As I told in About page, I found later in life that Ian Charleson, the charming blonde guy I remembered in Chariots Of Fire playing Liddell, had died of AIDS at the early age of 40. At the time I’m writing, he was just 2 years younger than me when he died. I wonder what he could have achieved if he had lived. He would have been 68 years old next August.
Ian was the first celebrity in UK who spoke out about the desease, still performing in a stage version of Hamlet just a few days before that infamous 6 January 1990, when he left this world.
In his life, he never hid who he was, he dated both women and men, despite he often fell in love with straight men, he never felt totally at ease with his sexuality and never met the right one to live together with. How unlucky! And yet, I see him as an example.
At the end, it’s most important that he was an artist 360 degrees, a dedicated actor.
It must have been fun to have him around. He got a peculiar sense of humour not everybody could understand, beauty and talent. I think I would greatly enjoy meeting him at some stage doors after shows.
If he only could see how much loved he still is.
Ian Charleson was part of that generation of gay people who hoped for a better world. They were living the dream of a more accepting society, due to the social fights which had started with Stonewall at the end of the ’60s, on 29 June 1969. they were feeling the freedom of being themeselves, despite there was still a long way to walk on. And then, they were “betrayed” by that awful desease who was considered just as a “gay plague” at the beginning.
So, in his name, I support Equality, rights for everyone.
In these uncertain years, we should be vigilant, as upsetting things are happening against human beings.
It could look like LGBT people have obtained all the rights, but it’s still dangerous even in “democratic” countries to walk out hand in hand between partners, without being insulted or assaulted.
So this week I join my fellow fan account Ian Charleson HO for her your special event in the memory of Ian!
Ian Charleson as Greta in Bent, 25 June 1989
Ian Charleson Tribute 