called on to reprise the role in such productions as The Woman He Loved 1988 and War and Remembrance 1988 Unlike some British character actors Hardy was not a Hollywood name and his work in films was therefore restricted to appearances in predominantly Britishbased productions such as The Spy Who Came In from the Cold 1965 Mary Shelleys Frankenstein 1994 and Sense and Sensibility 1995 However in the 21st century Hardy came to the attention of a whole new generation for his performances in the hugely successful Harry Potter films while also continuing to make regular appearances in British television series His costar from All Creatures Great and Small 1978 Peter Davison quite simply described Hardy as an extraordinary actor who would never do the same thing twice when he was acting with him He was awarded the CBE for services to acting He died in August 2017
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