Edward Hardwicke

**Edward Hardwicke** (7 August 1932 – 16 May 2011), also spelled **Edward Hardwick**, was an English actor. He is best known for his role as Doctor Watson in _The Return of Sherlock Holmes_ series.

## Early life and career

Hardwicke was born in London, England, to actors Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Helena Pickard. He started his film career in Hollywood at 10. He was in Victor Fleming's film _A Guy Named Joe_ with Spencer Tracy. He went back to England, attended Stowe School, and did his military service in the Royal Air Force. He then joined the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) to learn to be an actor.

## The Old Vic and the National Theatre

Hardwicke acted at the Bristol Old Vic, The Oxford Playhouse, and the Nottingham Playhouse. In 1964, he joined the National Theatre. He performed there for seven years. He appeared in William Shakespeare's _Othello_, Ibsen's _The Master Builder_. Peter Shaffer's _The Royal Hunt of the Sun_, _Charley's Aunt_, Tom Stoppard's _Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead_, Congreve's _The Way of the World_, Georges Feydeau's _A Flea In Her Ear_, _The Crucible_, Luigi Pirandello's _The Rules Of The Game_, Fyodor Dostoevsky's _The Idiot_, and George Bernard Shaw's _Mrs. Warren's Profession_. In 1977, Hardwick went back to the National Theatre to perform in Feydeau's _The Lady from Maxim's_

In 1973, he played at the Bristol Old Vic. He played Dr. Astrov in Anton Chekhov's _Uncle Vanya_ and Charles Calthrop in the movie _The Day of the Jackal_. In 1975, he went to the Haymarket Theatre, where he performed in Frederick Lonsdale's _On Approval_. In 1976 at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, he played Sir Robert Chiltern in Oscar Wilde's _An Ideal Husband_.

In 2001, he played Arthur Winslow in _The Winslow Boy_ at the Chichester Festival Theatre. His father had played this role in 1948 in the movie.

## TV and _Sherlock Holmes_

Hardwicke started his television career in the 1970. He played Pat Grant in _Colditz_. He then played Arthur in the sitcom _My Old Man_. In 1978, Hardwicke played Bellcourt in the last episode of _The Sweeney_. David Burke, who played Doctor Watson in _The Return of Sherlock Holmes_ series, asked Hardwicke to take over the role. Hardwicke played this role for eight years, from 1986 to 1994. His portrayal of Watson was calmer than Holmes'. In 1989, Hardwicke played the role of Watson on the West End stage in _The Secret of Sherlock Holmes_.

## Movies

He performed in many movies, including _The Day of the Jackal_ (1973), _The Black Windmill_ (1974), Richard Loncraine's 1995 version of _Richard III_, _The Scarlet Letter_ (1995), _Shadowlands_ (1993), _Elizabeth_ (1998), _Enigma_ (2001), _The Gathering Storm_ (2002), _Love Actually_ (2003), and Roman Polanski's _Oliver Twist_ (2005).

He also narrated several movies.

## Personal life

Hardwicke married Anne Iddon, and they had two daughters, Kate and Emma. Hardwicke and Iddon later divorced. He then married Prim Cotton in 1995.

Hardwicke lived in Chichester. On 16 May 2011, he died of cancer.

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Edward Hardwicke
- **image**: Edward Hardwicke (cropped).jpeg
- **imagesize**: 200px
- **caption**: Edward Hardwicke, 2008
- **birth name**: Edward Cedric Hardwicke
- **birth place**: London, England, United Kingdom, UK
- **death place**: Chichester, West Sussex, England, UK
- **death cause**: Cancer
- **other names**: Edward Hardwick
- **years active**: 1943–2011
- **occupation**: Actor
- **spouse**: Anne Iddon <small>(1957 – ?, divorced)</small>
Prim Cotton <small>(1995 – his death)</small>