Hugh Fraser

Hugh Fraser (born 23 October 1945) 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.

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, 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 the 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 the 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. 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 and the first London production in nearly a century of Kate O'Brien’s play Distinguished Villa at the Finborough Theatre in 2022.

Writing Fraser is the author of a series of crime fiction thrillers featuring contract killer Rina Walker. His first novel, Harm, was published in 2015, followed by Threat in 2016. The third in the Rina Walker series, Malice, came out in October 2017 and Stealth, in 2018.

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

Personal life He has been married to the actress Belinda Lang since 1988 and they have one daughter, born in 1990.

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 The Duellists Unknown 1978 Edward & Mrs. Simpson Anthony Eden TV Mini-Series, 2 episodes 1979 Hanover Street Captain Harold Lester 1982 Firefox Police Inspector Aleksei Tortyev Cloud Howe Robert Colquhoun TV series, 4 episodes The Draughtsman's Contract Mr. Talmann The Missionary Usher At Wedding 1983 Tales of the Unexpected Paul Standing TV series, episode "Clerical Error" Curse of the Pink Panther Dr. Arno Stang 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 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 The Alan Clark Diaries Tristan Garel-Jones TV series, 6 episodes 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