Chips Hardy

Biography

Chips Hardy is an English Novelist, Play writer, comedian and screenwriter. He is most known for co-creating the British period drama Taboo with his son Tom Hardy.

[ young Chips Hardy]

Family

Parents

Edward John "Chips" Hardy was born on 23rd January 1950 in Ealing, West London, the United Kingdom to Edward Thomas Hardy(Father) (worked at the London port) & Patricia Hardy(Mother)- a deputy headmistress.

Wife

Chips is married to artist and painter Elizabeth Ann Barrett (aka Ann Hardy). She is of Irish ancestry.

[Chips Hardy family: Son Tom Hardy, wife Anne Hardy, daughter-in-law Charlotte Riley]

Son- Tom Hardy

Tom Hardy was born Edward Thomas Hardy on 15th September 1977 in Hammersmith, London, England to Anne Barrett and Chips Hardy.

Tom is an Oscar-nominated (for The Revenant (2015)) actor, producer, and writer with more than 80 various award nominations against his name. He is awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to drama.

Tom is known for playing roles such as Eames in Inception(2010), Bane in The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Ivan Locke in Locke(2013), Max Rockatansky in Mad Max: Fury Road(2015).

Tom has three sons, eldest son Louis with his ex Rachael Speed born in 2008. Two sons named Leo & Forrest with his wife Charlotte Riley born in 2015 and 2019.

Tom and Chips have collaborated on various projects. The father and son duo seems to be very close. Chips and Tom have worked in the super popular British TV series "Taboo" of 2017, both co-wrote and produced the series. Chips has penned the play "Blue on Blue" for Tom's production company.

[Chips Hardy with son Tom Hardy]

Grandsons

Chips has three grandsons through his son Tom:

• Louis Hardy (born in 2008)
• Leo Hardy (born in 2013)
• Forrest Hardy (born in 2019)

Filmography

Love of Words(2018)

Chips worked as an executive producer in the short drama "Love of Words" written and directed by Katharine Collins. It starred Charles Dance, Vivien Reid, Matthew Marrs in the lead cast.

The tagline "Words are Weapons. Carry the Right Ones with You" suggests a theme based on wordplay

Taboo(2017)

Chips wrote and produced the Mystery Thriller Drama "Taboo" along with his son Tom Hardy. The series stars Tom Hardy, David Hayman, Jonathan Pryce in the cast.

Chips and Tom had developed the story together for Taboo back in 2009, Chips developed the story based on an idea given by Tom.

The story is about an adventurer named James Keziah Delaney who returns home to London from the 1812 war and tries to build his father's shipping empire.

The first season was aired in 2017, it had eight episodes. It was a huge success (also well received by the critics) with a brilliant 8.4 rating on IMDB from more than 100k+ votes. The second season is planned for 2020.

Dave Allen(1993-94)

Chips worked as an additional material writer for Dave Allen in Dave Allen's show. Ian Davidson, Kevin Day, Penny Hallowes, Nick Revell, Peter Vincent were the other writers. It was a sitdown show filmed at the Mermaid Theatre in London where Dave Allen joked about everyday life, with a special love for religion.

The series had 7 episodes. Not are which episodes had contributions of Chips Hardy.

About Face(1989)

Chips co-wrote the episode "Gracie" in the comedy series "About Face" starring Maureen Lipman, Phyllida Law, Diana Weston with John Henderson (the director of the episode)

The show had 12 episodes, Maureen Lipman played a different leading role in each of the episode with varied casting each time. The showcased her acting skills

Helping Henry(1988)

Chips worked as the main writer in all the six episodes of the series "Helping Henry" along with ohn Henderson. It was directed by Philip Casson and starred Miranda Borman, Ian Harris, Jeremy Hardy, Richard Vernon in the cast.

The plot is about an alien coming to Earth, disguising as a chair and checking out to send reports back to the alien planet Holgon.

Facts & Trivia

• Writing career: Over the period Chips has written for TV Series/ shows, movies, Novels, standup comedy among other forms.
• Blue on Blue: a comic play written by Chips and played in London in 2007, It has been played at the Tristan Bates, British Limbless Ex-serviceman’s Association
• There's Something In The Fridge that Wants To Kill Me: a one-woman dysfunctional Cabaret written by Chips in 2008, it was played at the Edinburgh Festival
• He was the first firefighter of the family to get a graduation degree. He comes from a long line of firefighters.
• He has worked as an editor of a poetry magazine.
• Chips Hardy was an English scholar at Cambridge.
• Tragedy survivor: He has survived machetes in Guadalupe & bomb attacks in Gaza.
• Some got the name 'chips' confused for the pet dog of Tom Hardy, most people were not aware that Tom's father was named Chips.
• Creative Director: Chips is an award-winning Creative Director.
• Family of Edwards: Every man in Chips' family is apparently named Edwards. Chips' grandfather is Edward Egmore Hardy, father- Edward Thomas Hardy, himself named Edward John Hardy and his son- Edward Thomas Hardy.

Career

Blue on Blue

A play written by Chips for his son Tom Hardy in 2006. The play was written for the underground theatre company Tom created with director Robert Delamere. The play was directed by Robert Delamere.

The dark humor comedy was first showcased in 2007 at the Latchmere 503, London. In 2016, the play was played at the Tristan Bates Theater in London in association with the British Limbless Ex-serviceman’s Association (BLESMA)

Each Day A Small Victory

Chips published a novel titled "Each Day a Small Victory" on September 1, 2009. Oscar Grillo illustrated the graphics.

It is a black humor story of an ermine named Max that struggles with injustices in life. Max has a reputation as a rabid psychopath who has been instigating violence. But Max wants to set the record straight and feels he doesn't deserve the reputation.

Awards

Quotes

• A good play can point things out without having to wave a flag
• When you have had enough of the world because you can't necessarily swipe at it or do anything to it, we make ourselves miserable, we harm ourselves.
• I have got a very creative household. We've always been a very creative household