Fans mark anniversary of 'Rings' author's birth

LONDON -- "Lord of the Rings" fans worldwide celebrated what would have been the 111th birthday of J.R.R. Tolkien on Friday by raising a glass to the author.

The milestone holds special significance for devotees of the fantasy trilogy -- Tolkien referred to it as an "eleventyfirst birthday ... a rather curious number and a very respectable age for a hobbit."

The opening installment of the trilogy, "The Fellowship of the Ring," begins with the "long-awaited party" held to celebrate the 111th birthday of hobbit Bilbo Baggins.

Tolkien himself did not make the grand age of his character, dying in Oxford on Jan. 3, 1973, aged 81.

The British Tolkien Society, which has members in 43 countries, said it planned celebrations at venues as varied as London's Leicester Square, a Hong Kong restaurant and a bar in Hollywood.

The society asked members to raise a glass in a toast to "the professor" at 9 p.m. local time -- the moment at which Tolkien posthumously caught up with his creation.

The society also recommended celebrating by viewing the new movie version of the second book in the trilogy, "The Two Towers."