Hugh Fraser (actor)

Hugh M. Fraser (born 7 October 1950)^[1] is an English actor, theatre director and author.

Early life

Born in London in 1950, but brought up in the Midlands, Fraser studied acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. As a member of folk band Telltale, Hugh co-wrote and performed the theme music for Rainbow, the iconic ITV children's television series.

Work

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. He has also narrated Poirot audiobooks, including Elephants Can Remember.

In the 1980s, he appeared in the BBC thriller Edge of Darkness. Fraser can be frequently heard narrating the audiobooks of Christie’s works, which are currently published by HarperCollins publishers. 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. He has guest starred in the Doctor Who audio dramas Circular Time (2007) and Cradle of the Snake (2010), and in 2003, alongside Martin Shaw in Death in Holy Orders.

Fraser has also become an author; his first novel, Harm, was published in 2015, followed by Threat in 2016.^[6] The third in the Rina Walker series, Malice, comes out in June 2017.^[7]

Personal life

He is married to the actress Belinda Lang and has one daughter, Lily.^[8]

Selected film and television roles

• Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989–2002, 2013–2014) – as Captain Arthur Hastings
• Sharpe (1994–2006) – as the Duke of Wellington
• New Tricks Episode 1.5 (2004) – as Paul Adamson
• The Alan Clark Diaries (2004) – as Tristan Garel-Jones
• Death in Holy Orders (2003) – as George Gregory
• The Lost Battalion (2001) – British Officer
• 101 Dalmatians (1996) – as Frederick
• Patriot Games (1992) – as Geoffrey Watkins
• Lorna Doone (1990) – as King James II
• Jack the Ripper (1988) – as Sir Charles Warren
• Codename: Kyril (1988) – as Peter Jackson
• Edge of Darkness (1985) – as Robert Bennett
• Tales of the Unexpected episode Clerical Error (1983) – as Paul Standing
• Reilly, Ace of Spies (1983) – as George Hill
• Curse of the Pink Panther (1983) – as Dr. Arno Stang
• The Draughtsman's Contract (1982) – as Mr Talmann
• Cloud Howe (1982) as Robert Colquhoun
• Firefox (1982) – as Police Inspector Tortyev
• Hanover Street (1979) – as Capt. Harold Lester
• Edward & Mrs. Simpson (1978) – as Anthony Eden
• The Man in the Iron Mask (1977) – as Montfleury

References

External links

• Hugh Fraser on IMDb
• The official SharpeFilm.com website
• Interview with Hugh Fraser at Classic Film & TV Cafe