| Hugh Fraser | |
|---|---|
| Born | Hugh M. Fraser 23 October 1945 |
| Other names | Hugh Frazer |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Spouse | Belinda Lang (15 October 1988-present) |
Hugh Fraser (born 23 October 1945)[1] is an English actor and theatre director.
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Born in London but raised in the West Midlands, Fraser studied acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He was also a member of Telltale, a folk band that wrote and performed the theme music for Rainbow, a children's television series.
Fraser's first big break came after portraying Anthony Eden in the 1978 television series Edward & Mrs. Simpson, with Edward Fox, after which he was frequently cast as upper-class or aristocratic characters, such as Mr Talmann in Peter Greenaway's The Draughtsman's Contract.
He has regularly appeared on film and in television and is best known for his portrayal of Captain Hastings in the television series Agatha Christie's Poirot opposite David Suchet, and his role as the Duke of Wellington (replacing David Troughton) in the Sharpe television series.
In the 1980s, he appeared in the BBC thriller Edge of Darkness. Although he has not appeared in recent episodes of Agatha Christie's Poirot, Fraser can be frequently heard narrating the audiobooks of Christie’s works, which are currently published by HarperCollins publishers. In December 2011, it was announced that he was to reprise his role as Captain Hastings in Agatha Christie's Poirot in the final series which is scheduled to be broadcast in 2012. As of recent years, he has been an associate tutor, director and member of the audition panel at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, specialising in Shakespeare.[2][3] Fraser has also directed several plays, most notably a production of David Mamet's adaptation of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, which was staged at Wilton's Music Hall in London in January 2007, with Rachael Stirling as Yelena.[4][5]
His film credits include Curse of the Pink Panther, 101 Dalmatians and Patriot Games along with his Sharpe co-star Sean Bean. He has also worked in theatre, playing Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1979. In 2007, he guest starred in the Doctor Who audio drama Circular Time.
He is married to the actress Belinda Lang and has one daughter, Lily.[6]