John Gielgud

Who was John Gielgud?

Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH was an English actor, director, and producer. A descendant of the renowned Terry acting family, he achieved early international acclaim for his youthful, emotionally expressive Hamlet, which broke box office records on Broadway in 1937. He was known for his beautiful speaking of verse and particularly for his warm and expressive voice, which his colleague Sir Alec Guinness likened to "a silver trumpet muffled in silk". Referring to the mellifluousness of his speech, John Steinbeck described Gielgud as "a great musician" while Laurence Olivier, his rival as the greatest Shakespearean actor of their generation, said he possessed a voice that "wooed the world."

Gielgud is one of the few performers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award.