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Gielgud made his first appearance at the Old Vic in London in 1921, his first radio broadcast in 1923 and his first film in 1924. Through eight decades he dominated his profession, initially as a classical actor (for many he was the definitive Hamlet, Richard II, Benedick, Prospero, Lear), later in plays by Harold Pinter and Alan Bennett. In his twenties he appeared in silent movies: more than half a century later, he emerged as a Hollywood star, winning his first Oscar (for Arthur) at the age of seventy-eight.
With wonderful anecdotes -- Gielgud loved gossip and had a wicked sense of humour -- and previously unpublished contributions from a range of Gielgud's friends and colleagues -- including Kenneth Branagh, Alec Guinness, Paul Scofield, Donald Sinden, Peter Hall -- John Gielgud: An Actor's Life is as much the story of twentieth-century theatre as of one man.
Drawn from conversations Brandreth had with Gielgud over thirty years, and written with Sir John's blessing ('Gyles -- you are quoting a few of the only fairly intelligent things I have ever said about the theatre -- thank you!'), John Gielgud: An Actor's Life provides a revealing, and at times touching, portrait of a fascinating personality, and an authoritative and compelling account of a remarkable career.
| Preface | vii | |
| Acknowledgements | xi | |
| 1. | 'Wonderful actor, wonderful friend', 1904-2000 | 1 |
| 2. | Arthur John Gielgud, 1904-1929 | 14 |
| 3. | 'I'm a star!', 1929-1933 | 32 |
| 4. | "The world's best Hamlet', 1933-1946 | 47 |
| 5. | "The finest flower of the contemporary stage', 1934-1948 | 63 |
| 6. | Honour--and humiliation, 1949-1958 | 85 |
| 7. | 'You've already shown me that--now show me something else', 1958-1968 | 106 |
| 8. | 'New notes from an old cello', 1968-1994 | 122 |
| 9. | 'The end of an era', 1994-2000 | 141 |
| The Gielgud--Terry Family Tree | 163 | |
| Stage Chronology: Gielgud as actor and director | 165 | |
| Film and Television Chronology | 181 | |
| Bibliography | 187 | |
| Index | 190 |
Overview
When John Gielgud died in May 2000 he was honoured as 'the giant of twentieth century theatre'. Dame Maggie Smith said, 'We will not see his like again. It is the end of an era.' In this special celebration of his life and work, Gyles Brandreth tells the extraordinary story of a unique actor, film star, director and raconteur.Gielgud made his first appearance at the Old Vic in London in 1921, his first radio broadcast in 1923 and his first film in 1924. Through eight decades he dominated his profession, initially as a classical actor (for many he was the definitive Hamlet, Richard II, Benedick, Prospero, Lear), later in plays by Harold Pinter and Alan Bennett. In his twenties he appeared...