Hugh Fraser (actor)

Hugh Fraser (born 23 October 1945)[1] is an English actor, theatre director and author. He is best known for his portrayal of Captain Hastings in the television series Agatha Christie's Poirot opposite David Suchet as Hercule Poirot and for his role as the Duke of Wellington (replacing David Troughton) in the Sharpe television series.

Hugh Fraser
Born
Hugh Fraser

(1945-10-23) 23 October 1945
Westminster, London, England
Other namesHugh Frazer
OccupationActor
Years active1956–present
Spouse
​
(m. 1988)​
Children1

Fraser was born in Westminster but grew up in the Midlands. He studied acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. 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.

Early life

Born in Westminster in 1945,[2] but brought up in the Midlands, Hugh 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 ITV children's television series.

Work

Acting

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 television and is best known for his portrayals of Captain Hastings in Agatha Christie's Poirot, opposite David Suchet, and of Duke of Wellington (replacing David Troughton) in Sharpe opposite Sean Bean.

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.

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 guest starred in a Season 2 episode of the British audio comedy podcast Wooden Overcoats, for which his wife, Belinda Lang, was the narrator.

Directing

Fraser has been an associate tutor, director, and member of the audition panel at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, specialising in Shakespeare.[3][4] He has also directed several plays, including 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[5][6] and the first London production in nearly a century of Kate O'Brien’s play Distinguished Villa at the Finborough Theatre in 2022.[7]

Writing

Fraser has also become an author; he is the author of a series of crime fiction thrillers featuring contract killer Rina Walker. His first novel, Harm, was published in 2015,[8] followed by Threat in 2016.[9] The third in the Rina Walker series, Malice, came out in October 2017[10] and Stealth, in 2018[11]

During his appearance on Pointless Celebrities (30 Jan 2021), flute-player Hugh explained that he composed the theme melody for kids’ programme Rainbow along with other songs for the show and theme tunes for other (unmentioned) TV series.

Personal life

He is married to the actress Belinda Lang and has one daughter, Lily.[12]

Selected film and television roles
Year Title Role Notes
1971 Deviation Unknown
1976 The Ritz Disc Jockey
1977 The Man in the Iron Mask Montfleury TV movie
1977 The Duellists Unknown
1978 Edward & Mrs. Simpson Anthony Eden TV Mini-Series, 2 episodes
1979 Hanover Street Captain Harold Lester
1982 Firefox Police Inspector Tortyev
1982 Cloud Howe Robert Colquhoun TV series, 4 episodes
1982 The Draughtsman's Contract Mr. Talmann
1982 The Missionary Usher At Wedding
1983 Tales of the Unexpected Paul Standing TV series, episode "Clerical Error"
1983 Curse of the Pink Panther Dr. Arno Stang
1983 Reilly, Ace of Spies George Hill TV Mini-Series, 6 episodes
1985 Edge of Darkness Robert Bennett TV Mini-Series, 4 episodes
1987 Murder on the Bluebell Line Sherlock Holmes TV series, Documentary
1988 Codename: Kyril Peter Jackson TV Mini-Series, 4 episodes
1988 Jack the Ripper Sir Charles Warren TV series, 2 episodes
1990 Lorna Doone James II TV movie
1992 Patriot Games Geoffrey Watkins
1993 Taggart Bobby Gault Episode: Gingerbread Part One
1996 101 Dalmatians Frederick
2001 The Lost Battalion General DeCoppet TV movie
2003 Death in Holy Orders George Gregory TV Mini-Series, 2 episodes
2004 The Baby Juice Express Arthur Burnett, CBE
2004 The Alan Clark Diaries Tristan Garel-Jones TV series, 6 episodes
2004 New Tricks Paul Adamson TV series, 1 episode
1994–2006 Sharpe Duke of Wellington 9 TV Movies
2010 Jackboots on Whitehall BBC Newsreader / Gaston Voice
1989–2001, 2013 Agatha Christie's Poirot Captain Arthur Hastings TV series, 43 episodes
2016 With Love From... Suffolk Sat Nav Voice

References
  1. Fraser, Hugh (8 October 2017). "23 October 1945. Your sincere wishes most appreciated Dinah". @realhughfraser. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  2. "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  3. "Academy Staff" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  4. "Special Programs". Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  5. Uncle Vanya The Stage, 29 January 2007
  6. "London Theatre News, Reviews, Interviews and more". whatsonstage. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  7. "Distinguished Villa – Finborough Theatre". Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  8. Fraser, Hugh (2015). Harm. ISBN 978-0993264917.
  9. Fraser, Hugh (2016). Threat. ISBN 978-1911129752.
  10. Fraser, Hugh (1 June 2017). Malice. S.l.: Urbane Publications. ISBN 9781911583066.
  11. Fraser, Hugh (2018). Stealth. ISBN 978-1911583660.
  12. Feinstein, Sharon (2 May 1999). "The Interview: Belinda Lang – Our marriage is perfect even though I'm so bossy". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
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