The actor who plays the older version of Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' novels has passed away.
- Jun 20, 2020
AceShowbiz - British actor Ian Holm has died at the age of 88.
Holm, who starred as an older version of Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" films, passed away in hospital in London on Friday, June 19, 2020 after a battle with Parkinson's disease.
"It is with great sadness that the actor Sir Ian Holm CBE passed away this morning at the age of 88," his agent told The Guardian. "He died peacefully in hospital, with his family and career. Charming, kind and ferociously talented, we will miss him hugely."
After a stellar stage career, Holm earned fans worldwide with his performance as android Ash in Ridley Scott's 1979 movie "Alien". He went on to win a supporting actor BAFTA and receive an Oscar nomination for his role as athletics coach Sam Mussabini in the 1981 movie "Chariots of Fire", and became a regular presence on film and TV screens, starring in films like "The Fifth Element" and Terry Gilliam's "Brazil".
It is for his roles as Bilbo Baggins in Jackson's adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novels that he is best known, however, playing the character in "The Fellowship of the Ring" and "The Return of the King" and reprising the role alongside Martin Freeman" as a younger version of the character in "The Hobbit" movies.
He is survived by his fourth wife, Sophie de Stempel, five children from previous relationships, a grandson, his second wife Sophie Baker, and his third wife, actress Penelope Wilton.
