Ian Holm

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Sir Ian Holm CBE (born 12 September, 1931), born as Ian Holm Cuthbert, is an English actor.

Holm was born in Goodmayes, Essex, and was educated at Chigwell School and then the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Holm was an established star of the Royal Shakespeare Company before making an impact on television and film. He has been married four times.

In 1965, Holm played Richard III in the BBCs serialisation of the Wars of the Roses plays, and gradually made a name for himself with minor roles in films such as Oh! What a Lovely War (1969), Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), Mary, Queen of Scots (1971) and Young Winston (1972). By the time of Alien (1979) and Chariots of Fire (1981), he was a major star in the UK, and his reputation gradually spread to the USA.

Ian was a favorite actor of Terry Gilliam, having appeared in Time Bandits and Brazil. He continued to perform Shakespeare, and appeared with Kenneth Branagh in Henry V (1989) and as Polonius to Mel Gibson's Hamlet. He could also be seen as Desmond Cussen opposite Miranda Richardson in Dance with a Stranger.

In 1991 he married, as his third wife, popular actress Penelope Wilton, and they appeared together in The Borrowers (1993) on British television, although in 2001 they divorced. In 1989 Holm was created a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to drama, and in 1998 he was knighted.

He did his probably most notable appearance of the last years as the stressed but friendly Priest Vito Cornelius in the 1997 movie The Fifth Element. In 2001 he starred in From Hell as the physician Sir William Withey Gull. The same year he appeared as Bilbo Baggins in the blockbuster film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, having previously played Bilbo's nephew Frodo Baggins in 1981 BBC Radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings.

He reappeared in the trilogy in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). In 2004, he appeared in The Day After Tomorrow, Zach Braff's Garden State, and Martin Scorsese's The Aviator. Recently, he appeared in 2005's Lord of War.

He has played Napoleon Bonaparte three times. First, in the 1972 television series Napoleon and Love. Next, in a cameo comic rendition, in Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits from 1981. He completed the set in 2001 playing the fallen and exiled leader in the fanciful film The Emperor's New Clothes.

He was treated in New York City for prostate cancer a few years ago, and appears to be in complete remission.

His is one of the most familiar voices in Britain, having been heard in countless TV documentaries and commercials.

Holm was slated to star in a CBS miniseries titled "Pope John Paul II" playing the late pontiff, but, on August 14, 2005, decided against it for "personal reasons." The late Pope John Paul II was instead portrayed by Jon Voight.

His son, Barnaby Cuthbert, is also an actor.

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