Sir Ian has returned to SAG to speak again with Guild members in Los Angeles.
He won the Tony Award for Salieri in Peter Shaffer\'s "Amadeus" (1981); the Emmy as best supporting actor in HBO\'s "Rasputin" (1996); he was European Actor of the Year for his screen "Richard III" (1996) and was nominated for an Academy Award as James Whale in "Gods and Monsters" (1999).
In December 2001 Sir Ian McKellen helped bring to life a Tolkien treasure with his stirring performance as Gandalf the Grey in, "Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship of the Ring." Ian was just honored with his second Oscar nomination. This time for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Gandalf. McKellen celebrated his 40th anniversary as an actor this past September with a return to Broadway. He starred opposite Helen Mirren in Richard Greenburg\'s new adaptation of Strindberg\'s "Dance of Death." He has since prepared to step back into the role of Magneto, in the sequel to the blockbuster "X-Men."
McKellen was born in the industrial north of England on May 25, 1939, the son of a civil engineer. He first acted at school and at Cambridge University where he studied English Literature and appeared in 21 undergraduate productions. Without any formal dramatic training, he made his dramatic debut in 1961 at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry and for three seasons worked his apprenticeship with other regional companies, culminating with the opening of the Nottingham Playhouse (1963), where he was directed by his childhood hero, director Tyrone Guthrie.
His first London appearance in "A Scent of Flowers" (1964) led to an invitation by Laurence Olivier to join his new National Theatre Company at the Old Vic Theatre. He then toured two seasons with the Prospect Theatre, storming the 1969 Edinburgh Festival as Shakespeare\'s "Richard II" and Marlowe\'s "Edward II." These alternated for two sell-out seasons in London and were televised followed by "Hamlet. "
McKellen\'s most noted work has been in the classics with companies, which are publicly subsidized to work in repertoire. He co-founded the democratically run Actors\' Company which visited the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 1974. His work with the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford-upon-Avon and in London (1974-1978) included plays by Brecht, Chekhov, Ibsen, Marlowe, Shaw, Stoppard and Wedekind. For Trevor Nunn he played Romeo (with Francesca Annis), Macbeth (with Judi Dench), Leontes, Toby Belch, Face and Iago (with Willard White). He produced the RSC\'s first small-scale tour of the UK (1978).
His first television role was as David Copperfield (BBC, 1966). He played Lawrence of Arabia in BBC TV\'s "Rose," Hitler in ITV\'s "Countdown to War." Amos Starkadder in Schlesinger\'s "Cold Comfort Farm" with Kate Beckinsale and a mentally-handicapped man in the first Film on Four, Stephen Frears\' "Walter" with Sarah Miles (1982). Also seen on US television were "Edward II," "Hedda Gabler," "The Scarlet Pimpernel," the thriller "Dying Day" and the documentary "Diary of a Year" (1985). McKellen won the Peabody Award for his 1984 broadcast "On Shakespeare\'s Birthday," a Cable Ace Award and an Emmy nomination for "And the Band Played On" (1993), and an Audie (1996) for his recording of Robert Fagle\'s new version of the "Odyssey."
His first film role in 1968 was with Sandy Dennis in "Thank You All Very Much." He has since made 25 movies. He was D.H. Lawrence in "Priest of Love" (1981). His "Richard II"
