Gandalf And Pearl Jam Raise Cash For Charity

Lord of the Rings star Ian McKellen conjured up a little bit of magic for Haiti this week when he collected donations for earthquake victims.

The actor – who played the wizard Gandalf in the films – is currently starring in the stage play Waiting For Godot on the West End in London, and took the time to collect donations from the audience during a recent performance.

Also this week, Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder released a version of Bruce Springsteen's My City Of Ruins as a digital download to benefit earthquake relief. Proceeds from the release – available through iTunes and the band’s official internet store – will go to Artists for Peace and Justice

Pearl Jam’s charity, the Vitalogy Foundation, has also donated $200,000 to benefit Partners in Health, Doctors Without Borders, the Lambi Fund of Haiti and other groups.