Peter Faber obit

 

Peter Faber dead: Beloved movie icon dies as children open up on emotional final hours

He was not on the list.

Beloved actor Peter Faber died on Thursday, August 6, at the age of 82. The star had been admitted to the hospital in early July with breathing difficulties related to an untreatable heart problems. His five children, Jasper, Jesse, Daan, Danja and Sam, didn't confirm a cause of death but opened up on his final hours in an emotional Facebook post.

"Yesterday, we said goodbye to our father. The past weeks have been intense and sad, but also special: we were able to spend so much time with him. Until the very last moment, he remained himself. Peter said 'yes' to life wholeheartedly. He was undeniably optimistic, curious, wanted to understand, and kept marvelling at everything. Even as his body failed him, he kept paying attention to the people around him. For the nurses, the doctors, his companions, and for us. The OLVG felt like a warm place for him, and he was genuinely grateful for the loving care he received.

"Even in his final days, he remained the actor he always was: he carried poems, sang songs for his companions, and knew how to put a smile on faces. Humour, he never lost.

They concluded: "We are deeply moved by the thousands of cards, messages, flowers, and reactions we have received over the past weeks. We have shared them with him as much as possible. He was visibly moved and felt greatly supported. We are incredibly grateful for that.

"We are losing a father, grandfather, friend, and the most colourful artist we could have wished for. Rest in peace, dear dad."

Peter enjoyed a long career after breaking through in the 1970s in the movie Max Havelaar, based on the book of the same name. A few years later, he laned a role in the 1977 epic war drama A Bridge Too Far, which saw him co-star opposite James Bond legend Sean Connery.

Other notable films included Ciske de Rat and Schatjes! He also starred in Paul Verhoeven's wartime classic Soldaat van Oranje, which later spawned a long-running musical which closed last month after 16 years. On the small screen, he appeared in television series, including Baantjer.

He was also the co-founder of the theatre collective Het Werkteater and won the prestigious Dutch theatre award, the Louis d'Or, twice for his roles in Het Koekoeksnest and Avondrood.

He continued acting until recent years, with his final film role coming in 2023, when he appeared alongside his son Jesse in Sweet Dreams, which was the Dutch Oscar entry a year later. He also appeared in an episode of the TV show Medisch Centrum West in 2025.

Alongside acting, he dabbled in reality TV and in 2018, appeared in the RTL 4 alternative comedy series Beter Laat Dan Nooit, which saw him travel around the world with other Dutch celebrities, including Gerard Cox, Willibrord Frequin, and Barrie Stevens.