Bob Hoskins

English actor (1942–2014)Template:SHORTDESC:English actor (1942–2014)

**Robert William Hoskins** (26 October 1942 – 29 April 2014) was an English actor. His work included lead roles in films and television series such as *Pennies from Heaven* (1978), *The Long Good Friday* (1980), *Mona Lisa* (1986), *Who Framed Roger Rabbit* (1988), *Mermaids* (1990), and *Super Mario Bros.* (1993), and supporting performances in *Brazil* (1985), *Hook* (1991), *Nixon* (1995), *Enemy at the Gates* (2001), *Mrs Henderson Presents* (2005), *A Christmas Carol* (2009), *Made in Dagenham* (2010), and *Snow White and the Huntsman* (2012). He also directed two feature films: *The Raggedy Rawney* (1988) and *Rainbow* (1996).

Hoskins received the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival, the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama for his role in *Mona Lisa*. He was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for the same role. In 2009, he won an International Emmy Award for Best Actor for his appearance on the BBC One drama *The Street*. He retired from acting in 2012 owing to Parkinson's disease, with which he had been diagnosed the previous year, and died from pneumonia on 29 April 2014 at the age of 71.

## Early life

Robert William Hoskins was born in Bury St Edmunds on 26 October 1942, the son of Elsie (née Hopkins), a cook and nursery school teacher, and Robert Hoskins, a bookkeeper and lorry driver. One of his grandmothers was Romani. From two weeks old, he was brought up in the Finsbury Park area of London. He attended Stroud Green Secondary School, where he was written off as stupid on account of his dyslexia. He left school at 15 with a single O-Level and worked as a porter, lorry driver, plumber, and window cleaner. He started but did not complete a three-year accountancy course. He spent six months on a kibbutz in Israel and two years tending to the camels of a Bedouin tribe in Syria.

## Career

 File:Bob Hoskins-1.jpg
Hoskins's acting career began in 1968 at the Victoria Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent, in a production of *Romeo and Juliet* in which he played a servant named Peter. A year later, while waiting in the bar at Unity Theatre, London, for his friend the actor Robert Frost, Hoskins found himself being auditioned for a play after being handed a script and told, "You're next." His audition was successful and Frost became his understudy. Frost considered Hoskins "a natural", recalling that "he just got up on stage and was brilliant".

In late 1969, he was part of Bolton's Octagon Theatre outreach troupe, which became the Ken Campbell Roadshow.

Hoskins's London theatre career included portraying a "vigorous" Alfred Doolittle in a West End production of Bernard Shaw's *Pygmalion* opposite Diana Rigg at the Albery Theater in 1974, a Royal Shakespeare Company production of Eugene O'Neill's *The Iceman Cometh* at the Aldwych Theater in 1976, as Rocky the bartender, opposite Patrick Stewart. In 1981, he starred with Helen Mirren in *The Duchess of Malfi* at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester and the London Roundhouse.

His first major television role was in *On the Move* (1975–1976), an educational drama series directed by Barbara Derkow aimed at tackling adult illiteracy. He portrayed the character Alf Hunt, a removal man who had problems reading and writing. According to producer George Auckland, up to 17 million people watched the series. His breakthrough in television came later in the original BBC version of Dennis Potter's innovative 6-part fantasy-drama *Pennies from Heaven* (1978), in which he portrayed adulterous sheet music salesman Arthur Parker. He went on to play Iago (opposite Anthony Hopkins) in Jonathan Miller's BBC Television Shakespeare production of *Othello* (1981). In 1983, Hoskins voiced an advert for Weetabix and, during the late 1980s and early 1990s, he appeared in advertising for British Gas and British Telecom (now BT Group). Other television work included *Flickers*, portraying Wilkins Micawber in *David Copperfield* (1999) and *The Wind in the Willows* (2006).

British films such as *The Long Good Friday* (1980) and *Mona Lisa* (1986) won him the wider approval of critics, the latter film winning him a Cannes Award, Best Actor Golden Globe, BAFTA Awards and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.

Other works in film included delivering comic turns in Terry Gilliam's *Brazil* (1985), portraying Smee in *Hook* (1991) and in *Neverland* (2011), starring opposite Cher in *Mermaids* (1990), portraying Nikita Khrushchev as a political commissar in *Enemy at the Gates* (2001) and playing Uncle Bart, the violent psychopathic "owner" of Jet Li in *Unleashed* (2005, aka *Danny The Dog*). He had a small role as the protagonist's rock and roll manager in *The Wall* (1979) and, in 1997, had a cameo as Ginger Spice's disguise in the Spice Girls' film, *Spice World*. He directed two films that he also starred in: *The Raggedy Rawney* (1988) and *Rainbow* (1996), and produced *Mrs Henderson Presents* alongside Norma Heyman, for which he was nominated as Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film.

 File:Rainbow set 20001.JPG
A high point in his career was portraying the private investigator Edward "Eddie" Valiant in the live-action/animated family blockbuster, *Who Framed Roger Rabbit* (1988). Hoskins was not the first choice for the role – Harrison Ford, Bill Murray and Eddie Murphy were all considered for the part. Film critics, among them Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, agreed that Hoskins was perfect for the role. As his character interacts and makes physical contact with animated characters in the film, Hoskins was required to take mime training courses in preparation. He suffered hallucinations for months after production on the film had ended. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and won a British Evening Standard Award for his performance.

Hoskins's portrayal of the Los Angeles investigator Valiant was one of several roles where he used an American accent; he was described by Trey Barrineau of *USA Today* as having "a knack for playing Americans better than most American actors could". Others included Rocky the bartender in the play *The Iceman Cometh* (1976); gangster Owney Madden in Francis Coppola's *The Cotton Club* (1984); Gus Klein in Wolfgang Petersen's *Shattered* (1991); J. Edgar Hoover in Oliver Stone's *Nixon* (1995); and Eddie Mannix in *Hollywoodland* (2006). He was slated to be the last-minute replacement in case Robert De Niro refused the role of Al Capone in *The Untouchables* (1987). When De Niro accepted the part, the director Brian De Palma mailed Hoskins a cheque for $200,000 with a "Thank You" note. Hoskins was moved to call the director and ask if there were any more films he was not needed for.

In a 1988 interview with *Fresh Air'*s Terry Gross, when asked about many of his roles being underworld types, Hoskins said, "I think if you've got a face like mine you don't usually wind up with the parts that Errol Flynn played, you know?"

He told *The Guardian* in 2007 that he regretted starring as Mario in *Super Mario Bros.* (1993), saying that he was extremely unhappy with the film, greatly angered by his experiences making it, and referring to it as the "worst thing I ever did". He was injured several times on set, spent most of the time with co-star John Leguizamo getting drunk to escape boredom, and had no idea the film was based upon a video game until told so by his son.

In 2007, Hoskins appeared in the music video for Jamie T's single "Sheila". In 2009, he returned to television for Jimmy McGovern's drama serial *The Street*, playing a publican who opposes a local gangster. For this role, he received his only Emmy: Best Actor at the 2010 International Emmys. The 2011 film *In Search of La Che* features a character "Wermit," whose every line of dialogue is a quote of Bob Hoskins.

On 8 August 2012, Hoskins announced his retirement from acting having been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2011.

## Personal life

When asked in an interview which living person he most despised, Hoskins named Tony Blair and said, "He's done even more damage than Thatcher." He hated Blair to the point that he decided in 2010, for the first time in his life, not to vote for Labour, by then led by Gordon Brown.

Hoskins often made light of his similarities with film actor Danny DeVito, who he joked would play him in a film about his life.

With his first wife Jane Livesey, Hoskins had two children: Alex (born 1968) and Sarah (born 1972). With his second wife, Linda Banwell, he had two more children: Rosa (born c. 1983) and Jack (born c. 1986). Hoskins divided his time between the Hampstead area of London and Chiddingly, East Sussex.

Later in his life, Hoskins had given up drinking alcohol. He admitted his wife had persuaded him to go sober.

## Illness and death

 File:The grave of Bob Hoskins, Highgate Cemetery.png
Hoskins was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2011. He subsequently retired from acting in August 2012.

On 29 April 2014, he died of pneumonia at a London hospital, aged 71. He was survived by his wife Linda and his four children.

Among actors who paid tribute at his funeral were Stephen Fry, Samuel L. Jackson and Helen Mirren, who said that "London will miss one of her best and most loving sons." Hoskins is buried in Highgate Cemetery in London.

## References

1. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Anderson, John (30 April 2014). "Bob Hoskins, Actor Who Combined Charm and Menace, Dies at 71". *The New York Times*. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
2. ↑ Bob Hoskins Obituary (30 April 2014).
- <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Hattenstone, Simon (2 August 2007). "The Method? Living it out? Cobblers!". *The Guardian*. London. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
3. ↑ Moline 1988, p. 201.
4. ↑ Confirmed on Desert Island Discs in November 1988
5. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Bob Hoskins - obituary". *The Daily Telegraph*. 30 April 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
6. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Farndale, Nigel (27 November 2009). "Bob Hoskins interview: 'My own mum wouldn't call me pretty'". *The Daily Telegraph*. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Bob Hoskins: 10 things you didn't know". *The Daily Telegraph*. 29 April 2015.
8. ↑ Neale, William A. (1 May 2014). Bob Hoskins. *Safety Curtain*.
9. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Bob Hoskins: Sold as seen". *The Guardian*. 9 October 1999. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
10. ↑ Moline 1988, p. 17.
11. ↑ Performance legend Ken Campbell talks.
12. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Clive Barnes (17 August 1974). "London Theater: Classics and Sexism". *The New York Times*.
13. ↑ Production of The Iceman Cometh.
14. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Actor Bob Hoskins: 1942–2014". *USA Today*.
15. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Gray, Anita (5 May 2014). "Hoskins the hero". *The Guardian*. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
16. ↑ On the Move (TV Series). BFI Film & TV database.
17. ↑ On the Move: How Bob Hoskins helped adults learn to read. *BBC News* (3 May 2014).
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Helen Mirren on Bob Hoskins: 'A spectacular firework just as it takes off'". *The Guardian*. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
19. ↑ Fill, Chris (2002). *Marketing Communications: Contexts, Strategies, and Applications*. Financial Times Prentice Hall. p. 516. ISBN 0273655000.
- <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Kay, Dan (30 April 2014). "Much-loved British actor Bob Hoskins dies age 71". *Liverpool Echo*. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
20. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Collins, Andrew. "Spice World: the Movie". *Radio Times*. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
21. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Bob Hoskins to retire after Parkinson's diagnosis". *BBC News*. 9 August 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
22. ↑ Stewart, James B. (2005). *DisneyWar*. New York City: Simon & Schuster. p. 86. ISBN 978-0684809939. https://books.google.com/books?id=RZGJKzojibAC.
- Evans, Bradford (7 April 2011). The Lost Roles of Eddie Murphy.
23. ↑ Siskel & Ebert 1988-Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1of3) (29 November 2010).
24. ↑ Bob Hoskins interview: 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?'. *Danmarks Radio* (13 August 2012).
- Cartoon Hangover (29 December 2015). 107 Facts About Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
25. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Barrineau, Trey (30 April 2014). "Three times Bob Hoskins played an American better than an American". *USA Today*.
26. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Bob Hoskins paid not to play Capone". *Metro*. London. 19 March 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
27. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"'Fresh Air' Remembers British Actor Bob Hoskins". *NPR*. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
28. ↑ Watch Jamie T's "Sheila" Video (20 August 2013).
29. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Farewell to one of the greats, Bob Hoskins". *Moviepilot*. Archived from the original on 10 January 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
30. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Bob Hoskins retires from acting". *ITV News*. 8 August 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
31. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Walker, Tim (21 April 2010). Eden, Richard (ed.). "Bob Hoskins: It's the long goodbye for Gordon Brown". *The Daily Telegraph*.
32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Greenstreet, Rosanna (17 June 2011). "Q&A: Bob Hoskins". *The Guardian*.
33. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Linda Hoskins saved him from an earlier death from alcohol". *Daily Entertainment News*. 30 April 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
34. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Grice, Elizabeth (13 December 2001). "'I'm no tough guy'". *The Daily Telegraph*.
35. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Roberts, Anna (11 August 2012). "Bob Hoskins to sell his Sussex home". *The Argus*.
36. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Bob Hoskins Dead: Wife Linda Banwell Credited With Getting 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' Actor Sober [PHOTO]". *International Business Times*. 30 April 2014.
37. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Bob Hoskins to retire after Parkinson's diagnosis". *BBC News*. BBC. 9 August 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
38. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Bob Hoskins dies of pneumonia aged 71". *BBC News*. 30 April 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
39. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Bob Hoskins tributes: 'a true gentleman'". *The Daily Telegraph*. 30 April 2014. Archived from the original on 30 April 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
40. ↑ 26th Annual Razzie Award Nominees for Worst Supporting Actor. *Razzies.com*. John Wilson and the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation.
41. ↑ 411MANIA.

## Bibliography

* Moline, Karen (1988). *Bob Hoskins: An Unlikely Hero*. Sidgwick & Jackson. pp. 213. ISBN 978-0283995088. https://books.google.com/books?id=frcdAAAAMAAJ.

## External links

Template:Wikiquote

* Bob Hoskins at IMDb

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