Inspiration for Gandalf

I was recently involved in a pub quiz and the question was asked "Which real person was the inspiration behind / for Gandalf?" The allegedly correct answer (or the one the MC had) was CS Lewis. This did not seem correct to me, but some (brief) searching on the matter has yielded nothing. Can anyone help?

[One of the Nine]

I don't know, I never knew that Gandalf was based on a person, let alone CS Lewis. I know that Tolkien knew him, but further than that, your guess is as good as mine.

[symestreem]

Welcome to the Downs, shia'tan!
A Google search on the topic yielded this page, which lists Tolkien's aunt as the inspiration for Gandalf. However, it also mentions a character from Norse mythology named Gandalfr, and Merlin of King Arthur legend.
I am inclined to doubt the last, however, because Tolkien pointed out that the tales of King Arthur were French, not British, and for him to use a character from it as inspiration seems... odd.

[Amanaduial the archer]

There are some very definite aspects of Merlin in Gandalph - as there are aspects of Gandalph in modern day 'wise wizard' characters in fiction, such as Dumbeldore in Harry Potter. It's a sort of...recycling thing. No, but it is just one of those ways in which fiction repeats itself, but not in a bad way, but in the way writers can reflect back on the imaginations of other before them and entwine their own ideas into those of people before.

Tolkien and CS Lewis were good friends - I think I heard someone say before that the first edition of the Hobbit. To say that a character of Gandalph's qualities - loyalty, bravery, humour and, of course, wisdom - was derived from CS Lewis would be a great compliment and a way of expressing his admiration for his fellow writer.

Symestreem, why do you say it is odd that he used Merlin because the tales of King Arthur were French?

[ninlaith]

Some inspiration for Gandalf came from Sir Tolkiens friend C.S Lewis. Although C.S Lewis also inspired Tolkien to write the character Treebeard which I think is a more fitting analysis. Tolkien always spoke about how he would be walking down the halls at Oxford and would hear this booming echoing voice rumbling down the hall which was C.S Lewis teaching his lessons. But the true inspiration for Gandalf came from the Kalevala, an old and insanely long sort of chant which speaks of an old shaman who would perform good deeds for the people of their tribe and disappear. Sort of explains alot about Gandalf in my thinking. The Kalevala would take nearly two to four days for one of the chosen tribesmen to chant.

[davem]

I thought Lewis was the inspiration for Treebeard - at least for his way of speaking.

Tolkien did say that the inspiration for Gandalf came from a painting by Josef Madlener - der Berggeist. Indeed, he kept the postcard he picked up of it in an envelope with 'Origin of Gandalf' written on it. The painting & some background info is here:

http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/..._7insert.shtml

[Rimbaud]

Like most characters, Gandalf is an amalgamation, taken from a myriad sources. Particularly with Tolkien, I would be hesitant before stating a 'primary' source for any of his characters (although the arguments linking his mother with his often less than three-dimensional female characters is always a semi-amusing debate...)

The Kalevala, yes, Lewis, yes, but many many other sources (eg The Poetic Edda) and original ideas also. Gandalf was once the name of the Chief Dwarf; I think I prefer it the way it worked out...