Sir John Gielgud, one of the greatest British actors of his generation, has died at the age of 96, his former agent Laurence Evans announced this morning. The actor, who was a master of Shakespearean roles, died yesterday at his home near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

Sir John's official biographer Sheridan Morley said today: "He was the greatest actor and his life was exactly the history of British theatre in the last century. He was the last of a classic generation of actors with Olivier, Redgrave, Richardson and Dame Peggy Ashcroft. Theirs was an amazing single generation of classical actors and he was the final survivor."

Born in 1904, Gielgud was the great-nephew of celebrated British actress Ellen Terry. He was on stage by 1917, with an appearance - with a single line as a herald - in Henry V, at the Old Vic Theatre.

His film debut came in 1924, in Who is That Man?. He has since appeared in over 60 feature films and television productions. He won an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor for his role as Hobson, Dudley Moore's valet, in Arthur; and was Academy Award-nominated for Becketin which he starred with Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole.

His television credits include Brideshead Revisited, The Scarlet and the Black, and Gulliver's Travels.

His many feature film roles include Julius Caesar with Marlon Brando, Laurence Olivier's Richard III, The Elephant Man, Chariots of Fire, and Gandhi. In 1991, he received much acclaim for his role in Prospero's Books, Peter Greenaway's surreal adaptation of Shakespeare's The Tempest.

Sir John Gielgud's most recent films include Shine, The Portrait of the Lady, and he continued working well into his 90s with roles recently in The Tichborne Claimant and Elizabeth in 1998. The actor was knighted in 1953, and appointed to the Order of Merit in 1996. His companion for more than 40 years was Martin Hensler, who died last year.

"He died peacefully at home," said Evans. He said the cause of death was thought to be simply old age.

Useful links
Filmography
Unofficial fan site with pictures and brief information
Details and pictures from his early theatrical career
Biographical details, including books by, and on, the legendary actor
Gieldgud on his role in Peter Greenaway's Tempest (from his book Acting Shakespeare)
Audio extracts from Gielgud's reading of Shakespeare's sonnets
Audio extract from Gielgud's portrayal of Merlin in the animated Quest for Camelot