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Robert Hardy

Actor Robert Hardy is interviewed by Kirsty Young for Desert Island Discs.

Kirsty Young's castaway is the actor Robert Hardy.

He became a household name as the vet Siegfried Farnon in the hit TV series All Creatures Great and Small and, to a younger generation, he is the Minister of Magic in the Harry Potter films. But the role he is best known for is Winston Churchill - he won a Bafta for his performance in Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years. He believes actors are born rather than made and his own ambitions crystallised when, as a very young boy, he was a page boy at a wedding: "I walked down the aisle with my head held high and as I went, every eye was turned towards me and something inside me said, "That's it, get every eye on you".

Producer: Leanne Buckle.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 25 Nov 2011 09:00

Music Played

  • Pearl Bailey

    What is a Friend For?

    Composer: Harold Arlen

    • House of Flowers - 1955.
    • CBS Special products.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Beethoven’s 7th symphony in A Major - 2nd movement

    Artist: Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini.

    • Toscanini: Works by Beethoven, Cherubini & Mozart.
    • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ.
  • Enya

    The Longships

    Composer: Enya/ Lyrics by Roma Ryan

    • Watermark.
    • WEA.
  • Hector Berlioz

    The Waltz from the Symphonie Fantastique

    Artist: The Paris Orchestra conducted by Semyon Bychkov

    • Berlioz: Carnaval Romain/Symphonie Fantastique.
    • Philips.
  • Francis Poulenc

    Poulenc -Suite Francaise -Pavanne

    Artist: The National Orchestra of France conducted by Charles Dutroit

    • Poulenc: Concert Champetre.Sinfonietta.
    • Decca.
  • Jean Sibelius

    Sibelius 6th Symphony in D Minor - The 4th movement Release: Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 6

    Artist: City of Birmingham Orchestra conducted by Sir Simon Rattle

    • EMI.
  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Ludwig van Beethoven

      Beethoven - String Quartet in B flat- 2nd movement

      Artist: The Medici String Quartet

      • Beethoven: String Quartet Op.130.
      • Nimbus.
  • John Hardy

    De Profundis

    Artist: The Westminster Abbey Choir, the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Singers & London Brass conducted by Martin Baker

    • Archive recording 8 July 1998 of Century of Martyrs celebrations..
    • Commissioned by Westminster Abbey.
  • Book Choice

    • The Great Warbow - Robert Hardy & Matthew Strickland

  • Luxury Choice

    • Young lady in profile 1495 - De Predis

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Kirsty Young
Interviewed Guest Robert Hardy

Broadcasts

  • Sun 20 Nov 2011 11:15
  • Fri 25 Nov 2011 09:00

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