Celebrity Graveland

September 12, 1931 – June 19, 2020

Prolific Shakesperean actor, Sir Ian Holm, did not become a household name overnight, but his award-winning, nearly six decade career should be the envy of any aspiring thespian. Born in Essex, England, Holm secured a place at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the age of 19. From RADA, it was a certain jump to a long tenure at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Performances on stage and television built up his reputation and, by 1967, he had won a Tony award for his role in Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming on Broadway. More roles followed, including the voice of Frodo Baggins in the BBC’s radio production of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings – a sign of legendary things to come.

Throughout the late 1970’s, ’80s and 90’s, Holm popped up in classic films ranging from Alien and Chariots of Fire to The Fifth Element and – fittingly – Mel Gibson’s Hamlet. Then, in 2001, he went back to the Shire; this time playing the elder Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s much lauded Lord of the Rings trilogy as well as the subsequent Hobbit films. The series was an enormous hit and Holm was a central key in that success. He was nominated for an Oscar, 6 BAFTAs (winning twice) and 2 Emmys. In 1998 he won an Olivier for his portrayal of King Lear.

A cancer survivor, the final years of Holm’s life found him battling Parkinson’s disease. He died in London at the age of 83 leaving behind a legacy that would have made the Bard himself proud.

Burial

Highgate Cemetery West – London, UK

Specific Location

In a private section off the western side of The Meadow loop. Not far from George Michael and Jean Simmons. Ian’s distinctive marker is visible from the gate to this section.

This entry was posted on January 15, 2024 at 11:37 am and is filed under Highgate Cemetery with tags Actors, Highgate Cemetery West. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.