David Hargreaves (born 2 February 1940) is an English actor, active on stage and screen, as well as radio drama, he is best known for his television drama roles in the 1970s and 1980s set in the north of England, and as a presenter on BBC children's television of the same period.

Early life

Hargreaves was born in New Mills, Derbyshire, and attended Glossop Grammar School (became Glossopdale School in 1965).^[1] He trained as a science teacher, at City of Leeds Training College, and at the Central School of Speech and Drama.

Career

Hargreaves worked as a supply teacher at Rising Hill Comprehensive School in Islington, before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company to play in the first The Wars of the Roses Cycle of plays in 1963/65. He played Hotspur in Henry IV part 1 and Leontes in A Winters Tale for the North East Shakespeare Festival run by Joseph O'Connor in 1965, before joining Olivier's National Theatre, appearing in Much Ado about Nothing, Mother Courage, The Crucible, Royal Hunt of the Sun, Love for Love, Othello, The Storm, A Flea in Her Ear and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. After an extensive career in repertory theatre, television and radio, he returned to the RSC in 2004 to play Capulet in Romeo and Juliet in Peter Gill's production, and as Gloucester in Bill Alexander's production of King Lear to Corin Redgrave's Lear.

Returned to the RSC in 2008/09 to play Baptista Minola in The Taming of the Shrew, directed, by Conal Morrison, and as Man in The Cordelia Dream, written by Marina Carr, directed by Selina Cartmell, for the RSC at Wilton's Music Hall. In 2005 he returned to the National Theatre in a co-production with the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, to play Charlie in On the Shore of the Wide World. In 2011 he played God in Tony Harrison's, The Mysteries, directed by Deborah Bruce, and in 2012 played the King of France/Nym/Erpingham, in Dominic Dromgoole's production of Henry V, both at Shakespeare's Globe. 2015 he played Giles Corey in The Crucible, and in 2016, Gloucester in King Lear, both directed by Tom Morris at the Bristol Old Vic. In 2022 he appeared in Moira Buffini's play,"Manor"at the National Theatre, Lyttleton, directed by Fiona Buffini

Theatre credits

Radio credits

The Tempest, Prospero, dir Sean Hagarty, Shakespeare@

• 2021, Richard II, John O'Gaunt dir Sean Hagarty, Shakespeare@
• 2019, The Archers - Alf Grundy, BBC R4
• 2012, The Archers – Arthur, prod. Julie Beckett BBC R4; Together- Reader, prod. Andrew Barnes BBC R4; Truman and Riley – Charlie, prod. Toby Swift, BBC R4;
• 2010, The Ladies Delight- Narrator, prod. Charlotte Riches, Woman's Hour Serial BBC R4; The Archers – Joseph Hastings, Editor Vanessa Whitburn, BBC R4; Siege – Jack, prod. Susan Roberts BBC R4; The Journey – Alan, prod. Nadia Molinari BBC R4;
• 2009, Boswell's Life of Johnson – Garrick/King George, prod. Claire Groves BBC R4; Choice of Straws – Dad, prod. Claire Groves, BBC R4; Edward II – Lancaster/Matrevis prod. Jessica Dromgoole BBC R4; From Fact to Fiction: Parliament of Rooks- Poet, prod. Peter Leslie Wilde, BBC R4; How are you Feeling Alf -Michael, prod. Peter Kavanagh BBC R4; Incident at Boulonvilliers – Arthur, prod. David Hunter BBC R4; Leaving:Vaclav Havel – Oswald Knobloch, prod., Marion Nancarrow, BBC R4; Rappacinni's Daughter – Baglioni, prod. Abigal le Fleming BBC R4; The Hairy Ape – Guard, prod. Toby Swift, BBC R4; The Last Tsar – Lord Stanfordham, prod. Jeremy Mortimer BBC R4; The Long Room- Reader prod. Laurence Grissel, BBC R4; The Looking Glass War – Woodford, prod. Marc Beeby BBC R4; The Milk Race – Fox Man, prod. Toby Swift, BBC R4; Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy, – Roy Bland prod. Steven Canny BBC R$; Towards Zero – Treeves prod. Mary Peate BBC R4;
• 2008, Look Sharp – Ted, prod. Nadia Molinari BBC R4;
• 2007, Second Chance – Jim, prod. Nadia Molinari BBC R4;
• 2006 Tin Man – Grandad/Tinker prod. Nadia Molinari BBC R4; Out of Season – George, prod Carrie Rooney BBC R4; Heft Like the Herdwick – Thomas, prod Nadia Molinari BBC R4; Alf Said I was Great – Len, prod Peter Leslie Wilde BBC R4; GBA were M'esin – The Man, prod. Polly James BBC R4; Good Times Roll – Guy, prod. Steven Canny, BBC R3;
• 2005, Gunpowder Women – Father Garnet, prod. BBC R4; The Waterloo Model – Narrator prod. Peter Lelie Wilde BBC R4; Portrait – Phil, prod. David Hunter BBC R4;
• 2004, The English Garden – Poetry Reader, prod. Gabi Fisher BBC R4;
• 2003, The Worcester Pilgrim – William Sutton, prod. Vanessa Whiitburn/Peter Leslie Wilde BBC R4;
• 2002, Scrooge Blues – Ebenezer Scrooge, prod. Peter Leslie Wilde BBC R4; The Really Rough Holiday Guide – Old Tom, prod. Sally Avens BBC R4; Glorious John – John, prod. Peter Leslie Wilde BBC R4;
• 2001, The Tailor of Gloucester – The Tailor, prod, Jonquil Ponting BBC R4; The Rainbow Bridge – David Williams, prod. Peter Leslie Wilde BBC R4;

Personal life

He married in 1966 in Buckinghamshire, to actress Chloe Ashcroft, whom he met at the National Theatre. They live in Whiteshill and Ruscombe in Gloucestershire and have a son (born 1968) and daughter (born April 1971).

References

External links

• David Hargreaves at IMDb
• Portrait