I just foundout that Bob Hoskins passed away on the 29th of April, after a bout of pneumonia.
He may not have been one of the big A-list actors, but he had a huge impact on my childhood, playing Eddie Valiant in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and Smee in Hook (he also played Smee in the 2006 mini-series Neverland). I've always enjoyed coming across him in random films, usually as a cockney, a gangster, or a cockney gangster.
I also liked his sense of humour. One of the best examples of it is from when he was the second choice for the role of Al Capone in The Untouchables, in case De Niro turned it down. After De Niro took the role, the director sent Hoskins a cheque for 20,000 pounds and a thank you note... Hoskin's response was to call up the director and ask if there were any more movies he didn't want him to appear in.
Some of his memorable films that I'd recommend:
The Long Good Friday
Mona Lisa
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Hook
Twenty Four Seven
Unleashed (a.k.a. Danny the Dog)
Felicia's Journey
Mrs Henderson Presents
I'll just finish this off with what I think is a great quote to sum up his personality and attitude towards life. Someone asked what he most owed his parents in an interview. The answer?
"Confidence. My mum used to say to me, 'If somebody doesn't like you, f*** 'em, they've got bad taste.'"
Rest in peace Bob.
:(
Oh, I somehow missed his passing.
:(
It really is a sad thing. I've been watching some of his movies from time to time over the last few weeks, love his work.
It's a sad moment when you first realise just how much older the people who made the music, movies and books that you love are, and that they're not going to be around forever. You get used to it sooner or later, but every time another one passes away, it's another little kick in the guts.
