Ian McKellen on working with Christopher Lee

Josslyn · 4th September 2001, 02:37 PM

Hello out there.
I was wondering if anyone has been on Ian McKellen's site. Under the Lord of the Rings section there is an area called the Grey Book in which McKellen talks about being on location. In a few of the entries he discusses working with Mr. Lee. There entries are really quite interesting. The latest one about visiting Cannes has a nice anecdote about the hours of interviews he (McKellen) had with Ian Holme and CL.
The occasional picture is included.
The address for the site is: www.mckellen.com.
I'm not sure if this actually constitutes as news but it is worth checking out.
-Josslyn

cutshaw · 30th September 2001, 01:12 PM

I too have visited Ian McKellen's excellent site and can thoroughly recommend it. He talks candidly and intelligently about his work on THE LORD OF THE RINGS, as well as the many other theatre, TV and film productions he has appeared in. Well worth checking out!

**John Farrell** · 3rd October 2001, 05:17 PM

And did you note from Mr. McKellan's recent postings that he spent some time "off camera" this summer reading Mr. Lee's excellent autobiography?

Nice touch. It sounds like they got on famously. I especially appreciate Mr. McKellan's point that the British stage has missed a huge star in Mr. Lee as a Shakespearean actor.

Mr. Lee goes into his initial stage experiences in some detail in his autobiography--and it is a shame that some early discouraging experiences ultimately kept him away from the stage.

He would indeed have been a magnificent Prospero and Lear!

Best,

John F

cutshaw · 7th October 2001, 10:45 PM

I too think he would have made a fine Lear and how about as Govenor Danforth in Arthur Miller's truly brilliant THE CRUCIBLE?

hma · 16th October 2001, 11:04 AM

McKellen's site is indeed very good, although perhaps not as stylishly constructed as this one. The anecdote about Cannes I particluarly liked.

hma

**John Farrell** · 30th October 2001, 06:13 PM

For students of acting--I can't recommend highly enough a book I just bought--Playing Shakespeare--by the Royal Shakespeare Company's director. It features Ian McKellan on the cover with Judy Dench.

The book examines how to approach Shakespeare from an actor's point of view--and Ian McKellan's comments throughout the book are just excellent.

Of course, several other English theater greats also participate--Sinead Cusack, Patrick Stewart, Ben Kingsley...

Great Stuff.

Best,

John F

Matthew · 18th November 2001, 06:00 AM

Ian McKellan's website has provided various enteratining material. His postings involving Christopher Lee has been most enjoyable to read, especially the segment involving the interview. I had a good laugh over that one.

Gwindor · 26th November 2001, 11:41 PM

I imagine that Sir Ian probably relished working with another actor whose experience is as extensive as his own.

I think there is still plenty of opportunity for Mr. Lee to be cast as Lear, and I hope that someone offers him the part. Sounds like a very good idea. Can you imagine that voice? Like black thunder in the storm scene...

Gwindor