Aug. 3 (UPI) -- British actor Robert Hardy has died at the age of 91, his family said Thursday.
Hardy's family remembered the actor in a statement to the Independent. Hardy was known for portraying Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt before starring in the Harry Potter films later in his life.
"It is with great sadness that the family of Robert Hardy CBE today announced his death, following a tremendous life: a giant career in theatre, television and film spanning more than 70 years," his family said.
Hardy's career began in the theater in 1959 before he gained recognition for his role as Siegfried Farnon on the television series All Creatures Great And Small in 1978.
He later went on to win a BAFTA for one of his many portrayals of Winston Churchill in the 1981 film Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years.
Near the end of his career, Hardy took on the role of Cornelius Fudge beginning in the film adaptation of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Hardy is survived by his children Emma, Justine and Paul, who thanked the staff at his London retirement home for caring for their father at the end of his life.
"We are immensely grateful to the team at Denville Hall for the tender care they gave during his last weeks," Hardy's children said, the Guardian reported.
They also remembered their father as a talented actor whose work was loved by many, in addition to his other passions.
"Gruff, elegant, twinkly, and always dignified, he is celebrated by all who knew him and loved him, and everyone who enjoyed his work," his children said. "Dad is also remembered as a meticulous linguist, a fine artist, a lover of music and a champion of literature, as well a highly respected historian, and a leading specialist on the longbow."
