Leslie Hardcastle Obituary – Death: British Industry Veteran And Former BFI Controller Died At 96, Cause Of Death

Leslie Hardcastle, a veteran of the British film industry and former controller of the British Film Institute (BFI), has passed away at the age of 96. Hardcastle was born into an artistic family in Croydon, South London in 1926 and began his career in film production at British Lion Films before serving in the Navy.

After leaving the Navy, Hardcastle joined the BFI, where he was initially responsible for procuring film supplies for the BFI’s National Film Theatre (NFT) on London’s Southbank. He later oversaw the operations of the NFT for many years, including during the establishment of the London Film Festival and the construction of NFT2, the BFI’s second operational screen on site, along with a new restaurant.

In addition, Hardcastle played a key role in the creation of the Museum of the Moving Image in London, which was dedicated to the history of cinema and filmmaking technology. Although the museum was opened by Prince Charles in September 1988, it was later temporarily shut down in 1999 before closing permanently in 2002.

After retiring in the 1990s, Hardcastle continued to serve as a consultant for the BFI, and he was later recognized for his contributions to the film industry with an OBE, a Fellowship of the BFI, and a BAFTA for lifetime achievement in 1989.

Beyond his work in cinema, Hardcastle was involved in a number of social organizations and societies. He was a founding member of the Soho Housing Association in central London and served as Honorary President of the Soho Society, a community association for the London district of Soho. Robin Baker, Head Curator at the British Film Institute, paid tribute to Hardcastle’s many accomplishments and expressed his sadness at the news of his passing.