- Ian Charleson
Ian Charleson (
August 11 1949 –January 6 1990 ) was a Scottishactor in whose honour The Ian Charleson Awards were established.Born and raised in
Edinburgh , Charleson attended theRoyal High School and then went on to attend theUniversity of Edinburgh . He initially studied architecture but switched to an MA degree after cultivating an interest in acting. After graduating from Edinburgh he won a place at theLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). His best-known role was as the athleteEric Liddell in the film "Chariots of Fire " (1981). Other notable film appearances were his film debut "Jubilee" (1977), "Gandhi" (1982, in the role ofC. F. Andrews ), andDario Argento 's horror classic "Opera".Charleson, who was
gay , died ofAIDS -related causes at the age of 40. He died while playing "Hamlet" in Richard Eyre's production at the Olivier Theatre. Sir Ian McKellen said that Charleson played Hamlet so well it was as if he had rehearsed the role all his life.The Ian Charleson Awards have been presented annually since 1991 to reward the best classical stage performances in Britain by actors aged under 30. The HIV day care center at the
Royal Free Hospital in London NW3 is named in his memory.External links
*imdb name|id=0153182|name=Ian Charleson
* [http://www.alanbates.com/abarchive/stage/charleson.html Essay] byAlan Bates from "For Ian Charleson: A Tribute", ISBN 0-09-470250-0.
* [http://members.aol.com/dramaddict/charleson.htm The Ian Charleson Awards]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
