[Ric]

Ian Hols is as sprightly as a mouse. He is predominantly a theatre stage performer running around an dancing about all day. He would easily be able to cope despite his age. He has been fine in his more recent theatre performances in London.

They also made him look older in LOTR.

He should play Gandolf in the hobbit because chronologically in the history of the books he is a hundreds of years old wizard, far older than any hobbit, so he would age more slowly over time. He is described in pretty much the same way in the hobbit as one would percive him in LOTR. As Gandolf the Grey at least.