Sir John Gielgud
photo by Carl Van Vechten, 1936
Born	Arthur John Gielgud 14 April 1904(1904-04-14) South Kensington, London, England
Died	21 May 2000 (aged 96) Wotton Underwood, Buckinghamshire, England
Years active	1924–2000
Awards won Academy Awards Best Supporting Actor 1981 Arthur BAFTA Awards Best Actor 1953 Julius Caesar Best Supporting Actor 1974 Murder on the Orient Express 1992 Academy Fellowship Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie 1991 Summer's Lease Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture 1982 Arthur Best Supporting Actor - Miniseries 1989 War and Remembrance Grammy Awards Best Spoken Word, Documentary or Drama Recording 1979 Ages of Man - Recordings from Shakespeare Laurence Olivier Awards Special Award 1986 Lifetime Achievement Tony Awards Outstanding Foreign Company 1948 The Importance of Being Earnest Special Award 1959 Ages of Man Best Director - Drama 1961 Big Fish, Little Fish Other Awards NYFCC Award for Best Supporting Actor 1981 Arthur NYFCC Award Best Actor 1977 Providence

Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH (14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000), known as Sir John Gielgud, was an English theatre and film actor particularly known for his warm expressive voice, which his colleague Sir Alec Guinness likened to "a silver trumpet muffled in silk." ^[1][2] Gielgud is a member of the short list of entertainers with the distinction of having won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Carl Van Vechten (June 17, 1880 – December 21, 1964) was an American writer and photographer who was a patron of the Harlem Renaissance and the literary executor of Gertrude Stein. ... is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (see link for calendar). ... The junction with Old Brompton Road and Pelham Street, outside South Kensington tube station. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Buckinghamshire (abbreviated Bucks) is one of the home counties in South East England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is one of the awards given to male actors working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... Arthur is a 1981 film which tells the story of drunken playboy millionaire Arthur Bach (Dudley Moore), who was on the brink of an arranged marriage to a wealthy heiress, Susan Johnson (Jill Eikenberry). ... BAFTA Award The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organisation that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role has been presented to its winners since 1952 and actors of all nationalities are eligible to receive the award. ... Julius Caesar is a 1953 film based upon the William Shakespeare play Julius Caesar. ... In the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role actors of all nationalities are eligible to receive the award. ... Murder on the Orient Express is a 1974 feature film directed by Sidney Lumet and based on the 1934 novel Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organization that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ... An Emmy Award. ... This is a list of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie winners: 1974: William Holden - The Blue Knight 1975: Peter Falk - Columbo 1976: Hal Holbrook - Sandburgs Lincoln 1977: Christopher Plummer - The Moneychangers 1978: Michael Moriarty - Holocaust 1979: Peter Strauss - The Jericho... Summers Lease is a British televison miniseries first shown in 1989. ... The Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and television programs, given out each year during a formal dinner. ... Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in 1944 for a performance in a motion picture released in the previous year. ... Arthur is a 1981 film which tells the story of drunken playboy millionaire Arthur Bach (Dudley Moore), who was on the brink of an arranged marriage to a wealthy heiress, Susan Johnson (Jill Eikenberry). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album has been awarded since 1959. ... The Laurence Olivier Awards, previously known as The Society of West End Theatre Awards, were renamed in honour of British actor Laurence Olivier, Baron Olivier in 1984, having first been established in 1976. ... The Laurence Olivier Awards, previously known as The Society of West End Theatre Awards, were renamed in honour of British actor Laurence Olivier, Baron Olivier in 1984, having first been established in 1976. ... The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American theatre and are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League [1] at an annual ceremony in New York City. ... For other uses, see The Importance of Being Earnest (disambiguation). ... Ages of Man is a one-man play performed by John Gielgud of a collection of speeches in Shakespeares plays. ... The Tony Award for Best Direction has been given since 1947. ... The New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award given by the New York Film Critics Circle, honoring the finest achievements in filmmaking. ... Arthur is a 1981 film which tells the story of drunken playboy millionaire Arthur Bach (Dudley Moore), who was on the brink of an arranged marriage to a wealthy heiress, Susan Johnson (Jill Eikenberry). ... The New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor is one of the awards given by the New York Film Critics Circle to honor the finest achievements in filmmaking. ... Providence may mean: Divine Providence Providence College in Rhode Island, USA Providence, television series Providence, a 1977 film Providence, a 1991 film starring Keanu Reeves Providence, 1970s-era Providence may also refer to: Providence, Rhode Island (in Providence County) Providence, Alabama Providence, Kentucky Providence, New York It is also the... The Order of Merit is a British and Commonwealth Order bestowed by the Monarch. ... The Order of the Companions of Honour is a British and Commonwealth Order (decoration). ... is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (see link for calendar). ... is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ... Sir Alec Guinness CH, CBE (2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an Academy Award and Tony Award-winning English actor. ... List of people who have won an Emmy (Primetime), a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award. ... An Emmy Award. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American theatre and are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League [1] at an annual ceremony in New York City. ...

Career

Arthur John Gielgud was born in South Kensington in London to a Protestant mother, Kate Terry, and a Catholic father, Frank Gielgud, and was raised a Protestant. Gielgud had a head start in the theatrical profession, being a great nephew of Dame Ellen Terry. His elder brother was Val Gielgud who was a pioneering influence in BBC Radio. His niece is Maina Gielgud, dancer and one time artistic director of The Australian Ballet and the Royal Danish Ballet. The junction with Old Brompton Road and Pelham Street, outside South Kensington tube station. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Dame Ellen Terry, GBE (February 27, 1848 – July 21, 1928) was an English stage actress. ... Val Henry Gielgud (born April 28, 1900 in London, England, UK; died November 30, 1981 in London, England, UK) was a English actor, writer, director and broadcaster. ... BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. ... The Australian Ballet was founded in 1962. ... The Royal Danish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet troupes in Europe. ...

Early stages

After Westminster School, where he gained a King's Scholarship, Gielgud trained at RADA and had his initial success as a stage actor in classical roles, first winning stardom during a successful two seasons at the Old Vic Theatre from 1929 to 1931 where his performances as Richard II and Hamlet were particularly acclaimed, the latter being the first Old Vic production to be transferred to the West End for a run. He returned to the role of Hamlet in a famous production under his own direction in 1934 at the New Theatre in the West End, was hailed as a Broadway star in Guthrie McClintic's production in which Lillian Gish played Ophelia in 1936 (and which was assisted by a rival staging starring Leslie Howard that opened shortly afterwards and failed badly by comparison), a 1939 production that Gielgud again directed that was the last play performed at Henry Irving's Orpheum Theatre and was later taken to Elsinore Castle in Denmark (the actual setting of the play), a 1944 production directed by George Rylands and finally a 1945 production that toured the Far East under Gielgud's own direction. In his later years, Gielgud would play the Ghost of Hamlet's Father in productions of the play, first to Richard Burton's Melancholy Dane on the Broadway stage which Gielgud directed in 1964, and then on television with Richard Chamberlain and finally in a radio production starring Gielgud's protégé Kenneth Branagh. For other uses, see Westminster School (disambiguation). ... Rada is the term for council or assembly borrowed by Polish from Middle High German Rat (council) and later passed into Czech, Ukrainian, and Belarusian languages. ... The Old Vic is a theatre in the Waterloo area of London. ... Title page of Richard II, from the fifth quarto, published in 1615. ... Hamlet and Ophelia, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti Prince Hamlet is the main character in Shakespeares tragedy Hamlet. ... The Old Vic is a theatre in the Waterloo area of London. ... West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre in London, England, or sometimes more specifically for shows staged in the large theatres of Londons Theatreland. Along with New Yorks Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre... Hamlet and Ophelia, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti Prince Hamlet is the main character in Shakespeares tragedy Hamlet. ... Noël Coward Theatre from a postcard, circa 1905. ... Broadway theatre is often considered the highest professional form of theatre in the United States. ... Gutherie McClintic and wife Katharine Cornell taken in 1954. ... Lillian Diana de Guiche (October 14, 1893 – February 27, 1993), was an Oscar-nominated American actress, better known as Lillian Gish. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Leslie Howard (April 3, 1893 - June 1, 1943) was an English stage and Academy Award nominated film actor. ... Sir Henry Irving, as Hamlet, in an 1893 illustration from The Idler magazine John Henry Brodribb (February 6, 1838 – October 13, 1905), knighted in 1895, as Sir Henry Irving, was one of the most famous stage actors of the Victorian era. ... Orpheum can mean: The Orpheum theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia The Orpheum theatre in Memphis, Tennessee The Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace in Sydney, Austrailia Orpheum Computing Solutions Many other theatres are named Orpheum. ... Kronborg Castle is situated near the town of Elsinore (Danish Helsingør) on the extreme tip of Zealand at the narrowest point of the Oresund (Danish Øresund), the sound between Denmark and Sweden. ... George Humphrey Wolferstan Rylands CH CBE (23 October 1902–16 January 1999), known as Dadie Rylands, was an English literary scholar and theatre director. ... For other persons named Richard Burton, see Richard Burton (disambiguation). ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... Richard Chamberlain, right, as John Blackthorne, and John Rhys-Davies, left, as the Portuguese Pilot Vasco Rodrigues in the Shogun television miniseries. ... This page is a candidate to be copied to Wiktionary. ... Kenneth Charles Branagh (born December 10, 1960) is an Emmy Award-winning, Academy Award-nominated Northern Irish-born actor and film director. ...

Gielgud had triumphs in many other plays, notably his greatest popular success Richard of Bordeaux (1933) (a romantic version of the story of Richard II), The Importance of Being Earnest which he first performed at the Lyric Hammersmith in 1930 and would remain in his repertory until 1947, and a legendary production of Romeo and Juliet (1935) which Gielgud directed and alternated the roles of Romeo and Mercutio with a young Laurence Olivier in his first professional Shakespearean leading role. Olivier's performance won him an engagement as the leading man of the Old Vic Theatre the following season starting his career as a classical actor, but he was said to have resented Gielgud's direction and developed a wary relationship with Gielgud which resulted in Olivier turning down Gielgud's request to play the Chorus in Olivier's film of Henry V and later doing his best to block Gielgud from appearing at the Royal National Theatre when Olivier was its director.^[3]. Richard of Bordeaux is a play by Gordon Daviot (pseudonym for Elizabeth Macintosh) that depicts the story of Richard II of England in a romantic fashion, emphasizing the relationship between Richard and his queen Anne of Bohemia. ... Richard II (January 6, 1367 – February 14, 1400) was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. ... For other uses, see The Importance of Being Earnest (disambiguation). ... Lyric Theatre (sometimes Theater, the American spelling) is a common name for performing-arts houses, including: // Lyric Theatre Brisbane, Queensland Lyric Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales Lyric Theatre in Dublin Lyric Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri. ... For other uses, see Romeo and Juliet (disambiguation). ... °Å#REDIRECT Romeo and Juliet gsgfhasfhhfdhjsehewbbshhhdbfsh ... Mercutio (here portrayed by actor Jonathan Huelman, at right) gives his famous Queen Mab speech to Romeo (Jacob Blumenfeld) in Act I, scene IV of Romeo and Juliet. ... Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM, (IPA: ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and four-time Emmy winning English actor, director, and producer. ... William Shakespeare—born April 1564; baptised April 26, 1564; died April 23, 1616 (O.S.), May 3, 1616 (N.S.)—has a reputation as the greatest of all writers in English. ... The Old Vic is a theatre in the Waterloo area of London. ... Henry V is a 1944 film adaptation of William Shakespeares play Henry V. The on-screen title is The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fift with His Battell Fought at Agincourt in France (the title of the 1600 quarto edition of the play). ... The Royal National Theatre from Waterloo Bridge The Royal National Theatre is a building complex and theatre company located on the South Bank in London, England immediately east of the southern end of Waterloo Bridge. ...

photo of Gielgud as Richard II by Carl Van Vechten (1936).

Public domain image from library of Congress [1] taken by Carl Van Vechten in 1936 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Public domain image from library of Congress [1] taken by Carl Van Vechten in 1936 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Carl Van Vechten (June 17, 1880 – December 21, 1964) was an American writer and photographer who was a patron of the Harlem Renaissance and the literary executor of Gertrude Stein. ...

Queen's Theatre season

Gielgud had hoped to stay in America after his Broadway performance as Hamlet in 1936 to play Richard II in New York, but director Guthrie McClintic was so certain that the production would fail in the U.S. that Gielgud gave up the idea (and was dismayed when Maurice Evans had a legendary success in the play on Broadway after Gielgud gave him his blessing to mount it when he decided not to). Instead, Gielgud returned to London in 1937 and had an enormous influence on the development of English Theatre when he produced a season of plays at the Queen's Theatre in 1937/38, presenting the aforementioned Richard II, The School for Scandal, The Three Sisters, and The Merchant of Venice with a permanent company (that included Peggy Ashcroft, Michael Redgrave and Alec Guinness) that would shape the development of such theatrical institutions as the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre. Gielgud acted in all four productions and directed the two Shakespeare plays, while Tyrone Guthrie directed The School for Scandal and Michael Saint-Denis staged The Three Sisters. Laurence Olivier said that Gielgud's performance in The School for Scandal was "the best light comedy performance I have ever seen - or ever shall!" and considered his Shylock to be among his greatest impersonations, but the greatest success of the season was the production of The Three Sisters, with Gielgud's performance as Vershinin, coupled with his successes in The Seagull (1929 and 1936), The Cherry Orchard (1954), and Ivanov (1965) establishing Chekhov's acceptance on the English-speaking stage. For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... For other uses, see Hamlet (disambiguation). ... Year 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Title page of Richard II, from the fifth quarto, published in 1615. ... This article is about the state. ... Gutherie McClintic and wife Katharine Cornell taken in 1954. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... Maurice Evans (born June 3, 1901 in Dorset; died March 12, 1989 in East Sussex) was a British-born actor who became a US citizen in 1941. ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The musical Les Misérables transferred to the Queens Theatre in March 2004 after its run at the Palace Theatre The Queens Theatre is a theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue in the West End of London, next to the Gielgud Theatre, as whose twin it was designed by W. G... Title page of Richard II, from the fifth quarto, published in 1615. ... The School for Scandal is a comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. ... There are several meanings of Three Sisters. ... Title page of the first quarto (1600) The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written sometime between 1596 and 1598. ... Dame Peggy Ashcroft DBE (22 December 1907 – 14 June 1991) was an acclaimed Academy Award-winning English actress. ... Sir Michael Scudamore Redgrave CBE (March 20, 1908—March 21, 1985) was an English actor of great renown. ... Sir Alec Guinness CH, CBE (2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an Academy Award and Tony Award-winning English actor. ... Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a British theatre company. ... The Royal National Theatre from Waterloo Bridge The Royal National Theatre is a building complex and theatre company located on the South Bank in London, England immediately east of the southern end of Waterloo Bridge. ... Shakespeare redirects here. ... Sir William Tyrone Guthrie (2 July 1900 - 15 May 1971) was a British theatrical director instrumental in the founding of the Stratford Festival of Canada and the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ... The School for Scandal is a comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. ... Michel Saint-Denis (1897 – 1971), dit Jacques Duchesne, was a French actor, theater director, and drama theorist whose ideas on actor training have had a profound influence on the development of European theater from the 1930s on. ... There are several meanings of Three Sisters. ... Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM, (IPA: ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and four-time Emmy winning English actor, director, and producer. ... The School for Scandal is a comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. ... Shylock After the Trial by John Gilbert (late 19th century) Shylock is a central character in Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice who famously demanded a pound of flesh from the title character. ... There are several meanings of Three Sisters. ... Chekhov in an 1898 portrait by Osip Braz. ... Bust of Anton Chekhov at Badenweiler, Germany The Cherry Orchard (Вишнëвый сад or Vishniovy sad in Russian) is Russian playwright Anton Chekhovs last play. ... Ivanov is a four-act play by Anton Chekhov first performed in 1887 Ivanov was originally commisioned by a Moscow theatre owner as comedy. ... Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (Russian: , IPA: ) was a Russian short story writer and playwright. ...

Shakespearean legacy

Gielgud played Hamlet at the New Theatre in 1934.

It would always be, however, for his Shakespearean work that Gielgud would be best known. In addition to Hamlet which he played over 500 times in six productions, he gave what some consider definitive performances in The Tempest (as Prospero) in four productions (and in the 1991 film Prospero's Books), as well as in other roles - Richard II in three productions, Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing which he first played in 1930 and revived throughout the 1950s, Macbeth and Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream twice, Romeo three times, and King Lear four times (as well as taking on the part for a final time in a radio broadcast at the age of 90). He also had triumphs as Malvolio in Twelfth Night (1931), Shylock in The Merchant of Venice (1937), Angelo in Measure for Measure (1950), Cassius in Julius Caesar (1950) (which he immortalized in the 1953 film), Leontes in The Winter's Tale (1951), and Cardinal Wolsey in Henry VIII (1959) (although his 1960 performance as Othello was not a success). It became rumored that Gielgud also provided the voice for the uncredited role of the Ghost of Hamlet's Father in Laurence Olivier's 1948 film version, but the voice was actually that of Olivier, electronically distorted. Gielgud did play the Ghost in his own film of the play in 1964 and in the 1970 Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation starring Richard Chamberlain. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Noël Coward Theatre from a postcard, circa 1905. ... William Shakespeare—born April 1564; baptised April 26, 1564; died April 23, 1616 (O.S.), May 3, 1616 (N.S.)—has a reputation as the greatest of all writers in English. ... For other uses, see Hamlet (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Tempest. ... The year 1991 in film involved some significant events. ... Prosperos Books (1991) is a movie written and directed by Peter Greenaway adapting the Shakespeare play The Tempest. ... Title page of Richard II, from the fifth quarto, published in 1615. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy by William Shakespeare. ... This article is about Shakespeares play. ... Oberon, also Auberon, King of the Fairies, is most well-known as a character in William Shakespeares play, A Midsummer Nights Dream, written in the mid-1590s. ... For other uses, see A Midsummer Nights Dream (disambiguation). ... °Å#REDIRECT Romeo and Juliet gsgfhasfhhfdhjsehewbbshhhdbfsh ... King Lear and the Fool in the Storm by William Dyce (1806-1864) King Lear is a play by William Shakespeare, considered one of his greatest tragedies, based on the legend of King Lear of Britain. ... Twelfth Night, or What You Will is a comedy by William Shakespeare. ... Twelfth Night has at least three meanings: Twelfth Night (holiday), celebrated by some Christians Twelfth Night, or What You Will, a comedic play by William Shakespeare Twelfth Night (band), a progressive rock band This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the... Shylock After the Trial by John Gilbert (late 19th century) Shylock is a central character in Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice who famously demanded a pound of flesh from the title character. ... Title page of the first quarto (1600) The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written sometime between 1596 and 1598. ... Angelo seduces Isabella in a Los Angeles production of Measure for Measure. ... Claudio and Isabella (1850) by William Holman Hunt Measure for Measure is a play by William Shakespeare, written in 1603. ... Facsimile of the first page of Julius Caesar from the First Folio, published in 1623 Julius Caesar is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed written in 1599. ... Julius Caesar is a 1953 film based upon the William Shakespeare play Julius Caesar. ... Florizel and Perdita by Charles Robert Leslie. ... Cardinal Thomas Wolsey (c. ... Dame Ellen Terry as Katherine of Aragon The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eighth was one of the last plays written by the English playwright William Shakespeare, based on the life of Henry VIII of England. ... For other uses, see Othello (disambiguation). ... Hamlet is a 1948 British film adaptation of William Shakespeares play Hamlet, directed by and starring Sir Laurence Olivier. ... Hallmark Hall of Fame is a long running anthology program on American television. ... Richard Chamberlain, right, as John Blackthorne, and John Rhys-Davies, left, as the Portuguese Pilot Vasco Rodrigues in the Shogun television miniseries. ...

Gielgud's crowning achievement, many believe, was Ages of Man, his one-man recital of Shakespearean excerpts which he performed throughout the 1950s and 1960s, winning a Tony Award for the Broadway production, a Grammy Award for his recording of the piece, and an Emmy Award for producer David Susskind for the 1966 telecast on CBS. Gielgud made his final Shakespearean appearance on stage in 1977 in the title role of John Schlesinger's production of Julius Caesar at the Royal National Theatre. He also made a recording of many of Shakespeare's sonnets in 1963. Among his non-Shakespearean Renaissance roles, his Ferdinand in John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi was well-known. Ages of Man is a one-man play performed by John Gielgud of a collection of speeches in Shakespeares plays. ... The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American theatre and are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League [1] at an annual ceremony in New York City. ... Broadway theatre is often considered the highest professional form of theatre in the United States. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... An Emmy Award. ... David Susskind (December 19, 1920, New York City - February 22, 1987, New York City, heart attack) was best known as a pioneer TV talk show host. ... This article is about the broadcast network. ... William Shakespeare—born April 1564; baptised April 26, 1564; died April 23, 1616 (O.S.), May 3, 1616 (N.S.)—has a reputation as the greatest of all writers in English. ... John Richard Schlesinger CBE (February 16, 1926 – July 25, 2003) was an English film director. ... Facsimile of the first page of Julius Caesar from the First Folio, published in 1623 Julius Caesar is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed written in 1599. ... The Royal National Theatre from Waterloo Bridge The Royal National Theatre is a building complex and theatre company located on the South Bank in London, England immediately east of the southern end of Waterloo Bridge. ... -1... John Webster (c. ... The Duchess of Malfi is a macabre, tragic play, written by the English dramatist John Webster and first performed in 1614 [1] at the Globe Theatre in London, and published for the first time in 1623. ...

Later stage work

As he aged, Gielgud began to adapt more to changing fashions in the theatre, appearing in plays by Edward Albee (Tiny Alice), Alan Bennett (Forty Years On), Charles Wood (Veterans), Edward Bond (Bingo, in which Gielgud played William Shakespeare), David Storey (Home), and Harold Pinter (No Man's Land), the latter two in partnership with his old friend Ralph Richardson, but he drew the line at being offered the role of Hamm in Beckett's Endgame, saying that the play offered "nothing but loneliness and despair."^[4] It looked as though Gielgud would retire from the stage after appearing in Half-Life at the Duke of York's Theatre in 1978, but he made a successful comeback in 1988 in Hugh Whitemore's play The Best of Friends as museum curator Sydney Cockerell. Edward Franklin Albee III (born March 12, 1928) is an American playwright known for works including Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Zoo Story, The Sandbox and The American Dream. ... Tiny Alice, a three act play written by Edward Albee, premiered on Broadway at the Billy Rose Theatre on December 29, 1964. ... Published by Faber/Profile Books in 2005 Alan Bennett (born May 9, 1934) is an English author and actor noted for his work, his boyish appearance and his sonorous Yorkshire accent. ... Forty Years On is a song written by Edward Bowen and John Farmer in 1872. ... Charles Wood may refer to: Charles Wood, 1st Viscount Halifax. ... A veteran refers to a person who is experienced in a particular area, particularly referring to people in the armed forces. ... Edward Bond (born July 18, 1934) is an English playwright, theatre director, theorist and screenwriter. ... Look up bingo in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Home is a play by David Storey. ... Harold Pinter, CH, CBE (born 10 October 1930) is an English playwright, screenwriter, poet, actor, director, author, and political activist. ... No Mans Land is the name of a 1974 play by the English dramatist Harold Pinter. ... Sir Ralph David Richardson (19 December 1902 – 10 October 1983) was an English actor, one of a group of theatrical knights of the mid-20th century who, though more closely associated with the stage, did their best to make the transition to film. ... This article is about the Irish writer. ... Endgame is a one-act play for four characters by Samuel Beckett. ... Half-Life For a quantity subject to exponential decay, the half-life is the time required for the quantity to fall to half of its initial value. ... Hugh Whitemore Hugh Whitemore is an English playwright and screenwriter. ... The Best of Friends is a compilation album (9th release) by singer/songwriter duo Loggins and Messina, released in late 1976 (see 1977 in music). ... Sir Sydney Carlyle Cockerell (1867-1962) was a British museum curator, collector, and well-connected figure in the literary world. ...

Directing career

Gielgud was almost as highly regarded for his work as a theatre director as for his acting, having staged his first production as a guest director of the Oxford University Dramatic Society production of Romeo and Juliet in 1932. The custom of OUDS at the time was to cast student undergraduates in the male roles and professional actresses in the female roles. Gielgud engaged Peggy Ashcroft as Juliet and Edith Evans as the nurse, who would play the same roles three years later in his legendary production of the play at the New Theatre. The Oxford University Dramatic Society (OUDS) is the principal funding body and provider of theatrical services to the many independent student productions put on by students in Oxford, England. ... For other uses, see Romeo and Juliet (disambiguation). ... Dame Peggy Ashcroft DBE (22 December 1907 – 14 June 1991) was an acclaimed Academy Award-winning English actress. ... Juliet is: The fictional character Juliet Capulet in William Shakespeares play Romeo and Juliet. ... Dame Edith Mary Evans DBE (8 February 1888–14 October 1976) was an Academy Award nominated and Golden Globe award winning actress. ... New Theatre, postcard, circa 1905. ...

Gielgud quickly rose to the status of being one of the top directors for the H.M. Tennent, Ltd. production company in London's West End Theatre and later on Broadway, his productions including Lady Windermere's Fan (1945), The Glass Menagerie (1948), The Heiress (1949), his own adaptation of The Cherry Orchard (1954), The Potting Shed (1958), Five Finger Exercise (1959), Peter Ustinov's comedy Half Way Up a Tree (1967), and Private Lives (1972). Gielgud won a Tony Award for his direction of Big Fish, Little Fish in 1961, the only time he won the award in a competitive category (having won honorary awards for "Best Foreign Company" for his 1947 production of The Importance of Being Earnest and for his one-man show Ages of Man). He also directed the operas The Trojans in 1957 and A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1960. West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre in London, England, or sometimes more specifically for shows staged in the large theatres of Londons Theatreland. Along with New Yorks Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... Oscar Wilde. ... The Glass Menagerie is a play by Tennessee Williams. ... The Heiress is a 1949 film which tells the story of two young people who want to marry despite the girls fathers objections. ... Bust of Anton Chekhov at Badenweiler, Germany The Cherry Orchard (Вишнëвый сад or Vishniovy sad in Russian) is Russian playwright Anton Chekhovs last play. ... The Potting Shed is a play by Graham Greene. ... Five Finger Exercise is a 1962 drama film made by Columbia Pictures. ... Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov, CBE (IPA: ; April 16, 1921 – March 28, 2004), born Peter Alexander Baron von Ustinov, was an Academy Award-winning English actor, writer, dramatist and raconteur of French, Italian, Swiss, Russian, German and Ethiopian ancestry. ... Private Lives is a play written by Noel Coward in 1930. ... The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American theatre and are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League [1] at an annual ceremony in New York City. ... For other uses, see The Importance of Being Earnest (disambiguation). ... This article is about mythological ages. ... Cover of the score of La prise de Troi, the first two acts of Les Troyens. ... Benjamin Brittens A Midsummer Nights Dream is an opera based on the play of the same name by Shakespeare. ...

Gielgud directed other actors in many of the Shakespearean roles that he was famous for playing, notably Richard Burton as Hamlet (1964), Anthony Quayle as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing (1950), and Paul Scofield as the title role in Richard II (1952). But Gielgud didn't always have the magic touch, staging a disappointing revival of Twelfth Night with Laurence Olivier and Vivian Leigh in 1955 and a disastrous production of Macbeth with Ralph Richardson in 1952. For other persons named Richard Burton, see Richard Burton (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hamlet (disambiguation). ... Anthony Quayle Sir John Anthony Quayle (7 September 1913 – 20 October 1989) was an English actor and director. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy by William Shakespeare. ... David Paul Scofield, CH, CBE (born 21 January 1922) is a British actor who was born in Hurstpierpoint, Sussex, England. ... Title page of Richard II, from the fifth quarto, published in 1615. ... Twelfth Night has at least three meanings: Twelfth Night (holiday), celebrated by some Christians Twelfth Night, or What You Will, a comedic play by William Shakespeare Twelfth Night (band), a progressive rock band This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the... Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM, (IPA: ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and four-time Emmy winning English actor, director, and producer. ... Vivien Leigh (November 5, 1913–July 7, 1967) was an English actress who was born Vivian Mary Hartley in Darjeeling, India. ... This article is about Shakespeares play. ... Sir Ralph David Richardson (19 December 1902 – 10 October 1983) was an English actor, one of a group of theatrical knights of the mid-20th century who, though more closely associated with the stage, did their best to make the transition to film. ...

But Gielgud was best known for directing productions in which he also starred, including his greatest commercial success Richard of Bordeaux (1933), his definitive production of The Importance of Being Earnest (1939, 1942, 1947), Medea with Judith Anderson's Tony Award-winning performance of the title role with Gielgud supporting her as Jason (1947), The Lady's Not for Burning (1949) that won Richard Burton his first notoriety as an actor, and Ivanov (1965). But many believed that his greatest successes were in Shakespearean productions in which he both directed and starred, especially Romeo and Juliet (1935), Richard II (1937, 1953), King Lear (1950, 1955), Much Ado About Nothing (1952, 1955, 1959) and his signature role of Hamlet (1934, 1939, 1945). Richard of Bordeaux is a play by Gordon Daviot (pseudonym for Elizabeth Macintosh) that depicts the story of Richard II of England in a romantic fashion, emphasizing the relationship between Richard and his queen Anne of Bohemia. ... For other uses, see The Importance of Being Earnest (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Greek mythological figure. ... Dame Judith Anderson, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1934 Dame Judith Anderson, AC DBE (February 10, 1897–January 3, 1992), born Frances Margaret Anderson-Anderson, was an Tony award and Emmy winning stage and film actress who was also nominated for a Grammy and an Oscar. ... The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American theatre and are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League [1] at an annual ceremony in New York City. ... This article is about the hero from Greek mythology. ... The Ladys Not for Burning is a 1948 play by Christopher Fry. ... For other persons named Richard Burton, see Richard Burton (disambiguation). ... Several individuals have the surname Ivanov: Alexander Ivanov, Russian artist (the chess player of the same name is described on the same page) Georgi Ivanov, Bulgarian cosmonaut Igor Ivanov, Russian foreign minister Porfiry Ivanov, Russian mystic who promoted a health system called Detka. Sergei Ivanov, Russian defence minister Sergei Ivanov... For other uses, see Romeo and Juliet (disambiguation). ... Title page of Richard II, from the fifth quarto, published in 1615. ... King Lear and the Fool in the Storm by William Dyce (1806-1864) King Lear is a play by William Shakespeare, considered one of his greatest tragedies, based on the legend of King Lear of Britain. ... Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy by William Shakespeare. ... For other uses, see Hamlet (disambiguation). ...

Radio Work

Gielgud's brother Val Gielgud became the head of BBC Radio Production in 1928^[5], and John made his radio debut there the following year in a version of Pirandello's The Man With the Flower in His Mouth, which he was then performing at the Old Vic Theatre. In the ensuing years, John played many of his greatest stage roles on BBC Radio including Richard of Bordeaux, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Tempest, and Hamlet, one production of which which featured Emlyn Williams as Claudius, Celia Johnson as Ophelia, and Martita Hunt as Gertrude (the part she played in Gielgud's debut in the role at the Old Vic in 1930). He also played some Shakespearean roles which he would never essay on stage, such as Iago in a 1932 broadcast of Othello opposite Henry Ainley as the Moor, ^[6] Buckingham (1954) and Cranmer (1957) in Henry VIII, and Friar Laurence in Romeo & Juliet for the first time when he was eighty-nine. Val Henry Gielgud (born April 28, 1900 in London, England, UK; died November 30, 1981 in London, England, UK) was a English actor, writer, director and broadcaster. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Luigi Pirandello (June 28, 1867 – December 10, 1936) was an Italian dramatist, novelist, and short story writer awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1934. ... The Man With the Flower in His Mouth is a play by the Italian playwright Luigi Pirandello. ... The Old Vic is a theatre in the Waterloo area of London. ... Richard of Bordeaux is a play by Gordon Daviot (pseudonym for Elizabeth Macintosh) that depicts the story of Richard II of England in a romantic fashion, emphasizing the relationship between Richard and his queen Anne of Bohemia. ... For other uses, see The Importance of Being Earnest (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Tempest. ... For other uses, see Hamlet (disambiguation). ... George Emlyn Williams CBE (26 November 1905–25 September 1987), known as Emlyn Williams, was a Welsh dramatist and actor. ... Dame Celia Johnson (1908-1982) was an English actress, famous for her role in the 1945 film, Brief Encounter, opposite Trevor Howard. ... Martita Hunt (January 30 1900 - June 13 1969) was a theatre and film actress. ... William Shakespeare—born April 1564; baptised April 26, 1564; died April 23, 1616 (O.S.), May 3, 1616 (N.S.)—has a reputation as the greatest of all writers in English. ... For other uses, see Iago (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Othello (disambiguation). ... Henry Ainley early in his career Henry Hinchliffe Ainley (21 August 1879 - 31 October 1945) was an English Shakespearean stage and screen actor, father of actors Richard and Anthony Ainley, and Sam Ainley, who was not an actor. ... Dame Ellen Terry as Katherine of Aragon The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eighth was one of the last plays written by the English playwright William Shakespeare, based on the life of Henry VIII of England. ... Romeo y Julieta is also a brand of Cuban cigars. ...

John Gielgud played Sherlock Holmes for BBC radio in the 1950s, with Ralph Richardson as Watson. Gielgud's brother, Val Gielgud, appeared in one of the episodes, perhaps inevitably, as the great detective's brother Mycroft. This series was co-produced by the American Broadcasting Company. Orson Welles appeared as Professor Moriarty in The Final Problem. This article is about Arthur Conan Doyles fictional detective. ... Sir Ralph David Richardson (19 December 1902 – 10 October 1983) was an English actor, one of a group of theatrical knights of the mid-20th century who, though more closely associated with the stage, did their best to make the transition to film. ... Dr Watson (left) and Sherlock Holmes, by Sidney Paget. ... Mycroft Holmes as depicted by Sidney Edward Paget in Strand Magazine Mycroft Holmes is a fictional character in the stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. ... George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an Academy Award-winning American director, writer, actor and producer for film, stage, radio and television. ... Professor Moriarty, illustration by Sidney Paget which accompanied the original publication of The Final Problem. Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character who is the best known antagonist (and archenemy) of the detective Sherlock Holmes. ... The Adventure of the Final Problem is a short story by Arthur Conan Doyle, featuring his detective character Sherlock Holmes. ...

Gielgud gave one of his final radio perfomances in the title role of an All Star production of King Lear in 1994 that was mounted to celebrate his 90th birthday. The cast included Judi Dench, Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, and Simon Russell Beale. King Lear and the Fool in the Storm by William Dyce (1806-1864) King Lear is a play by William Shakespeare, considered one of his greatest tragedies, based on the legend of King Lear of Britain. ... Dame Judith Olivia Dench, CH, DBE, FRSA, (born 9 December 1934), usually known as Dame Judi Dench, is an Academy Award, Golden Globe, Tony, three-time BAFTA, and six-time Laurence Olivier Award-winning English actress. ... Kenneth Charles Branagh (born December 10, 1960) is an Emmy Award-winning, Academy Award-nominated Northern Irish-born actor and film director. ... Sir Derek George Jacobi, CBE (IPA: ) (born 22 October 1938) is an English actor and director, knighted in 1994 for his services to the theatre. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Film work

Although he began to appear in British films as early as 1924, making his debut in the silent movie Who Is the Man?, he would not make an impact in the medium until the last decades of his life. His early film roles were sporadic and included the lead in Alfred Hitchcock's Secret Agent (1936), Benjamin Disraeli in The Prime Minister (1940), Cassius in Julius Caesar (1953) (BAFTA Award for Best British Actor), George, Duke of Clarence to Olivier's Richard III (1955), and Henry IV to Orson Welles' Falstaff in Chimes at Midnight (1966). But he lost his aversion to filming in the late 1960s, and by the 1980s and 1990s he had thrown himself into the medium with a vengeance, so much so that it was jokingly said that he was prepared to do almost anything for his art. He won an Academy Award for his supporting role as a sardonic butler in the 1981 comedy Arthur, starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli, a New York Film Critics Circle Award for Providence (1977), and a BAFTA Award for Murder on the Orient Express (1974), and his performances in The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968), The Elephant Man (1981), and Shine (1996) were critically acclaimed. In 1991, Gielgud was able to satisfy his life's ambition by immortalizing his Prospero on screen in the film Prospero's Books.^[7] This article is about the comedy film. ... Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock KBE (August 13, 1899 â€“ April 29, 1980) was an iconic and highly influential British-born film director and producer who pioneered many techniques in the suspense and thriller genres. ... For other uses, see Secret agent (disambiguation). ... Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (December 21, 1804 - April 24, British Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and author. ... Julius Caesar is a 1953 film based upon the William Shakespeare play Julius Caesar. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organization that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ... George (Plantagenet), Duke of Clarence (October 21, 1449 - February 18, 1478) was the third son of Richard, Duke of York and Cecily Neville, and the brother of King Edward IV of England. ... Richard III is a 1955 British film adaptation of William Shakespeares historical play Richard III, including elements of Henry VI, part 3. ... Henry IV (3 April 1367 – 20 March 1413) was the King of England and France and Lord of Ireland from 1399 to 1413. ... George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an Academy Award-winning American director, writer, actor and producer for film, stage, radio and television. ... Adolf Schrödter: Falstaff and his page Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare as a companion to Prince Hal, the future King Henry V. A fat, vainglorious, and cowardly knight, Falstaff leads the apparently wayward Prince Hal into trouble, but he... Orson Welles, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1937 George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) is generally considered one of Hollywoods greatest directors, as well as a fine actor, broadcaster and screenwriter. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... Arthur is a 1981 film which tells the story of drunken playboy millionaire Arthur Bach (Dudley Moore), who was on the brink of an arranged marriage to a wealthy heiress, Susan Johnson (Jill Eikenberry). ... Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE (April 19, 1935 – March 27, 2002), was an Academy-Award nominated British comedian, actor and musician. ... Liza May Minnelli (born March 12, 1946 in Los Angeles, California) is an Academy Award-winning American actress and singer. ... New York Film Critics Circle Awards are given annually to honor excellence in cinema worldwide by an organization of film reviewers from New York City-based publications. ... Providence is a 1977 film directed by Alain Resnais and starring Dirk Bogarde, David Warner, Ellen Burstyn, and John Gielgud. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organization that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ... Murder on the Orient Express is a 1974 feature film directed by Sidney Lumet and based on the 1934 novel Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. ... The Charge of the Light Brigade is the name of several movies that cover the disastrous attack known as the Charge of the Light Brigade that occurred during the Crimean War. ... The Elephant Man is a 1980 biopic loosely based on the story of the 19th century British deformed celebrity, Joseph Merrick (called John Merrick in the film). ... Shine is a 1996 Australian film based on the life of pianist David Helfgott, who suffered a mental breakdown and spent years in institutions. ... Prospero and Miranda by William Maw Egley Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Prospero Prospero is the protagonist in The Tempest, a play by William Shakespeare. ... Prosperos Books (1991) is a movie written and directed by Peter Greenaway adapting the Shakespeare play The Tempest. ...

Television also developed as one of the focal points of his career, with Gielgud giving a particularly notable performance in Brideshead Revisited (1981). He won an Emm