
Ian Holm
ActingAbout Ian Holm
Sir Ian Holm Cuthbert CBE (September 12, 1931 – June 19, 2020) was an English actor. After beginning his career on the British stage as a leading member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he became a successful and prolific performer on television and in films. He received numerous accolades including two BAFTA Awards and a Tony Award, along with nominations for an Academy Award and two Emmy Awards. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1989 by Queen Elizabeth II. Holm won the 1967 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor for his performance as Lenny in the Harold Pinter play The Homecoming. He won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance in the title role in the 1998 West End production of King Lear. For his television roles he received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for King Lear (1998), and the HBO film The Last of the Blonde Bombshells (2003). He gained acclaim for his role in The Bofors Gun (1968) winning the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and a BAFTA Award win for his role as athletics trainer Sam Mussabini in Chariots of Fire (1981). Other notable films he appeared in include Alien (1979), Brazil (1985), Henry V (1989), The Madness of King George (1994), The Fifth Element (1997), The Sweet Hereafter (1997), and The Aviator (2004). He gained wider appreciation for his role as the elderly Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. He also voiced Chef Skinner in the Pixar animated film Ratatouille (2007). Description above from the Wikipedia article Ian Holm, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Career Statistics & Market Influence
Analyzing the cinematic journey of Ian Holm reveals a career defined by exceptional commercial consistency. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.
Genre Dominance: Drama
The majority of Ian Holm's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.
The "Box Office" Signature
With a 100% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Ian Holm remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Landscape, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.
Best Ian Holm Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Ian Holm's career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Ian Holm.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies | Old Bilbo Baggins | Hit | Similar → |
| 2012 | The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | Old Bilbo Baggins | Hit | Similar → |
| 2011 | Discovering Hamlet | Polonius (archive footage) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2007 | Ratatouille | Skinner (voice) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2007 | The Real Middle Earth | Narrator | Hit | Similar → |
| 2005 | The Queen of Trees | Narrator | Hit | Similar → |
| 2005 | Lord of War | Simeon Weisz | Hit | Similar → |
| 2005 | The Adventures of Errol Flynn | Narrator (voice) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2004 | The Aviator | Professor Fitz | Hit | Similar → |
| 2004 | Garden State | Gideon Largeman | Hit | Similar → |
| 2004 | D-Day 6.6.1944 | Narrator (voice) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2004 | The Day After Tomorrow | Terry Rapson | Hit | Similar → |
| 2004 | The Making of 'The Return of the King' | Self | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2004 | Dragon's World: A Fantasy Made Real | Narrator | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2003 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | Bilbo | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2001 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | Bilbo | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2001 | The Emperor's New Clothes | Napoleon Bonaparte / Sergeant Eugene Lenormand | Hit | Similar → |
| 2001 | From Hell | Sir William Gull | Hit | Similar → |
| 2000 | The Last of the Blonde Bombshells | Patrick | Hit | Similar → |
| 1999 | eXistenZ | Kiri Vinokur | Hit | Similar → |
| 1999 | Simon Magus | Sirius / Boris / The Devil | Hit | Similar → |
| 1998 | King Lear | King Lear | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1997 | The Sweet Hereafter | Mitchell Stephens | Hit | Similar → |
| 1997 | The Fifth Element | Cornelius | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1996 | Big Night | Pascal | Hit | Similar → |
| 1995 | Landscape | Duff | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1994 | The Madness of King George | Willis | Hit | Similar → |
| 1993 | The Mysterious Career of Lee Harvey Oswald | Narrator (voice) (UK version, Timewatch: The Mysterious Career of Lee Harvey Oswald) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1992 | Elizabeth R: A Year in the Life of The Queen | Self - Narrator (voice) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1991 | Naked Lunch | Tom Frost | Hit | Similar → |
| 1990 | Hamlet | Polonius | Hit | Similar → |
| 1990 | A Season of Giants | Lorenzo de' Medici | Hit | Similar → |
| 1989 | Henry V | Captain Fluellen | Hit | Similar → |
| 1988 | Another Woman | Ken | Hit | Similar → |
| 1985 | Mr. and Mrs. Edgehill | Eustace Edgehill | Hit | Similar → |
| 1985 | Dreamchild | Reverend Charles L. Dodgson / Lewis Carroll | Hit | Similar → |
| 1985 | Brazil | Mr. Kurtzmann | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1983 | Bette Davis: The Benevolent Volcano | Narrator (voice) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1981 | Time Bandits | Napoleon | Hit | Similar → |
| 1981 | Chariots of Fire | Sam Mussabini | Hit | Similar → |
| 1979 | All Quiet on the Western Front | Himmelstoss | Hit | Similar → |
| 1979 | Alien | Ash | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1978 | Les Misérables | Thénardier | Hit | Similar → |
| 1978 | The Lost Boys | J.M. Barrie | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1971 | Mary, Queen of Scots | David Riccio | Hit | Similar → |
| 1971 | Nicholas and Alexandra | Yakovlev | Hit | Similar → |
| 1969 | Oh! What a Lovely War | President Poincare | Hit | Similar → |
| 1968 | Frankenstein | Frankenstein / The Monster | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1965 | The Wars of the Roses | King Richard III | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1962 | The Cherry Orchard | Trofimov | Super Hit | Similar → |
Ian Holm - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Ian Holm?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Ian Holm is "Landscape" with a rating of 10.0/10.
How many movies has Ian Holm acted in?
Ian Holm has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Ian Holm?
Other notable films include "Frankenstein", "The Making of 'The Return of the King'", and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King".



