John Gielgud
(1904-2000), Actor and theatre directorSir John Gielgud
Sitter in 123 portraits
Born into a theatrical tradition - Ellen Terry was his great aunt and his father's Polish grandmother was also an actress. He made his professional debut in 1921 at the Old Vic and it was there that his performances in Richard II and Hamlet in 1929 propelled him to fame. Gielgud's fame before the War was as a Shakespearean actor and director, skills he re-deployed in the triumphant one-man Shakespeare recital, Ages of Man, with which he toured the world in 1959. A versatile talent, he directed and played in Christopher Fry's The Lady's Not for Burning in 1949. He won an Oscar for his film role in Arthur (1981). As late as 1998 he starred in The Titchborne Claimant.
John Gielgud; Dame Peggy Ashcroft; George Howe
by Howard Coster
half-plate film negative, 1935
NPG x14497
John Gielgud; Dame Peggy Ashcroft as Romeo and Juliet in 'Romeo and Juliet'
by Howard Coster
half-plate film negative, 1935
NPG x14498
John Gielgud; Laurence Olivier
by Howard Coster
half-plate film negative, 1935
NPG x14499
John Gielgud; Sir Alec Guinness
by Howard Coster
half-plate film negative, 1935
NPG x14501
John Gielgud; Dame Peggy Ashcroft; George Howe
by Howard Coster
half-plate film negative, 1935
NPG x14504
John Gielgud; Glen Byam Shaw; Laurence Olivier
by Howard Coster
half-plate film negative, 1935
NPG x14510
John Gielgud as Romeo in 'Romeo and Juliet'
by Howard Coster
half-plate film negative, 1935
NPG x14515
John Gielgud; Dame Peggy Ashcroft
by Howard Coster
half-plate film negative, 1935
NPG x14521
John Gielgud; Dame Peggy Ashcroft
by Howard Coster
half-plate film negative, 1935
NPG x14522
John Gielgud; Dame Peggy Ashcroft
by Howard Coster
half-plate film negative, 1935
NPG x14526
John Gielgud; Dame Peggy Ashcroft; Dame Edith Evans (Dame Edith Mary Booth) in 'The Seagull'
by Howard Coster
half-plate film negative, 1936
NPG x14518
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