John Gielgud (1904-2000), English actor, director, and producer. Born in London and educated at Westminster School and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Gielgud made his stage debut in London in 1921 with the Old Vic Repertory Company. His success in the title role of Richard II in 1929 established him as a leading Shakespearean actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his interpretation of the title role in Hamlet, which he first played in 1929 and repeated many times. Gielgud also became a director of Shakespearean and other plays. In 1959 he performed in The Ages of Man, a programme of readings from the works of Shakespeare. Roles in contemporary drama included Tiny Alice (1964) by Edward Albee and Home (1970) by David Storey. He appeared in many films, notably as Cassius in Julius Caesar (1952) and as the Duke of Clarence in Richard II (1955). Other films include The Good Companions (1932), The Secret Agent (1936), Becket (1964), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), Chariots of Fire (1980), Arthur (1981; Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), and Prospero's Books (1991). Notable was his role as the narrator's father, Edward Ryder, in the television series Brideshead Revisited (1981). Gielgud continued to act into his 90s, mainly in British television series such as Inspector Morse and Lovejoy. He also made cameo appearances in films such as Shine (1996) and Elizabeth (1998). His autobiography, Early Stages, published in 1939, was revised in 1976. He also collaborated in the writing of Gielgud: An Actor and His Time (1980). He was knighted in 1953. The Gielgud Theatre was named in his honour in 1994.