Edward Hardwicke

London native Edward Hardwicke was born to actor parents--Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Helena Pickard. He made his Hollywood screen debut as a 10-year-old in the 1943 Victor Fleming film "A Guy Named Joe." He then returned to England where he attended the Stowe School, served in the Royal Air Force, and studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He returned to acting in films in 1954 with appearances in "Hell Below Zero" and "The Men of Sherwood Forest." Hardwicke focused more on live performances in the 1960s, however, acting at the Nottingham Playhouse, the Oxford Playhouse, and Laurence Olivier's National Theatre. In 1965, he played Montano in the screen version of "Othello," which furthered his film and television career into the 1970s.

His breakthrough TV role came in 1972 playing Captain Pat Grant on the critically acclaimed series "Colditz" and quickly followed with a starring role on "My Old Man" in 1974. After making the rounds guest starring on television for the rest of the 1970s, Hardwicke earned a role in the Golden Globe-nominated mini-series "Oppenheimer" in 1980, and then his gentlemanly mannerisms helped him land the role of Dr. Watson in the 1986 series "The Return of Sherlock Holmes." Hardwicke parlayed a long career as a TV character actor into supporting roles in films during the 1990s and 2000s. Some of his more notable parts were in 1995's "The Scarlet Letter," 1998's "Elizabeth," and 2005's "Oliver Twist."