Cedric Hardwicke
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Sir Cedric Webster Hardwicke (19 February 1893 – 6 August 1964) was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned nearly 50 years. His theatre work included notable performances in productions of the plays of
Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
and Shaw, and his film work included leading roles in several adapted literary classics.


Early life

Hardwicke was born in
Lye A lye is a metal hydroxide traditionally obtained by leaching wood ashes, or a strong alkali which is highly soluble in water producing caustic basic solutions. "Lye" most commonly refers to sodium hydroxide (NaOH), but historically has been u ...
,
Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see H ...
(now
West Midlands West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...
) to Edwin Webster Hardwicke and his wife, Jessie (née Masterson). He attended
Bridgnorth Grammar School Bridgnorth Endowed School is a coeducational secondary school with academy status, located in the market town of Bridgnorth in the rural county of Shropshire, England. Founded in 1503, The Endowed School is a state school and is a specialist ...
in Shropshire. He intended to train as a doctor but failed to pass the necessary examinations."Hardwicke, Sir Cedric Webster"
''Who Was Who'', A & C Black, 1920–2008; online edition,
Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, December 2012; accessed 20 March 2013
He turned to the theatre and trained at the
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senat ...
(RADA).Parker, pp. 714–15


Military service

Hardwicke enlisted at the outbreak of the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. He served with the London Scottish from 1914 to 1921 as an officer in the Judge Advocate's branch of the British Army in
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
. He was one of the last members of the British Expeditionary Force to leave France. According to the ''Daily Mirror'' 1 January 1934, Hardwicke was one of the officers who escorted
The Unknown Warrior The British grave of the Unknown Warrior (often known as 'The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior') holds an unidentified member of the British armed forces killed on a European battlefield during the First World War.Hanson, Chapters 23 & 24 He was gi ...
from France.


Career


Stage

Hardwicke made his first appearance on stage at the Lyceum Theatre, London in 1912 during the run of Frederick Melville's melodrama ''The Monk and the Woman'', when he took over the part of Brother John. During this year, he was at
Her Majesty's Theatre Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Haymarket in the City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established t ...
understudying, and subsequently appeared at the
Garrick Theatre The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, named after the stage actor David Garrick. It opened in 1889 with ''The Profligate'', a play by Arthur Wing Pinero, and another Pinero play, ' ...
in Charles Klein's play ''Find the Woman'', and ''
Trust the People ''Trust the People'' is a 1913 play by the British writer Stanley Houghton, who had gained popular attention with his hit '' Hindle Wakes'' the previous year. It centres around the activities of a group of government officials. It ran for 44 perf ...
''. In 1913, he joined Benson's Company and toured in the provinces, South Africa, and Rhodesia. During 1914 he toured with Miss Darragh (Letitia Marion Dallas, d. 1917) in Laurence Irving's play ''The Unwritten Law'', and he appeared at the
Old Vic Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Ma ...
in 1914 as Malcolm in '' Macbeth'', Tranio in ''
The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken ...
'', the gravedigger in ''
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
'', and other roles. After serving in the British Army in WWI, he resumed his acting career. In January 1922, he joined the Birmingham Repertory Company, playing a range of parts from the drooping young lover Faulkland in ''
The Rivals ''The Rivals'' is a comedy of manners by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in five acts which was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre on 17 January 1775. The story has been updated frequently, including a 1935 musical and a 1958 episode of the T ...
'' to the roistering Sir Toby Belch in ''
Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vi ...
''. He played many classical roles on stage, appearing at London's top theatres, making his name on the stage performing works by
George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...
, who said that Hardwicke was his fifth favourite actor after the four
Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers' thirteen feature films were selected by the American Film Institute (AFI) ...
. As one of the leading Shavian actors of his generation, Hardwicke starred in '' Caesar and Cleopatra'', '' Pygmalion'', '' The Apple Cart'', '' Candida'', ''Too True to Be Good'', and ''
Don Juan in Hell ''Man and Superman'' is a four-act drama written by George Bernard Shaw in 1903. The series was written in response to a call for Shaw to write a play based on the Don Juan theme. ''Man and Superman'' opened at the Royal Court Theatre in London o ...
'', making such an impression that at the age of 41 he became the youngest actor to be knighted (this occurred in the 1934 New Year's Honours; Laurence Olivier subsequently took the record in 1947 when he was knighted at the age of 40). Other stage successes included '' The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse'', ''
Antigone In Greek mythology, Antigone ( ; Ancient Greek: Ἀντιγόνη) is the daughter of Oedipus and either his mother Jocasta or, in another variation of the myth, Euryganeia. She is a sister of Polynices, Eteocles, and Ismene.Roman, L., & R ...
'' and '' A Majority of One'', winning a
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
nomination for his performance as a Japanese diplomat. In 1928, whilst appearing with
Edith Day Edith Day (born Edith Marie Day; April 10, 1896 – May 1, 1971) was an American actress and singer best known for her roles in Edwardian musical comedies and operettas, first on Broadway and then in London's West End. Life and career Born ...
,
Paul Robeson Paul Leroy Robeson ( ; April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an American bass-baritone concert artist, stage and film actor, professional American football, football player, and activist who became famous both for his cultural accomplish ...
and Alberta Hunter in the London production of ''
Show Boat ''Show Boat'' is a musical with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling 1926 novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the performers, stagehands and dock worke ...
'', he married actress Helena Pickard. In December 1935, Hardwicke was elected Rede Lecturer to
Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...
for 1936, he took as his subject "The Drama Tomorrow".W. A. Darlington, W. A
profile
rev. K.D. Reynolds, ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004; online edition, January 2008, accessed 20 March 2013
In the late 1930s, he moved to the U.S., initially for film work. In the early 1940s, he continued his stage career on tours and in New York. In 1944, Hardwicke returned to Britain, again touring, and reappeared on the London stage, at the
Westminster Theatre The Westminster Theatre was a theatre in London, on Palace Street in Westminster. History The structure on the site was originally built as the Charlotte Chapel in 1766, by William Dodd with money from his wife Mary Perkins. Through Peter Ri ...
, on 29 March 1945, as Richard Varwell in a revival of Eden and
Adelaide Phillpotts Mary Adelaide Eden Ross (née Phillpotts; 23 April 1896 – 4 June 1993) was an English novelist, poet and playwright. She married at the age of 55 leaving behind her father who had controlled their incestuous relationship. Life Phillpotts was ...
' comedy '' Yellow Sands'', and subsequently toured in this on the continent. He returned to America late in 1945 and appeared with Ethel Barrymore in December in a revival of Shaw's '' Pygmalion'', and continued on the New York stage the following year. In 1946, he starred opposite Katharine Cornell as King Creon in her production of
Jean Anouilh Jean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh (; 23 June 1910 – 3 October 1987) was a French dramatist whose career spanned five decades. Though his work ranged from high drama to absurdist farce, Anouilh is best known for his 1944 play ''Antigone'', an a ...
's adaptation of the Greek tragedy ''Antigone''. In 1948, he joined the
Old Vic Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Ma ...
Company at the New Theatre to play Sir Toby Belch, Doctor Faustus, and Gaev in ''
The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' (russian: Вишнёвый сад, translit=Vishnyovyi sad) is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by '' Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate editio ...
'', but according to critic and biographer W.A. Darlington, "it was about this time that he confessed to a friend that he was finding the competition in London too hot for him", and he moved permanently to the U.S. In 1951–52, he appeared on Broadway in Shaw's ''Don Juan in Hell'' with
Agnes Moorehead Agnes Robertson Moorehead (December 6, 1900April 30, 1974) was an American actress. In a career spanning four decades, her credits included work in radio, stage, film, and television.Obituary ''Variety'', May 8, 1974, page 286. Moorehead was th ...
,
Charles Boyer Charles Boyer (; 28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978) was a French-American actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found his success in American fi ...
and Charles Laughton.


Film and television work

Hardwicke's first appearance in a British film was in 1931, and from the late 1930s, he was in great demand in Hollywood. He played
David Livingstone David Livingstone (; 19 March 1813 – 1 May 1873) was a Scottish physician, Congregationalist, and pioneer Christian missionary with the London Missionary Society, an explorer in Africa, and one of the most popular British heroes of t ...
opposite
Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...
's Henry Morton Stanley in '' Stanley and Livingstone'' in 1939, and also played the evil Frollo in the emake of ''
The Hunchback of Notre Dame ''The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (french: Notre-Dame de Paris, translation=''Our Lady of Paris'', originally titled ''Notre-Dame de Paris. 1482'') is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. It focuses on the unfortunate story ...
'' starring Charles Laughton the same year. In 1940, he played Mr Jones in a screen version of Joseph Conrad's novel ''
Victory The term victory (from Latin ''victoria'') originally applied to warfare, and denotes success achieved in personal combat, after military operations in general or, by extension, in any competition. Success in a military campaign constitutes ...
''. He starred as the unfortunate Ludwig von Frankenstein in ''
The Ghost of Frankenstein ''The Ghost of Frankenstein'' is a 1942 American horror film directed by Erle C. Kenton and starring Cedric Hardwicke, Lon Chaney Jr. and Bela Lugosi. It is the fourth film in the ''Frankenstein'' series by Universal Pictures, and the follow-up ...
'' (1942) alongside
Lon Chaney Jr. Creighton Tull Chaney (February10, 1906 – July12, 1973), known by his stage name Lon Chaney Jr., was an American actor known for playing Larry Talbot in the film '' The Wolf Man'' (1941) and its various crossovers, Count Alucard (Dra ...
as
Frankenstein's monster Frankenstein's monster or Frankenstein's creature, often referred to as simply "Frankenstein", is a fictional character who first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus''. Shelley's title thus compares ...
and
Bela Lugosi Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó (; October 20, 1882 – August 16, 1956), known professionally as Bela Lugosi (; ), was a Hungarian and American actor best remembered for portraying Count Dracula in the 1931 horror classic ''Dracula'', Ygor in ''S ...
as Ygor. Hardwicke played in films such as ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
'' (1935) with
Fredric March Fredric March (born Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel; August 31, 1897 – April 14, 1975) was an American actor, regarded as one of Hollywood's most celebrated, versatile stars of the 1930s and 1940s.Obituary '' Variety'', April 16, 1975, ...
and Charles Laughton, ''
King Solomon's Mines ''King Solomon's Mines'' (1885) is a popular novel by the English Victorian adventure writer and fabulist Sir H. Rider Haggard. It tells of a search of an unexplored region of Africa by a group of adventurers led by Allan Quatermain for the ...
'' (1937), ''
The Keys of the Kingdom ''The Keys of the Kingdom'' is a 1941 novel by A. J. Cronin. Spanning six decades, it tells the story of Father Francis Chisholm, an unconventional Scottish Catholic priest who struggles to establish a mission in China. Beset by tragedy in h ...
'' (1944), ''
The Winslow Boy ''The Winslow Boy'' is an English play from 1946 by Terence Rattigan based on an incident involving George Archer-Shee in the Edwardian era. The incident took place at the Royal Naval College, Osborne. Background Set against the strict c ...
'' (1948), Alfred Hitchcock's ''
Rope A rope is a group of yarns, plies, fibres, or strands that are twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have tensile strength and so can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger than similar ...
'' (1948) with James Stewart, and Olivier's '' Richard III'' (1955). He was featured as King Arthur in the comedy/musical ''
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court ''A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'' is an 1889 novel by American humorist and writer Mark Twain. The book was originally titled ''A Yankee in King Arthur's Court''. Some early editions are titled ''A Yankee at the Court of King Arth ...
'' (1949), singing ''Busy Doing Nothing'' in a trio with Bing Crosby and
William Bendix William Bendix (January 14, 1906 – December 14, 1964) was an American film, radio, and television actor, who typically played rough, blue-collar characters. He is best remembered for his role in ''Wake Island'', which earned him an Academy ...
, and as the Pharaoh
Sethi Sethi is a surname that is found among the Punjabi Khatris of India. They are a part of Khukhrain sub-caste among the Khatris which also includes the clans of Anand, Bhasin Chadha, Kohli, Ghai, Sahni, Sethi, (Sawhney) and Suri. The surname i ...
in
Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American film director, producer and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of the American cine ...
's 1956 film ''
The Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments ( Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ ...
'' starring Charlton Heston as Moses. He appeared in a 1956 episode of ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' titled ''Wet Saturday'' in which he portrayed Mr. Princey, an aristocratic gentleman who tries to cover up a murder to avoid public scandal. On 6 March 1958, he guest-starred on the TV series ''The Ford Show'' starring Tennessee Ernie Ford. During the 1961–62 television season, Hardwicke starred as Professor Crayton in Gertrude Berg's sitcom ''Mrs. G. Goes to College'', which ran for 26 weeks on CBS. The story line had Berg attending college as a 62-year-old widowed freshman studying under Hardwicke, with whom she previously had acted. Earlier, Hardwicke guest-starred on the Howard Duff and Ida Lupino sitcom ''Mr. Adams and Eve''. He starred in ''The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series), The Twilight Zone'' episode ''Uncle Simon'' that first aired 15 November 1963. His final acting role was in ''The Outer Limits (1963 TV series), The Outer Limits'' in the episode "The Forms of Things Unknown".


Radio

In 1945, Hardwicke played Sherlock Holmes in a BBC Radio dramatisation of ''The Adventure of the Speckled Band, The Speckled Band'', opposite Finlay Currie as Dr. Watson. Years later, Hardwicke's son Edward Hardwicke, Edward played Watson in the acclaimed Sherlock Holmes (1984 TV series), Granada series. Hardwicke played the titular role in a short-lived revival of the ''Bulldog Drummond (radio program), Bulldog Drummond'' radio program on the Mutual Broadcasting System, which ran 3 January 1954 to 28 March 1954.


Personal life

In 1928, he married the English actress Helena Pickard. They divorced in 1948; their son was actor Edward Hardwicke. His second marriage, which produced a son, Michael, and likewise ended in divorce, was to actress, Mary Scott (1921–2009), from 1950 to 1961. A lifelong heavy smoker, he suffered from emphysema and died 6 August 1964 at the age of 71 in New York from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Hardwicke's body was flown back to England; after a memorial service he was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium in north London, where his ashes were scattered.


Legacy

Hardwicke left two volumes of memoirs: ''Let's Pretend: Recollections and Reflections of a Lucky Actor'', 1932 and ''A Victorian in Orbit: as told to James Brough'', 1962. He is commemorated by a sculpture by Tim Tolkien at Lye, commissioned by the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. The memorial takes the form of a giant filmstrip, the illuminated cut metal panels illustrating scenes from some of Hardwicke's better-known roles, which include ''
The Hunchback of Notre Dame ''The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (french: Notre-Dame de Paris, translation=''Our Lady of Paris'', originally titled ''Notre-Dame de Paris. 1482'') is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. It focuses on the unfortunate story ...
'', ''Things to Come'', and ''
The Ghost of Frankenstein ''The Ghost of Frankenstein'' is a 1942 American horror film directed by Erle C. Kenton and starring Cedric Hardwicke, Lon Chaney Jr. and Bela Lugosi. It is the fourth film in the ''Frankenstein'' series by Universal Pictures, and the follow-up ...
''. Unveiled in November 2005, it is located at Lye Cross where he lived as a child. Thorns Community College, Thorns School and Community College in neighbouring Quarry Bank has renamed its drama theatre in his honour as the Hardwicke Theatre. Hardwicke has a motion pictures star and a television star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


Filmography

* ''Nelson (1926 film), Nelson'' (1926) as Horatio Nelson (film debut) * ''Dreyfus (1931 film), Dreyfus'' (1931) as Alfred Dreyfus, Capt. Alfred Dreyfus * ''Rome Express'' (1932) as Alistair McBane * ''The Ghoul (1933 film), The Ghoul'' (1933) as Broughton * ''Orders Is Orders'' (1934) as Brigadier * ''Bella Donna (1934 film), Bella Donna'' (1934) * ''Nell Gwynn (1934 film), Nell Gwyn'' (1934) as Charles II of England, Charles II * ''The Lady Is Willing (1934 film), The Lady Is Willing'' (1934) as Gustav Dupont * ''Jew Suss (1934 film), Jew Süss'' (1934) as Rabbi Gabriel * ''The King of Paris (1934 film), The King of Paris'' (1934) as Max Till * ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
'' (1935) as Bishop Bienvenu * ''Becky Sharp (film), Becky Sharp'' (1935) as Marquis of Steyne * ''Peg of Old Drury'' (1935) as David Garrick * ''Things to Come'' (1936) as Theotocopulos * ''Tudor Rose (film), Tudor Rose'' (1936) as Earl of Warwick * ''Laburnum Grove'' (1936) as Mr Baxley * ''Green Light (1937 film), Green Light'' (1937) as Dean Harcourt * ''
King Solomon's Mines ''King Solomon's Mines'' (1885) is a popular novel by the English Victorian adventure writer and fabulist Sir H. Rider Haggard. It tells of a search of an unexplored region of Africa by a group of adventurers led by Allan Quatermain for the ...
'' (1937) as Allan Quatermain, Allan Quartermain * ''On Borrowed Time'' (1939) as Death (personification), Mr Brink * '' Stanley and Livingstone'' (1939) as
David Livingstone David Livingstone (; 19 March 1813 – 1 May 1873) was a Scottish physician, Congregationalist, and pioneer Christian missionary with the London Missionary Society, an explorer in Africa, and one of the most popular British heroes of t ...
* ''
The Hunchback of Notre Dame ''The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (french: Notre-Dame de Paris, translation=''Our Lady of Paris'', originally titled ''Notre-Dame de Paris. 1482'') is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. It focuses on the unfortunate story ...
'' (1939) as Frollo * ''The Invisible Man Returns'' (1940) as Richard Cobb * ''Tom Brown's School Days (1940 film), Tom Brown's School Days'' (1940) as Thomas Arnold, Dr. Thomas Arnold * ''The Howards of Virginia'' (1940) as Fleetwood Peyton * ''Victory (1940 film), Victory'' (1940) as Mr Jones * ''Sundown (1941 film), Sundown'' (1941) as Bishop Coombes * ''Suspicion (1941 film), Suspicion'' (1941) as General McLaidlaw * ''Valley of the Sun (film), Valley of the Sun'' (1942) as Lord Warrick * ''
The Ghost of Frankenstein ''The Ghost of Frankenstein'' is a 1942 American horror film directed by Erle C. Kenton and starring Cedric Hardwicke, Lon Chaney Jr. and Bela Lugosi. It is the fourth film in the ''Frankenstein'' series by Universal Pictures, and the follow-up ...
'' (1942) as Ludwig Frankenstein/Victor Frankenstein, Henry Frankenstein * ''Invisible Agent'' (1942) as Conrad Stauffer * ''Commandos Strike at Dawn'' (1942) as Admiral Bowen * ''Forever and a Day (1943 film), Forever and a Day'' (1943) as Mr Dabb * ''The Moon Is Down (film), The Moon Is Down'' (1943) as Col. Lanser * ''The Cross of Lorraine'' (1943) as Father Sebastian * ''The Lodger (1944 film), The Lodger'' (1944) as Robert Bonting * ''Wilson (1944 film), Wilson'' (1944) as Henry Cabot Lodge, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge * ''Wing and a Prayer'' (1944) as Admiral * ''Three Sisters of the Moors'' (1944, short) as Reverend Bronte * ''
The Keys of the Kingdom ''The Keys of the Kingdom'' is a 1941 novel by A. J. Cronin. Spanning six decades, it tells the story of Father Francis Chisholm, an unconventional Scottish Catholic priest who struggles to establish a mission in China. Beset by tragedy in h ...
'' (1944) as Monsignor at Tweedside * ''The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945 film), The Picture of Dorian Gray'' (1945) as Narrator * ''Sentimental Journey (film), Sentimental Journey'' (1946) as Jim Miller * ''Beware of Pity'' (1946) as Albert Condor * ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1947 film), Nicholas Nickleby'' (1947) as Ralph Nickleby * ''The Imperfect Lady (1947 film), The Imperfect Lady'' (1947) as Lord Belmont * ''Ivy (1947 film), Ivy'' (1947) as Police Inspector Orpington * ''Lured'' (1947) as Julian Wilde * ''Tycoon (1947 film), Tycoon'' (1947) as Alexander * ''A Woman's Vengeance'' (1948) as James Libbard * ''Song of My Heart'' (1948) as Grand Duke * ''I Remember Mama (film), I Remember Mama'' (1948) as Mr Hyde * ''
The Winslow Boy ''The Winslow Boy'' is an English play from 1946 by Terence Rattigan based on an incident involving George Archer-Shee in the Edwardian era. The incident took place at the Royal Naval College, Osborne. Background Set against the strict c ...
'' (1948) as Arthur Winslow * ''
Rope A rope is a group of yarns, plies, fibres, or strands that are twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have tensile strength and so can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger than similar ...
'' (1948) as Henry Kentley * ''
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court ''A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'' is an 1889 novel by American humorist and writer Mark Twain. The book was originally titled ''A Yankee in King Arthur's Court''. Some early editions are titled ''A Yankee at the Court of King Arth ...
'' (1949) as Lord Pendragon / King Arthur * ''Now Barabbas'' (1949) as Governor * ''The White Tower (film), The White Tower'' (1950) as Nicholas Radcliffe * ''You Belong to My Heart'' (1951) as Bernand * ''The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel, The Desert Fox'' (1951) as Karl Strolin * ''The Green Glove'' (1952) as Father Goron * ''Caribbean Gold'' (1952) as Captain Francis Barclay * ''Botany Bay (film), Botany Bay'' (1953) as Gov. Phillips * ''Salome (1953 film), Salome'' (1953) as Tiberius, Tiberius Caesar * ''The War of the Worlds (1953 film), The War of the Worlds'' (1953) as Commentary (voice) * ''Bait (1954 film), Bait'' (1954) as Prologue Speaker * '' Richard III'' (1955) as Edward IV of England, King Edward IV of England * ''Diane (1956 film), Diane'' (1956) as Ruggieri * ''Helen of Troy (film), Helen of Troy'' (1956) as Priam * ''Gaby (film), Gaby'' (1956) as Mr. Edgar Carrington * ''The Vagabond King (1956 film), The Vagabond King'' (1956) as Tristan * ''The Power and the Prize'' (1956) as Mr Carew * ''
The Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments ( Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ ...
'' (1956) as
Sethi Sethi is a surname that is found among the Punjabi Khatris of India. They are a part of Khukhrain sub-caste among the Khatris which also includes the clans of Anand, Bhasin Chadha, Kohli, Ghai, Sahni, Sethi, (Sawhney) and Suri. The surname i ...
* ''Around the World in 80 Days (1956 film), Around the World in 80 Days'' (1956) as Sir Francis Cromarty * ''The Story of Mankind (film), The Story of Mankind'' (1957) as God in Christianity, High Judge * ''Baby Face Nelson (film), Baby Face Nelson'' (1957) as Doc Saunders * ''Five Weeks in a Balloon (film), Five Weeks in a Balloon'' (1962) as Fergusson * ''The Pumpkin Eater'' (1964) as Mr. James - Jo's father (final film role)


References


Bibliography

* ''Let's Pretend: Recollections and Reflections of a Lucky Actor'', foreword by Barry Vincent Jackson, Sir Barry Jackson, (1932) Grayson & Grayson *


External links

* * *
Hardwicke Archive
in the British Library Manuscripts Collections {{DEFAULTSORT:Hardwicke, Cedric 1893 births 1964 deaths Actors awarded knighthoods Male actors from Worcestershire Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art English male film actors English male stage actors English male television actors Knights Bachelor People educated at Bridgnorth Endowed School People from the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley Golders Green Crematorium 20th-century English male actors British expatriate male actors in the United States British Army personnel of World War I London Scottish officers Military personnel from Worcestershire Deaths from emphysema