which I did see, but I have to say that I much preferred Emrys James's Hamlet, also in 1965. Mind you, he was on to a winner - the production was in Ludlow Castle.

Fascinated to learn that Emrys James played Hamlet.   A fine character actor, yes, but Hamlet?   Now, diverting attention back to the title of this thread, Donald Wolfit also played Hamlet; always advertised as by 'personal request' and James Agate gave him favourable reviews in the role.   But by the mid-forties he was middle aged, as was Michael Redgrave at the Old Vic in the late 40s.  The main difference here is that Wolfit spoke the text rather well but, somehow, with hindsight, I now realise that what he lacked was physical grace whereas Redgrave had it naturally.    In the mid-60s, David Warner hit the spirit of the age with his student Hamlet and a trendy,lengthy scarf hanging from his neck, topped by a generous (damn him!) head of hair!    Strolling off-thread, I saw many Hamlet's,  Alec Guinness (dry and rather intellectual), Alan Badel, Richard Burton, John Neville, Paul Scofield (perhaps the best), Jeremy Brett (outstanding), Christopher Plummer (on TV), Ian McKellen, Alan Bates, Albert Finney, Nicol Williamson (demented), David Warner,Peter O'Toole, Derek Jacobi, Jonathan Pryce, Michael Maloney, Christopher Eccleston and, most heartbreakingly of all, Ian Charleson showing 'the readiness is all' only weeks before his premature demise.  I've missed a few names as I'm relying on memory.  Oh....and Donald Wolfit, of course.

My first Hamlet was Michael Pennington (Stratford 1980) and I still rate him as the best I've seen in the theatre.