Robert Hardy, Harry Potter’s Cornelius Fudge, Dies At 91
Robert Hardy, the British actor who played as Minister Cornelius Fudge in the Harry Potter movie series, has died. He was 91.
BBC News reported that the actor’s family announced his passing via an official statement. His children, Emma, Justine and Paul wrote the following.
“It is with great sadness that the family of Robert Hardy CBE today announced his death, following a tremendous life: a giant career in theatre, television and film spanning more than 70 years.”
As of this time, Hardy’s cause of death is still unknown and was not mentioned in the announcement. However, it was reported that he died at a retirement home for actors in London, on Thursday, Aug. 3.
Robert Hardy was one of the cast members of Harry Potter that has appeared in at least four films. He was in the The Chamber of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban, The Goblet of Fire, and The Order of the Phoenix as Cornelius Fudge.
While it was the Harry Potter series that made him famous worldwide, Hardy’s career spanned 70 years. He was a theater actor who also appeared in television and movies.
Aside from his wizard role, the veteran actor was also known for his characters in Frankenstein, Sense and Sensibility, and Britain’s All Creatures Great and Small. Moreover, another notable role that he played was as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in various TV series and films, such as the Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years and War and Remembrance.
Actor Robert Hardy, star of TV series All Creatures Great and Small & Harry Potter films, dies aged 91 https://t.co/b1Q8WPSr22 pic.twitter.com/tYzu6hE4jp
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) August 3, 2017
His role in the Wilderness Years earned him the best actor award at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards in 1982. He was also nominated in BAFTA, twice, as best actor.
In 1981, Hardy was given the Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his accomplishments in the field of arts.
The actor was born in 1925 and served in the Royal Air Force during World War II. In the obituary posted on Washington Post, it was said that Hardy also played an important part in the team that lifted the Mary Rose up from the ocean floor. It was a Tudor warship that sank on England’s south coast in 1545.
Sad to hear Robert Hardy has died. Best known for All Creatures Great And Small and of course as Cornelius Fudge in the Harry Potter films. pic.twitter.com/n253w8eoAm
— Tony Shepherd (@tonysheps) August 3, 2017
For his education, Hardy attended Magdalen College of the University of Oxford. It was in this institution that he met and became friends with Richard Burton. He also studied alongside famous authors, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.
Meanwhile, J.K. Rowling posted a tribute to Robert Hardy on her Twitter account. The Harry Potter author expressed sadness over the news.
So very sad to hear about Robert Hardy. He was such a talented actor and everybody who worked with him on Potter loved him.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 3, 2017
[Featured Image by Harry Potter Film/Twitter]
