Trivia

He died in a car accident in 1999 while a passenger in a car driven by his wife, Marilyn. Coincidentally, Bannen originally met his wife back in 1976 when she parked her old van in his reserved parking space and was unable to get it started.

Raised Catholic, Bannen once considered giving up acting to become a monk.

He lived with his mother in her later years and did not marry until after she had died.

Friend of Richard Harris and Peter O'Toole.

He appeared in two Best Picture Academy Award winners: Gandhi (1982) and Braveheart (1995). Bernard Horsfall also appeared in both films.

Appeared in three films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Gandhi (1982), Hope and Glory (1987) and Braveheart (1995). Of those, Gandhi (1982) and Braveheart (1995) won the category.

He was awarded the 1981 London Critics Circle Award (Drama Theatre Awards) for Best Supporting Actor of 1980 for his performance in "Translations," written by Brian Friel.

Was offered the role of Dr. Finlay in the original Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1962) BBC television series, but turned it down. He did appear in the 1963 episode Alice, Where Art Thou? (1963), playing the part of a miner. In the 1993 series, Doctor Finlay (1993), he was a series regular in the non-title role of Dr. Alexander Cameron.

Made his stage debut in 1947.

His first film leading role in Waking Ned Devine (1998), two years before his cinematic swan song in Taliesin Jones (2000) (with its credit 'In Memory of Ian Bannen' too), came during the conclusion of his notable screen course as a remarkable and most respected actor of artistic excellence. His full of profoundness, subtlety and charisma brilliant interpretations of exquisite characterizations, among others, include his often show-stealing performances in a wide acting range of memorable roles, such as in A Tale of Two Cities (1958), Macbeth (1960), The Hill (1965), The Flight of the Phoenix (1965) (followed by his Academy Award Nomination too), Jane Eyre (1970), The MacKintosh Man (1973), Jesus of Nazareth (1977), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979), Eye of the Needle (1981), Hope and Glory (1987), Braveheart (1995) and Doctor Finlay (1993).