Events in Film & TV
Historic Publication
1954-07-29 Publication of "Fellowship of the Ring" 1st volume of "Lord of the Rings" by J. R. R. Tolkien by George Allen and Unwin in London
- 1954-11-11 Publication of "Two Towers", 2nd volume of "Lord of the Rings", by J. R. R. Tolkien by George Allen and Unwin in London
- 1955-10-20 Publication of "The Return of the King", the 3rd and final volume of "The Lord of the Rings" by J. R. R. Tolkien by George Allen and Unwin in London
Film Premiere
2001-12-10 "The Fellowship of the Ring" Lord of the Rings film directed by Peter Jackson and starring Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen premieres in London
Film Release
2001-12-19 "The Fellowship of the Ring", 1st Lord of the Rings film is released. Makes US$47 million US opening weekend, $871 million total worldwide.
- 2002-02-24 55th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs): "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" Best Film, Peter Jackson Best Director
- 2002-12-05 "The Two Towers" 2nd Lord of the Rings film directed by Peter Jackson and starring Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen premieres in New York
- 2002-12-18 "The Two Towers", 2nd of the Lord of the Rings films is released. Makes US$62 opening weekend and $926 million total worldwide.
- 2003-12-01 "The Return of the King", 3rd and final film in the Lord of the Rings series, directed by Peter Jackson and starring Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen premieres in Wellington, New Zealand
- 2004-01-10 9th Critics' Choice Movie Awards: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King wins Best Film
Golden Globes
2004-01-25 61st Golden Globes: "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", Sean Penn, and Charlize Theron win
- 2004-02-15 57th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" Best Film, Peter Weir Best Director
- 2004-02-29 76th Academy Awards: "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," Sean Penn & Charlize Theron win
- 2022-09-01 TV Series "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" premieres on Amazon Prime Video
Birthdays in Film & TV
J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973)
1892-01-03 British author (The Hobbit; The Lord of the Rings), born in Bloemfontein, South Africa
Christopher Lee (1922-2015)
1922-05-27 English actor (Dracula, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit), born in London
- 1922-09-15 Bob Anderson, English Olympic Fencer, renowned film fight choreographer (Star Wars, Lord of the Rings) (d. 2012)
- 1931-09-12 Sir Ian Holm, eminent English actor (The Lord of the Rings, Alien, King Lear), born in Goodmayes, Essex (d. 2020)
- 1938-10-29 Ralph Bakshi, Krymchak-American animator and film maker (Fritz the Cat; Lord of the Rings (1978); Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures), born in Haifa, Mandatory Palestine
Ian McKellen (83 years old)
1939-05-25 English film and theatre actor (Lord of the Rings; X-Men), born in Burnley Lancashire
- 1944-12-17 Bernard Hill, English actor (Yosser Hughes-Boys from the Blackstuff, King Théoden-The Lord of the Rings), born in Manchester, England
- 1946-10-18 Howard Shore, Canadian television and film composer (Lord of the Rings trilogy; 1st music director of Saturday Night Live), born in Toronto, Canada
- 1958-10-20 Viggo Mortensen, American Actor (Lord of the Rings, The Road), born in NYC, New York
- 1959-04-17 (Shaun) "Sean" Bean, English actor (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy; Game of Thrones), born in Handsworth, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Peter Jackson (61 years old)
1961-10-31 New Zealand film director (Lord of the Rings - Academy Award, Best Director, 2003), born in Wellington, New Zealand
- 1964-04-20 Andy Serkis, English actor (Gollum in Lord of the Rings), born in London, England
Cate Blanchett (53 years old)
1969-05-14 Australian actress (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Lord of the Rings), born in Melbourne, Victoria
Sean Astin (52 years old)
1971-02-25 American actor (Goonies, The Lord of the Rings), born in Los Angeles, California
- 1976-12-08 Dominic Monaghan, English actor (The Lord of the Rings, Lost), born in Berlin, West Germany
Orlando Bloom (46 years old)
1977-01-13 English actor (Pirates of the Caribbean, The Lord of the Rings), born in Canterbury, England
Liv Tyler (45 years old)
1977-07-01 American actress and daughter of Aerosmith's frontman, Steven Tyler (Stealing Beauty, Lord of the Rings), born in NYC, New York
- 1980-05-22 Nazanin Boniadi, British actress and activist (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, born in Tehran, Iran
Elijah Wood (42 years old)
1981-01-28 American actor (The Good Son, The Lord of the Rings), born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- 1987-04-07 Ismael Cruz Córdova, Puerto Rican actor (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), born in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico
- 1989-03-17 Morfydd Clark, Welsh actress (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), born in Sweden
- 1992-11-06 Robert Aramayo, English actor (The Lord Of the Rings: The Rings of Power), born in Kingston upon Hull, England
Weddings in Film & TV
J. R. R. Tolkien
1916-03-22 British author of "The Lord of the Rings", J.R.R. Tolkien marries Edith Mary Bratt at St. Mary Immaculate Roman Catholic Church, Warwick
- 1997-11-22 "The Lord of The Rings" actor Sean Bean (38) weds actress Abigail Cruttenden (29)
- 2003-01-01 "Lord of The Rings" actress Miranda Otto (35) weds actor Peter O'Brien (44) at St. Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, Australia
- 2008-02-19 "The Lord of The Rings" actor Sean Bean (49) weds actress Georgina Sutcliffe (29) at Marylebone Registry Office in central London
Divorces in Film & TV
- 2010-12-21 "The Lord of The Rings" actor Sean Bean (51) divorces actress Georgina Sutcliffe (32) due to irreconcilable differences after 2 years of marriage
Deaths in Film & TV
J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973)
1973-09-02 British author (The Hobbit; The Lord of the Rings), dies of an ulcer at 81
- 2012-01-01 Bob Anderson, English fencer & film fight choreographer (Lord of the Rings, Die Another Day), dies at 90
Christopher Lee (1922-2015)
2015-06-07 English actor (Dracula, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit), dies at 93
- 2020-06-19 Ian Holm, English actor (The Lord of the Rings, Alien, King Lear), dies at 88