Richard Hope (actor)
Richard Hope is a British actor who gained recognition from Brideshead Revisited as the doltish enlisted man, Hooper, under Jeremy Irons charge. He is best known for playing Harris Pascoe in the UK tv drama Poldark. His theatre career includes in 1996, when he played Pierre Bezukhov in War and Peace at the Royal National Theatre having starred in another Tolstoy adaptation by Helen Edmundson, playing Levin in Anna Karenina. In 2015, he played Hector in The History Boys. In 2018-2019, he starred in the West End production The Woman in Black as Arthur Kipps.
Early life
Born 1953 in Kettering, Northamptonshire, Richard Hope attended Oakham School 1967–71. He went to Trent Polytechnic in Nottingham, graduating with a BA degree in Law in 1976. He spent nine months working in the courts at Shire Hall, now the National Justice Museum.He trained at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain 1972–76 appearing in several new plays by established writers: The Children’s Crusade and By Common Consent by Paul Thompson, both directed by Ron Daniels together with Sight of Glory and Here Comes The Sun by Barrie Keeffe, directed by Michael Croft. By Common Consent was the first commissioned original NYT play adapted for tv, BBC One Play for Today. In 1976 he joined the NYT’s professional Dolphin Theatre Company as an acting / assistant stage manager in Romeo and Juliet.
Career
In 1978, Laurence Olivier gave him his first main professional TV part in Laurence Olivier Presents Saturday, Sunday, Monday by Eduardo de Filippo. He worked with him again in 1981 when he appeared in the first and last episodes of Brideshead Revisited in which he played Lieutenant Hooper.He played Ford Prefect in the first stage production of Douglas Adams The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy with Ken Campbell’s The Science Fiction Theatre of Liverpool. He also appeared in their 22-hour epic The Warp and The Third Policeman. Campbell introduced him to Jérôme Savary and so Hope made his first West End appearance with his musical theater company Le Grand Magic Circus in 1001 Nights at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1980.
He was Bertozzo in Accidental Death of an Anarchist UK Tour with Alfred Molina for The Belt and Braces Theatre Company directed by Gavin Richards ending at the Half Moon Theatre in London. Richards played Molina’s part when it transferred six months later to the Wyndham's Theatre West End.
In 1981, Peter Gill cast him in Don Juan and Much Ado About Nothing which started his long association with The National Theatre.
In 1984, he joined the Richard Eyre / David Hare Company playing Bill Smiley in the premiere of Pravda with Anthony Hopkins and then switching to the role of Eaton Sylvester in two extended revivals in the Olivier Theatre. This also included ensemble productions of The Government Inspector with Rik Mayall and Jim Broadbent and Tim McInnerny’s Hamlet, in which he played Horatio. He met Simon McBurney at the National Theatre Studio, where Hope helped devise and develop The Visit and Street of Crocodiles for Theatre de Complicite. 1988 saw The Visit production as part of the 'Théâtre de Complicité at the Almeida' season, before the theatre closed for refurbishment; the production was revised in collaboration with The National Theatre in the Lyttleton stage in 1991. The production was invited to Spoleto Festival USA.
In 1987, he played Salto in Handmade Films thriller Bellman and True, written and directed by Richard Loncraine, and Hull City A.F.C. fan Malcolm in Mark Herman’s comedy See You At Wembley, Frankie Walsh which won the Student Academy Award. In Piece of Cake directed by Ian Toynton he was ‘Skull’ Skelton and he played Mortimer Tundish in both series of Debbie Horsfield's comedy drama The Riff Raff Element, with Celia Imrie and Nicholas Farrell.
In 1996, he returned to the National Theatre as Pierre Bezukhov in the Shared Experience joint production of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, adapted by Helen Edmundson and directed by Nancy Meckler and Polly Teale. In 1998 he starred in another Tolstoy adaptation by Helen Edmundson, playing Levin in the Shared Experience production of Anna Karenina. Hope was Associate Director of this production which toured internationally, including runs at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Lyric Theatre. Clive Barnes of the New York Post described it as ‘One of the true highlights of a lifetime of theatre-going’.
In 2000, under coach Geoff Thompson, Hope learnt to wrestle for Jim Cartwright’s Hard Fruit at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by James Macdonald. During a performance of Hard Fruit, Hope broke his wrist when he hit a punch post that was missing its padding; he continued the run of the show with an “authentic” bandaged hand. With Mark Rylance he was one of the six actors in Mike Alfreds’ Cymbeline at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in 2001. In 2002, the Royal National Theatre staged Simon Bent's adaptation of John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany with Aidan McArdle as the title character and Hope as John Wheelwright.
Hope has been in several police dramas: Superintendent Harold Spence in Agatha Christie's Poirot, Barry Purvis for two series of Murder Investigation Team and semi-regular Rod Jesssop, the local headmaster, in The Bill.
Hope's first role in a musical was as Max Kellerman in Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre in 2010, staying for eighteen months. He played Horst Ehmke in Paul Miller’s revival in Sheffield of Michael Frayn's play Democracy, which transferred to London's Old Vic Theatre in 2012. This was the third Frayn play he had performed in having toured the UK in Donkeys' Years and Noises Off.
Hope returned to the Almeida Theatre as Gabriel York in Andrew Bovell’s When the Rain Stops Falling in 2009
Theatre work
Television roles
| Year | Television Show | Role | Other notes |
| 2019 | Casualty | Joe | |
| 2015–2019 | 5 series Poldark | Harris Pascoe | |
| 2017 | Broadchurch | Arthur Tamworth | |
| 2016 | Unforgotten | James Gregory | |
| 2015 | And Then There Were None | Inspector Maine | |
| 2014 | The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies | Exam Board Official | |
| 2014 | Father Brown | Sir St. John Pryde in episode 2.3 "Pride of the Prydes" | |
| 2013 | The Great Train Robbery | DCS Malcolm Fewtrell in "The Copper's Tale" | |
| 2013 | The Smoke | Eric Springer in "Jamais KO" | |
| 2013 | Holby City | Father Mattew Sinclair in "Journey's End" | |
| 2013 | Doctors | Sebastion Norris in "House Arrest" | |
| 2012 | Doctor Who | Bleytal in "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship" | |
| 2011 | Doctor Who | Malohkeh in "The Wedding of River Song" | |
| 2010 | Doctor Who | Malohkeh in "The Hungry Earth and Cold Blood" | |
| 2009 | Holby City | Christopher Gamble in "Running on Empty" | |
| 2008 | EastEnders | Ted Hubbard | |
| 2008 | Midsomer Murders | Neville Hayward | |
| 2006 | The Shell Seekers | George Chamberlaine | |
| 2006–2008 | Poirot | Superintendent Harold Spence | |
| 2006–2007 | The Bill | Rod Jessop | |
| 2006 | The Thieving Headmistress | Andy Pert | |
| 2006 | Wild West | Judge Spicer | |
| 2005 | Riot at the Rite | Grigoriev | |
| 2005 | Silent Witness | Dr Morrie Sanders | Episode: "Mind and Body" |
| 2005 | Doctors | Colin Wheelan | |
| 2004 | Trial of the King Killers | John Bradshaw | |
| 2004 | New Tricks | Brownlow | |
| 2004 | The Government Inspector | Richard Sambrook | |
| 2003 | Heartbeat | James Vincent | |
| 2003 | Murder City | George Collins | |
| 2003 | Murder in Suburbia | Patrick | |
| 2003–2005 | 2 series | DS Barry Purvis | |
| 2003 | Canterbury Tales | Arty's father in The Pardoner's Tale | |
| 2003 | Foyle's War | Frank Vaudrey in "Funk Hole" | |
| 2002 | Tipping the Velvet | Mr. Astley | |
| 2002 | Holby City | Roger Stapleton | |
| 2002 | Forsyte Saga | Gradman | |
| 2002 | The Bill | Russell | |
| 2002 | William and Mary | Dr Currie | |
| 2001 | McCready and Daughter | Tony Smith | |
| 2001 | A Is for Acid | Dr. Archie Henderson | |
| 2001 | Judge John Deed | Peter Taylor | |
| 2001 | High Stakes | Peter Harrison | |
| 2000 | In Deep | Dr Kingswood | |
| 2000 | Midsomer Murders | Gordon Brierley | |
| 2000 | Beef Encounter | Prosecutor | |
| 2000 | Happy Birthday Shakespeare | Colin | |
| 2000 | Rhona | Doug | |
| 1999 | Reach For The Moon | Mr Fenton | |
| 1999 | Midsomer Murders | Gordon Brierley | |
| 1998 | 2 series The Demon Headmaster | Professor Tim Dexter | |
| 1998 | Children of the New Forest | Heatherstone | |
| 1998 | Casualty | Edmund White | |
| 1997 | A Perfect State | Simon | |
| 1997 | Bramwell | Talbot | |
| 1996 | Jackanory | Storyteller | |
| 1995 | The Vet | Colin | |
| 1995 | Peak Practice | Roy Shearer | |
| 1995 | Band Of Gold | Richard | |
| 1995 | Tears Before Bedtime | Stuart | |
| 1993 | 2 series The Riff Raff Element | Mortimer Tundish | |
| 1991 | Boon | Sgt Keogh | |
| 1991 | The Bill | Dyas | |
| 1991 | Itch | Geoff | |
| 1990 | 2 series Happy Families | Mr Jump/ Captain Salt/ Mr Cash etc | |
| 1990 | Children Crossing | Tom | |
| 1989 | Frederick Forsyth Presents - Death Has a Bad Reputation | Donald Spry | |
| 1989 | Frederick Forsyth Presents - Casualty of War | Donald Spry | |
| 1989 | Victoria Wood - We'd Quite Like to Apologise | Alan Warburton | |
| 1988 | Piece of Cake | 'Skull' Skelton | |
| 1988 | Dogplant | Owen | |
| 1988 | Burning Ambition | Dick Trout | |
| 1986 | Love and Marriage - The Clinger | Alan | |
| 1984 | December Flower | Doctor | |
| 1984 | Wuffer | Wuffer | |
| 1983 | Wayne and Albert | Ambulanceman | |
| 1983 | Scene - Simulation Exercise | Exton | |
| 1981 | Brideshead Revisited | Lieutenant Hooper | |
| 1979 | Heartland | Steve | |
| 1978 | Margie and Me | Policeman | |
| 1978 | Crown Court | PC Collins | |
| 1978 | People Like Us | Teacher | |
| 1978 | Laurence Olivier Presents - Saturday Sunday Monday | Attilio | Produced by Laurence Olivier |
| 1977 | Secret Army | Sgt. Hose | |
| 1975 | By Common Consent'' | Security Official |
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Other notes | - |
| 2019 | The Village in the Woods | Charles | - | |
| 2018 | Finding Your Feet | Care home manager | - | |
| 2011 | Mr. Morgan's Last Love | American philatelist | - | |
| 2005 | Chromophobia | Simon Whitemore | - | |
| 2004 | Sergeant Pepper | Christopher Fröhlich | - | |
| 2004 | Bloom | Richard Neap | Short film | - |
| 2002 | The Honeytrap | Detective Fowler | - | |
| 2001 | My Brother Tom | Jessica's dad | - | |
| 1998 | McLibel | Judge | - | |
| 1998 | The Sea Change | Alistair | - | |
| 1995 | Feast of July | Squire Wyman | - | |
| 1995 | The Last Post | Man | BAFTA nominated for Best Short Film | |
| 1992 | Swords at Teatime | Dennis | Short film | - |
| 1990 | Antonia and Jane | Norman Beer | - | |
| 1987 | Bellman and True | Salto | - | |
| 1987 | See You At Wembley, Frankie Walsh | Malcolm | Director Mark Herman won Oscar for Best Short Film | |
| 1985 | Plenty | Alistair | - | |
| 1984 | Singleton's Pluck | Hubert | - | |
| 1984 | Scandalous | Young Detective | - | |
| 1981 | The French Lieutenant's Woman | Third Assistant Director | - | |
| 1980 | Bloody Kids | Policeman #2 | - | |
| 1980 | Breaking Glass | Audition musician | - |
Audio work
| Year | Production | Character | Company | - | - |
| 2018 | Dr Who - Shellshock | General Reinhardt | Big Finish | - | |
| 2017 | Letters to the Lady Upstairs by Marcel Proust | Narrator | Harper Collins | - | |
| 2016 | Survivors - Series 5.2 - New Blood | Silus Broome | Big Finish | - | |
| 2016 | Dr Who - Doom Coalition 3 - Absent Friends | Phillip Cook | Big Finish | Won BBC Audio Drama Award 2017 | |
| 2015 | Dr Who - Early Adventures - The Bounty of Ceres | Moreland | Big Finish | - | |
| 2015 | Counter Measures - Series 4 | William Heaton | Big Finish | - | |
| 2015 | Dr Who - Damaged Goods | Harry Harvey | Big Finish | - | |
| 2014 | Counter Measures - Series 3 | William Heaton, Mason | Big Finish | - | |
| 2014 | Avengers - Lost Episodes - Volume 2 | Kollakis | Big Finish | - | |
| 2013 | Chronicles of AIT-The Lotos Effect | Len, Paul the Vicar | Fiction Factory / BBC | - | - |
| 2013 | 41 Rue Monge | Narrator | Christine Hall / BBC 4 | - | - |
| 2012 | Chronicles of AIT-The Saxon Stones | Thurgis | Fiction Factory / BBC | - | - |
| 2009 | Ruth | Guardian, Thomas, Mr. Jones | First Writes | - | - |
| 2007 | Man in the Water | Narrator | Pier Productions/BBC | - | - |
| 2005 | Murder on the Leviathan | Dr. Truffo | Goldhawk Essential Productions | - | - |
| 2004 | Woman in Black | Jerome | Fiction Factory | - | - |
| 2004 | What Hetty Did | Mr. Bertwistle | First Writes | - | - |
| 2002 | Diary of a Provincial Lady | The Husband | Watchmaker Productions | - | - |
| 1997 | To the Wedding | BBC / Theatre de Complicite | - | - | |
| 1996 | The Constant Prince | Don Juan de Silva | BBC | - | - |
| 1995 | People Like Us'' | The Vicar | BBC | - | - |