Terrence Hardiman (born 6 April 1937)Biographical detail

IMDB.com IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, p ...

website. Retrieved on 16 March 2008. is an English

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

. He is best known for playing ''

The Demon Headmaster ''The Demon Headmaster'' is a series of books by Gillian Cross which were later adapted as a television series starring Terrence Hardiman in the title role and Frances Amey as Dinah. The title character is a strange being with the powers of hy ...

'' in the children's television series of the same name. Hardiman often plays authority figures, and has portrayed

Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...

-era personnel ('' Secret Army'', ''

Colditz Colditz () is a small town in the district of Leipzig, in Saxony, Germany. It is best known for Colditz Castle, the site of the Oflag IV-C POW camp for officers in World War II. Geography Colditz is situated in the Leipzig Bay, southeast of the ...

'', ''Wish Me Luck'' and '' Enemy at the Door'') and British officers (''

When the Boat Comes In ''When the Boat Comes In'' is a British television period drama produced by the BBC between 1976 and 1981. The series stars James Bolam as Jack Ford, a First World War veteran who returns to his poverty-stricken (fictional) town of Gallowshi ...

''). He has also played police inspectors (''

Prime Suspect ''Prime Suspect'' is a British police procedural television drama series devised by Lynda La Plante. It stars Helen Mirren as Jane Tennison, one of the first female Detective Chief Inspectors in Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service, who ...

'', ''

Juliet Bravo ''Juliet Bravo'' is a British television police procedural drama series, first broadcast on 30 August 1980, that ran for six series and a total of 88 episodes on BBC1. The theme of the series concerned a female police inspector who took over con ...

'' and '' Softly, Softly''), doctors (''

Home to Roost ''Home to Roost'' is a British sitcom produced by Yorkshire Television between 19 April 1985 and 19 January 1990. Written by Eric Chappell, it stars John Thaw as Henry Willows and Reece Dinsdale as his teenaged son Matthew. The premise is th ...

'', ''

The Royal ''The Royal'' is a British period medical drama, produced by Yorkshire Television (later part of ITV Studios), and broadcast on ITV1 from 2003 until its cancellation in 2011. The series is set in the 1960s and focuses on the lives of the ...

''), barristers ('' Crown Court'' and ''

The Brittas Empire ''The Brittas Empire'' is a British sitcom created and originally written by Andrew Norriss and Richard Fegen. Chris Barrie played titular character Gordon Brittas, the well-intended but hugely incompetent manager of the fictional Whitbury New T ...

''), judges (''

The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983. The programme focused o ...

'' and ''

The Courtroom ''The Courtroom'' is a British legal drama created by Phil Redmond, which aired between June and December 2004. Music was composed and performed by Steve Wright. The programme was notable for starring many former British soap stars, particular ...

''), a twelfth-century abbot, (''

Cadfael Brother Cadfael is the main fictional character in a series of historical murder mysteries written between 1977 and 1994 by the linguist-scholar Edith Pargeter under the name "Ellis Peters". The character of Cadfael himself is a Welsh Benedic ...

''), and an evil headmaster (''The Demon Headmaster''). He also played Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, in Richard Attenborough's ''

Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

''. Hardiman has narrated hundreds of audiobooks, including series by

Colin Dexter Norman Colin Dexter (29 September 1930 – 21 March 2017) was an English crime writer known for his ''Inspector Morse'' series of novels, which were written between 1975 and 1999 and adapted as an ITV television series, ''Inspector Morse'', fr ...

Anne Perry Anne Perry (born Juliet Marion Hulme; 28 October 1938) was convicted of murder in New Zealand when a teenager, later moved to England and became an author. In 1954, at the age of fifteen, she and her 16-year-old friend Pauline Parker were tried ...

, and

Ruth Rendell Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, (; 17 February 1930 – 2 May 2015) was an English author of thrillers and psychological murder mysteries. Rendell is best known for creating Chief Inspector Wexford.The Oxford Companion ...

. Hardiman's volunteer narration work for the non-profit Calibre Audio Library earned him a Silver Centurion service award in 2013.

Early life and education

Terrence Hardiman was born in 1937 in

Forest Gate Forest Gate is a district in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England. It is located northeast of Charing Cross. The area's name relates to its position adjacent to Wanstead Flats, the southernmost part of Epping Forest. The town ...

, Newham, London. His father was a policeman. Hardiman was educated at

Buckhurst Hill County High School Buckhurst Hill County High School, BHCHS, (1938–1989) was a secondary school in Chigwell, Essex. History It opened on 15 September 1938. It was near to RAF Chigwell and the River Roding. In 1953 there were 549 boys and the staff consisted o ...

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Grea ...

and later studied at

Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge Fitzwilliam College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , establish ...

(then known as Fitzwilliam House), where he read English.

Stage career

At Cambridge, Hardiman acted extensively for

The Marlowe Society The Marlowe Society is a Cambridge University theatre club for Cambridge students. It is dedicated to achieving a high standard of student drama at Cambridge. The society celebrated its centenary over three years (2007–2009) and in 2008 there wa ...

and the

Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club Founded in 1855, the Amateur Dramatic Club (or ADC) is the oldest university dramatic society in England – and the largest dramatic society in Cambridge. The club stages a diverse range of productions every term, many of them at the fully equi ...

, in both dramatic and comedic roles, alongside many of his future screen co-stars such as

Derek Jacobi Sir Derek George Jacobi (; born 22 October 1938) is an English actor. He has appeared in various stage productions of William Shakespeare such as ''Hamlet'', ''Much Ado About Nothing'', '' Macbeth'', ''Twelfth Night'', '' The Tempest'', ''Kin ...

. Hardiman then toured with the Royal Shakespeare Company in several principal roles, including as Starveling in

Peter Brook Peter Stephen Paul Brook (21 March 1925 – 2 July 2022) was an English theatre and film director. He worked first in England, from 1945 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, from 1947 at the Royal Opera House, and from 1962 for the Royal Sha ...

's landmark 1970 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Film and television career

1970s and 1980s

Hardiman's television work has included him playing barrister Stephen Harvesty in Granada Television's '' Crown Court'' from 1972 to 1983. He also had a starring role as Charles Pooter in the 1979 television adaptation of

George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presid ...

and

Weedon Grossmith Walter Weedon Grossmith (9 June 1854 – 14 June 1919), better known as Weedon Grossmith, was an English writer, painter, actor, and playwright best known as co-author of ''The Diary of a Nobody'' (1892) with his brother, music hall comedian ...

's '' Diary of a Nobody'', a role which shows his versatility more than the succession of officers he usually portrays. Hardiman portrayed Major Reinhardt, in '' Secret Army'', the (fictional) head of the

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

(German Air force) police who often provided a foil to

Clifford Rose John Clifford Rose (24 October 1929 – 6 November 2021) was a British actor. Life and career Rose was born in Herefordshire. He was educated at the King's School, Worcester, and King's College London, before appearing in rep and began his ass ...

's more brutal S.S. Chief, Kessler. In 1990, he played a German officer, General Stuckler, in the final series of

London Weekend Television London Weekend Television (LWT) (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm (7:00 pm from 1968 un ...

's '' Wish Me Luck''.

1990s: Cadfael and The Demon Headmaster

A notable small role Hardiman played was a version of the

Sergeant Wilson Sergeant Arthur Wilson is a fictional Home Guard platoon sergeant and bank chief clerk, first portrayed by John Le Mesurier in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. Background Wilson was born in 1887, and is carefree, cheerful and well ...

character from ''

Dad's Army ''Dad's Army'' is a British television sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, and originally broadcast on BBC1 from 31 July 1968 to 13 November 1977. It ran fo ...

'', in a 1995 episode of time travel comedy '' Goodnight Sweetheart'', called "Don't Get Around Much Any More."

Nicholas Lyndhurst Nicholas Simon Lyndhurst (born 20 April 1961) is an English actor. He began his career as a child actor and became best known for his role as Rodney Trotter in the sitcom ''Only Fools and Horses'' (1981–2003). He also had major roles in other ...

's character Gary Sparrow goes back in time to a bank in the 1940s, and encounters characters called Mainwaring and Wilson. Hardiman's portrayal was a keenly observed impersonation of

John Le Mesurier John Le Mesurier (, born John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley; 5 April 191215 November 1983) was an English actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his comedic role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the BBC television situation c ...

's own performance, incorporating many of the tics and mannerisms of the original. From 1996 to 1998, Hardiman starred as the eponymous '' Demon Headmaster'' in the children's television drama series, which ran to three series and proved popular with adults as well as children. He reprised his role as a cameo in the 2019 reboot. He also appeared as Grand Wizard Egbert Hellibore in four episodes of ''

The Worst Witch ''The Worst Witch'' is a series of children's books written and illustrated by Jill Murphy. The series are primarily about a girl who attends a witch school and fantasy stories, with eight books published. The first, ''The Worst Witch'', was ...

''. Hardiman appeared in the second series of '' The Worst Week of My Life''. Another notable recent role was as a devious Swiss murder victim in an episode of crime mystery series ''

Jonathan Creek ''Jonathan Creek'' is a long-running British mystery crime drama series produced by the BBC and written by David Renwick. It stars Alan Davies as the titular character, who works as a creative consultant to a stage magician while also solvi ...

''. Hardiman's other major recurring role was as Brother

's ecclesiastical superior, Father Abbot Radulfus, in the television series. Joining him throughout the series as Prior Robert was

Michael Culver Michael Culver (born 16 June 1938) is an English actor. He was born in Hampstead, London, the son of actor Roland Culver and casting director Daphne Rye. He was educated at Gresham's School. Actor Culver's aunt, father, mother and brother a ...

, who had played his predecessor Major Brandt in ''Secret Army''.

2000s

Hardiman made an appearance on the daily soap on

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...

, '' Doctors'', on 3 April 2009, as well as from 14 to 15 January 2015, and in the drama from Yorkshire, '' Heartbeat'', as John Upton in one episode. In 2009, he appeared in a film for the BFI, ''Radio Mania: An Abandoned Work'', directed by British artists

Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard are British artists and filmmakers. Life and work Forsyth and Pollard met and began working collaboratively while studying Fine Art and Art Theory at Goldsmiths College, graduating together in 1995. They initially f ...

. The film was based on '' The Man from M.A.R.S.'' (1922). Hardiman appeared as Hawthorne in the episode of '' Doctor Who'', "

The Beast Below "The Beast Below" is the second episode of the fifth series of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. It was written by executive producer and head writer Steven Moffat and broadcast on BBC One and BBC HD on 10 April 20 ...

", on 10 April 2010.

Selected filmography

* '' Running Scared'' (1972) as Doctor * ''

Pope Joan Pope Joan (''Ioannes Anglicus'', 855–857) was, according to legend, a woman who reigned as pope for two years during the Middle Ages. Her story first appeared in chronicles in the 13th century and subsequently spread throughout Europe. The s ...

'' (1972) as Cardinal Anastasius * ''

Loophole A loophole is an ambiguity or inadequacy in a system, such as a law or security, which can be used to circumvent or otherwise avoid the purpose, implied or explicitly stated, of the system. Originally, the word meant an arrowslit, a narrow ver ...

'' (1981) as David * '' The Bunker'' (1981) as Hermann Fegelein * ''

'' (1982) as Ramsay MacDonald * '' Sahara'' (1983) as Browne * ''

Mask of Murder ''Mask of Murder'' is a 1985 Swedish-American film directed by Arne Mattsson, about a serial killer in a small Canadian town. Plot In a Canadian town, women are being killed by a serial murderer. Cast *Rod Taylor as Supt. Bob McLaine *Valerie ...

'' (1985) as Dr. Paul Crossland * '' God's Outlaw'' (1986) as Thomas Cromwell * ''

'' (1993) as Commander Chiswick * ''

'' (1996-1998) as The Demon Headmaster * ''

Distant Shadow ''Distant Shadow'' is a 1999 film. A thriller made in the UK, it is 100 minutes in length and was directed by Howard J. Ford. Plot summary Michelle witnesses the brutal murder of her mother while she is a four-year-old child. Sixteen years la ...

'' (2000) as The Svit * ''

Fishtales ''Fishtales'' is a 2007 family comedy film directed by Alki David and Michael Greenspan, and starring Billy Zane and Kelly Brook about a widowed father who falls in love with a mermaid. The film was released theatrically in the UK on 24 August 2 ...

'' (2007) as Professor Ratcher * '' Doctor Who'' (2010) as Hawthorne * '' Mr. Turner'' (2014) as Gallery Visitors * ''

'' (2019) as The Demon Headmaster * '' Holby City'' (2021) as Henrik

References

External links

*
Unofficial Terrence Hardiman website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hardiman, Terence 1937 births Alumni of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge Living people People from Forest Gate English male television actors English male film actors