Nigel Hawthorne

Biography

Nigel Hawthorne was an English actor who built a long career in theater before becoming famous on television as Sir Humphrey Appleby, the civil servant at the center of Yes Minister and its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister. Born in Coventry and raised in Cape Town, he made his professional stage debut there in 1950, then moved to London and worked in small parts, including a 1969 episode of Dad's Army, before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company at the suggestion of Ian McKellen and Judi Dench. He won a Tony Award for Shadowlands in 1991, and his film work included a Russian scientist in Firefox (1982), the voice of Fflewddur Fflam in The Black Cauldron (1985), and King George III in The Madness of King George (1994), which brought him a BAFTA and an Academy Award nomination.

72years old at death

Born April 5, 1929Coventry
Died December 26, 2001Radwell
Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
Nigel Barnard Hawthorne (birth name)Also credited as Sir Nigel Hawthorne and Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne

Movie Career

Films: 21
Career span: 27 years1974 to 2001

Genres

Drama62%, 13 films
Adventure29%, 6 films
Comedy29%, 6 films
Animation24%, 5 films
Family24%, 5 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
In 1950, Hawthorne played Archie Fellows in a Cape Town staging of The Shop at Sly Corner, which served as his professional stage debut.
Big break
Ian McKellen and Judi Dench persuaded Hawthorne to join the Royal Shakespeare Company while he was working in New York.
Big break
Hawthorne's role as Sir Humphrey Appleby in Yes Minister made him a household name in the United Kingdom and opened the doors to film roles.

Nigel Hawthorne movies on Netflix

Call Me Claus2001IMDb rating 5.4as Nick
Tarzan1999IMDb rating 7.3as Professor Porter (voice)
The Winslow Boy1999IMDb rating 7.3as Arthur Winslow
Higher Love1998IMDb rating 6.2as Uncle Cullen
Madeline1998IMDb rating 6.0as Lord Covington (segment "Lord Cucuface")
The Object of My Affection1998IMDb rating 6.0as Rodney Fraser
Amistad1997IMDb rating 7.3as Martin Van Buren
Twelfth Night1996IMDb rating 7.1as Malvolio
Richard III1995IMDb rating 7.3as The Duke of Clarence
The Madness of King George1994IMDb rating 7.2as George III
Demolition Man1993IMDb rating 6.7as Dr. Raymond Cocteau
Freddie As F.R.O.7.1992IMDb rating 5.1as Brigadier G (voice)
The Black Cauldron1985IMDb rating 6.3as Fflewddur Fflam (voice)
Pope John Paul II1984IMDb rating 6.7as Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski
A Woman Called Golda1982IMDb rating 7.4as King Abdullah
Firefox1982IMDb rating 5.9as Pyotr Baranovich
The Hunchback of Notre Dame1982IMDb rating 6.3as Magistrate at Esmeralda's trial
The Plague Dogs1982IMDb rating 7.7as Dr. Boycott (voice)
Watership Down1978IMDb rating 7.5as Captain Campion (voice)
The Hiding Place1975IMDb rating 7.4as Pastor De Ruiter
S*P*Y*S1974IMDb rating 4.5as Croft

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Demolition Man1993 Action, Crime, Sci-Fias Dr. Raymond Cocteau
IMDb rating 6.7211K votes
Amistad1997 Drama, Historyas Martin Van Buren
IMDb rating 7.389K votes
Tarzan1999as Professor Portervoice
IMDb rating 7.3272K votes
The Madness of King George1994as George III
IMDb rating 7.220K votes
The Black Cauldron1985as Fflewddur Fflamvoice
IMDb rating 6.346K votes
The Object of My Affection1998as Rodney Fraser
IMDb rating 6.023K votes
Madeline1998as Lord Covington (segment "Lord Cucuface")
IMDb rating 6.08.7K votes
The Winslow Boy1999as Arthur Winslow
IMDb rating 7.38.6K votes

Most often with

Martin Rosen directed two of these films, Nicholas Hytner two. John Hurt appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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John Hurt

Anthony Hopkins

Ben Kingsley

Joss Ackland

Michael Hordern

Minnie DriverMartin RosenDirector, 2 films

Nicholas HytnerDirector, 2 films

Films together

John Hurt3 films together, 1978 to 1985
John Hurt's page
- The Black Cauldron1985IMDb rating 6.3Hawthorne as Fflewddur FflamvoiceHurt as The Horned Kingvoice
- The Plague Dogs1982IMDb rating 7.7Hawthorne as Dr. BoycottvoiceHurt as Snittervoice
- Watership Down1978IMDb rating 7.5Hawthorne as Captain CampionvoiceHurt as Hazelvoice
Anthony Hopkins2 films together, 1982 to 1997
Anthony Hopkins's page
- Amistad1997IMDb rating 7.3Hawthorne as Martin Van BurenHopkins as John Quincy Adams
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame1982IMDb rating 6.3Hawthorne as Magistrate at Esmeralda's trialHopkins as Quasimodo
Ben Kingsley2 films together, 1992 to 1996
Ben Kingsley's page
- Twelfth Night1996IMDb rating 7.1Hawthorne as MalvolioKingsley as Feste
- Freddie As F.R.O.7.1992IMDb rating 5.1Hawthorne as Brigadier GvoiceKingsley as Freddievoice
Joss Ackland2 films together, 1974 to 1978
Joss Ackland's page
- Watership Down1978IMDb rating 7.5Hawthorne as Captain CampionvoiceAckland as Black Rabbitvoice
- S*P*Y*S1974IMDb rating 4.5Hawthorne as CroftAckland as Martinson
Michael Hordern2 films together, 1978 to 1992
Michael Hordern's page
- Freddie As F.R.O.7.1992IMDb rating 5.1Hawthorne as Brigadier GvoiceHordern as Kingvoice
- Watership Down1978IMDb rating 7.5Hawthorne as Captain CampionvoiceHordern as Frithvoice
Minnie Driver2 films together, 1998 to 1999
Minnie Driver's page
- Tarzan1999IMDb rating 7.3Hawthorne as Professor PortervoiceDriver as Janevoice
- Higher Love1998IMDb rating 6.2Hawthorne as Uncle CullenDriver as Kendal
Martin RosenDirector, 2 films, 1978 to 1982
All films by Martin Rosen
- The Plague Dogs1982IMDb rating 7.7Hawthorne as Dr. Boycottvoice
- Watership Down1978IMDb rating 7.5Hawthorne as Captain Campionvoice
Nicholas HytnerDirector, 2 films, 1994 to 1998
All films by Nicholas Hytner
- The Object of My Affection1998IMDb rating 6.0Hawthorne as Rodney Fraser
- The Madness of King George1994IMDb rating 7.2Hawthorne as George III
Also two films together4 more actors
- Freddie JonesThe Black Cauldron (1985) and Firefox (1982)
- Brian BlessedTarzan (1999) and Freddie As F.R.O.7. (1992)
- David de KeyserA Woman Called Golda (1982) and The Hiding Place (1975)
- John BennettThe Plague Dogs (1982) and Watership Down (1978)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Nigel Hawthorne's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$877 million

13 of the 21 films have a worldwide figure.

13Worldwide figure
1US gross only
4Never in cinemas
3Figure not found

Top grosser

Tarzan1999Professor Porter$448 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 97% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Tarzan1999as Professor Porter (voice)
$448M51.1% of the total
2
Demolition Man1993as Dr. Raymond Cocteau
$159M18.1% of the total
3
Firefox1982as Pyotr Baranovich
$71M8.1% of the total
4
The Object of My Affection1998as Rodney Fraser
$47M5.4% of the total
5
Amistad1997as Martin Van Buren
$44M5.0% of the total
6
Twelfth Night1996as Malvolio
$33M3.8% of the total
7
Madeline1998as Lord Covington (segment "Lord Cucuface")
$30M3.4% of the total
8
The Black Cauldron1985as Fflewddur Fflam (voice)
$21M2.4% of the total

The Madness of King George (1994), $15.2 million

Freddie As F.R.O.7. (1992), $1.1 million

$23.2 millionfrom the other 5 films with a worldwide figure, 3% of the total

Awards

Six awards and honors from 1977 to 1991, two of them major.

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Nigel Hawthorne's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Result
BAFTA
	Best Actor in a Leading Role	Won
Tony Awards
1991	Best Actor in a Play	Won
Other honors
1977	Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role	Won
	Commander of the Order of the British Empire	Won
	Knight Bachelor	Won
	Laurence Olivier Awards	Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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