Biography
Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH, was an English actor, director, and producer. A descendant of the renowned Terry acting family, he achieved early international acclaim for his youthful, emotionally expressive Hamlet which broke box office records on Broadway in 1937. He was known for his beautiful speaking of verse and particularly for his warm and expressive voice, which his colleague Sir Alec Guinness likened to a silver trumpet muffled in silk. Gielgud is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award.
Awards & recognition
- Praemium Imperiale · 1994
- Primetime Emmy Award — Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie · 1991
- Academy Award — Best Supporting Actor · 1982
- honorary doctorate · 1980
- BAFTA Award — Best Actor in a Supporting Role · 1975
Show all 17 awards →
- Tony Award — Best Direction of a Play · 1961
- Companion of Honour
- Grammy Award — Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording
- Knight Bachelor
- Laurence Olivier Awards
- Order of Merit
- Society of London Theatre Special Award
- Academy Award — Best Supporting Actor · 1982 · nominated
- Tony Award — Best Actor in a Play · 1971 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Supporting Actor · 1965 · nominated
- Tony Award — Best Actor in a Play · 1965 · nominated
- Tony Award — Best Direction of a Play · 1963 · nominated
Filmography50+ titles
The Elephant Man
Inspector Morse
Brideshead Revisited
Gandhi
Romeo and Juliet
The Power of One
The Far Pavilions
Shine
Lovejoy
Lion of the Desert
Hamlet
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films
Elizabeth
Gulliver's Travels
Les Misérables
Chimes at Midnight
Becket
Richard III
Murder on the Orient Express
Julius Caesar
The Scarlet and the Black
Merlin
Agatha Christie's Seven Dials Mystery
Tea With the Dames
Quest for Camelot
Looking for Richard
Chariots of Fire
Tales of the Unexpected
The Dick Cavett Show
The Shoes of the Fisherman
The Ed Sullivan Show
Wagner
Why Didn't They Ask Evans?
Oh! What a Lovely War
Around the World in 80 Days
DragonHeart
Scarlett
Shining Through
Strike It Rich
Arthur
Murder by Decree
The Charge of the Light Brigade
The Loved One
First Knight
Haunted
Appointment with Death
Great Performances
Secret Agent
The Portrait of a Lady
In from the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton