Ian McKellen is an acclaimed British actor whose career spans genres ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. He is internationally known for his work on screen, including in The Lord of the Rings, X-Men and The Da Vinci Code. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1979, was knighted in 1991 for services to the performing arts, and made a Companion of Honour for services to drama and to equality in 2008.



Julian Curry (1937-2020) was a writer and actor who appeared in many of Shakespeare's plays. His extensive stage credits include leading roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, and in London's West End.

He was also well known as Claude Erskine-Brown in the popular television series Rumpole of the Bailey. Numerous other TV credits include Inspector Morse, Sherlock Holmes, The Misanthrope, King Lear, Kavanagh QC, The Wyvern Mystery, A Fine Romance and Midsomer Murders. Among many movies are The Missionary, Fall from Grace, Rasputin, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and Escape to Victory (starring Pelé).

His one-man entertainment Hic! or The Entire History of Wine (abridged) was performed over a hundred and fifty times, from Hong Kong to Bermuda to San Francisco, and sold out as a cartoon-illustrated book. He also wrote and recorded A Guide to Wine for Naxos Audiobooks.

His books, Shakespeare On Stage and Shakespeare On Stage: Volume 2, were both shortlisted for the Theatre Book Prize, and are published by Nick Hern Books.