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Vale: Ian Holm

Esteemed British actor, best known for The Lord of the Rings, has died.

Esteemed British actor Sir Ian Holm, best known for The Lord of the Rings, has died aged 88.

His illness was Parkinson’s-related, his agent confirmed.

“It is with great sadness we can confirm that the actor Sir Ian Holm CBE passed away this morning at the age of 88,” his agent said in a statement.

“He died peacefully in hospital with his family and carer,” he added.

Sir Ian played Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films, having played Frodo Baggins for BBC radio in 1981.

He also played Olympic running coach Sam Mussabini in Chariots of Fire, and the android Ash in 1979’s Alien.

Other film credits included The Fifth Element, The Bofors Gun, The Borrowers, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Fixer, Oh! What a Lovely War, Nicholas and Alexandra, Robin and Marian, Young Winston, Juggernaut, Shout at the Devil, The Day After Tomorrow and The Aviator.

Television credits included Les Miserables, The Man in the Iron Mask, All Quiet on the Western Front, Jesus of Nazareth, Holocaust and Inside the Third Reich.

There were also numerous stage performances including with Royal Shakespeare Company

“I’m never the same twice,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 2000, “and I’m not a movie star-type, so people don’t demand that I’m always the same.”

He received a knighthood in 1998 for his contribution to drama following the CBE he received in 1989.

Source: BBC

One Response

  1. For those who have watched numbers of British TV shows and movies Ian Holm was along with John Hurt a dominant screen presence. He made his mark on TV as Napoleon in Napoleon I in 1974 and became a TV and movie regular thereafter. As a sci-fi fan his roles in Alien, The Fifth Element are my favourites, and let’s not forget The Lord of the Rings Bilbo Baggins. John was blessed with his choice of roles which will keep his memory alive for many years to come.

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