Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne, CBE (5 April 1929 – 26 December 2001) was an English actor, perhaps best remembered for his role as Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Permanent Secretary in the 1980s sitcom Yes Minister and the Cabinet Secretary in its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister. For this role he won four BAFTA Awards during the 1980s in the 'Best Light Entertainment Performance' Category. In the 1990s he won two more BAFTAs, one as Best TV Actor for The Fragile Heart, and one as Best Film Actor for The Madness of King George. His role in the latter garnered him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He was also an Olivier Award and Tony Award winner for his work in the theatre.
| Full Name | Nigel Barnard Hawthorne |
| Net Worth | $14 Million |
| Date Of Birth | April 5, 1929 |
| Died | 2001-12-26 |
| Place Of Birth | Coventry, Warwickshire, England, UK |
| Height | 5' 11½" (1.82 m) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Profession | Actor, Producer |
| Work Position | Awards for Nigel Hawthorne |
| Nicknames | Nigel Hawthorne, KBE, Hawthorne, Nigel, Sir Nigel Hawthorne |
| Star Sign | Aries |
| # | Quote |
|---|---|
| 1 | There's something idiotic and at the same time rather exciting about Cannes. |
| 2 | Derek Fowlds, co-star from Yes Minister (1980), said of him, "Together, with Paul Eddington, the three of us were together for seven, eight years. We were really good mates. We had many happy hours doing those shows ... they were very special times". |
| # | Fact |
|---|---|
| 1 | Is one of 13 actors who have received an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of a real-life king. The others in chronological order are Charles Laughton for The Private Life of Henry VIII. (1933), Robert Morley for Marie Antoinette (1938), Basil Rathbone for If I Were King (1938), Laurence Olivier for Henry V (1944) and Richard III (1955), José Ferrer for Joan of Arc (1948), Yul Brynner for The King and I (1956), John Gielgud for Becket (1964), Peter O'Toole for Becket (1964) and The Lion in Winter (1968), Robert Shaw for A Man for All Seasons (1966), Richard Burton for Anne of the Thousand Days (1969), Kenneth Branagh for Henry V (1989), and Colin Firth for The King's Speech (2010). |
| 2 | Although he played Maggie Smith's son in Richard III (1995), he was more than five years her senior in real life. |
| 3 | He was considered for the roles of Hans Fallada, Sir Percy Helestine, Dr. Bukovsky and Dr. Armstrong in Lifeforce (1985). |
| 4 | Was originally cast as "Sir William Gull" in From Hell (2001) but, when his cancer prevented him from working in the film, was replaced by Ian Holm. |
| 5 | Among the actors offered the part of "Captain Striker" (played by 'Keith Barron') in Doctor Who (1963): Enlightenment. |
| 6 | Won Broadway's 1991 Tony Award as Best Actor (Play) for "Shadowlands." |
| 7 | His performance in "Shadowlands" on Broadway won him the 1991 Tony and New York Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Actor for his performance. |
| 8 | Was supposedly considered early on for the role of Gandalf in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. |
| 9 | Has played a former King of England (George III in The Madness of King George (1994) ) and a former President of the United States (Martin Van Buren in Amistad (1997) ). |
| 10 | He was awarded the 1991 London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama Theatre Award) for Best Actor for his performance in The Madness of King George III. |
| 11 | He was awarded the 1992 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Madness of George III. |
| 12 | One of his last major projects was the Anglo-Japanese stage adaptation of "King Lear" in Japan. |
| 13 | He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1992 (1991 season) for Best Actor for his performance in "The Madness of George III" at the Royal National Theatre. For his performance in its film adaptation The Madness of King George (1994), he was nominated for Oscar of Best Actor in a Leading Role. |
| 14 | He did a small uncredited cameo in the Crimson Insurance short film by Terry Gilliam that is part of Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983) - he is the man that is walking by the building when the anchors are raised. |
| 15 | He didn't get on well with Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes during the making of Demolition Man (1993). |
| 16 | He lived quietly in a 15th-century manor house |
| 17 | Survived by his partner, writer Trevor Bentham. |
| 18 | Educated by the Christian Brothers in South Africa. |
| 19 | 2001 - Battled a recurrence of pancreatic cancer which was thought in remission after surgical therapy. |
| 20 | Has received numerous awards including: Clarence Derwent and SWET Awards for "Privates on Parade" - and the 'Broadcasting Press Guild' Award, plus two BAFTA Awards (1981) and (1982), for his role as "Sir Humphrey Appleby" in Yes Minister (1980). |
| 21 | He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1987 Queen's New Year Honours List for his services to drama. |
| 22 | He was created a Knight Bachelor in the 1999 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to drama. |
| 23 | Honorary Patron of independent film production company, Salmac Productions. |
| 24 | He was vegetarian. |
Actor
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarzan Untamed | 2001 | Video Game | Professor Porter (voice) |
| Call Me Claus | 2001 | TV Movie | Nick |
| Victoria & Albert | 2001 | TV Movie | Lord William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne |
| The Last Polar Bears | 2000 | TV Short | Narrator (voice) |
| The Clandestine Marriage | 1999 | Lord Ogleby | |
| Tarzan | 1999 | Professor Porter (voice) | |
| A Reasonable Man | 1999 | Judge Wendon | |
| The Winslow Boy | 1999 | Arthur Winslow | |
| The Big Brass Ring | 1999 | Kim | |
| At Sachem Farm | 1998 | Uncle Cullen | |
| Madeline | 1998 | Lord Covington (segment "Lord Cucuface") | |
| Animal Stories | 1998 | TV Series | Narrator |
| The Object of My Affection | 1998 | Rodney Fraser | |
| Jeff Wayne's the War of the Worlds | 1998 | Video Game | The General (voice) |
| Russia's War: Blood Upon the Snow | 1997 | TV Mini-Series | Narrator |
| Forbidden Territory: Stanley's Search for Livingstone | 1997 | TV Movie | David Livingstone |
| Amistad | 1997 | Martin Van Buren | |
| Murder in Mind | 1997 | Dr. Ellis | |
| The Fragile Heart | 1996 | TV Series | Dr. Edgar Pascoe |
| Twelfth Night or What You Will | 1996 | Malvolio | |
| Inside | 1996 | TV Movie | Colonel |
| The Happy Prince | 1996 | TV Movie | Narrator |
| Richard III | 1995 | George, Duke of Clarence | |
| The Madness of King George | 1994 | George III | |
| Late Flowering Lust | 1994 | TV Movie | Cousin John |
| Demolition Man | 1993 | Dr. Raymond Cocteau | |
| Freddie as F.R.O.7. | 1992 | Brigadier G (voice) | |
| Screen Two | 1992 | TV Series | Kryst |
| Performance | 1991 | TV Series | Brian Leary |
| King of the Wind | 1990 | Achmet | |
| Relatively Speaking | 1990 | TV Movie | Philip Carter |
| En håndfull tid | 1989 | Ted Walker | |
| Screenplay | 1989 | TV Series | Rev. Jonathan Guerdon (segment "From Sleep and Shadow") |
| The Play on One | 1989 | TV Series | John |
| Rarg | 1988 | Short | Storyteller (voice) |
| Theatre Night | 1988 | TV Series | Harpagon |
| Yes, Prime Minister | 1986-1988 | TV Series | Sir Humphrey Appleby |
| Mapp & Lucia | 1985-1986 | TV Series | Georgie Pillson |
| Turtle Diary | 1985 | The Publisher | |
| The Black Cauldron | 1985 | Fflewddur Fflam (voice) | |
| Jenny's War | 1985 | TV Series | Colonel |
| Yes Minister | 1980-1984 | TV Series | Sir Humphrey Appleby |
| The Chain | 1984 | Mr. Thorn | |
| The House | 1984 | TV Movie | General Fagg |
| Pope John Paul II | 1984 | TV Movie | Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski |
| Tartuffe, or The Impostor | 1983 | TV Movie | Orgon |
| Dead on Time | 1983 | Short | Doctor |
| The Barchester Chronicles | 1982 | TV Mini-Series | Archdeacon Grantly Archdeacon Theophilus Grantly |
| Gandhi | 1982 | Kinnoch | |
| The Plague Dogs | 1982 | Dr. Boycott (voice) | |
| BBC Play of the Month | 1982 | TV Series | Mr. Sneer |
| The World Cup: A Captain's Tale | 1982 | TV Movie | John Westwood |
| Firefox | 1982 | Pyotr Baranovich | |
| A Woman Called Golda | 1982 | TV Movie | King Abdullah |
| The Hunchback of Notre Dame | 1982 | TV Movie | Magistrate at Esmeralda's trial |
| Play for Today | 1971-1981 | TV Series | Václav Havel / Fulton / Mr. Edmonds / ... |
| Memoirs of a Survivor | 1981 | Victorian Father | |
| History of the World: Part I | 1981 | Citizen Official - The French Revolution | |
| Tales of the Unexpected | 1981 | TV Series | Charles Drummond |
| A Tale of Two Cities | 1980 | TV Movie | Mr. CJ Stryver |
| The Good Companions | 1980 | TV Mini-Series | Rev. Chillingford |
| ITV Playhouse | 1980 | TV Series | Trevor |
| Jukes of Piccadilly | 1980 | TV Series | Brinsley Jukes |
| The Tempest | 1980 | TV Movie | Stephano |
| BBC2 Playhouse | 1976-1980 | TV Series | Fenton / Tenby |
| Festival: The Misanthrope | 1980 | TV Movie | Philinte |
| The Other Side | 1979 | TV Series | Skellow |
| Thomas and Sarah | 1979 | TV Series | Wilson |
| The Knowledge | 1979 | TV Movie | Mr. Burgess |
| Edward & Mrs. Simpson | 1978 | TV Mini-Series | Walter Monkton |
| The Sailor's Return | 1978 | Mr. Fosse | |
| Watership Down | 1978 | Capt. Campion (voice, as Nigel Hawthorn) | |
| Holocaust | 1978 | TV Mini-Series | Ohldendorf |
| Sweeney 2 | 1978 | Dilke | |
| Going Straight | 1978 | TV Series | Worm Wellings |
| Breakaway Girls | 1978 | TV Series | Derek Carter |
| Warrior Queen | 1978 | TV Series | Catus Decianus |
| Just William | 1977 | TV Series | Mr. Croombe |
| Spiderweb | 1977 | Short | Llonrot |
| Marie Curie | 1977 | TV Mini-Series | Pierre Curie |
| Eleanor Marx | 1977 | TV Series | Engels |
| Crown Court | 1977 | TV Series | Dr. William Ranford |
| Bill Brand | 1976 | TV Mini-Series | Browning |
| Couples | 1976 | TV Series | Mr. Laker |
| Decisions, Decisions | 1975 | Video short | |
| The Hiding Place | 1975 | Pastor De Ruiter | |
| Miss Nightingale | 1974 | TV Movie | Dr. Lewis |
| Occupations | 1974 | TV Movie | Libertini |
| S*P*Y*S | 1974 | Croft | |
| Hadleigh | 1973 | TV Series | Oliver Mason |
| Young Winston | 1972 | Boer Sentry (uncredited) | |
| Hine | 1971 | TV Series | Freddy Ambercourt |
| The Last of the Baskets | 1971 | TV Series | Mr. Snodgrass |
| Dad's Army | 1969 | TV Series | the Angry Man |
| The Gnomes of Dulwich | 1969 | TV Series | Gnome |
| Mrs. Wilson's Diary | 1969 | TV Movie | Roy Jenkins |
| Emergency-Ward 10 | 1964 | TV Series | Colin Davies |
| Detective | 1964 | TV Series | Temple Doorkeeper |
| Bud | 1963 | TV Series | Trefor Jones |
| Man of the World | 1963 | TV Series | Assistant director |
| The Desperate People | 1963 | TV Series | Cliff Fletcher |
| Carve Her Name with Pride | 1958 | Soldier in Park (uncredited) | |
| Villette | 1957 | TV Mini-Series | Second Footman |
| Huntingtower | 1957 | TV Series | Sinster man |
| BBC Sunday-Night Theatre | 1957 | TV Series | Captain the Contino Sevastien Jacono de Piero |
| Bonehead | 1957 | TV Series | Bit Part |
| The Royal Astrologers | 1957 | TV Movie | Third Thief |
| The Goose Girl | 1956 | TV Movie | |
| Cry Wolf! | 1956 | TV Movie | PC Bray |
Producer
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Clandestine Marriage | 1999 | associate producer | |
| At Sachem Farm | 1998 | executive producer | |
| Murder in Mind | 1997 | associate producer |
Thanks
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| From Hell | 2001 | thanks |
Self
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russia's War: Blood Upon the Snow | 1997 | TV Mini-Series | Himself - Narrator (1997) |
| Everyman | 1997 | TV Series documentary | Himself - Presenter |
| Heroes of Comedy | 1997 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Auntie's All-Time Greats | 1996 | TV Movie | Himself - Presenter |
| The 49th Bafta Awards | 1996 | TV Special | Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a Motion Picture |
| Primer plano | 1995 | TV Series | Himself |
| Oscars 1995 | 1995 | TV Movie | Himself |
| The 67th Annual Academy Awards | 1995 | TV Special | Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role |
| Late Night with Conan O'Brien | 1995 | TV Series | Himself |
| Charlie Rose | 1995 | TV Series | Himself - Guest |
| Betjeman Revisited | 1995 | TV Series documentary | Himself - Narrator |
| The Madness of King George: Featurette | 1994 | Video documentary short | Himself / George III |
| Comic Relief: The Invasion of the Comic Tomatoes | 1993 | TV Special | Himself |
| The 45th Annual Tony Awards | 1991 | TV Special | Himself - Winner: Best Leading Actor in a Play |
| The Evening Standard Drama Awards | 1990 | TV Special | Himself |
| A Night of Comic Relief 2 | 1989 | TV Special | Himself |
| The 10th Annual National CableACE Awards | 1989 | TV Special | Himself |
| This Is Your Life | 1985-1986 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| An Audience with Kenneth Williams | 1983 | TV Movie | Himself (uncredited) |
| The Best of British | 2002 | TV Series | Himself |
| Funny Turns | 2001 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Parkinson | 2000 | TV Series | Himself - Guest |
| Omnibus | 1988-2000 | TV Series documentary | Himself - Narrator / Himself |
| 29 Glimpses at the Ghazi | 2000 | TV Movie documentary | |
| Atatürk: Founder of Modern Turkey | 1999 | Documentary | Sir Percy Loraine |
| Laughter in the House: The Story of British Sitcom | 1999 | TV Mini-Series documentary | Himself / 'Humphrey Appleby' |
| Funny Women | 1998 | TV Series documentary short | Himself |
| The 50th British Academy Film Awards | 1998 | TV Special | Himself - Presenter: Most Popular Film |
| Twentieth Century Blues: The Songs of Noël Coward | 1998 | Video documentary | Himself |
Archive Footage
Won Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | ALFS Award | London Critics Circle Film Awards | British Supporting Actor of the Year | The Object of My Affection (1998) |
| 1997 | BAFTA TV Award | BAFTA Awards | Best Actor | The Fragile Heart (1996) |
| 1996 | BAFTA Film Award | BAFTA Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role | The Madness of King George (1994) |
| 1996 | Empire Award | Empire Awards, UK | Best Actor | The Madness of King George (1994) |
| 1996 | ALFS Award | London Critics Circle Film Awards | British Actor of the Year | The Madness of King George (1994) |
| 1988 | BAFTA TV Award | BAFTA Awards | Best Light Entertainment Performance | Yes, Prime Minister (1986) |
| 1987 | BAFTA TV Award | BAFTA Awards | Best Light Entertainment Performance | Yes, Prime Minister (1986) |
| 1983 | BAFTA TV Award | BAFTA Awards | Best Light Entertainment Performance | Yes Minister (1980) |
| 1982 | BAFTA TV Award | BAFTA Awards | Best Light Entertainment Performance | Yes Minister (1980) |
| 1981 | Broadcasting Press Guild Award | Broadcasting Press Guild Awards | Best Actor in a Light Entertainment Programme | Yes Minister (1980) |
Nominated Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Oscar | Academy Awards, USA | Best Actor in a Leading Role | The Madness of King George (1994) |
| 1989 | ACE | CableACE Awards | Actor in a Comedy Series | Yes, Prime Minister (1986) |
