Cedric Hardwicke Biography

Fast Facts

• Received his knighthood from King George V in 1934, although the king, who was hard of hearing, referred to him as "Sir Samuel Pickwick․"
• Was one of the greatest actors of Georg Bernard Shaw plays of his generation, with Shaw himself naming him as his favorite actor after the four Marx Brothers
• Graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1912
• Had several memorable roles on London stages, including Caesar in "Caesar and Cleopatra" and Iago in "Othello․"
• Made his Broadway debut in Gilbert Miller's "Promise" in 1926, although he didn't become established as a Broadway star until he appeared in "Shadow and Substance" in 1938
• Made his screen acting debut in the 1913 British silent film "Riches and Rogues․"
• Quote: "(On working in both England and America): "England is my wife - America my mistress․ It is very good sometimes to get away from one's wife․""
• Best known as a stage actor who also appeared in several adaptations of literary classics, including "Richard III" and "Around the World in 80 Days․"
• Wrote two memoirs: "Let's Pretend: Recollections and Reflections of a Lucky Actor" in 1932 and "A Victorian in Orbit: as told to James Brough" in 1962
• As a boy he had wanted to become a circus clown, although the closest he ever got was an elephant ride in Madison Square Garden to promote "Around the World in 80 Days" in 1957