144-538: Narrow Street is a narrow road running parallel to the River Thames through the Limehouse area of east London, England. It used to be much narrower, and is the oldest part of Limehouse, with many buildings originating from the eighteenth century. Most archaeologists believe that Narrow Street represents the line of the medieval river wall. The wall was built to reclaim riverside marshland and to protect it from
288-623: A Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for two Academy Awards , five BAFTA Awards and five Emmy Awards . McKellen made his stage debut in 1961 at the Belgrade Theatre as a member of its repertory company, and in 1965 made his first West End appearance. In 1969, he was invited to join the Prospect Theatre Company to play the lead parts in Shakespeare's Richard II and Marlowe 's Edward II . In
432-539: A "colossal, emphatically wigged cameo". To celebrate his 80th birthday, in 2019 McKellen performed in a one-man stage show titled Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others and YOU celebrating the various performances throughout his career. The show toured across the UK and Ireland (raising money for each venue and organisation's charity) before a West End run at the Harold Pinter Theatre and
576-558: A "lethally flamboyant incarnation" and said his "florid mastery ... dominates everything". Film critic Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times praised McKellen's adaptation and his performance in his four star review writing, "McKellen has a deep sympathy for the playwright ... Here he brings to Shakespeare's most tortured villain a malevolence we are moved to pity. No man should be so evil, and know it. Hitler and others were more evil, but denied out to themselves. There
720-611: A "notable success". In 1965 he was a member of Laurence Olivier 's National Theatre Company at the Old Vic , which led to roles at the Chichester Festival . With the Prospect Theatre Company , McKellen made his breakthrough performances of Shakespeare 's Richard II (directed by Richard Cottrell ) and Christopher Marlowe 's Edward II (directed by Toby Robertson ) at the Edinburgh Festival in 1969,
864-662: A 17 May 2006 interview on The Today Show with the Da Vinci Code cast and director Ron Howard , Matt Lauer posed a question to the group about how they would have felt if the film had borne a prominent disclaimer that it is a work of fiction, as some religious groups wanted. McKellen responded, "I've often thought the Bible should have a disclaimer in the front saying 'This is fiction'. I mean, walking on water? It takes ... an act of faith. And I have faith in this movie—not that it's true, not that it's factual, but that it's
1008-572: A 1998 interview that discusses the 29th anniversary of the Stonewall riots , McKellen commented, I have many regrets about not having come out earlier, but one of them might be that I didn't engage myself in the politicking. He has said of this period: My own participating in that campaign was a focus for people [to] take comfort that if Ian McKellen was on board for this, perhaps it would be all right for other people to be as well, gay and straight. Section 28 was, however, enacted and remained on
1152-512: A Play for his role as Antonio Salieri in Amadeus (1980). He was further nominated for Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare (1984). He returned to Broadway in Wild Honey (1986), Dance of Death (1990), No Man's Land (2013), and Waiting for Godot (2013), the latter two being a joint production with Patrick Stewart . McKellen achieved worldwide fame for his film roles, including
1296-793: A double feature production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night , and Anton Chekov 's Three Sisters portraying Sir Toby Belch and Andrei, respectively. In 1979, McKellen gained acclaim for his role as Antonio Salieri in the Broadway transfer production of Peter Shaffer 's play Amadeus . It was an immensely popular play produced by the National Theatre originally starring Paul Scofield . The transfer starred McKellen, Tim Curry as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , and Jane Seymour as Constanze Mozart . The New York Times theatre critic Frank Rich wrote of McKellen's performance "In Mr. McKellen's superb performance, Salieri's descent into madness
1440-479: A double production of Samuel Beckett 's Waiting for Godot and Harold Pinter 's No Man's Land on Broadway at the Cort Theatre . Variety theatre critic Marilyn Stasio praised the dual production writing, "McKellen and Stewart find plenty of consoling comedy in two masterpieces of existential despair". In both productions of Stasio claims, "the two thespians play the parts they were meant to play". He
1584-511: A jolly good story". He continued, "And I think audiences are clever enough and bright enough to separate out fact and fiction, and discuss the thing when they've seen it". McKellen appeared in the 2006 BBC series of Ricky Gervais 's comedy series Extras , where he played himself directing Gervais's character Andy Millman in a play about gay lovers. McKellen received a 2007 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor – Comedy Series nomination for his performance. In 2007, McKellen narrated
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#17327725135561728-650: A lifelong ambition, where in 2015 he was gifted a cobble from the soap's exterior set for his seventy-sixth birthday. He narrated Richard Bell 's film Eighteen as a grandfather who leaves his World War II memoirs on audio-cassette for his teenage grandson. McKellen has appeared in limited release films, such as Emile (which was shot in three weeks following the X2 shoot), Neverwas and Asylum . In 2006, he appeared as Sir Leigh Teabing in The Da Vinci Code opposite Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon . During
1872-459: A member of a society which declared its indifference to people's sexuality years back, I think she was just glad for my sake that I wasn't lying any more". His great-great-grandfather Robert J. Lowes was an activist and campaigner in the ultimately successful campaign for a Saturday half-holiday in Manchester, the forerunner to the modern five-day work week, thus making Lowes a "grandfather of
2016-561: A network of creeks. Lying below sea level, it is prone to flooding at exceptional tides, but has nevertheless been inhabited since Roman times. The usually quoted source of the Thames is at Thames Head (at grid reference ST980994 ). This is about 1.5 mi (2.4 km) north of the village of Kemble in southern Gloucestershire , near the town of Cirencester , in the Cotswolds . However, Seven Springs near Cheltenham , where
2160-520: A porcelain factory in Narrow Street alighting via Duke Shore Stairs while en route to view work on boats being built for herring fishing. The Limehouse area fitted out, repaired and resupplied ships. In 1772, Smith & Sykes ran a sugar house, a small factory that baked and refined sugar. Limehouse Cut was redirected into Limehouse Basin, which was one of the first docks to close in the late 1960s. Nicholas Hawksmoors ' Church St Anne's Limehouse
2304-624: A possible negative effect on his career, was that the controversial Section 28 of the Local Government Bill, known simply as Section 28 , was then under consideration in the British Parliament . Section 28 proposed prohibiting local authorities from promoting homosexuality "... as a kind of pretended family relationship". McKellen has stated that he was influenced in his decision by the advice and support of his friends, among them noted gay author Armistead Maupin . In
2448-619: A road that was already popular with cyclists to and from the City . The London Cycling Campaign supported the route but called for improvements. In 2011, TfL agreed to remove logos from the road surface, but not to change the route. The National Trail Thames Path for walkers runs along Narrow Street and it is also included in the London Marathon course. Docklands Light Railway stations are Limehouse (for National Rail as well) and Westferry . The London River Services pier
2592-646: A significant impact on McKellen's future career. McKellen made his first professional appearance in 1961 at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry , as Roper in A Man for All Seasons , although an audio recording of the Marlowe Society's Cymbeline had gone on commercial sale as part of the Argo Shakespeare series. After four years in regional repertory theatres , McKellen made his first West End appearance, in A Scent of Flowers , regarded as
2736-507: A small part of western England; the river is fed by at least 50 named tributaries . The river contains over 80 islands . With its waters varying from freshwater to almost seawater, the Thames supports a variety of wildlife and has a number of adjoining Sites of Special Scientific Interest , with the largest being in the North Kent Marshes and covering 20.4 sq mi (5,289 ha). According to Mallory and Adams,
2880-639: A summer venue for organised swimming, which is prohibited on safety grounds in a stretch centred on Central London . After the river took its present-day course, many of the banks of the Thames Estuary and the Thames Valley in London were partly covered in marshland , as was the adjoining Lower Lea Valley . Streams and rivers like the River Lea , Tyburn Brook and Bollo Brook drained into
3024-1146: A well-known figure in British theatre, performing frequently at the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre , where he played several leading Shakespearean roles. From 1973 to 1974, McKellen toured the United Kingdom and Brooklyn Academy of Music portraying Lady Wishfort's Footman, Kruschov, and Edgar in the William Congreve comedy The Way of the World , Anton Chekov 's comedic three-act play The Wood Demon and William Shakespeare tragedy King Lear . The following year, he starred in Shakespeare 's King John , George Colman 's The Clandestine Marriage , and George Bernard Shaw 's Too True to Be Good . From 1976 to 1977 he portrayed Romeo in
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#17327725135563168-506: A world tour of a lauded revival of Richard III , playing the title character . The production played at the Brooklyn Academy of Music for two weeks before continuing its tour where Frank Rich of New York Times was able to review it. In his piece, he praised McKellen's performance writing, "Mr McKellen's highly sophisticated sense of theatre and fun drives him to reveal the secrets of how he pulls his victims' strings whether he
3312-550: Is Canary Wharf Pier . The Anglo-Saxon word tirl , means 'narrow street' or a 'gate' to keep horses and other cattle out of the city. 51°30′32″N 0°2′1″W / 51.50889°N 0.03361°W / 51.50889; -0.03361 River Thames The River Thames ( / t ɛ m z / TEMZ ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis , is a river that flows through southern England including London . At 215 miles (346 km), it
3456-794: Is Patron of English Touring Theatre and also President and Patron of the Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain , an association of amateur theatre organisations throughout the UK. In late August 2012, he took part in the opening ceremony of the London Paralympics , portraying Prospero from The Tempest . McKellen reprised the role of Gandalf on screen in Peter Jackson's three-part film adaptation of The Hobbit starting with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), followed by The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013), and finally The Hobbit: The Battle of
3600-471: Is a landmark on the Boat Race course, while Glover's Island forms the centre of a view from Richmond Hill . Islands of historical interest include Magna Carta Island at Runnymede , Fry's Island at Reading, and Pharaoh's Island near Shepperton. In more recent times Platts Eyot at Hampton was the place where Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB)s were built, Tagg's Island near Molesey was associated with
3744-598: Is addressing the audience in a soliloquy or not". For his performance he received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor . In 1992, he acted in Pam Gems 's revival of Chekov's Uncle Vanya at the Royal National Theatre alongside Antony Sher , and Janet McTeer . In 1993, he starred in the film Six Degrees of Separation based on the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award nominated play of
3888-481: Is also an emeritus Fellow of St Catherine's College, Oxford . While McKellen had made his sexual orientation known to fellow actors early on in his stage career, it was not until 1988 that he came out to the general public while appearing on the BBC Radio programme Third Ear hosted by conservative journalist Peregrine Worsthorne . The context that prompted McKellen's decision, overriding any concerns about
4032-409: Is an English actor. With a career spanning more than sixty years, he is noted for his roles on the screen and stage in genres ranging from Shakespearean dramas and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. He is regarded as a British cultural icon and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991. He has received numerous accolades , including a Tony Award , six Olivier Awards , and
4176-402: Is an important water source, especially in the drier months, so maintaining its quality and quantity is extremely important. Groundwater is vulnerable to surface pollution, especially in highly urbanised areas. Brooks, canals and rivers, within an area of 3,842 sq mi (9,951 km ), combine to form 38 main tributaries feeding the Thames between its source and Teddington Lock . This
4320-649: Is believed that Tamesubugus' name was derived from that of the river. Tamese was referred to as a place, not a river in the Ravenna Cosmography ( c. AD 700 ). The river's name has always been pronounced with a simple t /t/ ; the Middle English spelling was typically Temese and the Brittonic form Tamesis . A similar spelling from 1210, "Tamisiam" (the accusative case of "Tamisia"; see Kingston upon Thames § Early history ),
4464-549: Is formed for much of its length for shipping and supplies: through the Port of London for international trade, internally along its length and by its connection to the British canal system. The river's position has put it at the centre of many events in British history, leading to it being described by John Burns as "liquid history". Two broad canals link the river to other rivers: the Kennet and Avon Canal ( Reading to Bath ) and
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4608-697: Is found in Magna Carta . The Thames through Oxford is sometimes called the Isis . Historically, and especially in Victorian times, gazetteers and cartographers insisted that the entire river was correctly named the Isis from its source down to Dorchester on Thames and that only from this point, where the river meets the Thame and becomes the "Thame-isis" (supposedly subsequently abbreviated to Thames) should it be so called. Ordnance Survey maps still label
4752-427: Is home to a number of pubs and restaurants, including The Narrow , a gastropub run by Gordon Ramsay . Booty's Riverside Bar, which closed in 2013, was an independently owned pub dating to the 16th century. In the 18th century Booty's was an engineering shop for the barge builders, Sparkes. In the 19th century it was re-fronted, and by the 1870s it was a licensed bar called The Waterman's Arms owned by Taylor Walker. It
4896-671: Is no escape for Richard. He is one of the first self-aware characters in the theatre, and for that distinction he must pay the price". His performance in the title role garnered BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor and won the European Film Award for Best Actor . His screenplay was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay . That same year, he appeared in the historical drama Restoration (1995) also starring Downey Jr., as well as Meg Ryan , Hugh Grant , and David Thewlis . He also appeared in
5040-551: Is nothing short of magnificent ... Director Bill Condon, who teamed superbly with McKellen on the Oscar-winning Gods and Monsters, brings us a riveting character study of a lion not going gentle into winter". In October 2015, McKellen appeared as Norman to Anthony Hopkins 's Sir in a BBC Two production of Ronald Harwood 's The Dresser , alongside Edward Fox , Vanessa Kirby , and Emily Watson . Television critic Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter praised
5184-471: Is one of London's first Cycle Superhighways . Some residents raised a petition calling for CS3 to be moved from Narrow Street onto the A13 Commercial Road , arguing that the street was too narrow and that incidents of abuse and aggression had risen sharply since the route was introduced. Transport for London (TfL) said they had no plans to move it. Mayor Boris Johnson defended the choice as
5328-462: Is preaching to the converted, McKellen makes us aware of the vast and powerful intolerance outside the comfortable walls of the theatre. Endowed with a rare technique, he is a natural storyteller, an admirable human being and a hands-on activist". From 1997 to 1998, he starred as Dr. Tomas Stockmann in a revival of Henrik Ibsen 's An Enemy of the People . Later that year he played Garry Essendine in
5472-452: Is responsible for managing the flow of water to help prevent and mitigate flooding, and providing for navigation: the volume and speed of water downstream is managed by adjusting the sluices at each of the weirs and, at peak high water, levels are generally dissipated over preferred flood plains adjacent to the river. Occasionally, flooding of inhabited areas is unavoidable and the agency issues flood warnings. Due to stiff penalties applicable on
5616-948: Is shared by many other river names in Britain, such as the River Tamar at the border of Devon and Cornwall , several rivers named Tame in the Midlands and North Yorkshire , the Tavy on Dartmoor , the Team of the North East, the Teifi and Teme of Wales , the Teviot in the Scottish Borders and a Thames tributary, the Thame . Kenneth H. Jackson proposed that the name of
5760-708: Is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom , after the River Severn . The river rises at Thames Head in Gloucestershire and flows into the North Sea near Tilbury , Essex and Gravesend , Kent, via the Thames Estuary . From the west, it flows through Oxford (where it is sometimes called the Isis), Reading , Henley-on-Thames and Windsor . The Thames also drains
5904-404: Is the usual tidal limit ; however, high spring tides can raise the head water level in the reach above Teddington and can occasionally reverse the river flow for a short time. In these circumstances, tidal effects can be observed upstream to the next lock beside Molesey weir , which is visible from the towpath and bridge beside Hampton Court Palace . Before Teddington Lock was built in 1810–12,
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6048-483: The 1991 animated film ) in the live-action adaptation of Disney 's Beauty and the Beast , directed by Bill Condon (which marked the third collaboration between Condon and McKellen, after Gods and Monsters and Mr. Holmes ) and co-starred alongside Emma Watson and Dan Stevens . The film was released to positive reviews and grossed $ 1.2 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing live-action musical film,
6192-811: The Berwyn Mountains in North Wales . About 450,000 years ago, in the most extreme Ice Age of the Pleistocene , the Anglian , the furthest southern extent of the ice sheet reached Hornchurch in east London, the Vale of St Albans, and the Finchley Gap . It dammed the river in Hertfordshire , resulting in the formation of large ice lakes, which eventually burst their banks and caused
6336-541: The British Geological Survey from the banks of the tidal River Thames contain geochemical information and fossils which provide a 10,000-year record of sea-level change. Combined, this and other studies suggest that the Thames sea-level has risen more than 30 m during the Holocene at a rate of around 5–6 mm per year from 10,000 to 6,000 years ago. The rise of sea level dramatically reduced when
6480-534: The Broadhurst Theatre . The New York Times Theatre critic Ben Brantley praised McKellen's performance writing, "[McKellen] returns to Broadway to serve up an Elysian concoction we get to sample too little these days: a mixture of heroic stage presence, actorly intelligence, and rarefied theatrical technique". McKellen toured with the production at the Lyric Theatre in London's West End and to
6624-577: The Charles Dickens classic novel. The miniseries starred a pre- Harry Potter Daniel Radcliffe , Bob Hoskins , and Dame Maggie Smith . In 1999, McKellen was cast, again under the direction of Bryan Singer, to play the comic book supervillain Magneto in the 2000 film X-Men and its sequels X2: X-Men United (2003) and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). He later reprised his role of Magneto in 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past , sharing
6768-570: The Churn (which feeds into the Thames near Cricklade ) rises, is also sometimes quoted as the Thames' source, as this location is farthest from the mouth and adds some 14 mi (23 km) to the river's length. At Seven Springs above the source is a stone with the Latin hexameter inscription "Hic tuus o Tamesine pater septemgeminus fons", which means "Here, O Father Thames, [is] your sevenfold source". The springs at Seven Springs flow throughout
6912-602: The David Hare play of the same name . The film was directed by Fred Schepisi and starred Meryl Streep , Charles Dance , John Gielgud , and Sting . The film spans nearly 20 years from the early 1940s to the 1960s, around an Englishwoman's experiences as a fighter for the French Resistance during World War II when she has a one-night stand with a British intelligence agent. The film received mixed reviews with Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times praising
7056-417: The Edinburgh Festival . This relationship lasted until 1988, and according to Mathias, it was tempestuous, with conflicts over McKellen's success in acting versus Mathias's somewhat less-successful career. The two remained friends, with Mathias later directing McKellen in Waiting for Godot at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2009. The pair entered into a business partnership with Evgeny Lebedev , purchasing
7200-461: The Grand Union Canal (London to the Midlands). The Grand Union effectively bypassed the earlier, narrow and winding Oxford Canal which remains open as a popular scenic recreational route. Three further cross-basin canals are disused but are in various stages of reconstruction: the Thames and Severn Canal (via Stroud ), which operated until 1927 (to the west coast of England), the Wey and Arun Canal to Littlehampton , which operated until 1871 (to
7344-451: The HBO made-for-television movie Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny (1996) starring Alan Rickman as Rasputin . For his performance, McKellen earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie nomination and received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film win. McKellen appeared as Mr Creakle in the BBC series David Copperfield (1999) based on
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#17327725135567488-406: The ITV sitcom Vicious as Freddie Thornhill, alongside Derek Jacobi . The series revolves around an elderly gay couple who have been together for 50 years. The show's original title was "Vicious Old Queens". There are ongoing jokes about McKellen's career as a relatively unsuccessful character actor who owns a tux because he stole it after doing a guest spot on "Downton Abbey" and that he holds
7632-405: The James L. Brooks directed comedy I'll Do Anything starring Nick Nolte . In 1995, McKellen made his screenwriting debut with Richard III , an ambitious adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play of the same name , directed by Richard Loncraine . The film reimagines the play's story and characters to a setting based on 1930s Britain, with Richard depicted as a fascist plotting to usurp
7776-489: The Noël Coward comedy Present Laughter at the West Yorkshire Playhouse . In 1998, he appeared in the modestly acclaimed psychological thriller Apt Pupil , which was directed by Bryan Singer and based on a story by Stephen King . McKellen portrayed a fugitive Nazi officer living under a false name in the US who is befriended by a curious teenager ( Brad Renfro ) who threatens to expose him unless he tells his story in detail. That same year, he played James Whale ,
7920-417: The River Lea can be considered another boundary. Most of the local riverside was also marshland. The land was drained and became farmland; it was built on after the Industrial Revolution . Canvey Island in southern Essex (area 18.45 km , 7.12 sq mi; population 40,000 ) was once marshy, but is now a fully reclaimed island in the Thames estuary, separated from the mainland of south Essex by
8064-433: The Royal Academy , London , in 1785. They are now on show at the River and Rowing Museum in Henley). Richard Coates suggests that while the river was as a whole called the Thames, part of it, where it was too wide to ford, was called * (p)lowonida . This gave the name to a settlement on its banks, which became known as Londinium , from the Indo-European roots * pleu- "flow" and * -nedi "river" meaning something like
8208-455: The Royal Shakespeare Company . McKellen starred in the British drama Scandal (1989) a fictionalised account of the Profumo affair that rocked the government of British prime minister Harold Macmillan . McKellen portrayed John Profumo . The film starred Joanne Whalley , and John Hurt . The film premiered at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival and competed for the Palme d'Or . When his friend and colleague, Patrick Stewart , decided to accept
8352-467: The Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his work in The Fellowship of the Ring and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the same role. He provided the voice of Gandalf for several video game adaptations of the Lord of the Rings films. McKellen returned to the Broadway stage in 2001 in an August Strindberg play The Dance of Death alongside Helen Mirren and David Strathairn at
8496-441: The Thames Barrier , which protects central London from flooding by storm surges . Below the barrier, the river passes Woolwich , Thamesmead , Dagenham , Erith , Purfleet , Dartford , West Thurrock , Northfleet , Tilbury and Gravesend before entering the Thames Estuary near Southend-on-Sea . The sea level in the Thames estuary is rising and the rate of rise is increasing. Sediment cores up to 10 m deep collected by
8640-420: The Thanetian stage of the late Palaeocene epoch. Until around 500,000 years ago, the Thames flowed on its existing course through what is now Oxfordshire , before turning to the north-east through Hertfordshire and East Anglia and reaching the North Sea near present-day Ipswich . At this time the river-system headwaters lay in the English West Midlands and may, at times, have received drainage from
8784-446: The second highest-grossing film of 2017 , and the 17th highest-grossing film of all time. In 2017, McKellen appeared in the documentary McKellen: Playing the Part , directed by director Joe Stephenson. The documentary explores McKellen's life and career as an actor. In October 2017, McKellen played King Lear at the Chichester Festival Theatre , a role which he said was likely to be his "last big Shakespearean part". He performed
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#17327725135568928-519: The titular King in Richard III (1995), James Whale in Gods and Monsters (1998), Magneto in the X-Men films , and Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings (2001–2003) and The Hobbit (2012–2014) trilogies. Other notable film roles include A Touch of Love (1969), Plenty (1985), Six Degrees of Separation (1993), Restoration (1995), Mr. Holmes (2015), and The Good Liar (2019). McKellen came out as gay in 1988, and has since championed LGBT social movements worldwide. He
9072-418: The 1970s McKellen became a stalwart of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre of Great Britain . He has earned five Olivier Awards for his roles in Pillars of the Community (1977), The Alchemist (1978), Bent (1979), Wild Honey (1984), and Richard III (1995). McKellen made his Broadway debut in The Promise (1965). He went on to receive the Tony Award for Best Actor in
9216-487: The 1990s, many new apartment complexes have been built around the Limehouse Basin as well as Victorian warehouse conversions , with Limehouse now being one of the most sought after property sites in London. Its close proximity to the River Thames has made property prices around Limehouse and the Docklands soar over the last decade. However a 2001 Census listed 5.4 per cent of homes in Poplar and Limehouse as being without central heating and/or private bathroom. The street
9360-466: The 2015 novel Curtain Call by Anthony Quinn. The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival . In April 2024, McKellen starred as John Falstaff in Player Kings ( an adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 ) opposite Richard Coyle and Toheeb Jimoh at the Noël Coward Theatre in London's West End and received rave reviews (following runs at New Wimbledon Theatre and Manchester Opera House ). The production
9504-522: The Artist Citizen of the World Award (France). McKellen has a tattoo of the Elvish number nine, written using J. R. R. Tolkien 's constructed script of Tengwar , on his shoulder in reference to his involvement in the Lord of the Rings and the fact that his character was one of the original nine companions of the Fellowship of the Ring . All but one of the other actors of "The Fellowship" ( Elijah Wood , Sean Astin , Orlando Bloom , Billy Boyd , Sean Bean , Dominic Monaghan and Viggo Mortensen ) have
9648-414: The Blitz . On the south side of Narrow Street is a rare example of an early Georgian brick terrace. With the exception of the westernmost property ( The Grapes public house ) it was standing derelict and abandoned, but in 1964 the writer Andrew Sinclair bought and saved one of the houses and persuaded his Cambridge friends to buy the others. (Early Georgian houses can be distinguished from late ones in
9792-409: The British romantic comedy Jack and Sarah (1995) starring Richard E. Grant , Samantha Mathis , and Judi Dench . In 1993, he appeared in minor roles in the television miniseries Tales of the City , based on the novel by his friend Armistead Maupin . Later that year, McKellen appeared in the HBO television film And the Band Played On based on the acclaimed novel of the same name about
9936-429: The Five Armies (2014). Despite the series receiving mixed reviews, it emerged as a financial success. McKellen also reprised his role as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto in James Mangold 's The Wolverine (2013), and Singer's X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014). In November 2013, McKellen appeared in the Doctor Who 50th anniversary comedy homage The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot . From 2013 to 2016, McKellen co-starred in
10080-411: The North Sea, and the Thames Barrier was built in the 1980s to protect London from this risk. The Nore is the sandbank that marks the mouth of the Thames Estuary , where the outflow from the Thames meets the North Sea . It is roughly halfway between Havengore Creek in Essex and Warden Point on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. Until 1964 it marked the seaward limit of the Port of London Authority. As
10224-489: The River Thames on the Tideway include the rivers Crane , Brent , Wandle , Ravensbourne (the final part of which is called Deptford Creek ), Lea (the final part of which is called Bow Creek ), Roding (Barking Creek), Darent and Ingrebourne . In London, the water is slightly brackish with sea salt, being a mix of sea and fresh water. This part of the river is managed by the Port of London Authority . The flood threat here comes from high tides and strong winds from
10368-781: The Shakespeare romance Romeo & Juliet at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre . The following year he played King Leontes in The Winter's Tale . In 1976, McKellen played the title role in William Shakespeare 's Macbeth at Stratford in a "gripping ... out of the ordinary" production, with Judi Dench , and Iago in Othello , in award-winning productions directed by Trevor Nunn . Both of these productions were adapted into television films, also directed by Nunn. From 1978 to 1979 he toured in
10512-738: The Sydney Art's Festival in Australia. On 16 March 2002, he hosted Saturday Night Live . In 2003, McKellen made a guest appearance as himself on the American cartoon show The Simpsons in a special British-themed episode entitled " The Regina Monologues ", along with the then UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and author J. K. Rowling . In April and May 2005, he played the role of Mel Hutchwright in Granada Television 's long-running British soap opera, Coronation Street , fulfilling
10656-480: The Thames Estuary), the river is subject to tidal activity from the North Sea . Before the lock was installed, the river was tidal as far as Staines, about 16 mi (26 km) upstream. London, capital of Roman Britain , was established on two hills, now known as Cornhill and Ludgate Hill . These provided a firm base for a trading centre at the lowest possible point on the Thames. A river crossing
10800-521: The Thames as "River Thames or Isis" down to Dorchester. Since the early 20th century this distinction has been lost in common usage outside of Oxford, and some historians suggest the name Isis is nothing more than a truncation of Tamesis , the Latin name for the Thames. Sculptures titled Tamesis and Isis by Anne Seymour Damer are located on the bridge at Henley-on-Thames , Oxfordshire (the original terracotta and plaster models were exhibited at
10944-493: The Thames is not Indo-European (and of unknown meaning), while Peter Kitson suggested that it is Indo-European but originated before the Britons and has a name indicating "muddiness" from a root *tā- , 'melt'. Early variants of the name include: Indirect evidence for the antiquity of the name "Thames" is provided by a Roman potsherd found at Oxford, bearing the inscription Tamesubugus fecit (Tamesubugus made [this]). It
11088-524: The Thames' discharge is low considering its length and breadth: the Severn has a discharge almost twice as large on average despite having a smaller drainage basin . In Scotland , the Tay achieves more than double the Thames' average discharge from a drainage basin that is 60% smaller. Along its course are 45 navigation locks with accompanying weirs . Its catchment area covers a large part of south-eastern and
11232-567: The Thames, from Middle English Temese , is derived from the Brittonic name for the river, Tamesas (from * tamēssa ), recorded in Latin as Tamesis and yielding modern Welsh Tafwys "Thames". The name element Tam may have meant "dark" and can be compared to other cognates such as Russian темно ( Proto-Slavic * tĭmĭnŭ ), Lithuanian tamsi "dark", Latvian tumsa "darkness", Sanskrit tamas and Welsh tywyll "darkness" and Middle Irish teimen "dark grey". The origin
11376-519: The aftermath of the 11 September attacks , McKellen said: "Well, darling, you forget—I slept under a steel plate until I was four years old". McKellen's father was a civil engineer and lay preacher , and was of Protestant Irish and Scottish descent. Both of McKellen's grandfathers were preachers, and his great-great-grandfather, James McKellen, was a "strict, evangelical Protestant minister" in Ballymena, County Antrim . His home environment
11520-486: The architects of Section 28, as the 'ugly sisters' of a political pantomime. McKellen has continued to be very active in LGBT rights efforts. In a statement on his website regarding his activism, the actor commented: I have been reluctant to lobby on other issues I most care about—nuclear weapons (against), religion (atheist), capital punishment (anti), AIDS (fund-raiser) because I never want to be forever spouting, diluting
11664-482: The attention of three other women. McKellen received mixed reviews from critics in particular Frank Rich of The New York Times who praised him for his "bravura and athletically graceful technique that provides everything except, perhaps, the thing that matters most—sustained laughter". He later wrote, "Mr. McKellen finds himself in the peculiar predicament of the star who strains to carry a frail supporting cast". In 1989 he played Iago in production of Othello by
11808-727: The case of the Colne ), and man-made distributaries such as the Longford River . Three canals intersect this stretch: the Oxford Canal , Kennet and Avon Canal and Wey Navigation . Its longest artificial secondary channel (cut), the Jubilee River , was built between Maidenhead and Windsor for flood relief and completed in 2002. The non-tidal section of the river is managed by the Environment Agency , which
11952-519: The closeness of the original buildings. An 1865 report to Parliament noted that no part of Narrow Street was wider than 25 feet. The Limehouse Cut for barges, which ran under Narrow Street and led to the Lee Navigation , was established in 1766. Limehouse Basin was built in 1820, to transship goods to barges on the Regent's Canal . In 1661, Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary of a visit to
12096-423: The confluence, the overall length of the Thames measured from Seven Springs, at 229 mi (369 km), is greater than the Severn's length of 220 mi (350 km). Thus, the "Churn/Thames" river may be regarded as the longest natural river in the United Kingdom. The stream from Seven Springs is joined at Coberley by a longer tributary which could further increase the length of the Thames, with its source in
12240-487: The course of 3 years. At that young age he was already giving performances that have since become legendary such as his Justice Shallow in Henry IV alongside Trevor Nunn and Derek Jacobi (March 1959), Cymbeline (as Posthumus, opposite Margaret Drabble as Imogen) and Doctor Faustus . During this period McKellen had already been directed by Peter Hall , John Barton and Dadie Rylands , all of whom would have
12384-642: The details of his final case because his mind is slowly deteriorating. The film premiered at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival with McKellen receiving acclaim for his performance. Rolling Stone film critic Peter Travers praised his performance writing, "Don't think you can take another Hollywood version of Sherlock Holmes? Snap out of it. Apologies to Robert Downey Jr. and Benedict Cumberbatch , but what Ian McKellen does with Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective in Mr Holmes
12528-667: The director of Frankenstein in the Bill Condon directed period drama Gods and Monsters , a role for which he was subsequently nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor , losing it to Roberto Benigni in Life is Beautiful (1998). In 1995, he appeared in the BBC television comedy film Cold Comfort Farm starring Kate Beckinsale , Rufus Sewell , and Stephen Fry . The following year he starred as Tsar Nicholas II in
12672-585: The discovery of HIV . For his performance as gay rights activist Bill Kraus , McKellen received the CableACE Award for Supporting Actor in a Movie or Miniseries and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie . From 1993 to 1997 McKellen toured in a one-man show entitled, A Knights Out , about coming out as a gay man. Laurie Winer from The Los Angeles Times wrote, "Even if he
12816-452: The film and the central performances writing, "there's no escaping that Hopkins and McKellen are the central figures here, giving wonderfully nuanced performances, onscreen together for their first time in their acclaimed careers". For his performance McKellen received a British Academy Television Award nomination for his performance. In 2017, McKellen portrayed in a supporting role as Cogsworth (originally voiced by David Ogden Stiers in
12960-425: The film's ensemble cast writing, "The performances in the movie supply one brilliant solo after another; most of the big moments come as characters dominate the scenes they are in". In 1986, he returned to Broadway in the revival of Anton Chekhov 's first play Wild Honey alongside Kim Cattrall and Kate Burton . The play concerned a local Russian schoolteacher who struggles to remain faithful to his wife, despite
13104-475: The flowing river or the wide flowing unfordable river. The river gives its name to three informal areas: the Thames Valley , a region of England around the river between Oxford and West London; the Thames Gateway ; and the greatly overlapping Thames Estuary around the tidal Thames to the east of London and including the waterway itself. Thames Valley Police is a formal body that takes its name from
13248-498: The fourteenth century. The area grew rapidly in Elizabethan times as a centre for world trade and by the reign of James I nearly half of the area's 2,000 population were mariners . The area supplied ships with ropes and other necessities; pottery was also made here for the ships. Ship chandlers settled here building wooden houses and wharves in the cramped space between street and river. Narrow Street may take its name from
13392-663: The grounds of the National Star College at Ullenwood . The Thames flows through or alongside Ashton Keynes , Cricklade , Lechlade , Oxford , Abingdon-on-Thames , Wallingford , Goring-on-Thames and Streatley (at the Goring Gap ), Pangbourne and Whitchurch-on-Thames , Reading , Wargrave , Henley-on-Thames , Marlow , Maidenhead , Windsor and Eton , Staines-upon-Thames and Egham , Chertsey , Shepperton , Weybridge , Sunbury-on-Thames , Walton-on-Thames , Molesey and Thames Ditton . The river
13536-512: The ice melt nearly concluded over the past 4,000 years. Since the beginning of the 20th century, rates of sea level rise range from 1.22 mm per year to 2.14 mm per year. The Thames River Basin District, including the Medway catchment, covers an area of 6,229 sq mi (16,130 km ). The entire river basin is a mixture of urban and rural, with rural landscape predominating in
13680-640: The impresario Fred Karno and Eel Pie Island at Twickenham was the birthplace of the South East's R&B music scene. Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster (commonly known today as the Houses of Parliament ) were built on Thorney Island , which used to be an eyot . Researchers have identified the River Thames as a discrete drainage line flowing as early as 58 million years ago, in
13824-715: The latter causing a storm of protest over the enactment of the homosexual Edward's lurid death. One of McKellen's first major roles on television was as the title character in the BBC's 1966 adaptation of David Copperfield , which achieved 12 million viewers on its initial airings. After some rebroadcasting in the late 60s, the master videotapes for the serial were wiped , and only four scattered episodes (3, 8, 9 and 11) survive as telerecordings , three of which feature McKellen as adult David. McKellen had taken film roles throughout his career—beginning in 1969 with his role of George Matthews in A Touch of Love , and his first leading role
13968-486: The lease of The Grapes public house in Narrow Street. As of 2005, McKellen had been living in Narrow Street , Limehouse , for more than 25 years, more than a decade of which had been spent in a five-storey Victorian conversion. McKellen is an atheist . In the late 1980s, he lost his appetite for every kind of meat but fish, and has since followed a mainly pescetarian diet. In 2001, Ian McKellen received
14112-499: The marriage of his friend and X-Men co-star Patrick Stewart to the singer Sunny Ozell . McKellen was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters by Cambridge University on 18 June 2014. He was made a Freeman of the City of London on 30 October 2014. The ceremony took place at Guildhall in London. He was nominated by London's Lord Mayor Fiona Woolf , who said he was an "exceptional actor" and "tireless campaigner for equality". He
14256-462: The modern weekend". McKellen attended Bolton School (Boys' Division), of which he is still a supporter, attending regularly to talk to pupils. McKellen's acting career started at Bolton Little Theatre , of which he is now the patron. An early fascination with the theatre was encouraged by his parents, who took him on a family outing to Peter Pan at the Opera House in Manchester when he
14400-426: The non-tidal river, which is a drinking water source before treatment, sanitary sewer overflow from the many sewage treatment plants covering the upper Thames basin should be rare in the non-tidal Thames. However, storm sewage overflows are still common in almost all the main tributaries of the Thames despite claims by Thames Water to the contrary. Below Teddington Lock (about 55 mi or 89 km upstream of
14544-412: The pair knitting Christmas jumpers and other festive attire. In 2023, it was revealed that Ulvaeus and McKellen would be knitting stagewear for Kylie Minogue as part of her More Than Just a Residency concert residency at Voltaire at The Venetian Las Vegas . In 2023, he starred in the period thriller The Critic directed by Anand Tucker . The film is written by Patrick Marber adapted off
14688-735: The play at the Duke of York's Theatre in London's West End during the summer of 2018. McKellen voiced Dr. Cecil Pritchfield the child psychiatrist for Stewie Griffin in the Family Guy episode " Send in Stewie, Please " in 2018. He appeared in Kenneth Branagh 's historical drama All is True (2018) portraying Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton , opposite Branagh and Judi Dench. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian described his performance "offer solid support" and added that it's
14832-435: The politician Lord Owen , and the authors Matthew Parris and Andrew Sinclair . The writer, photographer and television presenter Daniel Farson lived at number 92 for several years. It was also the home of the film director Sir David Lean . Its picturesque buildings and atmospheric location abutting onto the River Thames attracted artists and writers. Cycle Superhighway 3 CS3 between Tower Gateway to Barking and
14976-468: The remaining West End and tour performances on medical advice. McKellen and his first partner, Brian Taylor, a history teacher from Bolton , began their relationship in 1964. Their relationship lasted for eight years, ending in 1972. They lived in Earls Terrace , Kensington, London, where McKellen continued to pursue his career as an actor. In 1978, he met his second partner, Sean Mathias , at
15120-585: The river passes Pimlico and Vauxhall , and then forms one of the principal axes of the city, from the Palace of Westminster to the Tower of London . At this point, it historically formed the southern boundary of the medieval city, with Southwark , on the opposite bank, then being part of Surrey . Beyond central London, the river passes Bermondsey , Wapping , Shadwell , Limehouse , Rotherhithe , Millwall , Deptford , Greenwich , Cubitt Town , Blackwall , New Charlton and Silvertown , before flowing through
15264-491: The river to divert onto its present course through the area of present-day London. The ice lobe which stopped at present-day Finchley deposited about 14 metres of boulder clay there. Its torrent of meltwater gushed through the Finchley Gap and south towards the new course of the Thames, and proceeded to carve out the Brent Valley in the process. Ian McKellen Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939)
15408-439: The river was tidal at peak spring tides as far as Staines upon Thames . In descending order, non-related tributaries of the non-tidal Thames, with river status, are the Churn , Leach , Cole , Ray , Coln , Windrush , Evenlode , Cherwell , Ock , Thame , Pang , Kennet , Loddon , Colne , Wey and Mole . In addition, there are occasional backwaters and artificial cuts that form islands, distributaries (most numerous in
15552-596: The river, covering three counties . In non-administrative use, the river's name is used in those of Thames Valley University , Thames Water , Thames Television , publishing company Thames & Hudson , Thameslink (north–south rail service passing through central London ) and South Thames College . An example of its use in the names of historic entities is the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company . Marks of human activity, in some cases dating back to Pre-Roman Britain , are visible at various points along
15696-456: The river, while some islands, e.g. Thorney Island , formed over the ages. The northern tip of the ancient parish of Lambeth , for example, was marshland known as Lambeth Marshe , but it was drained in the 18th century; the street names Lower Marsh and Upper Marsh preserve a memory. Until the middle of the Victorian era, malaria was commonplace beside the River Thames, even in London, and
15840-519: The river. These include a variety of structures connected with use of the river, such as navigations, bridges and watermills , as well as prehistoric burial mounds . The lower Thames in the Roman era was a shallow waterway winding through marshes. But centuries of human intervention have transformed it into a deep tidal canal flowing between 200 miles of solid walls; these defend a floodplain where 1.5 million people work and live. A major maritime route
15984-581: The role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the American television series, Star Trek: The Next Generation , McKellen strongly advised him not to throw away his respected theatrical career to work in television. However, McKellen later conceded that Stewart had been prudent in accepting the role, which made him a global star and later followed his example such as co-starring with Stewart in the X-Men superhero film series. From 1990 to 1992, he acted in
16128-478: The role of Bottom played by Jean McKellen, who continued to act, direct, and produce amateur theatre until her death. In 1958, McKellen, at the age of 18, won a scholarship to St Catharine's College, Cambridge , where he read English literature. He has since been made an Honorary Fellow of the college. While at Cambridge, McKellen was a member of the Marlowe Society , where he appeared in 23 plays over
16272-637: The role with Michael Fassbender , who played a younger version of the character in 2011's X-Men: First Class . While filming the first X-Men film in 1999, McKellen was cast as the wizard Gandalf in Peter Jackson 's film trilogy adaptation of The Lord of the Rings (consisting of The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers , and The Return of the King ), released between 2001 and 2003. He won
16416-482: The romantic fantasy adventure film Stardust starring Charlie Cox and Claire Danes , which was a critical and financial success. That same year, he lent his voice to the armoured bear Iorek Byrnison in the Chris Weitz -directed fantasy film The Golden Compass based on the acclaimed Philip Pullman novel Northern Lights and starred Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig . The film received mixed reviews but
16560-403: The same name . McKellen starred alongside Will Smith , Donald Sutherland and Stockard Channing . The film was a critical success. That same year, he also appeared in the western The Ballad of Little Jo opposite Bob Hoskins and the action comedy Last Action Hero starring Arnold Schwarzenegger . The following year, he appeared in the superhero film The Shadow with Alec Baldwin and
16704-485: The same tattoo ( John Rhys-Davies did not get the tattoo, but his stunt double Brett Beattie did). McKellen was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006. In 2012, he stated on his blog that "There is no cause for alarm. I am examined regularly and the cancer is contained. I've not needed any treatment". McKellen became an ordained minister of the Universal Life Church in early 2013 to preside over
16848-661: The sandbank was a major hazard for shipping coming in and out of London, in 1732 it received the world's first lightship . This became a major landmark, and was used as an assembly point for shipping. Today it is marked by Sea Reach No. 1 Buoy. The River Thames contains over 80 islands ranging from the large estuarial marshlands of the Isle of Sheppey and Canvey Island to small tree-covered islets like Rose Isle in Oxfordshire and Headpile Eyot in Berkshire. They are found all
16992-541: The south coast), and the Wilts & Berks Canal . Rowing and sailing clubs are common along the Thames, which is navigable to such vessels. Kayaking and canoeing also take place. Major annual events include the Henley Royal Regatta and the Boat Race , while the Thames has been used during two Summer Olympic Games : 1908 ( rowing ) and 1948 ( rowing and canoeing ). Safe headwaters and reaches are
17136-726: The statute books until it was repealed in 2000 in Scotland and 2003 in England and Wales. Section 28 never applied in Northern Ireland. In 2003, during an appearance on Have I Got News For You , McKellen claimed when he visited Michael Howard , then Environment Secretary (responsible for local government), in 1988 to lobby against Section 28, Howard refused to change his position but did ask him to leave an autograph for his children. McKellen agreed, but wrote, "Fuck off, I'm gay". McKellen described Howard's junior ministers, Conservatives David Wilshire and Jill Knight , who were
17280-404: The throne. McKellen stars in the title role alongside an ensemble cast including Annette Bening , Robert Downey Jr. , Jim Broadbent , Kristen Scott Thomas , Nigel Hawthorne and Dame Maggie Smith . As executive producer he returned his £50,000 fee to complete the filming of the final battle. In his review of the film, The Washington Post film critic Hal Hinson called McKellen's performance
17424-446: The tides. Houses were built, on the wall itself at first, but then outwards onto the foreshore by a process of encroachment. The eastern end of Narrow Street was previously known as Fore Street. A combination of tides and currents made this point on the Thames a natural landfall for ships, the first wharf being completed in 1348. Lime kilns or oasts ("lymehostes") used in the production of mortar and pottery were built here in
17568-407: The title of "10th Most Popular 'Doctor Who' Villain". Liz Shannon Miller of IndieWire noted while the concept seemed, "weird as hell", that "Once you come to accept McKellen and Jacobi in a multi-camera format, there is a lot to respect about their performances; specifically, the way that those decades of classical training adapt themselves to the sitcom world. Much has been written before about how
17712-458: The tradition of the multi-cam, filmed in front of a studio audience, relates to theatre, and McKellen and Jacobi know how to play to a live crowd". In 2015, McKellen reunited with director Bill Condon playing an elderly Sherlock Holmes in the mystery film Mr. Holmes alongside Laura Linney . In the film based on the novel A Slight Trick of the Mind (2005), Holmes now 93, struggles to recall
17856-756: The way from Fiddler's Island in Oxfordshire to the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. Some of the largest inland islands, for example Formosa Island near Cookham and Andersey Island at Abingdon, were created naturally when the course of the river divided into separate streams. In the Oxford area the river splits into several streams across the floodplain ( Seacourt Stream , Castle Mill Stream , Bulstake Stream and others), creating several islands ( Fiddler's Island , Osney and others). Desborough Island , Ham Island at Old Windsor and Penton Hook Island were artificially created by lock cuts and navigation channels. Chiswick Eyot
18000-469: The way that the windows are not set back from the brick frontage.) The Grapes (formerly The Bunch of Grapes, and known to the young Charles Dickens ) was notably bought in 2011 by actor Sir Ian McKellen , director Sean Mathias and Evening Standard owner Evgeny Lebedev . The late twentieth century brought much development to the area, with the erection of the Canary Wharf tower close by. Since
18144-412: The western part. The area is among the driest in the United Kingdom. Water resources consist of groundwater from aquifers and water taken from the Thames and its tributaries, much of it stored in large bank-side reservoirs . The Thames itself provides two-thirds of London's drinking water, while groundwater supplies about 40 per cent of public water supplies in the overall catchment area. Groundwater
18288-487: The whole of Greater London . The lower reaches of the river are called the Tideway , derived from its long tidal reach up to Teddington Lock . Its tidal section includes most of its London stretch and has a rise and fall of 23 ft (7 m). From Oxford to the estuary, the Thames drops by 55 metres (180 ft). Running through some of the drier parts of mainland Britain and heavily abstracted for drinking water,
18432-580: The year, while those at Thames Head are seasonal (a winterbourne ). With a length of 215 mi (346 km), the Thames is the longest river entirely in England. (The longest river in the United Kingdom, the Severn , flows partly in Wales .) However, as the River Churn, sourced at Seven Springs, is 14 mi (23 km) longer than the section of the Thames from its traditional source at Thames Head to
18576-558: Was a financial success. In 2007, he returned to the Royal Shakespeare Company , in productions of King Lear and The Seagull , both directed by Trevor Nunn . In 2009 he portrayed Number Two in The Prisoner , a remake of the 1967 cult series The Prisoner . In 2009, he appeared in a very popular revival of Waiting for Godot at London's Haymarket Theatre , directed by Sean Mathias , and playing opposite Patrick Stewart . From 2013 to 2014, McKellen and Stewart starred in
18720-434: Was absorbed by Woodward Fisher, a lighterage firm run by Anne Fisher, popularly known as Tugboat Annie . She was a real-life London version of the protagonist in the film of that name. One of the great East End characters, she commanded a fleet of 200 barges. Famous residents include or have included the inventor Richard Trevithick , the poet Ernest Dowson , actors Sir Ian McKellen , Steven Berkoff and Cleo Rocos ,
18864-604: Was awarded the Freedom of the City of London in October 2014. McKellen is a cofounder of Stonewall , an LGBT rights lobby group in the United Kingdom, named after the Stonewall riots . He is also patron of LGBT History Month , Pride London , Oxford Pride, GayGlos, LGBT Foundation and FFLAG . McKellen was born on 25 May 1939 in Burnley , Lancashire, the son of Margery Lois (née Sutcliffe) and Denis Murray McKellen. He
19008-479: Was built at the site of London Bridge . London Bridge is now used as the basis for published tide tables giving the times of high tide . High tide reaches Putney about 30 minutes later than London Bridge, and Teddington about an hour later. The tidal stretch of the river is known as "the Tideway ". Tide tables are published by the Port of London Authority and are available online. Times of high and low tides are also posted on Twitter. The principal tributaries of
19152-480: Was completed, further restricting traffic to the riverside area. The Narrow Street swing bridge is sited between Limehouse Basin and the Thames. In 1977 the north side of the street was demolished. Until then it was half its present width. In the eighteenth century a small group of Chinese sailors from Canton and Southern China settled along the old Limehouse Causeway creating the original London Chinatown . The Chinese community later moved to Soho following
19296-615: Was designated a conservation area by the London Docklands Development Corporation in the 1980s. For much of the 20th century the area was dominated by the tall chimney of Stepney Power Station at Blyth Wharf, which has since been demolished. Access to the area was always difficult, with the dock standing to the north, and the entrance to the Rotherhithe Tunnel at one end. In 1993 the 1.8 kilometres (1.1 mi) Limehouse Link tunnel
19440-463: Was frequently lethal. Some cases continued to occur into the early 20th century. Draining of the marshes helped with its eradication, but the causes are complex and unclear. The East End of London , also known simply as the East End , was the area of London east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames, although it is not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries;
19584-503: Was in 1980 as D. H. Lawrence in Priest of Love , but it was not until the 1990s that he became more widely recognised in this medium after several roles in blockbuster Hollywood films. In 1969, McKellen starred in three films, Michael Hayes 's The Promise , Clive Donner 's epic film Alfred the Great , and Waris Hussein 's A Touch of Love (1969). In the 1970s, McKellen became
19728-615: Was performed for one night only on Broadway at the Hudson Theatre . In 2019, he reunited with Condon for a fourth time in the mystery thriller The Good Liar opposite Helen Mirren , who received praise for their onscreen chemistry. That same year, he appeared as Gus the Theatre Cat in the movie musical adaptation of Cats directed by Tom Hooper . The film featured performances from Jennifer Hudson , James Corden , Rebel Wilson , Idris Elba , and Judi Dench. The film
19872-586: Was portrayed in dark notes of almost bone-rattling terror". For his performance, McKellen received the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play . In 1981, McKellen portrayed writer and poet D. H. Lawrence in the Christopher Miles directed biographical film, Priest of Love . He followed up with Michael Mann 's horror film The Keep (1983). In 1985, he starred in Plenty , the film adaptation of
20016-403: Was scheduled to run until 22 June before touring to Bristol , Birmingham, Norwich and Newcastle upon Tyne , however during the performance on 17 June, McKellen fell off the front of the stage during a fight scene and called for assistance; the performance was cancelled and the audience dismissed. He was later reported to have recovered and to be "in good spirits." He subsequently pulled out of
20160-469: Was strongly Christian, but non-orthodox. "My upbringing was of low nonconformist Christians who felt that you led the Christian life in part by behaving in a Christian manner to everybody you met". When he was 12, his mother died of breast cancer; his father died when he was 25. After his coming out as gay to his stepmother, Gladys McKellen, who was a Quaker , he said, "Not only was she not fazed, but as
20304-617: Was subject to minor redefining and widening of the main channel around Oxford, Abingdon and Marlow before 1850, when further cuts to ease navigation reduced distances further. Molesey faces Hampton , and in Greater London the Thames passes Hampton Court Palace , Surbiton , Kingston upon Thames , Teddington , Twickenham , Richmond (with a famous view of the Thames from Richmond Hill), Syon House , Kew , Brentford , Chiswick , Barnes , Hammersmith , Fulham , Putney , Wandsworth , Battersea and Chelsea . In central London ,
20448-661: Was their second child, with a sister, Jean, five years his senior. Shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, his family moved to Wigan . They lived there until Ian was twelve years old, before relocating to Bolton in 1951 after his father had been promoted. The experience of living through the war as a young child had a lasting impact on him, and he later said that "only after peace resumed ... did I realise that war wasn't normal". When an interviewer remarked that he seemed quite calm in
20592-600: Was three. When he was nine, his main Christmas present was a fold-away wood and bakelite Victorian theatre from Pollocks Toy Theatres , with cardboard scenery and wires to push on the cut-outs of Cinderella and of Laurence Olivier 's reenactment of Shakespeare's "Hamlet". His sister took him to his first Shakespeare play, Twelfth Night , by the amateurs of Wigan's Little Theatre, shortly followed by their Macbeth and Wigan High School for Girls' production of A Midsummer Night's Dream , with music by Mendelssohn , with
20736-578: Was widely panned for its poor visual effects, editing, performances, screenplay, and was a box office disaster . In 2021, he played the title role in an age-blind production of Hamlet (having previously played the part in a UK and European tour in 1971), followed by the role of Firs in Chekov's The Cherry Orchard at the Theatre Royal, Windsor . Since November 2021, McKellen and ABBA member Björn Ulvaeus have posted Instagram videos featuring
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