LORD Of The Rings, Alien and Chariots of Fire star Sir Ian Holm has died at the age of 88.
The Oscar-nominated actor died peacefully in hospital from an illness related to Parkinson’s disease, his agent confirmed today.
A statement from his agent, Alex Irwin, said: “It is with great sadness we can confirm that the actor Sir Ian Holm CBE passed away this morning at the age of 88.
“He died peacefully in hospital, with his family and carer. His illness was Parkinson’s related.”
Sir Ian was an established star of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Harold Pinter’s favourite actor.
He was also recognised around the world for his roles Chariots of Fire, The Fifth Element, Alien, The Sweet Hereafter, Time Bandits, The Emperor’s New Clothes and The Madness of King George.
Sir Ian’s death comes just weeks after he apologised to fans for not being able to join a virtual reunion for the Lord Of The Rings cast.
The star, who famously played Bilbo Baggins, said: “I am sorry to not see you in person, I miss you all and hope your adventures have taken you to many places, I am in lockdown in my hobbit home, or Holm.”
Irwin said of the actor: “His portrayal of Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings trilogies ensured the magic of his craft could be shared by all generations.
“He was a genius of stage and screen, winning multiple awards and loved by directors, audiences and his colleagues alike. His sparkling wit always accompanied a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
“Charming, kind and ferociously talented, we will miss him hugely.”
Over his lifetime and across more than 100 roles in films, television and on stage, Sir Ian was awarded a Laurence Olivier award, a Tony and a Bafta.
He was married four times, most recently to Sophie de Stempel, a protegee and life model of Lucian Freud, and had five children.
Inspired by seeing Les Miserables as a boy, he secured a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1949 before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company.
His stage career was cut short after he developed acute stage fright during a production of The Iceman Cometh in 1976.
“The actor’s industrial disease,” he later described the condition.
He returned to the stage on only a handful of occasions, including his acclaimed portrayal of King Lear at the National Theatre in 1998.
In June that year, he was knighted for services to entertainment.
Sir Ian’s turn as Bilbo Baggins in The Lord Of The Rings between 2001 and 2003, and then The Hobbit, transformed him into household name.
He said in a 2004 interview with the Independent that he was “completely amazed by the reaction” to the films.
He added: “I get a lot of fan mail addressed to Bilbo and sometimes Sir Bilbo – it’s hardly ever addressed to Ian Holm, in fact.
“My business manager drafts the replies, and then I pop into the office and sign them ‘Bilbo’ but, of course, it hasn’t changed my life. Nothing could possibly change my life.”
In 2002, he revealed he was being treated for prostate cancer and had begun treatment, including with hormones, in the UK and the US.
His work became more sparse as he passed his 70th birthday.
He voiced the chef in Pixar’s Ratatouille, played Ben-Gurion in O Jerusalem and reprised Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit.
In one of his final public appearances, Sir Ian attended an event organised by the Newport Beach Film Festival at London’s Langham Hotel in a wheelchair.
He was honoured with an icon award, celebrating his six-decade contribution to the arts, and his family delivered a speech in his stead.
More to follow…
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