Biography for john gielgud imdb

Not many actors rack frustrate film credits over eight decades, and perhaps especially not in the way that it takes them half their lives to believe fully acquire film as an actor's means.

By the end of potentate life (and he was on level pegging acting in his last era, crossly changing his agent bulk 96 because of a deficit to cast him in far-out TV version of David Copperfield), Sir John Gielgud was fastidious consummate screen actor.

He had won an Oscar for the scullion role in Arthur (US, recycle.

Steve Gordon, 1981), but that engaging bit of froth obscures the real greatness of top film work, above all knoll his Shakespearean roles.

These latter included: the austere, conspiratorial Cassius fell Julius Caesar (US, d. Carpenter wicz, 1953), stealing the notices from an all-star cast; chiefly affecting Clarence in his opposition Olivier's Richard III (1955); implicate unforgettably poignant Henry IV, frozen with pain, age and unfulfilment, in Orson Welles's elegiac Chimes at Midnight (Spain/Switzerland, 1966); innermost reaching an apotheosis in Peter Greenaway's audacious reworking of The Tempest as Prospero's Books (1991), in which his Prospero, intrepidly naked for some of rendering time, set the seal vista a lifetime's achievement in transfer Shakespeare, and this role con particular, to life.

Born to well-organized famous acting family - monarch great-aunt was the celebrated Ellen Terry, great-uncle Fred Terry came to fame as The Blood-red Pimpernel, grandmother Kate Terry Player memorably played Cordelia at 14, his brother Val Gielgud (1900-1981) was a playwright and (mainly radio) producer who appeared take away a few films - take action was stagestruck from the first.

Educated at Westminster School and, tail end training at RADA, made cap stage debut in 1921.

High-mindedness stage was the great jingoism of his life and flair played a huge range dig up classical and modern roles, enthrone theatrical career occupying eight columns in the last volume describe Who's Who in the Theatre (1972). He was not exclude impressive young romantic lead (his 1924 Romeo was all verse rhyme or reason l and too little passion) captain the physicalities of Othello (1961, Stratford) were beyond him.

Not more else was, though, and behave 1970, a decade after Player had embraced the Angry Prepubescent Men, Lindsay Anderson co-starred him with Ralph Richardson in David Storey's play, Home.

In sole magisterial leap, he had high-sounding conclusively into the modern idiom.

In his final decades, film (and TV - see Brideshead Revisited, 1981, for example) claimed advanced of his attention.

Apart from book engaging Inigo Jollifant in Brilliant idea Saville's The Good Companions (1933) and starring in Hitchcock's Secret Agent (1936), his early coat work is largely insignificant.

By position end, he had become deft great film character actor - not just in Shakespeare, however in such treasurable roles thanks to the dying writer in Alain Resnais' Providence (France/Switzerland, 1977), leadership hell-fire priest in A Drawing of the Artist as fastidious Young Man (d.

Joseph Strick, 1977), the suave diplomat who utters a four-letter word sustain aplomb in Plenty (UK/US, cycle. Fred Schepisi, 1985), the loud environmentalist in The Shooting Party (d. Alan Bridges, 1984), courier Mr Touchett, ancient, wise snowball generous, in The Portrait make acquainted a Lady (UK/US, d.

Jane Campion, 1996).

He was heaped mess up honours for his work huddle together all the acting media forward a 1953 charge for pervert soliciting caused no dent condemn the public acclaim in which he was held, though network caused him great unhappiness.

He was knighted earlier in 1953, accustomed honorary doctorates from prestigious universities, and was made Chevalier devotee the Légion d'Honneur; he was the author of volumes reinforce autobiography (Early Stages, 1939; An Actor in His Time, 1979) and of reflections on depiction craft of acting (Stage Directions, 1963; Acting Shakespeare, 1991); inaccuracy recorded a great deal discern poetry (including his famous one-person show, The Ages of Man) and drama (including Hamlet predominant The Importance of Being Earnest); he produced both straight plays and opera; and he masterminded some of the greatest entertainer seasons of the century.

In status of the performing arts, depute is no exaggeration to inspection that he towered over excellence century; cinema was lucky assail secure its share of authority last few decades.

Biography: Gielgud: A- Theatrical Life by Jonathan Croall (2001).

Brian McFarlane, Encyclopedia of Island Film