Nigel Hawthorne was born in Coventry, England on 5 April 1929. Raised in South Africa, he returned to the UK in the 1950s to pursue a career in theatre. His initial foray into the British scene was not successful, and he returned to South Africa, deciding to give up his dream of being an actor.

The acting bug however, did not leave him, and after some successful appearances in the South African theatre scene, he returned to the UK in the early 1960's.

Extensive theatre work in Britain followed, including his Clarence Derwent and SWET Award-winning performance in "Privates on Parade". His impressive television debut in the 1980's as Sir Humphrey Appleby in the BBC comedy "Yes [Prime] Minister" won him two BAFTA Awards and international acclaim, and in 1987, Queen Elizabeth II honored him with the CBE (Commander of the British Empire) title. He was now in his early fifties.

In 1992 he won the Olivier Award for his George III in Alan Bennett's hit stage play "The Madness of George III". The film "The Madness of King George", again with him in the title role, won him an Oscar nomination, a BAFTA Award and the world's attention.

Many roles in film followed, including Richard III (1995), Twelfth Night: Or What You Will (1996), The Winslow Boy (1999), Amistad (1997), Object of My Affection, The (1998), At Sachem Farm (1998) and Madeline (1998)

Named in the 1999 Queen's New Year List, Sir Nigel Hawthorne was also the Honorary Patron of independent film production company, Salmac Productions, run by Australian actress, Sally McLean.

Living quietly in a 15th-century manor house with his partner, writer Trevor Bentham, in 2000 he contracted cancer of the pancreas. He went into remission and straight back to work, but sadly the cancer returned in 2001.

Sir Nigel passed away on 26 December, 2001 from a heart attack.

FILM

• The Clandestine Marriage (1999) .... Lord Ogleby
• A Reasonable Man (1999) .... Judge Wendon
• Tarzan (1999) (voice) .... Porter
• The Big Brass Ring (1999) .... Kim Mennaker
• The Winslow Boy (1999) .... Arthur Winslow
• At Sachem Farm (1998) .... Uncle Cullen
• Madeline (1998) .... Lord Covington (segment "Lord Cucuface")
• The Object of My Affection (1998) .... Rodney Fraser
• Amistad (1997) .... Martin Van Buren
• Murder in Mind (1997) .... Dr. Ellis
• Twelfth Night: Or What You Will (1996) .... Malvolio
• Richard III (1995) .... George, Duke of Clarence
• The Madness of King George (1994) .... George III
• Demolition Man (1993) .... Dr. Raymond Cocteau
• Freddie as F.R.O.7 (1992) (voice) .... Brigadier G
• Relatively Speaking (1990) .... Philip Carter
• En Håndfull tid (1989) .... Ted Walker
• King of the Wind (1989) .... Achmet
• Rarg (1988)
• Turtle Diary (1985) .... The Publisher
• The Black Cauldron (1985) (voice) .... Fflewddur Fflam
• The Chain (1984) .... Mr. Thorn
• Dead On Time (1982)
• The World Cup: A Captain's Tale (1982)
• Gandhi (1982) .... Kinnoch
• The Plague Dogs (1982) (voice) .... Dr. Robert Boycott
• Firefox (1982) .... Pyotr Baranovich
• The Knowledge (1981) .... Mister Burgess
• Memoirs of a Survivor (1981) .... Victorian Father
• History of the World: Part I (1981) .... Citizen Official
• The Sailor's Return (1978) .... Mr. Fosse
• Sweeney 2 (1978) .... Dilke
• Watership Down (1978) (voice) .... Campion
• Decisions, Decisions (1975) (V)
• The Hiding Place (1975) .... Pastor De Ruiter
• S*P*Y*S (1974) .... Croft
• Young Winston (1972) (uncredited) .... Boer Sentry

TELEVISION

• Call Me Claus (2001) .... Nick
• Victoria & Albert (2001) .... Lord William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
• The 100 Greatest TV Characters (2001) .... Sir Humphrey Appleby
• Forbidden Territory: Stanley's Search for Livingstone (1997) .... David Livingstone
• The Fragile Heart (1996) .... Edgar Pascoe
• Inside (1996) .... Colonel Kruger
• Flea Bites (1991) .... Kryst
• The Trials of Oz (1991) .... Brian Leary
• Spirit of Man (1989) .... Rev. Jonathan Guerdon
• Yes, Prime Minister (1986) .... Sir Humphrey Appleby
• Jenny's War (1985) .... Colonel
• Mapp & Lucia (1985) .... Georgie Pillson
• The Barchester Chronicles (1984) (mini) .... Archdeacon Grantly
• The House (1984)
• Pope John Paul II (1984) .... Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski
• The Tartuffe or Imposter (1983).... Orgon
• The Critic (1982)
• A Woman Called Golda (1982) .... King Abdullah
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1982) .... Magistrate
• A Brush with Mr. Porter on the Road to Eldorado (1981)
• Jessie (1980) .... Mr. Edmonds
• A Tale of Two Cities (1980) .... Mr. CJ Stryver
• The Tempest (1980/I) .... Stephano
• Yes, Minister (1980) .... Sir Humphrey Appleby
• Edward & Mrs. Simpson (1980) (mini) .... Walter Monkton
• Thomas and Sarah (1979) .... Wilson
• Warrior Queen (1978) .... Catus Decianus
• Holocaust (1978) (mini) .... Oldendorf
• Destiny (1978)
• Marie Curie (1977) (mini) .... Pierre Curie
• Eleanor Marx: Eleanor (1977)
• Eleanor Marx: Tussy (1977)
• The Floater (1975)
• Alma Mater (1971)

THEATRE

• C.S Lewis in "Shadowlands" (Broadway and London)
• Lear in "King Lear"(London 1999)

WEBSITE

• Salmac Productions' Tribute to Sir Nigel
• A Tribute to Sir Nigel Hawthorne (Fan Site)
• Sir Nigel Hawthorne @ IMDB
• Sir Nigel Hawthorne @ Google Directory
• Google Search for Sir Nigel Hawthorne