| Ian Holm!! |
'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 corse, he has a heart of gold.'
Sir Ian Holm is talking about his role as Bilbo Baggins, Frodo's 'uncle', who, meny 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 Hobbition on another journey. In going, he makes Frodo his heir bequeathing him all his possessions-including the Ring.
Appearing in The Lord of the Ring Trilogy is a return to middle-earth for Holm who, twenty-one years ago, 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 associationa with 'literary 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 in Wonderland in the film Dreamchild.
An illustration 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 of numourous productions with the 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 Winaton),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 Stanger, Frankenstin and The Madness of King George, which earned him his secound Oscar nomination.
After a lenghty 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 have included Night Falls on Manhatten, The fifth Element and The Sweet Hereafter.
In 1998 Holm was awaaded his knighthood.
Having previously played Frodo, Sir Ian Holm enjoyed playing the older hobbit: 'Bilbo is a character to whom things seem "to happen"! But once put to his mettle,once put to the test, he comes up thumps.' 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 then anybody else's. I don't know why-i suppose because i'm Bilbo Baggins! |
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