John Gielgud Overview:

Legendary actor, John Gielgud, was born Arthur John Gielgud on Apr 14, 1904 in South Kensington, England. Gielgud died at the age of 96 on May 21, 2000 in Wotton Underwood, England and was laid to rest in Oxford Crematorium Cemetery in Headington, England.

MINI BIO:

Tall, slim, stern-looking British actor who achieved greatest distinction in Shakespearian roles on stage. He appeared briefly as an aesthetic leading man in a few pre-war films, but most post-war parts were cameos that were unworthy both of the actor and his reedily mellifluous voice. Knighted in 1953. Won an Academy Award for Arthur. Also nominated for Becket. The longest film career in the history of the British cinema to date.

(Source: available at Amazon Quinlan's Film Stars).

HONORS and AWARDS:

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John Gielgud was nominated for two Academy Awards, winning one for Best Supporting Actor for Arthur (as Hobson) in 1981.

Academy Awards

YearAwardFilm nameRoleResult
1964Best Supporting ActorBecket (1964)King Louis VII of FranceNominated
1981Best Supporting ActorArthur (1981)HobsonWon
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John Gielgud Quotes:

George, Duke of Clarence: [speaking about Edward IV, who has sent Clarence to the Tower] He hearkens after dreams and prophecies / And from the crossrow plucks the letter 'G', / And says a wizard told him that by 'G' / His issue disinherited would be. / And for my name of George begins with G / It follows in his thoughts that I am he. /These and such like toys /Have moved his Highness to commit me now.


Cassius: [referring to Julius Caesar] And this man is now become a god.


Cassius: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,/ But in ourselves that we are underlings.


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Best Supporting Actor Oscar 1981





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John Gielgud Facts
Gielgud stated in his autobiography that he wanted desperately to be cast as The Chorus in Laurence Olivier's film Henry V (1944). He understood why Olivier did not cast him, as when the two had acted together in Shakespearean repertory in the mid-'30s, Gielgud got the better notices. Blessed with a beautiful voice, Gielgud played Shakespeare traditionally, a style Olivier thought of as too close to song as compared to his own revolutionary colloquial style. When Olivier was more secure, he did cast Gielgud as Clarence in Richard III (1955).

Archive footage of Gielgud as Hamlet appears briefly on the computer screen of Ethan Hawke as Hamlet (2000) in the year 2000 version of Shakespeare's play. The role is considered the summit for a tragedian, and Gielgud was the most celebrated Hamlet of the 20th century, surpassing even John Barrymore, Laurence Olivier and Richard Burton in acclaim for his stage portrayal of the melancholy Dane.

Laurence Olivier, acknowledging Gielgud's mastery of Shakespeare's verse (though he criticized him for making it too much like song), said that Gielgud was possessed of a voice "that wooed the world".

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