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Ever wondered what is the cause of the death of Alan Rickman? Are you as curious as I am?
Then stay glued as we delve into his life and talk about the cause of his death in this article;
Alan Rickman Biography
Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman was an English actor and director, born on February 21, 1946, in the Acton district of London.
His parents were Bernard William Rickman and Margaret Doreen Rose. Rickman had a mixed heritage that he frequently discussed because his mother was Welsh and his paternal grandmother was Irish.
Rickman was born with a special talent: a deep voice with a sluggish delivery. He was born with a tight jaw, which contributed to this in part.
Later on, he would make light of the vocal coach’s remark that he had a “spastic soft palate.” But as an actor, he would come to be known for this particular vocal style.
When Rickman was only eight years old, tragedy struck when his father went suddenly from cancer. As a result, his mother was largely on her own to raise him, his two brothers, David and Michael, and his sister, Sheila.
The family was relocated to an Acton estate close to Wormwood Scrubs Prison by the municipality. Margaret supported her children by working at the Post Office.
After discovering his love for acting as a teenager, Rickman decided to further his education at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.
He developed his abilities at RADA and afterwards joined the esteemed Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). Both in productions of classical and modern theatre, his talent shined through.
In the 1985 RSC theatrical version of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Rickman played the Vicomte de Valmont. The play received great reviews and was moved to the West End and Broadway in 1986 and 1987, respectively.
A Tony Award nomination for Rickman’s outstanding performance solidified his place among the best actors in Britain.
Then Rickman entered the realm of film, making his debut in Die Hard (1988) as German terrorist leader Hans Gruber. He gained worldwide notoriety for this performance, which demonstrated his talent for portraying terrifying villains.
With his depiction of the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), he continued to dazzle viewers and won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
For his starring and supporting parts in films like Truly, Madly, Deeply (1991), An Awfully Big Adventure (1995), Sense and Sensibility (1995), and Michael Collins (1996), Rickman won praise from critics throughout his career.
In films like Dogma (1999), Galaxy Quest (1999), and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005), he has displayed his comedic abilities.
However, Rickman’s depiction of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter film series, which he played from 2001 to 2011, is what helped him gain the most notoriety.
Both fans and journalists unanimously praised him for his portrayal of the nuanced and intriguing character.
In addition to his work in films, Rickman also had a successful television career. He initially came to public recognition in 1978 as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, a production of Shakespeare produced by the BBC.
In the 1982 BBC adaptation of The Barchester Chronicles, he played Obadiah Slope, which was his first major acting role.
Later, he appeared in television films including Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny (1996), for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award, and Something the Lord Made (2004).
Rickman received accolades for his extraordinary talent and contributions to the entertainment business throughout his career. He was recognised as one of the top actors who had never been nominated for an Academy Award by The Guardian in 2009.
Despite this, his admirers and his fellow performers will never forget his performances.
Rickman’s life was tragically cut short on January 14, 2016, at the age of 69, following a battle with pancreatic cancer.
His passing left a loss in the performing community, but his illustrious collection of work ensures that his legacy endures. With his fascinating voice and exceptional talent, Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman will always be regarded as one of the best performers of his generation.
Alan Rickman’s Cause Of Death
Alan Rickman died on 14 January 2016 after he battled with a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
The well-known actor passed away just some months before he celebrated his 70th birthday.
Alan Rickman’s Movies
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1988 | Die Hard | Hans Gruber | ||
1989 | The January Man | Ed | ||
1990 | Quigley Down Under | Elliot Marston | ||
1991 | Truly, Madly, Deeply | Jamie | ||
1991 | Closet Land | Interrogator | ||
1991 | Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves | Sheriff of Nottingham | ||
1991 | Close My Eyes | Sinclair / Natalie’s husband | ||
1992 | Bob Roberts | Lukas Hart III | ||
1994 | Mesmer | Franz Anton Mesmer | ||
1995 | An Awfully Big Adventure | P. L. O’Hara | ||
1995 | Sense and Sensibility | Colonel Brandon | ||
1996 | Michael Collins | Éamon de Valera | ||
1997 | The Winter Guest | Man in street | Uncredited; also director and co-writer | |
1998 | Judas Kiss | Detective David Friedman | ||
1998 | Dark Harbor | David Weinberg | ||
1999 | Dogma | Metatron | ||
1999 | Galaxy Quest | Alexander Dane | ||
2000 | Help! I’m a Fish | Joe | Voice | |
2001 | Blow Dry | Phil Allen | ||
2001 | Play | Man | ||
2001 | The Search for John Gissing | John Gissing | ||
2001 | Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone | Severus Snape | ||
2002 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Severus Snape | ||
2003 | Love Actually | Harry | ||
2004 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | Severus Snape | ||
2005 | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | Severus Snape | ||
2005 | The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy | Marvin the Paranoid Android | Voice | |
2006 | Snow Cake | Alex Hughes | ||
2006 | Perfume: The Story of a Murderer | Richis | ||
2007 | Nobel Son | Eli Michaelson | ||
2007 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | Severus Snape | ||
2007 | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | Judge Turpin | ||
2008 | Bottle Shock | Steven Spurrier | ||
2009 | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | Severus Snape | ||
2010 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 | Severus Snape | ||
2010 | Alice in Wonderland | Absolem The Caterpillar | Voice | |
2010 | The Wildest Dream | Noel Odell | Voice, Documentary | |
2011 | Portraits in Dramatic Time | Himself | ||
2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 | Severus Snape | ||
2011 | The Boy in the Bubble | Narrator | Voice, Short film | |
2012 | Gambit | Lord Shahbandar | ||
2013 | The Butler | Ronald Reagan | ||
2013 | A Promise | Karl Hoffmeister | ||
2013 | Dust | Todd | Short Film | |
2013 | CBGB | Hilly Kristal | ||
2014 | A Little Chaos | King Louis XIV | Also director and co-writer | |
2015 | Eye in the Sky | Lieutenant General Frank Benson | ||
2016 | Alice Through the Looking Glass | Absolem The Caterpillar | Voice, posthumous release |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1978 | Romeo and Juliet | Tybalt | BBC Television Shakespeare | |
1980 | Thérèse Raquin | Vidal | 3 episodes | |
1980 | Shelley | Clive | Episode: “Nowt So Queer” | |
1982 | Busted | Simon | Television film | |
1982 | Smiley’s People | Mr Brownlow | 1 episode | |
1982 | The Barchester Chronicles | Obadiah Slope | 5 episodes | |
1985 | Summer Season | Croop | Episode: “Pity in History” | |
1985 | Girls on Top | Dmitri / RADA | 3 episodes | |
1989 | Revolutionary Witness | Jacques Roux | Television short | |
1989 | ScreenPlay | Israel Yates | Episode: “The Spirit of Man” | |
1993 | Fallen Angels | Dwight Billings | Episode: “Murder, Obliquely” | |
1996 | Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny | Grigori Rasputin | Television film | |
2000 | Victoria Wood with All the Trimmings | Captain George Fallon | Sketch: Plots and Proposals | |
2002 | King of the Hill | King Philip | Voice, Episode: “Joust Like a Woman” | |
2004 | Something the Lord Made | Dr. Alfred Blalock | Television film | |
2010 | The Song of Lunch | He | Television film |
Video games
Year | Title | Voice | |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | The Space Bar | My Parker / Ty Parker |
Stage
Year | Title | Role | Venue | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1976 | Sherlock Holmes | Sherlock Holmes | Birmingham Repertory Theatre | |
1976–1977 | The Devil is an Ass | Wittipol | Birmingham Repertory Theatre | |
1978 | Love’s Labour’s Lost | Boyet | Royal Shakespeare Company | |
1978 | Captain Swing | Farquarson | Royal Shakespeare Company | |
1978 | The Tempest | Ferdinand | Royal Shakespeare Company | |
1980 | Commitments | Unknown | Royal Shakespeare Company | |
1981 | The Seagull | Mr. Aston | The Royal Court Theatre | |
1983 | The Grass Widow | Dennis | The Royal Court Theatre | |
1983 | Bad Language | Bob | The Royal Court Theatre | |
1985 | As You Like It | Jaques | Royal Shakespeare Company | |
1985 | Troilus and Cressida | Achilles | Royal Shakespeare Company | |
1985 | Les Liaisons Dangereuses | Le Vicomte de Valmont | Royal Shakespeare Company | |
1986 | Les Liaisons Dangereuses | Le Vicomte de Valmont | Barbican Centre, London | |
1986 | Mephisto | Hendrik Hofgen | Barbican Centre | |
1987 | Les Liaisons Dangereuses | Le Vicomte de Valmont | Music Box Theatre, Broadway | |
1991 | Tango at the End of Winter | Sei | Piccadilly Theatre, West End | |
1992 | Hamlet | Hamlet | Riverside Studios, London | |
1995 | The Winter Guest | Director | Almeida Theatre, West End | |
1998 | Antony and Cleopatra | Mark Antony | Royal National Theatre, London | |
2001–2002 | Private Lives | Elyot Chase | Richard Rodgers Theatre, Broadway | |
2006 | My Name is Rachel Corrie | Director and Editor | Minetta Lane Theatre, Broadway | |
2008 | Creditors | Director | Donmar Warehouse, London | |
2010–2011 | John Gabriel Borkman | John Gabriel Borkman | Abbey Theatre, DublinBrooklyn Academy of Music | |
2011–2012 | Seminar | Leonard | John Golden Theatre, Broadway |