5. What versatile actor, who won a Tony Award in 1967, and was nominated for an Academy Award for portraying Sam Mussabini in 'Chariots of Fire' (1981), portrayed an aging ringbearer in 'The Lord of the Rings'?
From Quiz What Came Before 'Lord of the Rings'?
Answer:
Ian Holm
Sir Ian Holm was born in Essex in 1931, and has had a distinguished career on stage, both in his native country and on Broadway, where he received a Tony Award in 1967 for his performance of the role of Lenny in Harold Pinter's 'The Homecoming', a part he reprised in the 1973 movie. He won several awards (BAFTA for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Cannes Film Festival Award Best Supporting Actor) for his portrayal of Scipio Africanus "Sam" Mussabini, who trained Harold Abrams, one of the central figures in 'Chariots of Fire'. He has also appeared in a number of other British movies, working under the direction of Richard Lester a number of times.
American movie audiences may recall his performances in the 1997 movie 'The Fifth Element' (as Father Vito Cornelius) and in the 1998 film 'Alien' (as the android Ash). In 'The Lord of the Rings', he played the part of Bilbo Baggins, who had 'won' the One Ring from Gollum in 'The Hobbit', and passed it on to Frodo at the start of 'The Lord of the Rings'.