Ian Holm dies aged 88

[Vince W]

Time for a re-listen, I think. Sadly I no longer have anything on which to play my cassette tapes, but it seems the whole thing is on YouTube. Not perfect quality, but acceptable.

(Also worth mentioning how great Michel Hordern is as Gandalf. Even better than Ian McKellen, for my money.)

I never had it on cassette, but I do have my CD set, thankfully.

 

[The Judge]

(Also worth mentioning how great Michel Hordern is as Gandalf. Even better than Ian McKellen, for my money.)

Definitely! And the chap who plays Saruman -- his voice when he's trying to beguile Theoden, and then the spitting venom when he's thwarted. Masterful! (And Gollum and Butterbur and Sam and... yep, pretty much everyone!)

 

[Narkalui]

Being a child, my first experience if him was as Pod in the BBC Borrowers. "A great light has gone out" as the man said

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

I had forgotten he played Bernard Samson, one of Len Deighton's spy thrillers.

 

[Narkalui]

I didn't know that that have even been adapted! Did they do all nine of them?

 

[Danny McG]

He had a harsh death though

 

[Vladd67]

I didn't know that that have even been adapted! Did they do all nine of them?

afraid not

Bernard Samson was played by Ian Holm and Fiona Samson by Mel Martin in a 1988 Granada Television adaptation of the first trilogy, entitled Game, Set and Match, transmitted as twelve 60 minute episodes.[5] Filmed on location in Berlin and Mexico, the project included a large international cast with 3,000 extras and a budget of $8 million. It is considered the most ambitious espionage miniseries ever filmed. While critically acclaimed, the ratings for the series were poor.[4]
In February 2008, director Quentin Tarantino expressed interest in developing the Game, Set and Match trilogy as a three-hour film. He is quoted as saying, "I would see if I could boil it down to the fate of the characters, and ignore all this Maquis double agent stuff.[6]

Tarantino rather missing the point of the story.

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

I had forgotten he played Bernard Samson, one of Len Deighton's spy thrillers.

I didn't know that that have even been adapted! Did they do all nine of them?

I think they sort of rolled them into one, but not 100 per cent sure.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Time for a re-listen, I think. Sadly I no longer have anything on which to play my cassette tapes, but it seems the whole thing is on YouTube. Not perfect quality, but acceptable.

(Also worth mentioning how great Michel Hordern is as Gandalf. Even better than Ian McKellen, for my money.)

Yes, it was quite the most extraordinary cast! Hordern later was rather snooty about playing Gandalf, but he was brilliant. They all were. Peter Vaughn was astonishingly powerful as Denethor. It was pretty much Bill Nighy's debut too, he was amazingly good.
One of the most thrilling moments is when, briefly, we get to hear the voice of Sauron (via the palatir), but I've never been able to find out who did that voice...
The CD set (which thankfully I bought 15 years ago!) occasionally comes up second hand for sale. Grab it if you can.

 

[Vladd67]

It’s available on Audible.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Dramatised)

Check out this great listen on Audible.com. With its first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on March 8th, 1981, this dramatised tale of Middle Earth became an instant global classic. It boasts a truly outstanding cast including Ian Holm (as Frodo), Sir Michael Hordern (as Gandalf), Robert Stephens (as...

www.audible.co.uk

 

[BigBadBob141]

Sad to hear of his death, he was a very good actor in whatever role he played.
He will be missed R.I.P.