Ian Holm – Bilbo

‘Bilbo is not unlike me. My grandchildren call me “Grumpy”, not “Grampy”, but “Grumpy”! I’ve even got a Grumpy T-shirt! And I think Bilbo is quite grumpy, too – although, of course, he has a heart of gold.’
Sir Ian Holm is talking about his role as Bilbo Baggins, Frodo’s ‘uncle’ who many years earlier had come into possession of the One Ring. J R R Tolkien recounted Bilbo’s exploits in ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings’ opens with Bilbo leaving his home in Hobbiton on another journey. In going, he makes Frodo his heir bequeathing him all his possessions – including the Ring.
Appearing in ‘The Lord of the Rings Trilogy’ is a return to Middle-earth for Holm who, twenty-one years starred as Frodo in an acclaimed BBC radio serialisation of Tolkien’s epic. Reflecting on the character he once played (now being portrayed by Elijah Wood) he observes: ‘Frodo is an extraordinary fellow: like Bilbo, he is only a little chap, but somehow, his indomitable spirit keeps him going.’
Holm’s involvement with Tolkien’s classic is just one of a number of associations with ‘literacy fantasies’: he portrayed J M Barrie, the creator of Peter Pan, in the award-winning television drama series, ‘The Lost Boys’, and Lewis Carroll, the author of ‘Alice and Wonderland’ in the film ‘Dreamchild’. An illustrious stage career began with an appearance as ‘a spear-carrier’ in a production of ‘Othello’. A decade later, his performance as Henry V, in one numerous production with Royal Shakespeare Company, earned him the Evening Standard ‘Best Actor’ award, as did his performance, the following year, in Harold Pinter’s ‘The Homecoming’, the Broadway production of which won him a Tony Award.
Holm began making films in the 1960s and had his first notable role in ‘The Fixer’ starring Alan Bates and Dirk Bogarde. After a number of historical pictures (Mary, Queen of Scots and Young Winston), he played Nostromo crew member Ash in ‘Alien’ and gained an Academy Award nomination for his role in ‘Chariots of Fire’. Subsequent films include an appearance as Napoleon in ‘Time Bandits’ and roles in ‘Greystoke’, ‘Brazil’, ‘Dance with a Stranger’, ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘The Madness of King George’, which earned him his second Oscar nomination.
After a lengthy absence from the stage, Holm returned to the theatre with award-winning performances in Harold Pinter’s ‘Moonlight’ and Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’. Recent films included ‘Night Falls on Manhattan’, ‘The fifth Element’ and ‘The Sweet Hereafter’.
In 1988 Holm awarded his knighthood.
Having previously played Frodo, Sir Ian Holm enjoyed playing the older hobbit: ‘Bilbo is c character to whom things seem “to happen”! But once put to his mettle, once put to the test, he comes up trumps.’
The only problem has been getting used to wearing prosthetic feet: ‘I keep tripping over them and nearly falling on my face! I think my feet are bigger than anybody else’s. I don’t know why – I suppose because I’m Bilbo Baggins!’

Full Name: Bilbo Baggins
Date of Birth: September 22, 2890 T.A.
Parents: Bungo Baggins, Beladonna Took
Race: Hobbit
Weapon: Sting

"Well, I am Bilbo Baggins and I will start by further introducing myself. I can still remember how my big adventure began. I was just sitting in my hobbit hole when Gandalf visited me. Before I knew it I was playing host for 13 dwarves and soon after I would begin an adventure that would take me half way across Middle-Earth to the lair of Smaug the Dragon. It was me who found the One Ring in the orc caverns where Gollum also lived at that time. I had to do a riddle game with Gollum which I eventually won by asking what I had in my pocket. I barely escaped all the adventures with the dwarves and I returned to the Shire carying the One Ring with me as a treasure. It was many years later that I found out what the true nature was of the Ring and that was the beginning of the adventure my nephew Frodo had to undertake. After the War of the Ring I left middle-earth together with Frodo, Gandalf, Elrond and Galadriel."

'Very well, very well, Master Elrond! said Bilbo suddenly. 'Say no more! It is plain enough what you are poiting at. Bilbo the silly Hobbit started this affair, and Bilbo had better finish it, or himself.'