Robert Hardy - Seigfried Farnon

The classically trained English actor Robert Hardy plays the role of eccentric vetinary surgeon and senior partner in the Darrowby practice Seigfried Farnon, in the TV series All Creatures Great And Small.

The character of Seigfried Farnon was based on the realm life character Donald Sinclair, James Herriots real life boss in Thirsk, Yorkshire. Seigried Farnon is an loud, belligerent, eccentric character, single and seemingly a confirmed bachelor he is still very much a ladies man and much in demand on the social circuit of hunt balls, may balls and high society events of North Yorkshire as company for rich single and  often widowed ladies. He is charming when he wishes to be and a very competent vet, his specialises in equine medicine (Horses). Although he is continually demanding efficiency and business like behaviour from James herriot and Tristan, he himself seems unable or unwilling to use simpe accounting procedures, especially petty cash, which is kept in a biscuit tin much to the chagrin of the practice book keeper.

Seigfried has a great love of animals especially dogs and despite his gruff business like manner is always taking in strays and treating charitable cases. One charitable case he is not so fond of is his irresponsible younger brother Tristan, to whom he is as much an older brother as a father figure. Much of the shows comedy is rooted in their relationship.

Robert Hardy was born on October 29th 1925 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. His father was headmaster of the presitgious publc school Cheltenham College and Robert Hardy went to Rugby School and the Magdelen College Oxford University where he read English.

Robert Hardy began his acting career when he joined the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at Stratford-Upon-Avon. He has performed the work of the bard on both stage and TV to great critical acclaim.His first big TV role was in 1956 when he played the title role in David Copperfield. In the 60's he appeared on TV and in Film, with roles in The Troubleshooters, The Saint, The Spy Who Came in From The Cold and How I Won The War amongst many others.

Unlike other established and respected british actors like his close friend Richard Burton, Robert Hardy was never recognised outside of his own country and thus never really appeared in US TV or film productions, although you can just spot him in an episode of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Quincy ME and Mrs Columbo. The 70's saw Robert Hardy firmly ensconced on prime time TV in the UK in a series of costume dramas, Upstairs Downstairs, Edward the Seventh, The Duchess of Duke Street, Raffles and of course All Creatures Great and Small.

The 80's saw him continue in the role of Seigfried, but he also seemed to corner the market in playing Winston Churchill, he appeared in Bomber Harris, War and Rememberance, and The Woman he Loved.

Through the 90's Robert hardy has hardly been off our screens, he has appeared in amongst others, Bramwell, Middlemarch, Inspector Morse, Midsummer Murders. But to a new generation, Robert Hardy is neither Seigfried nor Winston, he is Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic in the Harry Potter series  of movies.

Robert Hardy was appointed CBE in the 1981 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to acting. Robert Hardy literally has another string to his bow, he is one of Englands foremost experts on the English Long Bow and has written two books, appeared as an expert in innumerable documentaries and even been consulted by the expert archeologists who raised Henry VIII's flag ship off Portsmouth, The Mary Rose.

Divorced in 1986 from his wife Sally Pearson, Robert Hardy lives in London.

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