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 TV Awards for Best Light Entertainment Performance. He won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for the title role in the 1994 film The Madness of King George, while he won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor, for the 1996 miniseries The Fragile Heart. He was also an Olivier Award and Tony Award winner for his work in the theatre.
December 26, 2001, Radwell, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
Place Of Birth
Coventry, Warwickshire, England, UK
Height
5' 11½" (1.82 m)
Profession
Actor, Producer
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".
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.
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.
$9 Million
