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John Gielgud (1904–2000)

Actor | Director | Miscellaneous Crew

Born in London, England, John Gielgud trained at Lady Benson's Acting School and RADA, London. Best known for his Shakespearean roles in the theater, he first played Hamlet at the age of 26. He worked under the tutelage of Lilian Bayliss with friend and fellow performer Laurence Olivier and other contemporaries of the National Theatre at the "Old Vic"... See full bio »

Born:

Arthur John Gielgud
in South Kensington, London, England, UK

Died:

(age 96) in Wotton Underwood, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
John Gielgud and Claude Rains Still of John Gielgud and Rod Sieger in The Loved One Sir John Gielgud on the set of Still of John Gielgud and Anthony Hopkins in The Elephant Man Still of John Gielgud, Lindsay Anderson and Ben Cross in Chariots of Fire
26 photos | 21 videos | 350 news articles »

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Known For


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Filmography

Hide HideActor (131 titles)
2000 Catastrophe (short)
The Protagonist
 
1998 Elizabeth
The Pope
 
1998 The Tichborne Claimant
Cockburn
 
1998 Quest for Camelot
Merlin (voice) (as Sir John Gielgud)
 
1998 Merlin (TV mini-series)
King Constant
– Part 1 (1998) … King Constant
– Part 2 (1998) … King Constant
– Part 3 (1998) … King Constant
 
1997 A Dance to the Music of Time (TV mini-series)
St. John Clarke
– The Twenties (1997) … St. John Clarke
 
1997 David (TV movie)
God (voice) (uncredited)
 
1996 Hamlet
Priam
 
1996 The Portrait of a Lady
Mr. Touchett
 
1996 DragonHeart
King Arthur (voice) (uncredited)
 
1996 Gulliver's Travels (TV movie)
Professor of Sunlight (as Sir John Gielgud)
 
1996 Shine
Cecil Parkes
 
1995 Haunted
Doctor Doyle
 
1995 First Knight
Oswald
 
1994 A Summer Day's Dream (TV movie)
Stephen Dawlish
 
1994 Performance (TV series)
Stephen Dawlish
– A Summer Day's Dream (1994) … Stephen Dawlish
 
1994 Scarlett (TV mini-series)
Pierre Robillard
– Episode #1.2 (1994) … Pierre Robillard
 
1994 Under the Hammer (TV series)
Hugo Lunt
– The Fatal Attribution (1994) … Hugo Lunt
 
1994 Alleyn Mysteries (TV series)
Percival Pyke Period
– Hand in Glove (1994) … Percival Pyke Period
 
1993 Lovejoy (TV series)
Lord Wakering
– The Lost Colony (1993) … Lord Wakering
 
1993 Inspector Morse (TV series)
Lord Hinksey
– Twilight of the Gods (1993) … Lord Hinksey
 
1992 The Power of One
St. John
 
1992 Shining Through
Sunflower
 
1992 Swan Song (short)
Svetlovidov
 
1991 Prospero's Books
Prospero
 
1991 The Best of Friends (TV movie)
Sydney Cockerell
 
1991 The Strauss Dynasty (TV mini-series)
Drechsler
– Episode #1.1 (1991) … Drechsler
 
1991 A TV Dante (TV mini-series)
Virgil
– Canto 10 (1991) … Virgil (voice)
– Canto 11 (1991) … Virgil (voice)
– Canto 12 (1991) … Virgil (voice)
– Canto 13 (1991) … Virgil (voice)
– Canto 14 (1991) … Virgil (voice)
See all 6 episodes »
 
1990 Strike It Rich
Herbert Dreuther
 
1989 Summer's Lease (TV mini-series)
Haverford Downs
– The Urbino Trail (1989) … Haverford Downs
– A Battlefield (1989) … Haverford Downs
– Where the Water Goes (1989) … Haverford Downs
– Villa to Let (1989) … Haverford Downs
 
1988-1989 War and Remembrance (TV mini-series)
Aaron Jastrow
– Part 11 (1989) … Aaron Jastrow
– Part 10 (1989) … Aaron Jastrow
– Part 9 (1989) … Aaron Jastrow
– Part 8 (1989) … Aaron Jastrow
– Part 7 (1988) … Aaron Jastrow
See all 11 episodes »
 
1989 Getting It Right
Sir Gordon Munday
 
1988 A Man for All Seasons (TV movie)
Cardinal Wolsey (as Sir John Gielgud)
 
1988 Arthur 2: On the Rocks
Hobson
 
1988 Appointment with Death
Colonel Carbury
 
1987 Barbablù, Barbablù
Barbablù
 
1986-1987 Screen Two (TV series)
Eddie / Jasper Swift
– Quartermaine's Terms (1987) … Eddie
– Time After Time (1986) … Jasper Swift
 
1986 The Whistle Blower
Sir Adrian Chapple
 
1986 The Theban Plays by Sophocles (TV series)
Teiresias
– Antigone (1986) … Teiresias
– Oedipus the King (1986) … Teiresias
 
1986 The Canterville Ghost (TV movie)
Sir Simon de Canterville
 
1985 Leave All Fair
John Middleton Murry
 
1985 Plenty
Sir Leonard Darwin
 
1985 Romance on the Orient Express (TV movie)
Theodore Woodward
 
1985 The Shooting Party
Cornelius Cardew
 
1984 Frankenstein (TV movie)
DeLacey
 
1984 Camille (TV movie)
Duke de Charles
 
1984 The Master of Ballantrae (TV movie)
Lord Durrisdeer
 
1984 Scandalous
Uncle Willie
 
1984 The Far Pavilions (TV mini-series)
Cavagnari
– Part Three: Wally and Anjuli (1984) … Cavagnari
– Part One: Return to India (1984) … Cavagnari
 
1983 Wagner (TV series)
Pfistermeister
– Episode #1.10 (1983) … Pfistermeister
– Episode #1.2 (1983) … Pfistermeister
– Episode #1.3 (1983) … Pfistermeister
– Episode #1.1 (1983) … Pfistermeister
 
1983 The Wicked Lady
Hogarth
 
1983 The Scarlet and the Black (TV movie)
Pope Pius XII (as Sir John Gielgud)
 
1983 Invitation to the Wedding
Reverend Clyde Ormiston
 
1982 Marco Polo (TV mini-series)
Doge of Venice
– Episode #1.1 (1982) … Doge of Venice
 
1982 Gandhi
Lord Irwin
 
1967-1982 BBC Play of the Month (TV series)
Captain Shotover / Chorus / Lord Burleigh / …
– The Critic (1982) … Lord Burleigh
– Heartbreak House (1977) … Captain Shotover
– The Picture of Dorian Gray (1976) … Lord Henry Wotton
– In Good King Charles's Golden Days (1970)
– St. Joan (1968) … The Inquisitor
See all 6 episodes »
 
1982 Inside the Third Reich (TV movie)
Albert Speer Sr.
 
1982 The Hunchback of Notre Dame (TV movie)
Charmolue
 
1982/I A Christmas Carol (TV movie)
Narrator
 
1981 Brideshead Revisited (TV mini-series)
Edward Ryder
– A Twitch Upon the Thread (1981) … Edward Ryder
– The Unseen Hook (1981) … Edward Ryder
– Sebastian Against the World (1981) … Edward Ryder
– Home and Abroad (1981) … Edward Ryder
– Et in Arcadia Ego (1981) … Edward Ryder
 
1981 Priest of Love
Herbert G. Muskett
 
1981 Arthur
Hobson
 
1981 Lion of the Desert
Sharif El Gariani
 
1981 Chariots of Fire
Master of Trinity (as Sir John Gielgud)
 
1981 Seven Dials Mystery (TV movie)
Marquis of Caterhan
 
1981 Sphinx
Abdu-Hamdi (as Sir John Gielgud)
 
1980 The Formula
Dr. Abraham Esau, Director Reich Energy
 
1980 The Elephant Man
Carr Gomm
 
1980 Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (TV movie)
Reverend Jones
 
1980 The Conductor
John Lasocki
 
1979-1980 Tales of the Unexpected (TV series)
Cyril Boggis / Jelks
– Parson's Pleasure (1980) … Cyril Boggis
– Neck (1979) … Jelks
 
1979 The Human Factor
Brigadier Tomlinson
 
1979 Caligula
Nerva
 
1979 Murder by Decree
Prime Minister Lord Salisbury
 
1978 Les Miserables (TV movie)
Gillenormand
 
1978 Richard II (TV movie)
John of Gaunt
 
1978 Romeo & Juliet (TV movie)
Chorus
 
1978 No Man's Land (TV movie)
Spooner
 
1977 A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
The Preacher
 
1977 Joseph Andrews
The Doctor
 
1977 Providence
Clive Langham
 
1976 Aces High
Headmaster
 
1976 Peter Pan (TV movie)
Narrator
 
1975 Shades of Greene (TV series)
Mr. Ferraro
– Special Duties (1975) … Mr. Ferraro
 
1975 Edward the King (TV series)
Benjamin Disraeli
– Dearest Prince (1975) … Benjamin Disraeli
– The Invisible Queen (1975) … Benjamin Disraeli
 
1975 Galileo
The Old Cardinal
 
1974 Murder on the Orient Express
Beddoes
 
1974 11 Harrowhouse
Meecham
 
1974 Gold
Farrell
 
1974 QB VII (TV mini-series)
Clinton-Meek
– Part One & Two (1974) … Clinton-Meek
 
1973 Frankenstein: The True Story (TV movie)
Chief Constable (Police)
 
1973 Menace (TV series)
Frederick William Densham
– Deliver Us from Evil (1973) … Frederick William Densham
 
1973 Lost Horizon
Chang
 
1972 Probe (TV movie)
Harold L. Streeter (as Sir John Gielgud)
 
1972 Eagle in a Cage
Lord Sissal
 
1972 Play for Today (TV series)
Harry
– Home (1972) … Harry (as Sir John Gielgud)
 
1971 Hassan (TV movie)
Haroun al Raschid
 
1970 ITV Saturday Night Theatre (TV series)
The Ghost
– Hamlet (1970) … The Ghost
 
1970 Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
 
1969 Oh! What a Lovely War
Count Leopold Von Berchtold
 
1968/I The Shoes of the Fisherman
The Elder Pope (as Sir John Gielgud)
 
1968 Assignment to Kill
Curt Valayan
 
1968 The Charge of the Light Brigade
Lord Raglan
 
1968 NET Playhouse (TV series)
Harry
– Home (1968) … Harry
 
1968 From Chekhov with Love (TV movie)
Anton Chekhov
 
1968 Sebastian
Head of Intelligence
 
1966 Alice in Wonderland (TV movie)
Mock Turtle (as Sir John Gielgud)
 
1966 The Wednesday Play (TV series)
Gabriel Quantara
– The Mayfly and the Frog (1966) … Gabriel Quantara
 
1966 ABC Stage 67 (TV series)
Rich Man
– The Love Song of Barney Kempinski (1966) … Rich Man
 
1965 Chimes at Midnight
Henry IV
 
1965 The Loved One
Sir Francis Hinsley
 
1965 Treasure Island (short)
Squire Trelawney
 
1964/I Hamlet
Ghost (voice)
 
1964 Becket
King Louis of France / King Louis VII of France
 
1963 ITV Play of the Week (TV series)
The Count
– The Rehearsal (1963) … The Count
 
1962 The Cherry Orchard (TV movie)
Gaev
 
1959 The DuPont Show of the Month (TV series)
Andrew Crocker-Harris
– The Browning Version (1959) … Andrew Crocker-Harris
 
1957 Saint Joan
Earl of Warwick
 
1957 The Barretts of Wimpole Street
Edward Moulton-Barrett
 
1956 Around the World in Eighty Days
Foster - Fogg's Ex-Valet (as Sir John Gielgud)
 
1955 Richard III
George, Duke of Clarence
 
1954 Romeo and Juliet
Chorus
 
1953 Julius Caesar
Cassius
 
1941 An Airman's Letter to His Mother (short)
Narrator
 
1941 The Prime Minister
Benjamin Disraeli
 
1937 Full Fathom Five (short) (voice)
 
1936 Secret Agent
Richard Ashenden/Brodie
 
1933 The Good Companions
Inigo Jollifant
 
1932 Insult
Henri Dubois
 
1929 The Clue of the New Pin
Rex Trasmere
 
1924 Who Is the Man?
Daniel
 
Show ShowDirector (2 titles)
1964/I Hamlet
 
1938 Spring Meeting (TV movie)
 
Show ShowMiscellaneous Crew (2 titles)
1964/I Hamlet (stage director)
 
1945 A Diary for Timothy (documentary short) (cooperation and support)
 
Show ShowWriter (1 title)
1966 ITV Play of the Week (TV series)
– Ivanov (1966) (adaptation)
 
Show ShowSoundtrack (1 title)
1933 The Good Companions (performer: "Lucky for Me" - uncredited)
 
Show ShowSelf (56 titles)
2003 Check the Gate: Putting Beckett on Film (video documentary)
Himself, from "Catastrophe" (also archive footage)
 
2000 Biography (TV series documentary)
Himself
– Vivien Leigh: A Delicate Balance (2000) … Himself
 
1998 The Harvest of Sorrow (TV documentary)
Sergei Rachmaninoff (voice)
 
1998 Arena: The Sir Noel Coward Trilogy (TV documentary)
Himself
 
1997 Dennis Pennis R.I.P. (video)
Himself
 
1997 The Making of 'Dragonheart' (video documentary)
King Arthur (voice)
 
1997 To Be on Camera: A History with Hamlet (video documentary short)
Himself
 
1996 The Leopard Son (documentary)
Narrator (voice)
 
1996 Looking for Richard (documentary)
Himself (Interview)
 
1995 Westminster Abbey (TV documentary)
Himself
 
1995 Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood (TV mini-series documentary)
Himself
– Opportunity Lost (1995) … Himself (as Sir John Gielgud)
 
1993 Hollywood U.K. (TV series documentary)
Himself - Contributor
– The Last Wave (1993) … Himself - Contributor
 
1990-1992 The South Bank Show (TV series documentary)
Himself / Narrator
– Noel Coward (1992) … Himself
– Hindemith: A Pilgrim's Progress (1990) … Narrator (voice)
 
1991 A Walk Through Prospero's Library (TV documentary short)
Prospero
 
1990 Vivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond (TV documentary)
Himself (as Sir John Gielgud)
 
1988 War and Remembrance: A Living History (video documentary short)
Himself
 
1969-1988 Omnibus (TV series documentary)
Himself
– Gwen: A Juliet Remembered (1988) … Himself
– The Actors Changing Face: Acting Styles in the 20th Century (1969) … Himself
 
1983-1988 Great Performances (TV series)
Himself / Cassius / George, Duke of Clarence / …
– Richard Burton: In from the Cold (1988) … Himself
– John Gielgud: An Actor's Life (1988) … Himself (also archive footage) / George, Duke of Clarence (also archive footage) / Cassius (also archive footage) / …
– Laurence Olivier: A Life (1983) … Himself (as Sir John Gielgud)
 
1987 Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville (TV documentary)
British Lord (as Sir John Gielgud)
 
1987 An Evening with Kiri Te Kanawa (TV documentary)
Himself
 
1985 This Is Your Life (TV series documentary)
Himself
– Harry Andrews (1985) … Himself
 
1984 Six Centuries of Verse (TV series)
Himself - Presenter
– Later Twentieth Century 1934-1984 (1984) … Himself - Presenter
– Earlier Twentieth Century 1914-1939 (1984) … Himself - Presenter
– Romantics and Realists 1870-1920 (1984) … Himself - Presenter
– American Pioneers 1849-1910 (1984) … Himself - Presenter
– Victorians 1837-1901 (1984) … Himself - Presenter
See all 15 episodes »
 
1984 Ingrid (documentary)
Himself/Narrator
 
1981 Omnibus; Parrots, Bees, Ducks and Finches (TV documentary)
Himself
 
1981 Voyage to the End of the Earth (TV documentary)
Narrator
 
1980 The British Greats (TV series)
Himself
– Jack Hawkins (1980) … Himself
 
1980 Every Night Something Atrocious (TV documentary)
Interviewee
 
1977 Fall In, the Stars (TV movie)
Himself
 
1977 Night of 100 Stars (TV special)
Himself
 
1976 SCTV (TV series)
Himself
– Crosswords (1976) … Himself
 
1974 The Pallisers (TV series)
Himself - Host
– Episode #1.26 (1974) … Himself - Host
– Episode #1.25 (1974) … Himself - Host
– Episode #1.24 (1974) … Himself - Host
– Episode #1.23 (1974) … Himself - Host
– Episode #1.22 (1974) … Himself - Host
See all 26 episodes »
 
1973 ABC Afterschool Specials (TV series)
Himself
– William: The Life, Works and Times of William Shakespeare (1973) … Himself
 
1969-1972 Stars on Sunday (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 27 February 1972 (1972) … Himself
– Episode dated 21 November 1970 (1970) … Himself
– Episode dated 24 August 1969 (1969) … Himself
– Episode dated 17 August 1969 (1969) … Himself
 
1970 The David Frost Show (TV series)
Himself
– Episode #3.55 (1970) … Himself
 
1970 Camera Three (TV series)
Himself
– Backstage with Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud (1970) … Himself
 
1970 Carol Channing's Mad English Tea Party (TV movie)
Himself
 
1970 NBC Experiment in Television (TV series documentary)
Himself
– A Bad Case of Shakespeare (1970) … Himself
 
1970 Hamlet Revisited: Approaches to Hamlet (TV documentary)
Himself - Narrator/Host
 
1969 Thirty-Minute Theatre (TV series)
Himself
– Conversation at Night (1969) … Himself
 
1968/II The Shoes of the Fisherman (documentary short)
Himself (uncredited)
 
1967 Révolution d'octobre (documentary)
Narrator (voice: English version)
 
1966 Ages of Man (TV movie)
Himself
 
1963 Farewell to the Vic (TV documentary)
Himself
 
1963 Mourir à Madrid (documentary)
Narrator (voice)
 
1961 The Bell Telephone Hour (TV series)
Himself
– Much Ado About Music (1961) … Himself
 
1960 This Is Your Life (TV series documentary)
Himself
– Dame Sybil Thorndike (1960) … Himself
 
1959 The Big Party (TV series)
Himself
– Episode #1.5 (1959) … Himself
 
1959 The Jack Paar Tonight Show (TV series)
Himself
– Episode #3.16 (1959) … Himself
 
1951-1959 The Ed Sullivan Show (TV series)
Himself / Shakespearean Reader
– Episode #12.44 (1959) … Shakespearean Reader (as Sir John Gielgud)
– Episode #4.30 (1951) … Himself
 
1958 The Immortal Land (documentary short)
Narrator (voice)
 
1957 Salute to Show Business (TV movie)
Himself
 
1956 Sunshine in Soho (documentary short)
Himself
 
1951 The Faye Emerson Show (TV series)
Himself
– Gielgud and Brown (1951) … Himself
 
1951 This Is Show Business (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 3 February 1951 (1951) … Himself
 
1945 A Diary for Timothy (documentary short)
Hamlet
 
1943 Niedokonczona podróz (documentary short)
Narrator (voice: English version)
 
Show ShowArchive Footage (10 titles)
2012 Shakespeare Uncovered (TV mini-series documentary)
 
2010 Alice in Wonderland Stills Gallery (video short)
Himself/Mock Turtle (uncredited)
 
2007 Never Apologize (documentary)
Himself
 
2007 Brando (TV documentary)
Himself
 
2007 There's Something About... Morse (TV documentary)
Lord Hinksey (uncredited)
 
1995-2002 Heroes of Comedy (TV series documentary)
 
2001 The 73rd Annual Academy Awards (TV special)
Himself (Memorial Tribute)
 
1995 Biography (TV series documentary)
 
1981 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (TV series)
 
1980 Clapper Board (TV series)
 

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Personal Details

Other Works:

Narrator: "The Hunting of the Snark", 1995, Mike Batt See more »

Publicity Listings:

10 Print Biographies  | 16 Articles  | 1 Magazine Cover Photo  | See more »

Alternate Names:

Sir John Gielgud

Height:

5' 11" (1.80 m)
Edit

Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

[on Edith Evans as Millimant in William Congreve's 'The Way of the World'] She purred and challenged, mocked and melted, showing her changing moods by subtly shifting the angles of her head, neck and shoulders. Poised and cool, like a porcelain figure in a vitrine, she used her fan - which she never opened - as an instrument for attack or defense... See more »

Trivia:

Appeared with Laurence Olivier in a 1935 production of "Romeo and Juliet" in which he and Olivier alternated the roles of Romeo and Mercutio. Gielgud got the better reviews in the lead as Romeo, which spurred Olivier on to become a better actor. See more »

Trademark:

His prominent hooked nose, which gave him a distinctive profile See more »

Nickname:

Johnny G. See more »

Star Sign:

Aries