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Edward Hibbert

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Edward Hibbert
Hibbert in 2007
Born (1955-09-09) September 9, 1955 (age 69)
Long Island, New York, U.S.
CitizenshipUnited States
United Kingdom
EducationRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupations
Years active1977–present
FatherGeoffrey Hibbert
Websitewww.edwardhibbert.com Edit this at Wikidata

Edward Hibbert (born September 9, 1955) is an American-born British actor and literary agent. He played Gil Chesterton in the TV series Frasier, later reprising the role in 2024. He also voiced Zazu in several installments in The Lion King franchise, replacing Rowan Atkinson who voiced Zazu in the first movie.

Early life

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Hibbert was born on Long Island, New York, the son of English actor Geoffrey Hibbert. He has one sister.[1] He was raised in England, where he attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He returned to the US in the mid-1980s.

Career

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Acting career

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Hibbert had a starring role as Faulconbridge in the BBC's production of The Life and Death of King John, published in 1984. He has appeared on Broadway and in major regional theatre productions,[2] worked in television as a series regular and guest star and also had roles in major films.[2] In 1993 he won an Obie Award for his co-starring role of "Sterling" in Paul Rudnick's Jeffrey.[3] His "Frederick Fellows/Philip Brent" in the National Theatre revival of Noises Off (presented at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre) was called "delightfully discombobulated" by one reviewer.[4] Hibbert was in the Broadway musicals The Drowsy Chaperone and the 2007 premiere of Curtains (which reunited him with his Frasier co-star David Hyde Pierce). He appeared on Broadway as "Mr. Praed" (the architect) in Roundabout Theatre's 2010 production of Mrs. Warren's Profession starring Cherry Jones.[5] He appeared on Broadway in the new musical It Shoulda Been You in 2015, again working with David Hyde Pierce, this time with Pierce as the director. He appeared in the 2019 Hollywood Bowl production of Into the Woods playing the Narrator.[6]

He guest-starred on TV shows including Cosby, Murder, She Wrote and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit[7] but is probably best known for his recurring role on Frasier as Gil Chesterton, KACL's haughty, effeminate restaurant critic.

As a voice actor, Hibbert has been the voice of Evil the Cat on the Earthworm Jim TV series, and the voice of Zazu in Timon & Pumbaa, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride and in The Lion King 1½, replacing Rowan Atkinson, who voiced him in the original film. His appearances in films include The Prestige, Taking Woodstock, and The First Wives Club.[2]

Literary work

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He is also a literary agent and was partner in the now-defunct literary agency Donadio & Olson, Inc. He has authors Chuck Palahniuk, Christopher Bram, Steven DeRosa, and Ed Sikov among his clients[5] and has also represented film rights for Fight Club and Gods and Monsters plus others.[8][9]

In 2018 it was revealed that Hibbert and his partner, Neil Olson, had ignored complaints from clients about missing or late payments, which ultimately led to the discovery that the accountant, under their purview, had embezzled more than $3 million from clients and estates of authors, including Mario Puzo. The author most affected was bestselling author Chuck Palahniuk, who was nearly bankrupted.[10] While Hibbert maintained he knew nothing at all of this, writers with the agency revealed that they had long voiced concerns about their finances. James Curtis, who was represented by Olson for a number of years and sold four books with the agent (including the Pantheon-published 2015 title William Cameron Menzies), said his initial interaction with the bookkeeper, Darin Webb, led him to believe he was dealing with a case of negligence. Theft, Curtis said, was not on his radar. He noted that after contacting Webb repeatedly about a check for a "piddly sum of money" that had gone missing, he just assumed "Darin was incompetent." Adding that he "always had problems dealing with Webb," Curtis said he "brought Neil in" but that "Neil had a hands-off" policy in dealing with his bookkeeper.

The Authors Guild has urged clients to continue with litigation against Hibbert and Olson. Neil Olson is working again as an agent with Massie & McQuilkin, but Hibbert has remained out of the literary world.[11]

Personal life

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Hibbert is gay.[12][13] In a 2001 interview, he said that he had not come out to his family, but had not felt it necessary: "I think in England it's not the same. It's unspoken but understood."[14] In a 2014 interview, he said "Being gay for me in Hollywood was not a problem. Someone once said, 'An Englishman and a homosexual is a distinction without a difference.' Everyone thinks all Englishmen are gay... "[15]

Acting credits

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1982 Britannia Hospital Theatre Surgeon
1994 The Paper Jerry
1996 Loch Ness Scientist Uncredited[citation needed]
The First Wives Club Maurice
Everyone Says I Love You Harry Winston Salesman
1997 Hudson River Blues Yago
1998 The Lion King II: Simba's Pride Zazu Voice, direct-to-video
2000 It Had to Be You Stanley Uncredited[citation needed]
2001 Friends & Family Richard Grayson
2002 Dummy Unemployed Actor
2003 Uptown Girls Christies' Rep
2004 The Lion King 1½ Zazu Voice, direct-to-video
Fakers Gordon Fisher
A Different Loyalty Sir Michael Strickland
2006 The Prestige Ackerman
2008 Fall Down a School Raphael Voice
2009 I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell Professor
2013 Seven Psychopaths Raphael Voice
2016 Youth in Oregon Audubon Expert
2017 The Wilde Wedding TV Host
2018 Mary Poppins Returns Mary Poppins' Parrot Umbrella Voice

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1991 The Diamond Brothers: South by South East Sotheby's assistant Episode: "The Tsar's Feast"
1994 Murder, She Wrote Philip Jovey Episode: "Portrait of Death"
1994 Columbo Bramley Kahn Episode: "Undercover"
1994–2004 Frasier Gil Chesterton Recurring role, 29 episodes
1995 The Nanny Claude Episode: "The Chatterbox"
1995 Married... with Children Dr. Richelieu Episode: "Love Conquers Al"
1995–1996 Earthworm Jim Evil the Cat Voice, 15 episodes
1996–1999 Timon & Pumbaa Zazu Voice, 4 episodes
1998–1999 Fantasy Island Harry Main role, 13 episodes
2005 Once Upon a Mattress The Wizard Television Film
2006 Gilmore Girls Randall Episode: "Merry Fisticuffs"
2010 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Nigel Prestwick Episode: "Shadow"
2012 Partners Lyle Episode: "Troubled Water"
2013 Ambassadors Equerry Episode: "The Prince's Trousers"
2016 2 Broke Girls Bernard Episode: "And the Coming Out Party"
2017 Search Party Bing Episode: "Paralysis"

Episode: "Hysteria"

2019 Grace and Frankie Laramie Episode: "The Ceremony"
2019 Blue Bloods Milton Vance Episode: "Two-Faced"
2024 Frasier Gil Chesterton Episode: "Thank You, Dr. Crane"

Theatre

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Year Title Role Notes
1993 Jeffrey Sterling / Man No. 5 in Bed
1994 Lady in the Dark Russell Paxton / Beekman / Minstrel / Father of the Bride / Ringmaster Encores!
2001 Noises Off Freddie Fellowes / Philip Brent Broadway
2006 The Drowsy Chaperone Underling
2007 Curtains Christopher Belling
2010 Anyone Can Whistle Comptroller Schub Encores!
Mrs. Warren's Profession Mr. Praed Broadway
2015 It Shoulda Been You Albert
2015–2017 Something Rotten! Lord Clapham / Master of the Justice
2019 Into the Woods The Narrator Hollywood Bowl

Video games

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Year Title Role Notes
2011 Star Wars: The Old Republic Lt. Talos Drellik Voice role

References

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  1. ^ "Edward Hibbert Biography" filmreference.com. Retrieved November 13, 2011
  2. ^ a b c "Edward Hibbert (Cue & A)". Playbill. October 19, 2010. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  3. ^ King, Susan (November 2, 1993). "'Jeffrey' Scene-Stealer Making the L.A. Scene". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 19, 2010.
  4. ^ Sommer, Elyse (November 7, 2001). "Noises Off returns to the Piccadilly Theatre, London to celebrate its twenty first birthday". CurtainUp. Retrieved October 19, 2010.
  5. ^ a b Kaufman, Joanne (September 10, 2010). "Mr. Hibbert's Professions". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 19, 2010.
  6. ^ Musbach, Julie (July 11, 2019). "Edward Hibbert, Tamyra Gray, and More Join Cast of Hollywood Bowl's INTO THE WOODS". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  7. ^ Blank, Matthew (19 October 2010). "Playbill.com's Cue & A: Mrs. Warren's Profession's Edward Hibbert". Playbill. Archived from the original on 21 October 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  8. ^ "Donadio & Olson(Agents)". Donadio & Olson, Inc. Retrieved October 19, 2010.
  9. ^ Milliot |, Jim (2018). "Donadio & Olson Files for Bankruptcy". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  10. ^ Albanese |, Andrew (2018). "Bookkeeper Gets Two Year Sentence for Scheme that Destroyed Donadio & Olson". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  11. ^ Deahl |, Rachel. "Reverberations Continue in Donadio & Olson Embezzlement Scandal". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  12. ^ "That Gay Episode: 'Frasier' Is Gay Comedy by Gay People Starring Straight Characters". Decider. June 12, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  13. ^ "Since Coming Out Is In, A Guide for the TV Audience". The New York Times. February 23, 1997. p. E7. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  14. ^ Glitz, Michael (December 25, 2001). "Hibbert On". The Advocate. p. 64. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  15. ^ Nunn, Jerry (May 7, 2014). "Musicals: 'The hills are alive' with Edward Hibbert". Windy City Times. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
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