‘Gruff, elegant and twinkly’ actor Hardy dies aged 91
ROBERT Hardy, the actor who became a household name in the long-running series All Creatures Great and Small, has died aged 91 after what his family described as “a tremendous life”.
An acclaimed stage and screen actor with a career spanning 70 years, he was known for his portrayals of Winston Churchill and for his role as the dashing Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, in Elizabeth R, the BBC’S 1971 drama.
In recent years, Hardy reached a new generation with his role as Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic, in the Harry Potter films. He also established a reputation as a military historian.
But to older viewers he will be best remembered as Siegfried Farnon, the cantankerous Yorkshire vet in the BBC’S All Creatures Great and Small.
Hardy is survived by his children Paul, Emma and Justine. In a statement, the family said: “Gruff, elegant, twinkly, and always dignified, he is celebrated by all who knew him and loved him, and everyone who enjoyed his work.” They paid tribute to his many screen roles, but also remembered him as “a meticulous linguist, a fine artist, a lover of music and a champion of literature, as well as a highly respected historian, and a leading specialist on the longbow. He was an essential part of the team that raised the great Tudor warship the Mary Rose.”
The family thanked the staff of Denville Hall, a retirement home for actors, where Hardy spent his final weeks.
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