ARISE SIR CHRISTOPHER LEE (AND HONOURS FOR OTHER LOTR STARS)

Post by **Elentári** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 8:06 am

Just been announced in the Queen's Birthday Honours List:

A well-earned, long overdue Knighthood for Christopher Lee

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8096881.stm

Post by **eborr** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 1:14 pm

couldn't agree more, a great example of an honour going to someone who has achieved throughout a long career in the public eye, and hopefully also in recognition of his war service.

Makes a change from the gongs being handed out to sleazy,greedy business men and one-hit wonder sports people, who normally figure in the New Labour roster of those worthy of honouring.

Post by **Elentári** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:37 pm

The cast of LOTR has gotten another knight... In the event of Queen Margrethe II’s 70 years birthday, a good deal of people were knighted and Viggo Mortensen (being half Danish after all) was one of the lucky ones. The title given to Viggo is “Ridder af Dannebrog” which translates into “Knight of the Danish banner”.

Post by **Inanna** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:34 am

Viggo - for acting Aragorn?

Seems... I don't know... "off"

Post by **Rowanberry** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 4:17 pm

Hm, Viggo has done a lot of other work beside the LOTR movies.

Also, Margrethe II is a great Tolkien fan.

Post by **Elentári** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 5:40 pm

Yes, hasn't Her Maj had some Tolkien illustrations published?

Post by **Rowanberry** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 1:12 pm

She has indeed; I believe that at least one Danish edition of the LOTR has been published with her illustrations. And, even the Professor himself has approved her drawings - in the 1960s, she sent a few of them to him under a pseudonym.

Post by **Frelga** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 3:17 pm

But still, Viggo? I really think acting in itself is not enough.

But hey, good for him.

Post by **Alatar** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 3:23 pm

Really? Why?

Sir Ian Holm
Sir Ian McKellan
Sir Christopher Lee

Sure, Chris Lee did his bit in the war, but you can be damn sure his knighthood was mostly for his achievements as an actor.

Post by **Elentári** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 3:49 pm

According to the media at the time of the announcement, Lee's knighthood was for services to drama and charity. He is a leading supporter of UNICEF, particularly the charity’s Child Survival Campaign.

A quick glance at the other two actors bios just says their knighthoods were for services to drama. But of course McKellen is a great activist for Gay Rights, amongst other campaigns, and both he and Holm support many charities.

Viggo supports the Spirit Riders Foundation and the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign. He also donated one of his paintings to The Children's Clinic in Watertown.

Post by **Alatar** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 7:35 pm

Yeah, but I'll bet it was the service to Drama that each of them will be remembered for.

Post by **vison** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 7:48 pm

I don't find it at all odd that the Danish crown would knight Mortenson. He's rather unique, in a lot of ways. He's also a published poet and photographer.

I'm not a fan of his at all, but he's as deserving as anyone. Particularly if the Danish Queen likes him - queens don't get much fun in this life.

Post by **Frelga** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 7:49 pm

Yeah, but I'll bet it was the service to Drama that each of them will be remembered for.

Well, if service to drama is what it takes, then I know some message board members that ought to be knighted!

<-- made me do it

Post by **vison** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 7:55 pm

Frelga wrote:
Yeah, but I'll bet it was the service to Drama that each of them will be remembered for.
Well, if service to drama is what it takes, then I know some message board members that ought to be knighted!

<-- made me do it

Post by **Padme** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 1:27 am

Sir Padme...

Viggo getting this is well, whatever the Queen wants to do. It's good to be the Queen.

Post by **Elentári** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 1:38 pm

Padme wrote:Sir Padme...

Don't you mean Dame Padme.....?

Post by **solicitr** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 2:09 pm

Sir Sean Connery
Sir Maurice Mickelwhite (Michael Caine)
Sir Mick Jagger
Sir Elton John
and of course Sir Peter Jackson

I suspect that 'services to popular entertainment' is the baseline.

Post by **Elentári** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 4:36 pm

One could be terribly picky and say that Sir PJ's honour is different because it was not awarded by the Queen/HM's Government...

Sir Peter was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2002, and has "continued to excel in and significantly contribute to the New Zealand film industry", the citation for his knighthood reads.
He sees the knighthood as "recognition of the collective achievement of our terrific crews and our film pioneers ... who trailblazed a path towards the creation of a modern Kiwi film industry".

Many would argue his contribution to New Zealand goes much further than movies...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=10617918

Post by **solicitr** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 5:17 pm

Well, the Wilson government claimed they gave the Beatles MBEs on the ground that the Fabs had made Britain a whole lotta money.

Post by **Elentári** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 8:15 am

Topically, Sir PJ received his knighthood from Governor-General Anand Satyanand at Premier House yesterday....

Though today was Sir Peter Jackson's day, he accepted his knighthood on behalf of "thousands of people".

Sir Peter was honoured at an investiture at Premier House with 13 other New Zealanders involved in the arts, health, scientific and public sectors this morning.

"I feel incredibly humbled and the truth is making movies is not a solo effort - it involves hundreds of people, thousands of people, so I feel as though I'm accepting it on behalf of a huge industry," Sir Peter said.

It was wonderful New Zealand was honouring the arts industry, he said.

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