Edward Hibbert

Edward Hibbert, born September 9, 1955, on Long Island, New York, is an American-born British actor and literary agent. The son of English actor Geoffrey Hibbert, he was raised in England and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before returning to the United States in the mid-1980s. He has one sister.

Hibbert's stage career spans Broadway, major regional theatre, and television work from 1982 through 2015. His early screen work included a starring role as Faulconbridge in the BBC's 1984 production of The Life and Death of King John. In 1993, he received an Obie Award for his co-starring performance as Sterling in Paul Rudnick's Jeffrey. His portrayal of Frederick Fellows/Philip Brent in the National Theatre revival of Noises Off, presented at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, drew notice from critics. On Broadway, his credits include The Drowsy Chaperone, the 2007 premiere of Curtains, Mrs. Warren's Profession, It Shoulda Been You, and Something Rotten. The 2007 production of Curtains reunited him with Frasier co-star David Hyde Pierce, as did the 2015 musical It Shoulda Been You, on which Pierce served as director. His 2010 Broadway appearance in the Roundabout Theatre's production of Mrs. Warren's Profession, starring Cherry Jones, cast him as Mr. Praed, the architect. In 2019, he appeared in the Hollywood Bowl production of Into the Woods as the Narrator.

Hibbert is perhaps most widely recognized for his recurring television role as Gil Chesterton, the restaurant critic on the long-running series Frasier, a role he later reprised in 2024. He also guest-starred on Cosby, Murder, She Wrote, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. His film appearances include The First Wives Club, The Prestige, and Taking Woodstock. As a voice actor, he provided the voice of Evil the Cat on the Earthworm Jim animated series and succeeded Rowan Atkinson as the voice of Zazu in Timon & Pumbaa, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, and The Lion King 1½.

Beyond performing, Hibbert worked as a literary agent and was a partner at the now-defunct agency Donadio & Olson, Inc. His clients included Chuck Palahniuk, Christopher Bram, Steven DeRosa, and Ed Sikov, and he represented film rights for properties including Fight Club and Gods and Monsters. In 2018, it was revealed that the agency's accountant, Darin Webb, had embezzled more than three million dollars from clients and author estates, among them the estate of Mario Puzo. Palahniuk was among the most severely affected, having been nearly bankrupted. Hibbert stated he had no knowledge of the theft, though clients reported having raised financial concerns with the agency over time. The Authors Guild urged clients to pursue litigation against Hibbert and his partner Neil Olson. Hibbert has since remained outside the literary world.