Who Framed Roger Rabbit' actor Hoskins dies at 71
He was not on the list.
Short and bald, with a face he once compared to "a
squashed cabbage," Hoskins was a remarkably versatile performer. As a
London gangster in "The Long Good Friday," he moved from bravura
bluster to tragic understatement. In "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," he
cavorted with a cast of animated characters, making technological trickery seem
seamless and natural.
A family statement released Wednesday said Hoskins had died in a hospital the night before after a bout of pneumonia. He was 71 and had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2012. Helen Mirren, who starred alongside Hoskins in "The Long Good Friday," called him "a great actor and an even greater man. Funny, loyal, instinctive, hard-working, with that inimitable energy that seemed like a spectacular firework rocket just as it takes off."
"I personally will miss him very much, London will miss one of her best and most loving sons, and Britain will miss a man to be proud of," Mirren said. The 5'6" (1.68 meters tall) Hoskins, who was built like a bullet, specialized in tough guys with a soft center, including the ex-con who chaperones Cathy Tyson's escort in Neil Jordan's 1986 film "Mona Lisa." Hoskins was nominated for a best-actor Academy Award for the role.
"Neil Jordan's 'Mona Lisa' and Bob Zemeckis' 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' were just two of the films that showed Bob Hoskins' tremendous range," said Steven Spielberg, who produced "Roger Rabbit" and later directed Hoskins in his Peter Pan tale "Hook." "He was an actor who loved to work and the work loved him. And so did every audience," Spielberg said.
Hoskins' breakout Hollywood role was as a detective investigating cartoon crime in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," a tribute to hard-boiled 1940s entertainment that was one of the first major movies to meld animation and live action. The 1988 Robert Zemeckis film was a huge global success that won three Oscars and helped revive animated filmmaking. "For all the special effects and technical wizardry, it was Bob's honesty and the truth of his performance that made the animated characters believable — and that was a testament to his real talent," said Zemeckis.
Born in 1942 in eastern England, where his mother had moved to escape wartime bombing, Hoskins was raised in a working-class part of north London. He left school at 15, worked at odd jobs including circus fire-eater and claimed he got his break as an actor by accident — while watching a friend audition, he was handed a script and asked to read.
"I got the lead in the play," Hoskins told the BBC in 1988. "I've never been out of work since." Hoskins initially worked in theater, but began getting television and film roles in the 1970s. He came to attention in Britain as star of "Pennies from Heaven," Dennis Potter's 1978 TV miniseries about a Depression-era salesman whose imagination sprouts elaborate musical numbers. It was later turned into a movie starring Steve Martin.
His movie breakthrough came in 1980 thriller "The Long Good Friday," playing an East End gangster hoping to profit from redevelopment of London's docks. It contained one of Hoskins' most memorable speeches, a Cockney-accented dismissal of American culture: "What I'm looking for is someone who can contribute to what England has given to the world: culture, sophistication, genius. A little bit more than an 'ot dog, know what I mean?" The film, which also featured a young Pierce Brosnan, is ranked 21 in the British Film Institute's list of the top 100 British films of the 20th century.
Hoskins worked in films big and small, mainstream and independent. Some were acclaimed, including factory worker story "Made in Dagenham" or "Last Orders," a bittersweet portrait of aging that reunited him with Mirren. Others were panned, such as limp Spice Girls vehicle "Spice World" and video game-based dud "Super Mario Bros," which Hoskins described as his worst film experience.
He appeared in Francis Ford Coppola's musical "The Cotton Club," starred alongside Cher in "Mermaids," played pirate Smee in Spielberg's "Hook" and was FBI boss J. Edgar Hoover in "Nixon." In the World War II thriller "Enemy at the Gates," starring Jude Law, he played Nikita Khrushchev of the Soviet Union. Law, whose friendship with Hoskins predated the film, recalled him as "a brilliant actor and a very sweet man. Great spirit. And he will be much missed." Hoskins never lost his down-to-earth quality, once saying that he would never accept a knighthood.
He told The Guardian in 2010 that acting allowed him "to act out all the feelings and emotions that you shouldn't have. If I didn't get rid of it all, I'd be in a terrible state." Yet he was famously funny and self-deprecating. Hoskins once recalled how he was put on standby to play Al Capone in Brian De Palma's "The Untouchables," until Robert De Niro agreed to take the role. The director sent Hoskins a check for 20,000 pounds to thank him for his time.
"I phoned him up and I said 'Brian, if you've ever got
any other films you don't want me in, son, you just give me a call,'"
Hoskins said. In 2012 Hoskins announced that he had been diagnosed with
Parkinson's disease and was retiring from acting. His last role was as one of
the seven dwarves in "Snow White & The Huntsman," starring
Kristen Stewart. He is survived by his wife Linda and children Alex, Sarah,
Rosa and Jack. They said in a statement: "We are devastated by the loss of
our beloved Bob."
Filmography
Film
Year , Title , Role , Notes
1972, Up the Front, Recruiting sergeant,
1973, The National Health, Foster,
1975, Royal Flash, Police Constable,
Inserts, Big Mac,
1979, Zulu Dawn, CSM Williams,
1980, The Long Good Friday, Harold Shand, Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actor Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
1982, Pink Floyd The Wall, Band manager,
1983, The Honorary Consul, Colonel Perez, Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
1984, Lassiter, Inspector John Becker,
The Cotton Club, Owney Madden,
1985, The Woman Who Married Clark Gable, George,
The Dunera Boys, Morrie Mendellsohn,
Brazil, Spoor,
1986, Sweet Liberty, Stanley Gould,
Mona Lisa, George, BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Cannes Film Festival: Best Actor (tied with Michel Blanc in Ménage) Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor London Film Critics Circle Award for Actor of the Year (tied with William Hurt in Kiss of the Spider Woman) Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Valladolid International Film Festival: Best Actor Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor
1987, A Prayer for the Dying, Father Michael Da Costa,
The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne, James Madden, Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actor
1988, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Eddie Valiant, Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actor Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Actor
The Raggedy Rawney, Darky, Also director
1990, Heart Condition, Jack Moony,
Mermaids, Lou Landsky,
1991, The Favour, the Watch and the Very Big Fish, Louis Aubinard,
Shattered, Gus Klein,
Hook, Smee,
The Inner Circle, Lavrentiy Beria,
1992, Passed Away, Johnny Scanlan,
Blue Ice, Sam Garcia,
1993, Super Mario Bros., Mario Mario,
The Big Freeze, Sidney,
1995, Nixon, J. Edgar Hoover, Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Balto, Boris Goosinoff, Voice
1996, Rainbow, Frank Bailey, Also director
The Secret Agent, Verloc,
Michael, Vartan Malt,
1997, Twenty Four Seven, Alan Darcy, European Film Award for Best Actor
Spice World, Ginger Spice's disguise, Cameo
1998, Cousin Bette, Cesar Crevel,
1999, Parting Shots, Gerd Layton,
Captain Jack, Jack Armistead,
Felicia's Journey, Hilditch, Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
A Room for Romeo Brass, Steven Laws,
The White River Kid, Brother Edgar,
2000, American Virgin, Joey,
2001, Enemy at the Gates, Nikita Khrushchev,
Last Orders, Ray "Raysie" Johnson, National Board of Review Award for Best Acting by an Ensemble Nominated – European Film Award for Best Actor (shared with ensemble cast)
2002, Where Eskimos Live, Sharkey,
Maid in Manhattan, Lionel Bloch,
2003, The Sleeping Dictionary, Henry, DVD Exclusive Award for Best Supporting Actor in a DVD Premiere Movie
Den of Lions, Darius Paskevic,
2004, Vanity Fair, Sir Pitt Crawley,
Beyond the Sea, Charlie Maffia,
2005, Unleashed, Bart,
Son of the Mask, Odin, Nominated – Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor[42]
Mrs Henderson Presents, Vivian Van Damm, National Board of Review Award for Best Acting by an Ensemble Nominated – British Independent Film Award for Best Actor Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Nominated – St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Stay, Dr. Leon Patterson,
2006, Paris, je t'aime, Bob Leander, Segment: "Pigalle"
The Wind in the Willows, Badger,
Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties, Winston, Voice
Hollywoodland, Eddie Mannix,
2007, Sparkle, Vince,
Outlaw, Walter Lewis,
Ruby Blue, Jack, Oxford International Film Festival - Best Actor
Go Go Tales, The Baron,
2008, Doomsday, Bill Nelson,
2009, A Christmas Carol, Mr. Fezziwig / Old Joe, Motion capture; voice
2010, Made in Dagenham, Albert, Nominated – British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actor
2011, Will, Davey,
2012, Outside Bet, Percy "Smudge" Smith,
2012, Snow White and the Huntsman, Muir,
Television
Year , Title , Role , Notes
1972, Villains, Charles Grindley, 3 episode
Play for Today, Taxi driver, Episode: "The Bankrupt"
1973, Crown Court, Freddie Dean, 3 episodes
New Scotland Yard, Eddie Wharton, Episode: "Weight of Evidence"
Softly, Softly: Taskforce, Parker, Episode: "Outrage"
Play for Today, Woodbine, Episode: "Her Majesty's Pleasure"
1974, Shoulder to Shoulder, Jack Dunn, Episode: "Outrage"
Thick as Thieves, Dobbs, 8 episodes
Play for Today, Blake, Episode: "Schmoedipus"
1975, On the Move, Alf, 2 years, 100 episodes
1976, Thriller, Sammy Draper, Episode: "Cry Terror"
The Crezz, Detective Sergeant Marble, Episode: "A Flash of Inspiration"
1977, Van der Valk, Johnny Palmer, Episode: "Dead on Arrival"
Rock Follies of '77, Johnny Britten, Episode: "The Real Life"
1978, Pennies from Heaven, Arthur Parker, 6 episodes Nominated – BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor
1979, Of Mycenae and Men, Mr. Taramasalatopoulos, Television short
1980, Flickers, Arnie Cole, 6 episodes
1981, Othello, Iago, Television film - BBC
1983, The Beggar's Opera, Beggar, Television film - BBC
1985, Mussolini and I, Benito Mussolini, 4 episodes
1985, The Dunera Boys, Morrie Mendellsohn, 2 episodes
1994, The Changeling, De Flores, Television film
World War II: When Lions Roared, Winston Churchill, Television film - NBC
1995–1999, The Forgotten Toys, Teddy, Voice 26 episodes
1996, Tales from the Crypt, Redmond, Episode: "Fatal Caper"
1999, David Copperfield, Wilkins Micawber, 2 episodes
2000, Noriega: God's Favorite, Manuel Noriega, Television film Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film
Don Quixote, Sancho Panza, Television film - Hallmark
2001, The Lost World, Professor George Challenger, Television film - BBC
2003, Frasier, Coach Fuller, Episode: "Trophy Girlfriend"
The Good Pope: Pope John XXIII, Angelo Roncalli/Pope John XXIII, Television film
2008, The Englishman's Boy, Damon Ira Chance, 2 episodes
Pinocchio, Geppetto, Television film
The Last Word Monologues, unnamed hitman, Episode: "A Bit of Private Business"
2009, The Street, Paddy Gargan, 2 episodes International Emmy Award for Best Actor
2011, Neverland, Smee, 2 episodes
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