1904- . English actor and director. He played
many Shakespearean roles, including Hamlet
1929. His film roles include Clarence in
Richard III 1955 and the butler in Arthur
1981 (for which he won an Academy Award).
Gielgud made his debut at the Old Vic 1921.
Though probably best known as a Shakespearean
actor, his numerous stage appearances include
performances in plays by Chekhov and
Sheridan, and in works by playwrights Alan
Bennett, Peter Shaffer, and David Storey.
Other films include Becket 1964, Oh! What a
Lovely War 1969, and Providence 1977.