We recently missed the 75th anniversary of the birth of Alan Rickman, but then so did he as he sadly passed away in 2020. Justifably deemed a remarkable actor and person by all who knew him, he was born and raised in Acton, West London, educated at Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith and studied graphic design at Chelsea College of Art and Design, before completing graduate studies at the Royal College of Art and he then opened a graphic design studio Graphiti in Soho, London, also working for the Notting Hill Herald. His love of theatre led to a scholarship into RADA, after which he spent time with repertory companies in Leicester (where his brother became a local councillor) and Sheffield, where he shared a flat with Ruby Wax. Eventually he amassed 72 screen credits and became noticed in 1982 for Smiley’s People and The Barchester Chronicles as Obadiah Slope. However international fame came from his first big film role as Hans Gruber in Die Hard 1988, after which he had to work hard to avoid typecasting as a cool villain, especially after winning a BAFTA as the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood- Prince of Thieves 1991. He was BAFTA-nominated for Truly Madly Deeply 1990, Sense and Sensibility 1995 & Michael Collins 1996 and won an Emmy and Golden Globe for Rasputin 1996. Other noted roles were Quigley Down Under 1990 opposite Tom Selleck – of course Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series 2001-2011 – Love Actually 2003 - Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street 2007 – King Louis XIV in A Little Chaos 2015, which he also directed, and Eye in the Sky 2015. He fully supported his wife as Labour Party councillor for Kensington and Chelsea 1986-2006, they were together since 1977 and married 2012 and had a long-standing home in Holland Park/Westbourne Grove, West London. We believe he is more than worthy of a match in his honour and hope you accept – if the numbers or ratings do not suit, then please make contact
Equaliser769
