| Sir John Gielgud |
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| John Gielgud was born on April 14th 1904, at Old Brompton Road, South Kensington, London, the son of Kate and Frank Gielgud. His acting career began in school productions, as well as some amateur work with Rosina Filippi, a celebrated actress in Chelsea. His parents were not enthusiastic about John being in the theatre, but allowed him to enter a dramatic school. He spent a year in dramatic school, then in 1922 when on tour with his cousin, Phyllis Neilson-Terry as a stage manager and understudy. From that tour John enrolled in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and won a scholarship there. John spent a year at that Academy, and acted in several plays, and left in 1923 to act in a Comedy Theatre, which turned out not to actually be that fun. In 1924 John went to Oxford and spent a season there in a repertory theatre. John spent three seasons there, and in 1924, made his first film, the silent, "Who is the man?". In his first year at Oxford he was the understudy for Noel Coward. By 1928, John's acting career was beginning to take off, and he saw his name in lights for the first time with the play, "Holding Out the Apple". In 1932, he directed his very first play, "Romeo & Juliet" for the Oxford University Dramatic Society. By this time, John was a regular Skaespearean actor at the Old Vic. He made his American debut in 1936 with "Hamlet". From here John played a season of four plays at the Queens from 1936-37. In 1939, John went to Denmark to play Hamlet. He was in Denmark at the ourbreak of World War II. John was lucky enough not to be called up for service. During the war he decided to act in only serious plays, and stuck to the classics and Shakespeare. In 1942, John organized and wrote the "Christmas Party Revue" performed in Gilbralter for the troops. As well, John played in Hamlet abroad for the troops at the end of the war. During the war John had worked steady, and had chosen some weak plays as a result, and by 1946 he says that "my luck seemed to run out". So in 1947 he came to the US to perform in The Importance of Being Ernest and Love for Love. After the American tour, John returned to England and did some directing as well as acting. In 1950 he returned to Shakespeare and performed in four plays at Stratford. From here he worked at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith. In 1953 John was knighted, and became Sir John. In the early 1950's John decided to return to film, he had made 4 silent films, but his real film debut was "Julius Caesar" in 1952. In 1966 John starred in "Chimes of Midnight", a film directed by the great late (1985) Orson Welles. The people that were involved in Caligula either seem to have Orsen Welles or Fellini connections! In all, John acted in over 50 films spanning as many years. In 1976 he was originally cast as the role of Tiberius in the film "Caligula", but turned it down because he thought it was too risque. His agent convinced him to take the lesser role of "Nerva", which he did. Peter O'Toole had no problem taking over the role of Tiberius. John won his only Academy Award (Oscar) in 1981, as best supporting actor, playing a butler in Dudley Moore's hit film, "Arthur". He reprised the role in the 1988 sequel. John died on May 21st 2000, at Aylesbury, Bucks, England of natural causes. He had spent the last 25 years of his life with his partner, Martin Hensler. |