Mr. Hawthorne was an accomplished actor. Here is a brief bio on

Wikipedia:

Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne, CBE (5 April 1929 – 26 December 2001) was an English actor, perhaps best remembered for his role as Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Permanent Secretary in the 1980s sitcom Yes Minister and the Cabinet Secretary in its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister. For this role he won four BAFTA Awards during the 1980s in the 'Best Light Entertainment Performance' Category. In the 1990s he won two more BAFTAs, one as Best TV Actor for The Fragile Heart, and one as Best Film Actor for The Madness of King George. His role in the latter garnered him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He was also an Olivier Award and Tony Award winner for his work in the theatre.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Hawthorne