John Gielgud
Sir Arthur John Gielgud OM CH (14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theater director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the British stage for much of the 20th century. A member of the Terry family theatrical dynasty, he gained his first paid acting work as a junior member of his cousin Phyllis Neilson-Terry's company in 1922. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art he worked in repertory theater and in the West End before establishing himself at the Old Vic as an exponent of Shakespeare in 1929–31.
You can find people similar to John Gielgud by visiting our lists Special Tony Award recipients and Gielgud family.
| Full name at birth | Arthur John Gielgud
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| Claim to fame | Arthur
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| Date of birth | 14 April 1904
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| Place of birth | South Kensington, London, England, UK
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| Date of death | 21 May 2000
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| Age | 96 (age at death)
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| Place of death | Wotton Underwood, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, UK
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| Cause of death | Natural causes
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| Occupation | Actor, singer, director
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PERSONAL DETAILS
| Height | 5' 11" (180 cm)
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ADDITIONAL DETAILS
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| University | Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts
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![John Gielgud - Pani domu Magazine Pictorial [Poland] (29 November 2021)](http://img3.bdbphotos.com/images/130x130/n/y/ny9n108wcovbcb09.jpg?skj2io4l)
![John Gielgud - Retro Magazine Pictorial [Poland] (March 2020)](http://img3.bdbphotos.com/images/130x130/8/d/8duub9e3q9r49qu4.jpg?skj2io4l)
- 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.
- His career spanned 76 years.
- Actor William Redfield, who appeared as Guildernstern in the Gielgud-directed stage version of Richard Burton's "Hamlet" (a filmed version of the stage production was released in 1964, as Hamlet (1964/I)) wrote in his 1967 memoir of the event, "Notes of an Actor", that Gielgud had an encyclopedia knowledge of the play and could play any and all parts of it from memory for his cast as he directed the production.
- All his Oscar and Emmy nominations were received during the latter part of his career, after he had turned sixty.
- He was awarded the 1982 London Evening Theatre Award's Special Award for lifetime achievement to the theatre.
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- Albums (23) keyboard_arrow_right
- Songs (278) keyboard_arrow_right
- Quotes (13) keyboard_arrow_right
- Trivia (24) keyboard_arrow_right
- Pictorials (4) keyboard_arrow_right
- Photos (64) keyboard_arrow_right
- Lists (70) keyboard_arrow_right
- Filmography (265) keyboard_arrow_right
- Awards (27) keyboard_arrow_right
- Fans (12) keyboard_arrow_right
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