father ▁of ▁the ▁modern ▁week end ". ▁ ▁McK ellen ▁attended ▁Bol ton ▁School ▁( Bo ys ' ▁Division ), ▁of ▁which ▁he ▁is ▁still ▁a ▁supp orter , ▁att ending ▁regularly ▁to ▁talk ▁to ▁pup ils . ▁McK ellen ' s ▁acting ▁career ▁started ▁at ▁Bol ton ▁Little ▁Theatre , ▁of ▁which ▁he ▁is ▁now ▁the ▁patron . ▁An ▁early ▁fasc ination ▁with ▁the ▁theatre ▁was ▁encourag ed ▁by ▁his ▁parents , ▁who ▁took ▁him ▁on ▁a ▁family ▁out ing ▁to ▁Peter ▁Pan ▁at ▁the ▁Opera ▁House ▁in ▁Manchester ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁three . ▁When ▁he ▁was ▁nine , ▁his ▁main ▁Christmas ▁present ▁was ▁a ▁fol d - away ▁wood ▁and ▁b ak el ite ▁Victor ian ▁theatre ▁from ▁Pol lock s ▁Toy ▁The at res , ▁with ▁card board ▁scen ery ▁and ▁w ires ▁to ▁push ▁on ▁the ▁cut - outs ▁of ▁C inder ella ▁and ▁of ▁Laur ence ▁Oliv ier ' s ▁Ham let . ▁ ▁His ▁sister ▁took ▁him ▁to ▁his ▁first ▁Shakespeare ▁play , ▁Tw elf th ▁Night , ▁by ▁the ▁am ateurs ▁of ▁W igan ' s ▁Little ▁Theatre , ▁shortly ▁followed ▁by ▁their ▁Mac b eth ▁and ▁W igan ▁High ▁School ▁for ▁Girls ' ▁production ▁of ▁A ▁Mid sum mer ▁Night ' s ▁Dream , ▁with ▁music ▁by ▁M end els so hn , ▁with ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁B ottom ▁played ▁by ▁Jean ▁McK ellen , ▁who ▁continued ▁to ▁act , ▁direct , ▁and ▁produce ▁amateur ▁theatre ▁until ▁her ▁death . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9