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Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud
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Subject: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: Peter T. Date: 22 May 00 - 04:06 PM A brief non-musical indulgence. Just to say farewell to the last of the old great Shakespearean actors, Sir John, who died today at 96. I was privileged to spend a long afternoon with him once, 15 years ago, when he came to our university to speak to acting students. It was like being in the company of a host of famous actors, like Macready or Barrymore or Bernhardt. He was delightful company, full of stories and self-deprecation, and had our students completely spellbound. I asked him at one point if he was going to do King Lear again, and he said, "My boy, by the time you are good enough to do it mentally, you are too old to do it physically, but I am potty enough to think I might give it another go." He was 35 times larger than life. We shall not see his like again, believe me. flights of angels.... yours, Peter T. |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: catspaw49 Date: 22 May 00 - 04:10 PM A favorite of mine too Peter.....I envy your experience. And I suspect you're right. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: Dave Swan Date: 22 May 00 - 04:29 PM The dirge from Cymbeline is traditionally read at the funeral of an actor. I'll hoist a glass and sing it in memory of Sir John. He was the last link to the generation which gave us Richardson, Olivier, and Coward. I wish I'd been able to see any of them work on stage. Fear no more the heat of the sun.... Dave |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: Peter T. Date: 22 May 00 - 04:39 PM I forgot to mention that Sir John was working hard on stage until last month. At 96. yours, Peter T. |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: Amos Date: 22 May 00 - 04:50 PM Like George Burns -- a separate hero of a different school, but every bit the hero -- Sir John was not only a hero and an icon of his times, but he was as well a genuine trouper. I feel much lessened by his passing, and can only wish him the very best wherever he goes from here. A |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: katlaughing Date: 22 May 00 - 05:32 PM Thank you, Peter. A sad passing indeed. It must've been remarkable to have spent time with him as you did. Wonderful that he was performing almost to the last minute. I believe he was grace/graciousness personified.... kat |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: Irish sergeant Date: 22 May 00 - 05:59 PM The foot lights shall be a little dimmer and the boards shall echo just a bit hollower than they have previously. Sir John was a giant among his peers and any one who loves film or stage will most likely miss him. I know I shall. Farewell Sir John. Neil |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: Mbo Date: 22 May 00 - 07:10 PM Sir John was truly a great. I will miss him terribly..,the world won't be the same without him.
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: Susanne (skw) Date: 22 May 00 - 07:18 PM Rest in peace, Sir John (but I do hope there'll be a stage provided for you up there ...) |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: JenEllen Date: 22 May 00 - 07:27 PM I shall miss the voice that could carry such emotion. ~Elle |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 22 May 00 - 07:45 PM I get this vision of Sir John Gielgud in some anteroom of the afterlife, (like in A Matter of Life and Death maybe), making barbed polite conversation with Dame Barbara Cartland, who died a few hours previously at the age of 98.
Once when Barbara Cartland was being interviewed on te radio she starting talking about how class barriers in England had fallen in her lifetime. The interviewer cast some doubt on that, and was promptly put in his place: "Of course they have - otherwise I wouldn't be talking to someone like you."
I can imagine her at last getting her come-uppance from Sir John Gielgud. |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: GUEST,Bill H Date: 22 May 00 - 08:27 PM A GIANT. And, truly, when shall we see his like again? I was pleased and honored when Ronnie Gilbert, in an interview I conducted with her in 1996, said that she love the juxtaposition I put into her singing of a plaintiff Hank Williams tune with his recitation (from old vinyl) of two pieces from Hamlet dealing with introspection and loss. GOODNIGHT----SWEET PRINCE. Bill H
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: Rick Fielding Date: 22 May 00 - 10:21 PM I chuckled at the radio obituary which started off: "Best known as the butler in "Arthur", Sir John G.........." True, unfortunately. Rick |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: Sorcha Date: 22 May 00 - 10:58 PM But he had a Great Run........ |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler Date: 23 May 00 - 04:00 AM I have been fortunate to see him several times on stage. His Prospero was definitive IMHO. How lucky to go on working as much as he wanted right to the end. RtS |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: Ritchie Date: 23 May 00 - 06:38 AM My apologies to anyone who knew him but I cannot believe some of the comments on the radio and in the press on the news of Sir John's passing away. But come on the man was 96 years old for goodness sake, thats some innings. Great as he may have been he is not going to be a miss. As for good old Babs...well..What odds for 'the Queen Mum' making it a treble this weekend ? I don't know if anyone heard the Jonathan Woss show on radio 2 on saturday morning but he had the good fortune to have as one of his guests Brian Blessed, who Unbeknown to him, or indeed to anyone else at that time, paid a very timely tribute to Sir John. Thank you and goodnight |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: Billy the Bus Date: 23 May 00 - 07:18 AM Um.. Amen, to the above for JG I've only heard him on the wireless. Sorry Ritchie, "Radio 2" doesn't get this far - even the "BBC News" (complete with Big Ben) died off a couple of decades back. But, a question Ritch - Does QM hit the ton this weekend? Knew it was getting close. Hope Liz doesn't forget to send a telegram. Here's to JG, BC and QM - but my thoughts are more for the hostage Fiji Parliament. Trust none of them RIP right now - haven't heard the news in a couple of hours. Sláinte - Sam |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: GUEST,Aldus Date: 23 May 00 - 07:32 AM I think that of all the actors of the 20th century, Sit John was the most im[ortant and will be the most missed. He elevated evry actor around him and was, I think, the best Shakespearean actor of his age. |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: Peter K (Fionn) Date: 23 May 00 - 06:03 PM A man of infinite jest. Or mirth. (Depending which quarto you're using.) As a sad reflection on the times we lived, in oh so recently here in the Old Country, it is worth remembering that this wonderful bloke was once convicted, and I believe was actually imprisoned, for some trivial homosexual indiscretion. The way he got on with his life and career thereafter must have required a fair degree of resolve, if not courage, in the face of the widespread homophobia of those days. |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: Susanne (skw) Date: 24 May 00 - 05:48 PM Peter T, I haven't seen any British obituaries, but my local German paper claimed Sir John gave up acting in 1989. Did they miss something? - Susanne |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: Peter T. Date: 24 May 00 - 06:04 PM Susanne, the article I had from the New York Times said that he was still working a month ago on a film (a Samuel Beckett play being filmed by David Mamet). I think he gave up full time stage acting about 5 years so. He did a radio play of King Lear on or about his 90th birthday. Concerning his arrest in the early 1950's, he was as often happened then arrested for simple soliciting. I recall that he was only fined. There was a movement to have him disbarred from the British equivalent of the Actor's Union, so that he could not work on stage, but there was a huge rally of support for him, and it did not come to pass. It was all kept out of the papers at the time. He has said that that was the closest he ever came to suicide. His partner Martin died a year or so ago. yours, Peter T. |
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Subject: RE: Goodnight, Sir John - Gielgud From: Susanne (skw) Date: 24 May 00 - 06:10 PM Now THAT was a quick reply! Almost in the Joe Offer class! Thanks, Peter T. I thought they had to be wrong, for from all I know about him (I've got a few of his books but sadly never saw him on stage) he lived the theatre and couldn't keep away from it. |
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